I pledge allegiance of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Here,
Mr. Koskela, here, Mr.
Anderson here, Mr. Johnson here. Here.
On re election of a chairman can will openness and in nominations.
Madam Chair, Madam Clerk, I nominate Albert Koskela to serve just as chairman for this upcoming year.
Support.
Any other nominations? Any other nominations?
All in favor, Aye. Aye.
Those opposed?
Chairman Khosla
over to you.
Accept the nomination for Vice Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I nominate Commissioner Tikkanen into continue on as Vice Chair.
I'll second that.
Moved and seconded for Tom Tikkanen for vice chair. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? approval of the minutes. last meeting.
I'd like to make a motion that we approve last meetings minutes.
Is there support for that? Move by Commissioner Johnson supported by Commissioner rich to approve the minutes. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Carries. Approval of the agenda within the additions.
So moved to approve the agenda has presented.
I have one addition, item eight under key resolution 21 dash one from Delta combee. Add that Under Item eight.
I will amend my motion to reflect that.
I'll support that motion.
Moved and supported to approve the agenda. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? carries. public comments. Anyone here that are out there that wants to address the board? public comments? Third call for public comments. Hearing none, moving on to item h approval letter bills. We have bills in the amount of a big number. Let me see what the heck I did with it. $1,131,047.31. I'd entertain a motion for approval.
Mr. Chair. I'll make that motion to approve. payment of the bills
second
moved by Commissioner ticket in supported by Commissioner Janssen. To pay the bills. Roll call vote, please.
Yes,
yes.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
That carries. At my correspondence, anybody have any correspondence they want to bring up? Hearing none, we'll move on to reports. Starting with Gretchen.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
So a couple of press releases from the health department that came out recently is that we are in phase one B of disseminating vaccination. There is lack of sufficient supply of vaccine. So it's by appointment only. I know that for this week, they are fully booked. So please check back every couple of days to see if you can make an appointment to get the vaccine if you are interested in that. Right now it's residents over 65. And then frontline essential workers. Teachers. Let's see jail and prison staff, first responders, police officers. And then and then their second press release was just asking for patience with scheduling because the supply is limited. In the last health department meeting that we had last month, they had started planning for the COVID vaccination. tiered approach as we know, the general public probably won't have it until spring, we're getting close to spring. And then they, they are working on the development of a testing lab. They've done the wiring and plumbing and flooring. They've gotten some extra equipment through grant. And there'll be a certification process after that's built. And the lab services would be through the director services would be through tech. Let's see. For the UP environmental health, superior health code, they are moving ahead with public comments but no other action is being taken at this time. And just wanted to say thanks to Janet Fox, who is retiring at the end of February for her many years of service to the health department. That's all I have.
Thank you, Commissioner Anderson,
nothing at this time.
Commissioner Brits
Just couple things, the Road Commission met and they went over their 25 year plan which is 2021 through 2025. Transportation Improvement was discussed with all the townships and cities and villages that are involved in that. And to go further with it. They annually review this thing and update it but they have to have it in place to guarantee the money coming in from state and federal government. Snowfall for the for this so far this year, October 26.2. November was 14.4. And December 23 was 37 for a total of 7260. Last year at this time of the year it was 9164 about 20 inches behind last year. We all know that's gonna change. The sheriff's office met we had told me with them. One based on what's on the agenda later on as far as health code the COVID time. At the time, that time when we met with the sheriff they had four or five people had been with COVID related issues. One was still at that time. But you came back today and you thought everybody's healthy. They're in there monitoring their staff, but they had four or five volt with COVID. And then the work crews had been off for the last for a while now with COVID. There's no position to go to business and overtime. But they're reaching out to the different entities that they work with. And they're hoping to get back online next week to the crews. All right,
when was the meeting? When was the meeting and the road commission meeting? was yesterday in all three members? All three members in attendance?
All three? Yes, they were all there physically. All through it.
Thanks. Glad to hear
missioner tikkanen.
Nothing to report, Mr. Chair.
And I have nothing to report that will come up later. County officers? Do we have anybody out there? Hearing none, moving on new business. meeting dates and times. Y'all have a copy of the proposed meeting dates and times for 2021? And we have one item on there that we'd like to change with the Roy rule on February 9.
If possible, can we go at three o'clock?
Same day just drinking beer.
Three o'clock that works for everybody.
That's our next meeting.
So those dates line up with what you had said previously, Jennifer,
the list that was in my package are totally off compared to
but this one's accurate. The ones
that when you have in your hands.
Okay, well, then we'll follow
up and make sure that you get it I just looked at every Tuesday and I might have one.
For a second Tuesday after Monday,
Jennifer will follow
up and given to make sure you get accurate On the
February meeting what data is out there? Okay.
So that one would be correct for 3pm. Okay, very good. So
instead of 5pm and 3pm. So we have a motion to do that. Right. Mr. Chairman?
I'll make a motion that we adjust the February 9 meeting from 5pm to start instead at 3pm.
To comply with the Roy rule.
Yes, yes. Here on it's referred to as the Roy's Rule.
Oh, all in favor to a 3pm meeting on February 9, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. That's moving on. Rules of Order. Anybody have anything they want to change in the Rules of Order?
Nothing, not really a change. But if we could continue to have the agenda and any packet items online for, you know, for people in the county to have access to, as soon as it's available, I guess would be great. I know. Sometimes it's not available till maybe the day before. We could continue that I appreciate it.
I was gone last week and I thought this was my first vacation in three years, but I wasn't on so I will make sure that on the Friday before.
Moving on Commissioner committee appointments. We have the elect commissioners for mental health and to the District Health Department. There's one for the mental health and three for the District Health. I have been serving the one on mental health for long enough to be a client.
No comment.
no objection? Okay. District health, we have three members. What do we want? There were three members.
Point the same ones uncomfortable? Sure.
Anybody object to that? We will keep the same three members never have that as a motion. Pardon?
Can you tell me who they are so I can put them in the minutes or you have one minute. It's me, Glenn and Roy,
and the nails on the mental health.
I'd entertain a motion for those positions.
I'll make the motion that the three commissioners remain on the health department that are assigned right now. And the mental health portal
seconded
by Commissioner Britt's supported by Commissioner Anderson to keep the same members on the map Belleville district health boards. Oh in favor? Aye.
Any opposed? And Mr. Chair, just more of a technical question, but now that the recreation authority county recreation authority is up and running Oldham County Board has one voting member. So we should clarify. And I'm assuming Tom would want that and as a voting member, because he's kind of the, the sponsor of the home county recreation authority, but even but he and I have both been serving
as what the
on the taskforce or on the steering committee for the last year. So we shouldn't we should clarify that. So I guess I'll make a motion that we appoint.
As the only local issue that issue to committee members, I'll
put that on there so that it's covered. Okay.
Next item is item four pandemic pay personnel policy, and we'll ask Mr. Larson to address that.
