Ottawa Impact burst onto the scene two years ago. Let’s take a look at the mark they’ve left.

OTTAWA COUNTY, MI — Ottawa Impact, the ultra-conservative political group that took power in Ottawa County less than two years ago, may be nearing the end of its reign.

But in that short time, the political agenda and the turmoil that accompanied it left an indelible mark on the Ottawa County government.

In the Tuesday, Aug. 6 primary, only four Ottawa Impact candidates won against Republican challengers: current Ottawa County Board Chair Joe Moss in District 5, Vice Board Chair Sylvia Rhodea in District 8, Commissioner Allison Miedema in District 11 and Commissioner Kendra Wenzel in District 6.

Related: Top five takeaways from Ottawa County’s Aug. 6 primary election

They now move on to the November election to face Democratic challengers, although Ottawa County has always been a Republican stronghold. Still, two Democrats now sit on the 11-member county board, and the party is looking to make progress.

Tuesday’s decision by voters means Ottawa Impact will no longer have a majority on county council in January 2024.

The Ottawa Impact story is rooted, in part, in Moss’s belief that state and provincial governments have overstepped their authority during the COVID pandemic, particularly when it comes to mask rules.

Moss and seven others ran campaigns in 2022 on broad issues such as “pro-America,” “pro-parental rights” and “pro-Constitution.”

They crushed the August 2022 primary.

Then the controversy began.

Related: Lawsuits, ‘childhood innocence’, $4M settlement talks: How a far-right council rocked Ottawa County

The same day they were sworn in, the new commissioners instituted sweeping changes. They included firing then-administrator John Shay and replacing him with former congressional candidate John Gibbs, disbanding the county’s diversity office, hiring a new “constitutional” law firm, attempting to fire health inspector Adeline Hambley and changing the county motto from “Where You Belong” to “Where Freedom Rings.”

This was just the beginning of government turbulence.

Residents would gather at county meetings to praise and criticize board members during public hearings. The meetings often lasted for hours, sometimes as long as six hours.

Hambley filed suit, leading to a lengthy legal battle that culminated in late 2023 when commissioners reportedly offered her $4 million to leave. A judge later ruled that while the board had reached a general settlement agreement, the deal could not be enforced because Moss’ Nov. 6 motion was “too ambiguous” to ratify the board’s contract.

This was not the only lawsuit the council had to deal with.

A Grand Haven pastor filed a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination because he believed Moss was preventing him from delivering the invocation on the chalkboard. The pastor supports LGBTQ rights.

In turn, a 49-year-old candidate for the position of senior executive assistant to the county administrator filed an age discrimination lawsuit because the county hired a 23-year-old with fewer qualifications.

Then earlier this year, after Gibbs was fired on February 29 amid allegations of misconduct, Gibbs filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and defamation.

Related:Fired Ottawa County Administrator John Gibbs sues county council, alleging retaliation, defamation

While employment issues in the district have been controversial, the topics raised by the board have also sparked debate.

In early 2023, Moss criticized the Ottawa County Health Department for its partnership with a sex education week event at GVSU that discussed sex toys as well as sexual health and relationships.

Then in May, commissioners voted to grant the county “constitutional county” status, a largely symbolic gesture.

A month later, they passed a resolution aimed at “protecting the innocence of childhood.” And in April of this year, they passed a resolution aimed at “promoting life,” which spoke of the harm to women caused by abortion.

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed to recall former District 2 Commissioner Lucy Ebel, who was recalled in the May 2024 election.

Commissioner Jacob Bonnema and Rebekah Curran left the Ottawa Impact platform in early 2023. Bonnema filed harassment charges against Gibbs in March 2023 following an altercation between the two.

In March, commissioners tapped Jon Anderson as interim administrator in another controversial move. Some commissioners complained that Anderson, who ran unsuccessfully for Ottawa County sheriff in the August primary, had not been adequately vetted for the job.

It is unclear whether commissioners will fill the vacant administrator position before the end of 2024.

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