OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Nov. 6, 2023) – The saga of the Ottawa County Board versus the county’s Administrative Health Officer continued on Monday.
Commissioners met for over eight hours, most of it behind closed doors, as it continued to consider the future of embattled Health Commissioner Adaline Hambley. When the board returned, Chairman Joe Moss moved, “To accept council’s recommendation regarding litigation and settlement activities in the case of Hambley v. Ottawa County as addressed during closed session.” That motion passed 7-3 with all but one of the Ottawa Impact-affiliated counselors voting for the measure (Kyle Terpstra had excused himself during the closed session and was not present when the board reemerged into an open meeting). The council then adjourned until its next scheduled meeting on November 14th with no word on the nature of the settlement.
At least one citizen in the audience shouted for Commissioner Moss to resign. Another reportedly expressed shock at the passage of the motion after the nearly 7 hour closed-door meeting.
After the meeting, Hambley’s attorney, Sarah Howard, indicated that settlement negotiations accounted for most of the time in private session. The expectation is that the results of those negotiations will be finalized and voted on when the council meets again.
-video link to the entire Nov. 6 meeting courtesy Ottawa County, Michigan.