So I have spoken to the Michigan Association of Counties I spoken to our attorney Mr. Rogers, Alan Marquez. There was directed that we've been under from the US Department of Labor, which is called the families first coronavirus response act. That expired on December 31. So I spoke to someone at the US Department of Labor, I spoke to a lot of people at the Mac, a lot of my fellow administrators, and everybody is encouraged to make a formal policy. So when someone is told they must stay home or they contract the virus himself. Again, there is no law at this time. So it is encouraged us to make a policy. So in our data personnel, and what that we have, this would be the final articles or personal policy now stops at article 45. I'm asking you to consider adopting article 46, which would clearly define what would happen when someone must be tracing or contracting the Coronavirus lawyer just signed off and said 330 days, so I would ask you to consider this, it would be a good thing to have in writing, as we still are gonna have people that have not been traced or have not contracted the virus are going to be calling to say I cannot come into work, which we have no policy at this time. So I'm encouraging this adoption. If you have any questions, I would also be glad to get in contact with our attorney. But he said it's also very important.
I guess my only comment, which I shared with you just briefly was that on the law enforcement side, everyone will have a will have a opportunity to get one or not get one cylinder, either have one or will get one. So if an employee turns that down, that I don't think they should be eligible for this pandemic policy going forward. And then once it's available to the entire staff, which may take a while I realized that, but once the vaccines are available, and then if an employee decides he elects not to take the vaccine, then this policy shouldn't apply to them going forward. So those are the two points, I think that need to be addressed because if an employee decides not to do the vaccine, and it's been offered to them. And then they get COVID or family members a COVID them then to me that shouldn't apply. And I don't know quite how to do that. But I think some paragraph in here, you know, mentioning NASA to state that if they if they take actions by themselves to turn down an opportunity to get a vaccine, that's that's available to them and this should not apply, they should get no benefits other than using their own sick leave at that point in time. And that's not quite in there. And I realize you know that but but as we're now getting vaccines fairly widespread and home county, it's to me it's a it's an issue.
If they don't want to get the vaccines this year should apply them because it tells you that you're not going to get paid user vacation or whatever it
is that if that's your interpretation of it, my interpretations are 1080 hours after this, regardless if they get vaccines or not backset My only point is once they get to the point where they turn down a vaccine, then then yeah, if we have any employees that turn it down, which I don't know, and this shouldn't apply to the ADL, they should just be going their own.
only concern I have is you have a medical reason that they can keep the vaccine.
Good point. I would agree with that.
They're allergic to certain things that I agree with that as well.
And Roger and I kind of left a little bit allowed to that last time, I guess I asked you to know that I'm going to do the best thing. And I also can change next week. So I think that's something that I know that we need to know as we as a second, the last sentence tells you clearly that this is also subject to change. Right? This can change. And so I think the second lesson is also gives us a little bit of what you just said. And I'm going to stay on this with the US Department of Labor with Michigan association of counties, myself on the other ministers talking almost every day and this is a very hot button in the province. We're all in the same boat. And they're all taking one of these to their board also. So I I guess I hear your concern. I think the last few sentences give some latitude datepicker that and also to make adjustments of some comes out under President Biden's leadership and everything has completely changed that you know, this may have to change to this. I guess I I'm going to stay up on this and just let you know that all administrators I know are really looking at this right now. It has to be a hop on board. So I plan to stay on it just like the second the last time. So it says to do so.
And I would, I appreciate that and I support this other than I again, I can see an issue where an employee, especially on the public safety sites are going to be allowed priority wise to get a vaccine and they turn it down and then they elect in the future. To use this when they have a chance of getting vaccinated, then I think that's on them. That's all, we should not be them then that this app, this policy should apply, again, with, with the exception, like Ray said, if it's if whatever reason there's a medical certification by doctor saying that person can't get the vaccine for whatever reason. And I don't care.
Well, given the fact that this may or may be considered an ongoing circumstance, and this suggested policy may be refined or updated as we move forward. I believe it behooves us to get this on the books just so that we can deal with the circumstances we have at hand. And with that, I move that we adopt the policy as presented.
support or support. Moved by Commissioner Tikkanen supported by Commissioner Britz to adopt a pandemic pay personnel policy. All in favor,
aye.
Although I other than comment that
any opposed. It carries
I'd also like to add to to prevent great job and it's I know he's been working really hard on it. And for a lot of time, thank you for
being and then the vaccines for our sheriff's departments are going to be available soon.
I've been told that some of them already have it. I've been told our building inspector who also is part of 911 toddler room does have priority so he actually got it today. I believe that a couple of others. And I think a good portion of our people have got it or if they wanted to get it was that right? Right.
Michigan Tech is gonna be an old tomorrow. We're all scheduled tomorrow what the police officers that one tomorrow.
So they've been told me that I talked to Peter berry today at 10 o'clock that they are in a priority. batch I get
it sir.
Moving on, substitute magistrate appointment of Nickole Jollimore
in your packet, your papers from Judge Davotella that will be serving as a subsequent magistrate. Of course these people work 24 hours a day. They get calls when someone is pulled over at one in the morning or what have you. So she has received the proper training in a judge out of mine. And she is ready to be a substitute magistrate is a paperless person. But obviously it's good for your career. And it also gives us some transfer power down the way so before for you has asked me to have you read it about this idea. Again, no paper on the whole job more than she's getting now. But obviously more duties as she can fill in as a substitute
will eventually fill the position. full time position eventually.
I think she'd have a good shot. Obviously this is a great thing for us now the way that
the judges that is funny, I'm filling up the computer. Correct. So
and I know that ginger is on the line. So is ginger sulis on the line. Ginger, do you have any comments? She's as you may want to dress you? Okay.
I Yep, I am here.
You're live? Go ahead. Okay, I
just want to let you know, the reason that we're doing it is is a very good likelihood that I may ride off into the sunset before the end of the year, and I want to make sure that they're not left short of a magistrate. And it does take there's a lot of training and a lot of OJT that goes into a magistrate to get them ready to take over. And it's never good for us to have less than three, given the on call schedule. And that's why we want to get her trained in now so that I don't leave. If I leave by the end of the year. I haven't left it handicapped.
Thank you. I'd entertain a motion for the appointment of Nicole.
I'll make that motion.
I'll second it.
Moved by Commissioner Jensen supported by Commissioner Anderson to appoint Nicole jelmer as a substitute magistrate. All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed? That carries? Now we'll ask the Dominion representative Kurt Knowles. To address
we've also had several requests for someone to announce that if you make a public comment, please use the chat function. I can't look for waving hands.
Hello.
Hello, this is kernels. Can you hear me? Okay?
Yes.
I apologize that I don't have a visual. I live in a little town of brevoort miles west of St. Ignatius, and I've got a satellite internet connection. It's fast enough that I can but not fast enough for for the uploads portion of it so you can see me. I am. I actually work for a company called the election source, which is based in Grand Rapids. We are the representatives for the Dominion voting equipment. And we take care of 65 out of Michigan's 83 counties that use the Dominion equipment, and we take care of all of them. I personally am the representative for 27 counties, the 15 UP counties, plus 12 counties in northern lower Michigan that also use the Dominion equipment. Yes, one of those counties is Antrim County, the represent I've had this job for 23 years. Holden County was part of my original territory from 97 through 2000 2001. Through through the 2017. We had a representative who lived in Newbury. And his name was Dave Carmody, and then Dave retired and I was asked to take over the Upper Peninsula again as His representative. And I was the person who did all the installation and training of all your township and City Clerk's when the new when this new Dominion equipment came in, in 2018. And so I'm happy to answer your questions or concerns and I guess, one
Anderson here, maybe talk a little bit about anthem County. I mean, was that a software glitch? Was that it? Was that a hacking glitch? Was it human error? I guess, can you at least and maybe explain a little bit for those of us that mean in the up, I guess that was more of an issue, maybe in the Lower Peninsula, but nevertheless, maybe ask that question.
