OTTAWA COUNTY, MI – A parental rights advocate is complicated a longtime Ottawa County commissioner in the Aug. 2 Republican most important for the board’s two-year, District 8 seat.
Sylvia Rhodea is in search of to unseat longtime incumbent Greg DeJong, who was to start with elected to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners in 2010.
District 8 represents 26,582 men and women residing in Allendale Constitution Township. A map of the county’s up-to-date district boundaries for 2023 is obtainable below.
Rhodea, 51, is a co-founder of Ottawa Affect and describes herself as an advocate for dad and mom rights and former modest organization operator. She says she is completely endorsed by Correct to Lifetime of Michigan and has a qualifications working in foster treatment and adoption, such as performing in just the county courts systems.
She has pledged to “stand from govt overreach and protect in opposition to divisive teachings and insurance policies in county governing administration,” her marketing campaign site claimed.
DeJong has served on the county board’s Parks, Finance, Preparing and Plan, and Water Means committees. Prior to joining the board, he served as an Allendale Township Trustee from 2000 to 2008. He attended Muskegon Group Faculty in planning for a career in the foodservice field. “With his enthusiasm to provide, he opened the Rock Island restaurant in Holland, along with the Goal Put up Relatives Cafe in Allendale,” in accordance to the Ottawa County internet site.
The critical problems that DeJong is campaigning on for reelection are “protecting liberty, preserving excellent of existence, and funding general public protection,” in accordance to his campaign website.
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Data on other state, county and area key races can be discovered at Vote411.org.
From this checklist, rate your prime 3 priorities for the place of work of Ottawa County Commissioner: Funding for infrastructure and streets, Land Use, H2o Good quality, Social Providers, Lower Taxes, Protection, Senior Providers funded by way of a countywide millage, Redistricting – county commissioner allocation. Talk about briefly.
Greg DeJong
Funding the sheriff’s department. Keeping our taxes low. Preserving our high quality of existence.
Sylvia Rhodea
Social Products and services, Basic safety, and Reduced Taxes.
The Ottawa County Department of Community Wellness has egregiously violated parental rights and flexibility in Ottawa County through wellbeing orders. We need to return to protecting the constitutional rights of our folks. With mounting psychological health and fitness desires, local community mental wellness companies want to be evaluated to assure the desires of our younger people today can be fulfilled.
The compensation and guidance of our community servants, no matter if in social providers or legislation enforcement, want to be evaluated to be certain retention of good quality, seasoned personnel. We need to make sure funding is obtainable to meet up with raising requires for regulation enforcement.
Taxes need to have to be saved as reduced as attainable, and land ought to be utilised properly with respect for landowner house legal rights.
Assertion: County commissioners have accomplished an successful job in major the county in the previous two several years. Do you concur or disagree? Briefly reveal.
Greg DeJong
Because of to Covid, it has been two rough a long time. We have listened to a lot of place citizens who were being passionate on the two sides of the concerns with regards to mandates. We’ve been sued, threatened, and cursed at but addressed everyone with respect & dignity. We are a nation of regulations, and the board of commissioners took the oath to abide by people legislation. Our board requires terrific pride to perform jointly in unity & respect for the total county of Ottawa. We get matters accomplished with teamwork & cooperation. Our goal is to provide the inhabitants of Ottawa County.
Sylvia Rhodea
I strongly disagree. Whilst the county has attractive parks, and in some features seems to be fiscally dependable, the commissioners swore an oath to the Constitution, and have not fulfilled their first elementary duty— to guard the constitutional legal rights of the people today.
Around the program of several months, parents questioned the county to weigh the raising harms of health and fitness orders on our younger people— which include mounting psychological health and fitness problems. The county commissioners refused to intervene, even with possessing statutory authority in excess of the posture of the neighborhood well being director, as affirmed by Choose Jon Hulsing on 12/6/2021.
More, Ottawa County has promoted Planned Parenthood and pro-abortion means. The county proceeds in membership with the progressive firm GARE, together with the cities of Seattle and Portland. Even though range and inclusion are lovely values, the county’s DE&I business office is spreading divisive CRT teachings in our county, like the socialist worth of fairness.
What are your techniques for meeting with your district to achieve nearby insight for important county conclusions.
Greg DeJong
Each month I satisfy with the township board. University board, Lions Club, Rotary Club all Chamber functions
Sylvia Rhodea
I will attend township and college board meetings, as well as meetings with other community teams. I will go on to have an open up ear and develop associations with my group as I have carried out in modern years while advocating with the group and moms and dads on nearby college board and county commissioner challenges.
I enjoy The usa and I feel in the goodness of our individuals. I believe that strongly in the participation of the men and women with nearby governing administration, and I will keep on to encourage citizen engagement, just as I have as a co-founder of Ottawa Impression.
As Ronald Reagan claimed,
”Freedom is in no way extra than 1 generation absent from extinction. We didn’t move it to our little ones in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the very same.”

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