Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenters urge county action to block ICE detention and praise local election administration
Summary
During public comment, former state representative Rachel Harvey Wright urged the board to draft an ordinance or resolution preventing ICE detention facilities in Muskegon County; Jane Johnson of Norton Shores spoke in defense of the county’s election administration and county clerk, praising decentralized safeguards and bipartisan processes.
Two members of the public addressed the board in separate public‑comment remarks on community safety and elections.
Rachel Harvey Wright, a former county commissioner and state representative, asked the board to develop an ordinance or resolution to prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from establishing a detention center in Muskegon County. Wright said such a facility would harm the county’s reputation as a tourist destination and place additional strain on local hospitals and emergency services, which she described as already understaffed. She offered the Washtenaw County model language as a starting point and said she looks forward to working with commissioners who wish to draft local action.
Separately, Jane Johnson of Norton Shores spoke in support of the county’s election system and the county clerk, praising local election administrators as nonpartisan public servants who maintain voter rolls, test equipment and oversee ballot handling. Johnson emphasized the decentralized nature of U.S. elections, bipartisan checks, paper trails and audits, and urged the board to continue supporting the clerk’s office.
Board members listened without making committee commitments during public comment, and no formal action was taken on either item at the meeting.
