UNDATED (WHTC-AM/FM, May 8, 2024) – There will be a change in the makeup of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners when the results of Tuesday’s elections are certified.
Twenty percent of the registered voters, in the 10 precincts in Holland and Park townships that comprise District 2 on the board, cast ballots in a special recall election. By a three-to-two-margin (2502-1665), they supported Democratic challenger Chris Kleinjans over Republican incumbent Lucy Ebel. Ebel, who was backed by the Ottawa Impact political action group when she succeeded Frank Garcia on the governing panel two years ago, was the target of a recall, led by current Ottawa County Democratic Party chairman Larry Jackson, along with Joe Spaulding, who lost to Ebel in the 2022 General Election.
Kleinjans, who joins Holland’s Doug Zylstra as the two Democrats on the 11-member board, will serve the remainder of the two-year term through the end of 2024, while Ebel and Jordan Jorritsma are slated to face each other in the August 6th Primary Election.
The rest of Tuesday’s elections along the Lakeshore concerned ballot proposals, with only one going down to defeat. Plainwell Community Schools’ $42.4 million bond request for an early childhood center, as well as renovating existing structures and facilities, was defeated by nearly 55 percent of the vote (1368 no, 1195 yes).
As for ballot proposal approvals:
- Holland Township .55-mill Bike Path Proposal 2957-2034 (59.2%)
- West Ottawa schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 6012-3159 (65.6%)
- Zeeland schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 2847-1089 (72.3%)
- Hamilton schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 1377-840 (62.1%)
- Grand Haven schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 5650-2518 (69.2%)
- Hudsonville schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 3895-2542 (60.5%)
- Hudsonville schools 2-mill Operational Proposal 3648-2952 (54%)
- Jenison schools $117 million Bond Proposal 3533-2013 (64%)
- Wayland Union schools 18-mill Non-Homestead Renewal 1195-783 (60.4%)
- Casco Township 1-mill Ambulance Service Renewal 498-157 (76%)
- Casco Township .65-mill Police Protection Renewal 486-168 (74.3%)
- Casco Township .25-mill Senior Services Proposal 444-211 (67.8%)
Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck’s office noted that 20.6 percent of the registered voters eligible to participate in Tuesday’s election cast ballots; no initial figure was available from the office of Allegan County Clerk Bob Genetski.
Comments