GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – “The intolerant Democrats and fake news media are trying to return Ottawa County, a rare beacon of freedom and family, back under the control of Lansing – and they are willing to erase the voice of the people and recall the FIRST EVER Latina county commissioner to do it.”

Those are the words written in a July 5th statement by the organization, Ottawa Impact, a non-profit organization in Ottawa county whose mission is to preserve and protect the individual rights of the people in their county, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, religious liberty, and due process. Among their many beliefs and goals, they are committed to defending the constitutionally protected rights of parents to make health and education decisions for their own children.

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The organization vets and supports local Republican candidates who agree with their positions and Ottawa County Commissioner Republican Lucy Ebel is one the six commissioners affiliated with the group. She won her election in November of 2022 and started her term in January of this year. She is now facing a recall campaign by Ottawa County Democrats.

Ottawa Impact says in their statement “Since January of 2023, a new board of commissioners, which for the first time includes five women, has begun to course correct Ottawa County back to its roots of faith, family, and freedom. Commissioner Lucy Ebel has worked diligently to represent the values of the families in District 2 (Holland Charter Township and Park Township).”

They go on to say “On Monday, July 3, 2023, Democratic Party actors filed a recall against Commissioner Lucy Ebel in an attempt to shift the Board of Commissioners back to a voting bloc of Democrats and weak Republicans. In doing so, the Democratic Party seeks to remove Ottawa County’s first Latina county commissioner. Democratic Party operatives try to hide behind terms like ‘nonpartisan,’ but all roads actually lead to the hypocritical Democratic Party of Ottawa County.”

The statement continues, “Lucy Ebel won her seat through hard work and personal conversations during the primary and general elections of 2022. She has inspired and led our County with faith and courage. Lucy has passionately advocated for the simple, core American values of individual freedoms, childhood innocence, and the right of all Americans to be valued for their merit instead of their race. The progressive left will stop at nothing to control the lives of everyday Americans, even if it means recalling the first ever Latina county commissioner of Ottawa County.”

The reason for the recall? The petition reads “On February 28, 2023, Commissioner Lucy Ebel voted for a motion to correct the previous Board of Commissioners’ December 13, 2022 resolution that appointed Adeline Hambley as Administrative Health Officer for Ottawa County. Commissioner Ebel voted for the motion after Ms. Hambley challenged in court the Commission’s designation of her status as interim health officer.”

If the recall petition language is determined to be “factual and of sufficient clarity” and approved by the County Election Commission, signatures can be gathered. If the petition gets enough signatures, a special election would be held to fill Ebel’s remaining term in office.

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Michigan News Source reached out to Ottawa County Clerk Justin F. Roebuck about the recall and he said the petitioners would be hard pressed to meet the timeline to have the recall election in November because of the number of dates, deadlines and requirements to meet. The other option would be for a May 2024 election date. He also said that being recalled does not preclude Ebel from running for office again.

Roebuck said that the county would be responsible for the cost of the election which includes ballot printing, polling place rental, election worker costs and other material costs. He made a rough estimate of the election costing between $30,000 and $50,000 but said he didn’t feel comfortable giving a solid number on the cost because there are a number of variables.

While the recall efforts are moving forward in the county, the issue is also moving through the court system after Hambley sued the conservative commissioners saying they are trying to fire her in violation of the state law.

The courts will eventually decide if Hambley was correctly appointed health officer by the previous board or if the new commissioners were able to demote her to interim health officer because of the perceived incorrect language of a resolution at a December 2022 meeting, which the conservative commissioners have said was corrected to make the resolution accurate.

Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea of District 8 said in February, “It’s entirely appropriate to have the record reflect the actual words of the commissioners who passed the resolution.”

Cindy Amante, state director for Proposito Michigan, a Hispanic community advocacy group, said about Ebel’s recall, “Lucy is the only Latina on the commission board and she’s also the first Latina to be elected onto the board. So, with them removing her it’s taking away our voice. Our culture believes in faith, family, freedom and if you remove her then who are we going to have to represent us on the commission board?”

Ebel said at a rally of her supporters, “I respect the process and will act based upon the review of the language. Just know I will stand tall and continue to fight for the constituents of Ottawa County and will be a model for the community that they can be proud of.”