Right. What happened in Antrim, was that after the ballots were all printed, and all the programming was done, they discovered that there were two mistakes on the ballots, one in one in central Lake Township, and a problem in Mansell on the township with the problem well, in central Lake Township, what it was, was one of the balance styles, had the rocks or had the wrong school district on it. And unfortunately, it was missed by everybody who did proofing until after the bouncer would be mailed out to the absolute voter ballots be mailed out in advance Alona the village of Anzalone just completely forgot about an opening they had and never told the county clerk until it was till it was well wasn't too late, but it was kind of too late. So what happened was Andrew county let us know the problems we said okay, we can fix it, we'll reprint the balance that are affected. But when you load, there are little devices, CF cards and USB sticks that put the information on to the actual voting equipment. And, and they were told, okay, unfortunately, this problem even though only two county only two precincts needed reprints, you have to redo you have to all the talents of all 16 townships in the county need to have their little devices redone. And reloaded and then test again. Well, they're wonderful. The interim county clerk and her deputy that helps her with the election stuff. They're wonderful people. I've known that I've worked with them for 20 some years, but they're just not real techie. And they just didn't understand that they had to go out and retrieve all the little devices and reprint and have them reloaded with the revised with the revised collection with the corrections. And they still they just plain didn't understand it. They didn't do it. And the machines will still work just fine. But when you go to upload the results, and they do a hand and they do a when they upload the results in Antrim County, they bring the little cards in, there's no use of the Internet. And what happens is it'll upload them but won't necessarily put things in the right places. So now they had a long night. And what happened was in about half the precincts the street party Democrat, and in Joe Biden, because the only because they're there on the ballot first. They got their proper amount of votes. But the the results for the Republican Party and Donald Trump were somewhat they were in the single digits, and then a few in the two digits, but they would have it's 430 and two by 430. In the morning, the clerk's finally Okay, we got all the information in we're gonna post the the results to the web to their county website. And they didn't take the time to go through there. They saw the totals, but they didn't go through the individual precinct totals. They didn't notice that there were some, there were some numbers just didn't make any sense. And unfortunately, they posted it and went home because they were tired. Then the first call in the morning was, hey, there's something not quite right here. And of course, the first call I got on Wednesday morning was a Kurt. Something didn't go right. And I brought up the report, because it was that still posted? A Oh, yeah, I see that that's a problem. Okay, oh, we gotta take those down. And we'll get them corrected as they were in the border canvassing. Now, this was something that would have been fully caught when the board of canvassers do their review of the elections. And they did make those corrections. So one of the things I like to highlight those are unofficial results, because there may be some problems. And that's what the board of canvassers does. And they, they redid them, they actually and they reran a couple of precincts, and, and with the, and what they did then did was did a hand a manual entry of the results for all the ones that were wrong. And now, the results that antrum haves are correct. They've been audited three times, they did a full hand recount conducted by the Secretary of State of the presidential election. And those, there were some very minor changes. If a like an oval filled in very lightly, the machine might miss it. But human eyes do see it. That's why there was like a change, I think, I want to say, Trump went up by nine votes and, and Biden, I think, got two or three more, very minor to the whole thing. So there's a and so really, it was just county staff that just wasn't you know, in own County, you, Jennifer's are very good. I know a lot of county clerks are very, very closely with them. You have a very, in my opinion, very techie, county clerk, but Andrew county is probably the least techie folks I work with. And it was just, you know, just errors that would have been caught within hours after the after it came up from, from a citizen who happened to be just looking at the results overnight.
So just follow up on that Kurt, example. And many of us got these emails last few days. But one of the emails that we received, I think most of the commissioners got it, not all of them. And it referred to some report, which actually the report now, at least on the web today was suspended. But nevertheless, the report was that there was Chinese, the Chinese had hacked into Keweenaw county Dominion voting machines, I guess I just want to get your comment that that's not accurate.
It is not accurate. And in here, and here's why I have no it's not accurate is because none of the voting equipment which is identical in one County Antrim County, those with the actual voting equipment are never ever hooked up to the internet. And the computer that Jennifer uses in her office is a standalone dedicated to just elections, and that computer is never ever ever hooked to the internet. And that it's kind of a pain in the butt. Because it means we have to use a jump drives and such when we are putting a new election on such as when when we have an election, all your everything's complete the ballots have gotten to print, then a USB stick is sent via UPS to the county clerk. And that's how she puts that information onto her election computer. And like the old system, we would email it but but that's a no no, we don't do that anymore. And so how can in the in the wonderful answer to the question is, how can it be hacked? If it's never hooked to the Internet, and if it's never hacked, if it's never hooked to the internet, you the Chinese would have to come in person, I guess And to hack it was,like,
Kurt this one was specifically keeping the county not not holding county so I just keeping the county machines as well.
All all 15 Peninsula counties use the exact same equipment.
So the same answer for keeping?
Yes, absolutely.
Just want to make sure Hey,
Kurt. Yeah.
Can you tell them how with the with the USB that even come our passwords even come through a separate either
and, and and then what Jennifer is referring to is when that USB stick is sent, the the there is a password open it up, and that password is not in that ups package. Jennifer, can we we send that information separately, just so if that package with USB stick did land in the wrong hands, they still can't open it because they don't have the password. And you know, clerks go, Oh, another diet step. What do we got to do this for? But you know, we know why it's heightened security even more.
And then I'm just curious, what's the other maker in Michigan besides the besides the Dominion, which even though we don't have that?
That's right, when Michigan you know all the equipment. We got new equipment starting in 2017. And in the in the years in the couple of years running up to 2017. The state did a very big and involved project of analyzing they had of analyzing all the equipment available. And in this they had committees made of county and City Clerk's along with secretary of state elections bureau staff. And they it went on for like two years. And what they did is because there's like maybe five manufacturers in the United States of election equipment, they the state of Michigan and the committee's decided that three of them met Michigan's requirements, and those other two companies well and then so with the process, the other two companies are it goes by the initials SNS, which stands for election. Election software and services or something like that space in Omaha. And, and they ended up with they, they they do five, seven counties in Michigan. And then there's a third company, it's called heart, h AR t it's based in Texas. And they ended up getting I believe it's like fifth. Oh, it's I think it's 11 counties. So dominion is by far got the most counties with 65 out of Michigan's 83 It's by far the most popular system. It's used in counties as big as Wayne County, and, and counties as small as key one off, as you know, so it runs the whole gamut and other counties such as Kent County also use it. And by far the vast majority of Northern Michigan counties north of Mount Pleasant use the Dominion equipment, probably because we have the most local representation in the state. The other companies don't really have much of a presence in the state.
