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Residents press Ottawa County on Campbell coal plant, ICE activity and mental-health governance during public comment
Summary
Multiple residents urged the board to reconsider support for the Campbell coal plant over health concerns and to refuse participation in federal ICE activities; several commenters also urged caution on the CH authority conversion, citing ethics and legal concerns.
Public comment at the Feb. 26 Ottawa County meeting raised three recurring concerns: health harms from the Consumers Energy Campbell coal plant, local responses to federal immigration enforcement, and opposition to aspects of the proposed Community Mental Health authority conversion.
On the Campbell plant, retired physician Don Sheiel and resident Bob Hamilton described respiratory, cardiovascular and other health risks associated with coal combustion and asked the board to withdraw prior statements supporting continued operation. Hamilton also cited an estimate of programmatic costs approaching $150 million and appealed to the board to ask the Michigan Public Service Commission to pursue closure.
Other commenters, including faith leaders and residents such as Millie Hog and Joe Spalding, urged the sheriff and board to publicly refuse participation in aggressive federal ICE actions, proposing a coordinated committee of county officials and citizens to prepare for potential enforcement activity and to protect civil liberties and community safety.
Several speakers questioned the CH authority proposal's legal and governance implications and asked for independent review. William Pettit, a retired attorney, called the county's legal analysis "inept" and urged an attorney-general opinion or outside review; other commenters flagged social-media posts and potential conflicts influencing CH decisions.
Board staff and commissioners received the remarks as part of a wider deliberative record. The meeting record shows the board subsequently debated and approved conversion to a CH authority (6-5) and took separate action on housing and other items.
Sources: Feb. 26 public comment record at Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting.
