Muskegon County Commissioners sworn in with new chair nominations

The Organizational Meeting of the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners took place on January 3, 2025, focusing on the swearing-in of new commissioners, the election of the board chair, and amendments to the agenda.

The meeting commenced with the swearing-in ceremony, where newly elected commissioners took their oaths of office, pledging to support the Constitution of the United States and the state of Michigan. This was followed by an invocation led by Pastor Kai Guy from Corinthians Missionary Baptist Church, who offered prayers for guidance and strength for the newly sworn officials.

After the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Hernick. A roll call confirmed the presence of all commissioners, allowing the meeting to proceed to the approval of the agenda. Commissioner Nash moved to amend the agenda to include a resolution regarding the term length for the chairman's office, proposing a change from two years to one year. This amendment was put to a vote but did not pass, with three votes in favor and four against.

Following this, the board moved to approve the original agenda, which passed unanimously. The meeting then opened for public comments on agenda items, but no comments were received.

The next significant item on the agenda was the election of the board chair. Commissioner Cook nominated Jessica Hook, while Commissioner Nash was nominated by another member. A motion was made to close nominations, which passed unanimously. Commissioner Nash then requested a secret ballot for the voting process. The board agreed to this request, and preparations were made for the voting procedure.

The meeting concluded with the board poised to elect its new chair, marking a significant step in the governance of Muskegon County for the upcoming year. Further details on the election results and subsequent actions will be addressed in future meetings.