Thank you.
We have a couple of questions sent to us by one of our taxpayers here. If he wants to come on in. Okay. Are you there?
Am I good now?
Yeah, you're on. Alright. Hey, Kurt. How
are you?
Hi, Eric. I'm good.
Thanks for coming on tonight. Appreciate it.
You're welcome to do it.
I was I was listening in and I think I got the question. But did you person did you actually personally configure the voting system election amendments management software for home county? Um,
if you mean like who did the actual programming of the particular November or August election?
That Yeah. Did you configure it?
I do not personally do that our staff have we have four programmers that work in our Grand Rapids office. They are year round employees. And we keep in mind during the odd number of years to when there's less less elections. So there are people with the head of the department Mike, I've known him for a good 10 years or so. And I think he's got about 15 years experience and and make sure that use
Yep. Can you help With who did ours up here in home county?
Sure. Probably, it was a combination of Mike Cavalia is is the name of he's the he runs our election. He's what we call our elections director. And then Shannon Strigl would have probably been the his assistant, who did most of the grunt work, you know, actually piping in the names and all that, because it is a time consuming process. So Grand Rapids, Michigan,
it was Mike's last name was Kevin Oh, was it?
Yeah, it's k, e, l, ava.
Alright, I have to get that later on, am I gonna beat you up? What was your role in it, then at that time, or did you strictly hands on
as the owner not hands off by any means? My job is, like, when, as, as Jennifer gathers all the candidate knee ins and the vote for one vote for to all that information, she sends that to me, and I organize it a little, I go a little a few steps further and organize it to make it as easy as possible for the programmers to just, you know, go down the, the documents and just enter in the names and all the correct orders and all that. So I'm not a programmer, and, but I do gather a lot of the information, and then I help with proofing. And, and then and then and then my biggest job is, I take calls from your local clerks, when they need help with their testing, and I help them out on election day, I am the person I'm the first person they call if they have trouble. And, and either, you know, most of them in most cases, I can walk them through like, like for this election, I was based in Iron Mountain. And, and I and I do that and if but yet we do have people all across northern Michigan. And if I have to dispatch someone to go swap out a machine or or get a jam on jammed, I'm the person does that or in the western up, I'm the actual person who actually does that.
Don't forget that you also do the languages that I give you.
Oh, yeah, all the proposals that you're seeing, that's some of the most complicated stuff. Because just because there's more wording and all that and a lot of extra things you have to be proofing for and that sort of thing, to make sure that the titles are there and all that and that they're assigned to the correct precincts. Because sometimes that gets a little complicated. When when, like you have a few precincts that have more than one school district and that sort of thing. So I'm, I'm the like the the first person who, whose job it is to make sure all that stuff is understandable.
So you are the one responsible for defining all the permutations of the ballot in support of the public accuracy test. And is that is that correct?
Well, the state of Michigan makes the requirements for the for the, for the public accuracy test, we do provide the clerk's with what's called a pre printed test stack that helps them so that they're not having to fill in all the ovals, but then they carefully put through the ballots and make sure that that those those test totals agree with what they're supposed to be to show that it is counting each candidate correctly. Now each candidate gets a different number of votes so that we know that they are assigning to the correct candidate all that. Do I make that program? No. I just helped to clear to you when they're actually doing the actual testing.
So who was responsible for for defining those?
Um, well, that would be our, our programming staff, the same folks I told you about.
Okay, so that would be go right back to Mike. Kevin. Kelvin Kelvin. Yeah, shouldn't steal. So how many how many of these permutations were used for the publicly public accuracy test up here in Houston County? How many? How many? were possible.
The test deck like like how many ballots are in a test deck? Is that what you're asking? Yeah,
it's patients of the ballot were in the test deck.
Okay, well, I don't really know what you mean by different permutations. But let me answer this and I think it will answer your question. I believe there were approximately 64 ballots for each ballot style. So like in the city of Houghton that just has two precincts. They got two test decks, each with about 64 ballots in it. In a in a township Oh briefly atoms that has the regular precinct for the township voters and then the the part with the village of South range in it, they have that would be two ballot styles, even though they have one precinct. So each ballots that would be 64 ballots, also.
So how many ballots style QR codes were implemented during the configuration of the Dominion system? And were these programmed by you? Or were these ballot styles programmed by somebody else?
When you say QR code, I know what a QR code is. But I don't understand the question.
Let me let me try restating it. How many ballots style QR codes were implemented during the configuration of the Dominion system?
I don't understand the question.
Okay. And I'm working on I consolidated a bunch of questions from a bunch of people. And I can say honestly, that I don't have that answer as well. So the programming of any of these ballot styles were would have been done, then is it safe to assume by Mike Callaway and Shannon steel?
Yeah, yeah.
All right. And during, during, during this program, where any of the devices in the DVS connected to the internet between the time the configuration was locked down, and the reporting of the election results at all?
Never, never, there's not you. We don't hook them up. And and in most, most of the clerk's if not all, have a seal over the spot on the actual tabulators. You know, when you're putting the thing you put your ballot through, there's a seal over the port that because there are some states and some countries that do use those ports, but Michigan says no, no, no, we don't use them at all, because our equipment is never ever, whether it's Jennifer's computer, or whether it's each individual piece of voting equipment is never ever hooked to the internet ever.
All right. you've answered my questions. I appreciate your time curtain. I appreciate the board.
Thank you,
Kurt. Maybe he would stay on in case there's questions later in the meeting, if that's all right. Oh,
happy to happy to
okay. Moving on North care network agreement for services.
That's on this board. And he could probably speak to this too. But this is a similar agreement. What we do last year, this is what we do with our liquor tax money to help the people that are battling alcohol issues. And so this is a similar contract we had last year. My counterpart at North care named Judy groopman. just sent me this today and asked for your adoptions made any comments on that? Right? No.
I entertain a motion to for disagreement on a
motion that we approve the appropriations for North Carolina model $37,616.
By Commissioner rich supported by Commissioner Jensen to approve the agreement with North care. Roll call vote, please. Yes,
Mr. Johnson? Yes. Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Resolution. Y'all have a copy of a resolution from the Delta County Board of Commissioners. They would like this resolution wording be changed from Delta county to hoghton counties. And we furnish the same resolution
or discussion. I guess I'm gonna open up with some questions on the Terminal Terminal unconstitutional. Where does that come from?
What paragraph three on
12345617.
Were the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled shutdowns are unconstitutional. Yes. Here's your answer.
The Supreme Supreme Court ruled Governor's orders are unconstitutional not mental, not the health department's executive orders.
you suggest that to move this along, would you be comfortable with revising that language?
