BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After months of debate, all five Green Township Board members have been recalled over public outcry regarding their stance on a massive Electric Battery Plant. 

 The Chinese-Owned Gotion project has divided the area, though residents seeking a petition to remove the township members since last summer have been victorious.  Advocates of the project continue to point towards the project’s ability to bring more than 2,000 jobs to the area, though the opposition has raised concerns about the company’s ties with a foreign country and its potential adverse environmental effects. 

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“Moving forward, Gotion will be partnering with Ferris State University to assist with the talent recruitment and training the company will need to place 2,350 well-paying jobs in Mecosta County,” according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), one of the leading advocates. “The average hourly wage for the Gotion project is $29.42 which is well above county [Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed] (ALICE) target wage of $17.99.” 

 The Economic Development Responsibility Alliance of Michigan (EDRA) – a grassroots group motivated to preserve the environment – shared its thoughts on the results not only of the Green Township vote, but several others that resulted in other recalls. 

“In Mecosta County, the Gotion EV battery megasite development was supported by both Big Rapids Township (BRT) Supervisor Bill Stanek and neighboring Green Charter Township (GCT) Supervisor Jim Chapman, as well as the entire GCT board. Voters have now voted to

 replace Bill Stanek with BRT trustee Carman Bean as Big Rapids Township Supervisor, and Jim Chapman as well as the entire Green Charter Township board have been recalled–by margins of 100s. Additionally, an ordinance that had been passed by the Green Charter

 Township board to set up its own local planning and zoning commission was successfully recalled by voters, deferring GCT zoning to the County’s Master Plan, which emphasizes agricultural and wetlands preservation and does not allow for heavy industrial zoning.

Additionally, EDRA views this as a clear message to those who want more EV plants across the state. 

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“These resoundingly successful recalls and referendums send a clear message to Michigan’s legislators, public-private economic development corporations, and Governor Whitmer: stop forcing toxic developments onto Michigan residents, or your political career is over,” EDRA said in a statement. 

Former U.S. Ambassadors Pete Hoekstra and Joseph Cella, leaders of the Michigan – China Economic and Security Review Group – a group assessing threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – congratulated the townships on removing the members. 

“This first in the nation referenda against elected officials providing taxpayer funding of a PRC-based and CCP-tied company, and the custom made ordinance for it, shows the public is ahead of the politicians on this,” the former ambassadors said in a statement. 

They also considered Michigan on the “leading edge” after making the recalls regarding EV deals. 

“This “deal” ruptured the consent of the governed.  Last night, the governed spoke, and those supporting this “deal” were held to account, and going forward, more will be held to account, in Michigan and across the country.”

Another environmental group, the Mecosta Environmental and Security Alliance (MESA), concerned about possible Endangered Species Act violations by the Gotion project have notified the project and others of their intent to sue by the end of November.