Ottawa County Community Action Agency Resolution

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the County of Ottawa, Michigan, held at 12220 West Fillmore St., West Olive, Michigan on the 28th day of October, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. local time:

PRESENT: Commissioners: Jim Barry, Jordan Jorritsma, Douglas Zylstra, Jacob Bonnema, Joe Moss, Kendra Wenzel, John Teeples, Sylvia Rhodea, Philip Kuyers, Josh Brugger, Allison Miedema

It was moved by Commissioner Jim Barry and supported by Commissioner Josh Brugger that the following Resolution be adopted:

WHEREAS, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners is the elected governing body of Ottawa County, Michigan, and is responsible for providing statutorily authorized services for the health, safety, and welfare of its residents; and

WHEREAS, Ottawa County, through its Community Action Agency, serves residents who need utility and home weatherization assistance in order to stay warm and remain housed during the winter, as well as residents who need emergency food assistance to avoid hunger;

WHEREAS, these services are possible by federal funding, including funding from Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and there is no state statutorily authorized funding alternative;

WHEREAS, both the federal CSBG and LIHEAP funds are proposed for elimination in the federal FY 2026 budget;

WHEREAS, during the calendar year 2024, the Ottawa County Community Action Agency assisted approximately 5,000 Ottawa County residents with these types of critical housing and food needs; and

WHEREAS, given increases in housing and food costs, the loss of federal CSBG and LIHEAP funds likely will threaten the physical shelter, safety and food security of more than 5,000 Ottawa County residents;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners hereby requests that the United States Congress, and specifically our U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, and our U.S. Representatives Bill Huizenga, John Moolenaar, and Hillary Scholten, vote to provide funding for physical shelter, safety, and food security as soon as practicable, in line with the federal administration’s strategic plan.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, and U.S. Representatives Bill Huizenga, John Moolenaar, and Hillary Scholten.

YEAS: Jacob Bonnema, Jordan Jorritsma, Josh Brugger, Allison Miedema, Kendra Wenzel, Jim Barry, Sylvia Rhodea, Joe Moss, Phil Kuyers, John Teeples.
NAYS: Doug Zylstra
ABSTENTIONS: None