Well, it's also in the next paragraph where it talks about permissions. sanctuary County, because sanctuary County, I'm not for that sanctuary. And where it says in the last paragraph first page is the board understands that the length that Lansing has, because use the Department of Public Health and Liquor Control Commission to advance the political agenda of the governor. That's speculation. That's somebody saying their opinion, I have yet to see anything. And it could very well be I hate to be sick and appointed could very well be that that's happening. But those entities are self appointed their manager appointed by the governor, I understand that. But in this country, you're you're you're innocent until proven guilty. And unless someone can show me that the governor ordered those types of controls by those departments. I have problems with it. And the last page, in the secretary on the last page, where delta county shall support no endeavor financially or to an ordinance, anyone will single out harm or discriminate against any business owner that opens their establishment with a responsible company or social distancing. I think that's great. They do it. But again, how can we help them county board limit financial responsibility to a department being a sheriff and prosecutor that they can't use their their positions and their finances given to them through the budgets to enforce to do their jobs?
Of course, I have to agree with my fellow Commissioner regrets. Obviously, it's a political statement. I guess everyone has a political statement these days, everyone, their constitutional experts, everyone, our legal experts, and we all of us are, I mean, I guess the whole country is probably but if you look, and then and then how this was written, if you looked at the very, very last sentence be it further resolved that this resolution does not have the power of Michigan compliant law, and cannot be used to hurt in the health department or the state laws. So even even that it sets up all these things then says it's irrelevant anyway. I mean, I've never seen quite a resolution, maybe that way, because it's basically saying, here's all the things we we don't like about the state, but then at the end, but it's okay, because we'll accept all the state laws on that. But again, I the language in this entire item is very poorly written. And, and again, I mean, everyone is frustrated, I get that I never everyone's frustrated. We all see that. Both sides. Doesn't matter who you are. And but but this kind of a poorly written resolution, I guess I certainly could support my plan for your comments on it.
I would like to see us do something. I understand the letter didn't go out last month that we, in December, we used to go out to the governor asked her not to continue on with her with with the or the health bar not to continue on with their closures. I believe. We're adults, we can go where we want to go. Not going to choose to go. They shouldn't be open I I support everything in there except noone showing me where anything is unconstitutional or illegal. What's happening. I researched this. I brought the book. I've researched this for over a month now. And documentations that I have, and I can present to you at the board shows that what the health department is doing is legal, constitutional. And what the Liquor Control Commission which never been an issue before when I was brought up and this resolution. I can't find anything to support this type of thing. What I absolutely won't, yes, anything that says that we want the businesses open. I'll support that. I can't support the terminology in this.
Any other comments?
Are they there's I understand that the people attending this meeting have asked for this resolution to be read to them? Is that correct?
Read or post it for them to see if that's possible. And one common goal is to have a summary.
You put it on the website or what?
Have you just read it.
I don't think I want to read it but maybe you can read it. Sure. Sure.
Right, so this is resolution 2101 support Tavern and restaurant owners whereas that the members have joined me to say that this rumor just leave that bird link. From my colleague Tracy, he said she said she wants to learn more. Okay, delta county commission stand in unison with the taxpaying business owners of delta County, Michigan, whereas the owners of restaurants, bars, taverns and other establishments have been forcibly shut down by directives issued by director Gordon, who serves at the pleasure of Governor Whitmer. Whereas these establishments have been given no consideration or compensation by Lansing. Whereas the Delta County Board of Commissioners recognizes that a citizen of the United States cannot be compelled to follow an unconstitutional law or mandate such as the legal and unevenly applied Directorate directives. by director job warn people are not compelled to patronize any such establishment. Whereas the members of the Delta County Board of Commissioners recognize and are sympathetic sympathetic to the fiscal hardships caused by the mandated shutdown. Whereas the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that the COVID-19 shutdowns are unconstitutional. And the ninth amendment of the Bill of Rights states that the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Whereas the members of the Delta County Board of Commissioners declared Delta county Michigan, a sanctuary county for businesses affected by the unconstitutional COVID-19 mandated shutdowns. Whereas board recognizes the fact that the local sheriff and prosecutor have no desire to attack the civil liberties of persons simply trying to make an honest living. Whereas this board understands that Lansing has used the Department of Public Health and Liquor Control Commission to advance the political agenda of the governor. Whereas Delta County Board of Commissioners understands that universally educated people, the citizens and taxpayers of delta County are intelligent and informed individuals and do not need Lansing to bully or harass them into following any unconstitutional directives. Now, therefore it be resolved. The duly elected members of the Delta County Board of Commissioners serve the citizens of delta county and shall support knowing deeper financially or through ordinance that will in any way single out harm or discriminate against any business owner that opens their establishment with a responsible PP and social distance. Be it therefore resolved that this resolution does not have the power of Michigan compiled law. And it cannot be used to avert mlcc or mdph.
There it is, moving on. appropriations. We have two on here. One for the copper country mental health for 13,000 707 91. And the other ones for Western a permission health department quarterly appropriation is $66,680.
I'll make a motion we approve both appropriations.
I agree with the approving both of them. But I think we're going to hang on to the money for Western upper Peninsula health for a couple of weeks here and
then we hang on to both.
We hang on to both if you want.
But I don't know why you have a sense of well, first you gotta have a vote and then I don't think legally you can hold it.
We have a vote to hold it we can.
That's true.
Is this discussion? Because under our agreement with the health department, we can hold money. But what happens is by not paying our Sheriff punishes are by the rule of arguing with the health department. The money that we hold Nothing has nothing here is a statement nothing in this Agreement shall be vying to mine the county to appropriate the annual financial contribution requested by the board. But when it goes on to say is by non payment, they go on this order raising environmental health fees, rates charged to clients in a non to the non paying County. And then number two is reduced services to non paying county concerns concern consistent with what they do. So it actually by doing that, it punishes people of the county for their entire reason. The other potential raising the fee so that people don't have to offset it.
I don't know what motion we're talking about. But if just take that one position, I mean, this is we're talking vaccines on the street, as we talk our employees tomorrow are getting vaccines, the health department is a key driver of vaccines and helping the county if we're gonna hold up funding for our most vital health care provider and home county this week, this month going into the summer, I mean, to me that's that's just poor, I'll be very kind, just poor public policy. But and again, I realized, you know, you don't want to you want to shoot the messenger, not the message. But I disagree with that wholeheartedly. And I think that's a very naive way of handling local politics. If you have an issue with the pandemic, you know, you should speak about the pandemic, if you have issues about how the federal government's handle it, you should say it, if you have the state government, you should say and I criticize both, do you ever hear me I then both of them are, are guilty of making mistakes, but hold the whole vaccines up at home county, for example, because of political.
I didn't say nothing.
agree with that wholeheartedly.
But you said it would be holding the vaccine, well, maybe they could use that money for the vaccine instead of going around harassing the business owners of this county, they wouldn't have to be doing that they could be working on a vaccine instead. And this is getting to a point where people are having a hard time to survive in this county. And I think it's time that we take a closer look at that and forget politics totally and start sticking up for the local people and these local businesses that cannot survive when you're forcefully shut down for no reason that her own and like that one resolution conductances by maintaining their six foot distance and mass or whatever, why they dig into the head to keep these people from making a living
who shut down what huh who shut down what
who shut down the health department shut them down shut
Who?
What do you mean shut the one business and
the western up health department shut down.
What business?
Yes,
number one up in Kamath restaurant on Fifth Street. There's a court order in the state
of Michigan. That's a circuit court decision now. who initiated that Korver? It doesn't matter who doesn't matter. But the owner initiated the health department but what other business are you claiming that the health department closed?
candies and Hubbell Lynn mills and lakelyn millennials they can open up again the lady can afford it no more she doesn't
know what order was issued when
I didn't know when they wouldn't these things every Friday you get a new one. So I
was gonna have to be again the two businesses besides cafe Rosetta, which is which is a state, you know, enforced action state of Michigan force action. But what's the other two and humble?
candies it humble? and lindos and lakelyn.
What did they do? They
ended Denali in Lake Linden.
Well, what what did they call it?
They can open because the health department?
Well, the state has shut down. You know this, you can blame the state, but you can't blame the health department.
What are the ones coming around doing it?
Well, your issues of the state of Michigan, not the health department. And, again, you know, the director of apartment of Health and Human Services was the order that that's closing. Yeah, but that was you mentioned that to help him
he got involved in circumventing a window legislature shut down the original one. So he got involved in this. She circumvented the law. We went to Department of Health and Human. I understand this nation that Mr. Gordon was appointed by her so he went along with it.
No, I understand the state shut him down. I don't know how
to help these people. No, no, but
you're saying the health department shut those businesses down. They did not I take issue with that. State of Michigan shutting down
who's the one that's going around surveying all these businesses with health department. There's a Tanya Rule that goes around like like a Gestapo agent.
Well, well, the State Police is the one that served to serve the civil civil lawsuit against cafe rabada. Well, they had to Yeah, well, there you go. When you started it, you're not mad at the State Police. You're not mad at the State Police.
Lansing didn't know a thing about it.
Well, let me let me interject here cuz I got a copy of the letter here. Again, I spent a lot of time on this. Well, I have to interject your And I can give this to folks if you want. This is a letter that I talked to Kate here today, it went to just pull a county, but it's the same letter that she'll get for our county if you want it. Here's the part of it that talks about responsibility. local health and public health measures, like emergency orders are intended to protect lives and ensure positive outcomes, reduce infections and control diseases like COVID-19. Purposely failing to enforce an order of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, or decline a new cell for any reason wouldn't be a violation of local health department's duties and obligations under the code and may result in civil civil or criminal penalties. A local health department failure to comply with the requirements of the code or in the code, contract or agreement may also subject to local health department to loss of funding that dictate to them what they have to do, if I don't. And there's the Michigan, Michigan final law, that's important.
Okay, so what's the answer to this?
I agree with you over 100% that this is wrong, what they're doing. I 100% agree with you. But I worked in law enforcement for 38 years. Black and White, what the laws are, in my mind is what it's supposed to be. And until someone can tell me that what they're doing is illegal. I have to support with help, I'm going to support the health department does. They're doing a good job, they're doing the responsibility. Someone needs to clarify and I'm hoping I'm doing right now, what the health department role is, and stop this crap of, of pushing them around and cutting them down because they're doing their jobs. Just like the state police is doing their job, the sheriff's are doing their job. They're all doing their jobs, and we got to stop badgering them also. And that's that's happening county wide. And I'm tired of it myself. We got but I agree that the businesses should be open and let who wants to go there go there. The ring should be open. As we talked about last month, the school should be open. If you choose not to go, you're an adult, don't go if you choose to go your adult goal. But punishing the people that work for the county health department, or regional health department is wrong.
Well, they're the ones that are really getting punished. Those people are getting paid. The ones that are really getting punished are the ones that aren't getting any income. And the ones I'm talking about I respect the ones that are seeing it just doing my job. They're getting paid,
harassed and bullied around. Now this person in the picture I saw was at the Calumet restaurant. So the guy swinging the gun over his shoulder. What does that do for you? I am going there is intimidation. Is that what this is all about?
I don't know.
You know, I don't know who he was. But he was down there with a gun over his shoulder outside every restaurant. Why? Why the person in in Kenosha, Wisconsin, went down with goodwill with that gun and ended up shooting somebody. The people that stormed the Capitol Building went there with good intentions originally What happened? Five people are dead. What is this crap stop?
When is it too soon to get rid of this crap?
It's gonna stop everybody's gonna grow up and start paying attention and being family in the community. Like it's always been.
Like all the question. No more questions. I call the question on the multiple. We're gonna vote on that or we're just gonna do
operations is motion on the floor is the vote on the appropriations, the two appropriations.
Okay. We'll call for the vote on the appropriations for individually Mental Health First. We have a motion,
motion that we paid on time.
Second, moved by Commissioner Britz supported by Commissioner Anderson, did we pay mental health $13,707.91 roll call vote, please.
Yes, yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes. carries.
Now Western Upper Peninsula health department 66,860 $6,680.75. I'd entertain a motion on that.
I'll make that motion that we pay them on time.
I do to second. That's a quarterly payment.
Who by Commissioner Jensen, supported by Commissioner Anderson, the beta Western financial health department. Roll call vote, please.
Mr. Johnson. Yes. Yes.
No. Mr. Khosla? No. Mr. Briggs. Yes.
It carries. public comments is anybody still awake out there?
Going back to the beginning. A moment. First one is very patient.
Okay? I'm unmuted. I'm very thank Portage Township, I have a brief resolution from the League of Women Voters to return to the board of directors of the League of Women Voters of the copper country is pleased to express support for the staff of the Western up health department for working tirelessly to keep our community safe and informed. It is their responsibility to protect public health, by responding to situations where the potential for spread of COVID-19 is a risk to the community. And we thank them for doing that job for the safety of us all. Thank you.
Anybody else?
We have a Horst Schmidt moment.
Okay, thank you for allowing me to speak. I want to talk first on the election issue with dominion. I was a co worker for several years in Osceola Township. And I can testify to the fact that I've got training for Mr. Knowles, and all the people in in our Township, and he did a very thorough job, and, you know, almost to the point of boredom. But it was important that to our Township, that everyone who works at the polls knows how the machines work. And during the time that I was working with them, the they were very diligent in every step of the way from the time a person walked in, to the time that they left. So so I'm, you know, any questions about the reliability of the voting machines, the honesty of our poll workers, and our town clerks, and our county clerk, you know, should not be questioned, because they, they are interested in making sure that everyone gets a chance to vote. So So I applaud them for their hard work, and, and what the voters know that there was an honest election. So thank you on that part. I also want to support support the Upper Peninsula health department, and I think they've done an excellent job and in the face of the hostility that they faced, and for people who are and understand that their lives are at stake. And and I want to point out that the stimulus money as has been coming through, so people who are having problems with their businesses surviving, can contact the Keweenaw Chamber of Congress for some basic information, and then to go to the the water banks to get information on whether they're eligible for funding. So this issue of of business, people going out of business is not totally correct. So I think people should go out to look at what they're eligible for through the federal stimulus package. So again, I applaud the health department for the great job it's been doing in the face of the hostility, but on the other hand, I think the vast majority of people support the health department, even though they don't necessarily come out in in the same way that others do. Thank you.
Anybody else?
Next is Mark whistie.
Mark, are you there?
You're unmuted now
you're I'm unmuted going to let my dog out because I was tired of listening to you guys. But I, but what I'd like to address your very briefly. And what I have to say, is really more than the nature of your role in government. And this we have very contentious matters going on and we just heard it now. And probably I've been one of the most guilty parties of doing that in the past. But what I have to say right now is this. It's simply from a legal perspective. You can pass all the resolutions you want to pass, but they have no effect. You cannot by resolution override state law, you cannot, by resolution tell the sheriff's department what to do. You just can't do that. And I I'm not, I don't know how else to put that to you. But I do have an excellent attorney Rogers. So what you're doing here when you're doing this, you're, we've got to get to Commissioner blitzes, right. got people walking with guns in front of the cafe was that for God's sakes, let's stop this, this is just silliness. And you're gonna pass this resolution means nothing. It has no legal effect. It's you may as it has the same legal effect that it would have. If you passed a resolution hold in high school, congratulations, you won the hockey tournament. And I'm not trying to be critical of you. But you simply are, you're arguing over something that is meaningless. And you're creating the impression in a number of people within the county that you're okay on in the county board is taking one side with this. And you just can't do that. I mean, I don't know how else to put that. If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them. So in other words, you're you're getting into an argument over something that is meaningless. Anyway, if you want to, I'll answer any questions you have for me.
Thank you, Mark.
All right. Thank you. And I didn't mean to offend anyone, but it should just be understood. Thank you.
We have another Mary Sears
Mary's.
Hi, I'm Randy McClellan. I'm here with Mary Sears. And I have a couple questions. But first, I want to clarify something is that a mandate is not a law. And any lawyer should know that doesn't have the for me had the force of law, but it's not a law where the state legislature capacity. But my question is, are there are six offices that are being rented at the health department? Where does that rental money go? Anybody?
Anybody answer that?
I don't believe this speaks directly to that and talks about fees earned and you want to call that these these goals that go into the programs that you won't call that fees are not up to you. But you know, maybe Kate's on line two, maybe she can answer that.
We have no answer here. Maybe somebody else got an answer. Anybody else?
We have no last name.
Bruce, no last name you're on. Hi.
I guess a judge whiskey has answered my question. But I'd like to know how these resolutions are handled. There's been two tonight. The board didn't really go one way or another. They talked about it. So if you're going to take resolutions, you should take resolutions. If you're not, you're not, but we ought to have some clarity on that. And secondly, I have a question for Sheriff McLean. He He looks like he's in the control room of the Battlestar Galactica. And I just wonder, where is he? That's all I have.
I have no answer for your net worth. He
is he uses a fun virtual background. I can tell you that's his background. He's not in the Battlestar Galactica.
willing to answer that question
you're on.
But evening, yes, I can answer the question regarding rental fees. We currently only have a few rentals within our building. Operating right now is we actually lost some due to COVID. So right now we have Phoenix house. So we are renting to Phoenix house to help You know, provide them reasonable office space so that they can treat clients within the neighborhood. We are renting to another practitioner who is a psychiatrist. We also rent to a small business that has evolved out of the smart zone so we're probably rental space for them. And the last one that we rent to is McGann's lumber, one single office. From those rentals goes to help offset our expenses here at the Hancock building for you.
Thank you. Anybody else on?
We have a request from Eric Kalinin.
He already talked.
Albert, I love you. Thank you. Am I on?
We're listening.
All right. Hey, Roy, first off, I I didn't have it on record. But I'd like to get your comments and what I'd like to do to to promote healing in the community because I am the one behind the 775 signatures, requesting our health department to back off our businesses. And we put 1000 people in front of the sheriff in the courthouse to kind of just thank the sheriff for not creating headaches for us. But really your wisdom and your words should be canonized. And I think it's a path forward for our community where we can promote healing, if our health department will leave our businesses alone that choose to open up without mandates
[censored, but the audio isn't!]
go ahead. I so the people that want to patronize this business should be allowed to patronize these businesses and the ones that are afraid of it shouldn't just shouldn't have to part. You know, we're all adults, we can make our own decisions. And that's really all I'm looking for. So I mean, I'm pushing hard, because I don't think it's right, that right now our snowmobile based business is absolutely down. It's been destroyed our bars and our restaurants can open per the law. You know, just sometimes you got to do tacit approval a wink and a nod and move on. That's how we get along in life when, basically when jhaza when laws are I just quote Thomas Jefferson, when laws are unjust, it is only right to ignore those laws, paraphrase it. And so that's what I'd like to just suggest, and possibly Mr. Whiskey can help us with the writing. But just write it up and let those that want to participate, participate in those that want to mask up and do that I'm sure we'll have a certain amount of restaurants that will do all the masking and everything and we have a certain amount that want to be open. And our society can get back up on its feet and get moving again. So I just like to encourage the board to consider something like that. That's all I have. Thank you.
Thank you. Anybody else?
We have to keep requesting okay. Yeah, what
I will work. Okay,
good evening. My name is William Keith. And what I wanted to say was, first off that people who are angry at the western Upper Peninsula health department, that seems to me like they're blaming the COP of a law, if you have an issue with the health regulations, it's something to take up with Lansing, W Ph. D is doing its job under the law. It's trying to get 100 residents healthy, withholding funding to the health department, it's kind of like withholding funding for sewage maintenance, you're going to notice pretty fast, and you're going to notice and some pretty unpleasant ways, which is sort of tied to the other thing, which is that the regulations themselves are actually pretty good. I mean, we can't just have some places open, then some places not people are going to go around in this community, and they have contact with their neighbors. And if some people get sick, then I'm going to mingle with them at a grocery store, or a doctor's office or some other place, I have to go no matter where I'm choosing not to go. So if my neighbor has a pile of trash in his yard, it's very likely that this is going to be dangerous to my own health, even if I've not dirty in my own yard. So this is why we have these regulations. They're informed by science. And personally, I think they're pretty good regulations. And I do think that they should be enforced. Nevertheless, if you're angry at WP HD, like I said, You're angry at the cop for the law and the people will take it up with other people who are issuing the mandates. Regarding businesses, I would want to say that if you want businesses to survive the pandemic, then we need to end the pandemic. That means we need vaccinations. Business is down right now not just because of restrictions, but because people are staying in they're not going out. They're afraid to congregate and for fairly good reasons. And so if you have vaccinations and pandemic goes away, then business is going to come back if businesses need to start survive over the period of time while custom is slow, then that's the kind of loans and grants that we need to be pressing our congresspeople to provide. So that's something that we need to be taking up with the funding where we can get it from WUPHD is doing its job to keep us alive and healthy. The staffers are under enormous pressure right now and they need our support right now more than ever. That's why I wanted to say thank you very much.
Thank you. Next,
we have a Christa Forge. Chris, yeah,
I'm here. Oh, good evening, everybody. I'll start my video. I just wanted to comment on something Mr. killin said, I believe that a lot of the people that we haven't had come to the area are not because of COVID and businesses being closed, but because we don't have snow. So that being said, also, I saw on social media, a video that disturbed me of Mr. Kiilunen, videotaping a fellow across the street from the cafe Rosetta, coming up to him and bullying him. Now, I've heard on social media, there are quite a few people that don't even want to go to copper world, and those businesses across the street because of this kind of activity. And I would be hesitant not to call the police if something like that happened to me. But I saw what he did to this fellow. And I I am very ashamed to be a copper country resident right now. And I just want you to know that. Thank you.
Thank you,
Mary Sears.
Mary.
Here's my second question. They had the whole department was defined that they impose on these businesses. Where does that money go?
Very, sorry.
Randy McClellan.
any random McComb? Sorry, Randy. Sorry.
We don't have the answer to that that our fingertips Randy, but perhaps Kate Beers can get back to you on that. Okay.
Well, thank you. And one, one comment right there that it's our Second Amendment right to carry a firearm anywhere we want to? Pretty much so you're wrong. Roy.
Thank you. Anybody else?
No one else at this point.
Mr. Chair, can I make a comment on this board right
ahead.
I certainly do appreciate conversations and discussions that have been taking place. And I like to respond to a couple of these different things. The one thing that I went you know, the the caller that mentioned the Facebook video that she found very disturbing I, I certainly hope that she's not going to be ashamed of being a Catholic country resident because of that, because I think it can be. It's easy to take. I could be wrong. But I'm not aware that Facebook is real life. And I'm not trying to be overly facetious with you, Christine. But the snippets of video can be misconstrued or, well, intentionally or not. I work on in that area of the community on a daily basis. And I'm not aware that people are aware or afraid. Maybe I'm insensitive, but I'm not aware that people are feeling threatened dirt or set upon. And I certainly come and go to copper world with without any issue. The bottom line is if people don't want to get involved with a particular business and don't do it. But that's said, everyone in these, everyone seems to be so immersed in their own personal beliefs. These days. There's hardly any tolerance being exhibited, at least not very vocally, for tolerance for those who might have views, different viewpoints. There's a lot of words passed back and forth. But I appreciate people who are just willing to do business I mean, been in business for well over 35 years. And I think the people that have done business with me, come from all backgrounds and all faiths, all political persuasions. We may not agree with everything, that all those topics, but you know, we've been able to conduct business with each other. I mean, for heaven's sakes and the bazaars and marketplaces in, in, in the Middle East, Jews have been doing business with Arabs for 1000s of years, doesn't always work out well, but for the most part, they function day to day, I think there's some lessons to be learned there. One thing that is also deaf, definite, and I think perhaps all the commissioners would agree that we've had a lot of support Express for the health department, but you've also had equal if not more concerns expressed for the the the shutdown, the restrictions that are in place, you know, through the state of Michigan these days. A lot of that responsibility is, you know, enforced or at least, you know, brought to the attention of business owners through the health department. I think somebody said, you know, you're blaming the cop in a case like this, and it's probably pretty accurate. Nevertheless, there are some people who feel that there are particular officers who operate with a particular amount of undue zeal. I don't know, I'm just passing along comments that are that I've heard many times. These are kind of distressing times. For some folks, there's been a lot of promises made by this board, I think, to to address this, but thus far nothing has occurred, I think that people are asking for some defined a unified message to be sent forth to Lansing, if the issue is ultimately with Lansing. Therefore, if if the board is agreeable to it, I mean, whether or not you are or not, Commissioner grits, and I have will collaborate on a suggested resolution. And we will pass that along to all commissioners. And if I could ask for a response from all of our commissioners, instead of the stony silence that I've been met with with, with previous efforts to collaborate on the language of a letter to the governor. I would Commissioner Brinson, I would be happy to proceed with language that both he and I would be supportive of. And we will we will happily deliver that to you within the next couple of days, to see if if, if you folks have suggestions, or if you would support the same resolution. That's all I have to report. And that's my comments. I appreciate each and every one of you. And I hope that we can learn reaffirm our ability to do business with one another in this community. Yes, ma'am.
Are we going to be holding a special meeting then?
I don't have an end game that Jennifer, I'm just I've just taken it a step at a time that I appreciate all the comments made by every one of our commissioners tonight they take these to heart particularly respect Commissioner Britz's his background, esteemed background in law enforcement and perhaps we can add his position with the health department. And perhaps we can come up with some language that hopefully we can all support. Because the dark bottom line is, residents do want a statement from the county in regards or some sort of response to Lansing. You know, we've seen things from all the different counties. And it's easy for us to critique and edit. You know, what they've written so far. I commend all those communities that have issued statements, but perhaps we can make a an honest effort.
Thank you,
if I may. One more, Mr. Chairman, based on response to Mr. McClellan, on what he said was a second amendment right. And I do understand that the person I'm talking about carrying the weapon at this restaurant Calumet had the right to carry the weapon or understand the Second Amendment open carry. I understand all that stuff. I'm seeing what I didn't. I felt it was improper than amidation That's why I'm saying he totally had the right to carry the weapon there. Actually, I don't argue that. It was it was what's going on today. And happening up there. I took that, in my own personal opinion as an intimidation factor, and I don't like it. I don't like what happened, as I said, Can OSHA unlike what happened in Washington, and that stuff, some kind of stuff? That I just want to clarify what it was, I understand the Second Amendment.
Right. I commend you for bringing that up. And I and I do want to just add a caveat that when I heard about that incident, I did go there. That person wasn't there anymore. I did discuss that with someone who was in no one that, frankly, I wanted to know if that person was from my community. The answer was no, not even from home county. Nevertheless, I suggested very strongly that that person be asked not to do that again. And if he can't behave himself, stay away. Because I hurt you have done it in the past where you have to deal with situations where there's where it's not just posturing, there's actual potential for gunplay or what have you. I, in my military experience, I've have situations where it's just me and my weapon, with a with an armed enemy facing me. And believe me, there's nothing lonelier. Now, I'm going back over 45 years for incidents for memories of that, but I have no no tolerance. I personally don't care for anyone who wants to step out and posture in public like that, because it just it scares people. If your intent is to scare people, then fine. Just, you know, be honest, that's all you're trying to do. But that's not a second, that that's not demonstrating in my mind, the site. If you go on my old 19 2001 GMC plow truck with me after tonight's meeting, you'll see sitting probably in my dashboard, a bobcat that says NRA, that's where I come from. So I'm not making any excuses. But when it comes to holding long guns out for public display, outside of a coffee shop,
and you're not from the area, as you said that not
even from the area, but I mean, if the if you feel that need to do it, I have a suggestion to you go to the army recruiting office, and they'll send you to a place where you can call and weapon around like that on a daily basis. Thank you, that you pulled the cars out of the bottle on that one. Mr. Brooks.
Thank you, Tom.
Just a comment. I'd like to just give my support to the health department. I really appreciated what William Keith had to say tonight. And that was as soon as we can get these businesses back open. Great. And the way to do that is to get people vaccinated and the way to do that is to support our health department. So it
sounds like we got the right people appointed to the health department.
The next item we got is announcements. I have one announcement on the 29th of this month at 10 o'clock in the morning. We love meeting here with Senator McBroom. Didn't entertain a motion on item Oh,
