January 22, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine distribution continues to be our issue of the day and likely will be for some time. The vaccine is still trickling in though we did increase from 975 to 1,600 doses this week. Unfortunately, the first shipment of these doses was delivered unusable due to the temperature when delivered (see below), though replacements did quickly arrive. We continue to receive great reviews from folks who go to the GVSU facility in Holland that is being used as the first vaccination center. Kudos to Public Health and our many partners.
-Al
On Sunday, January 17, MDHHS was notified by McKesson, the distributor of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, that approximately 21 shipments of vaccine had been spoiled during transport. The temperature recording devices equipped within the shipments indicated that the vaccine had become too cold during transport.
One of the shipments was 1600 doses intended for Ottawa County. A new shipment of the safe and effective Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was received by Ottawa County on Tuesday, January 19. The unfortunate incident did not impact the County’s vaccine clinic schedules.
Although it is a disappointment that the vaccine was not be able to be used, public health officials were relieved that the safeguards put in place, to ensure the integrity of the vaccine, worked. This is the first report of vaccine potentially being compromised during shipment in Michigan. The cause is under investigation by the distributor.
Example of temperature monitor
On January 14th 2021, the MPWRD Business Magazine Influential Awards announced their top 21 Honorees live on Facebook.
The MPWRD Business Magazine and Influential Awards were founded by Two Eagles Marcus, recognizing the Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific and Indigenous Native Americans (HABI+) in our community that are shaping culture, community, business and humanity.
The MPWRD received over 470 nominations, which was narrowed down to 144 nominees. Ottawa County employees, Robyn Afrik, Juanita Bocanegra and Reyna Masko were selected as part of the 144.
During the MPWRD Awards ceremony, only 21 move forward to be honored as one of three nominees in each of the following seven categories: Leaders, Pioneers, Innovators, Challenges, Preservers, Connectors and Visionaries.
 Robyn Afrik, DEI Director for Ottawa County was named as one of the top 21 honorees for the category of Leader. The 21 honoree profiles and stories will be featured and published in the MPWRD Business magazine spring of 2021.
Sen. Roger VICTORY (R-Hudsonville) will chair the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee for the 101st Legislature, replacing former Sen. Pete LUCIDO (R-Shelby Twp.), who resigned from the Senate and was sworn in as Macomb County Prosecutor on Jan. 4. The last individual from Ottawa County to serve in the position was William VAN REGENMORTER, who was a State senator from 1990 to 2002 and chaired the committee for 16 years. "I will bring back Ottawa County values and compassion to the criminal justice issues facing our state," said Victory in a press release. "As Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee chairman, I am dedicated to protecting hardworking families and supporting officers keeping us safe while also reducing costs to taxpayers and helping end the cycle of crime."
Outside of the Legislature, Victory owns Victory Farms LLC, a specialty crop producer -- such as asparagus, cabbage, kale and rhubarb -- and Victory Sales LLC, a national produce distributor.
He’s been majority vice chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee -- a role he’ll continue in 2021 -- and sat on the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Appropriations Committee.
He did not serve on the Judiciary Committee in 2020, but participated in the last session’s wave of criminal justice reform by sponsoring previous SB 1046, which was signed off by the Governor and stretched the discretion utilized by law enforcement to issue citations for most misdemeanors and presumed citation in lieu of arrest in numerous cases.
Sen. Curtis VANDERWALL (R-Ludington) will be continuing his role as majority vice chair of the committee and a Sen. Stephanie CHANG will remain as minority vice chair.
Victory will also be serving as assistant majority whip. “In my leadership role, I will remain focused on getting our great state back to work and improving the lives of the Michigan people,” he said. “While these new roles are exciting, my top priority will continue to be doing my best to represent the good folks of Ottawa County in the State Senate."
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Housing Next is working alongside with many partners in Ottawa County to increase the stock of affordable housing.
The linked article highlights some great work being done in this regard in the City of Grand Haven.
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by Robyn Afrik, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director
Holland, MI – Downtown Holland recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day by hosting a day-long virtual diversity, equity and inclusion event on their Facebook page on Monday, January 18. The goal of the virtual event was to examine DEI issues related to Downtown Holland and to engage the local community in the conversation as Downtown Holland strives to become a place where all members of the community and all visitors feel invited, welcomed and engaged.
Plans for the Virtual DEI Day event began last fall, after Downtown Holland was forced to cancel a number of community engaging events over the summer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual DEI Day event was planned by Downtown Holland’s DEI Subcommittee and was hosted and produced by Jennifer Pascua, owner of Halo Halo Multimedia LLC. Pascua is a skilled multimedia specialist with a long history of telling community stories.
The Virtual DEI Day began at 9:00 am with a live panel discussion featuring local community leaders working in the field of DEI: Robyn Afrik, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Ottawa County, Esther Fifelski, Human Relations Coordinator for the City of Holland, Gloria Lara, Executive Director of the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance, and Jeffrey Sorenson, Executive Director of Out On The Lakeshore.
The day continued with pre-recorded interviews from Downtown Holland business owners and representatives at noon, followed by another live panel discussion featuring leaders of non-profit organizations in Downtown Holland at 3:00 pm. The panel discussion included Sara Cozolino, Market Master at the Holland Farmers Market, Sara DeVries, Relationship Manager at the Herrick District Library and Ricki Levine, Executive Director at the Holland Museum. The day concluded at 6:00 pm with additional pre-recorded interviews from Downtown Holland Business owners and representatives.
Recordings of the panel and presentations can be watched HERE
 Ottawa County, MI - November 2020
-by Lou Hunt, Director of Emergency Management
Although the COVID-19 epidemic has been the emergency to manage for the last year, shoreline erosion has and continues to significantly affect our communities. Ottawa County has 24 miles of shoreline that represents a significant component of our collective identity here, not to mention the associated contribution to our economy and the place where we live, work, and relax. It seems like it was only a few years ago when water levels had receded to the point that concerns were lack of water, but now the opposite is true. Record levels developed from continuous years of higher than average precipitation draining into major waterways such as the Grand River, subsequently raising the great lakes. Shoreline erosion is the result of those high-water levels, consistent waves, and destructive waves on the great lakes associated with weather events.
The effects to Ottawa County from high levels on Lake Michigan really began to be realized in Spring/Summer 2019 with water creeping towards homes, impacting businesses and roadways, and affecting the tourism/recreation opportunities in our area. Since then, numerous public sector mitigation projects have been underway in Ottawa County, for example, barriers to keep water off roadways on Harbor Island near Grand Haven, and removal of stairs and overlooks in our lakeshore County parks. Private owners found Lake Michigan encroaching on their homes as well, endangering foundations and structures if emergency measures weren’t taken. Private owners were permitted to construct revetment projects such as rock barriers at the shoreline to minimize erosion and maintain set-backs from the water. In November 2020 Ottawa County Emergency Management collaborated with the Michigan State Police for an aerial survey of the shoreline, and observations included a remarkable number of revetment projects. Much of the Ottawa County shoreline now looks like a long and nearly continuous rock barrier, in place to repel high water and waves. Photographs from that aerial survey, and comparison photos from previous surveys, were distributed to affected jurisdictions for situational awareness.
To complement public sector mitigation efforts, the STORM (Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risks Management) Act legislation was recently signed into law. This act will provide low-interest FEMA loans that have a 20-year amortization, to jurisdictions (this funding is not available for private owners) who have mitigation projects related to erosion and high-water levels. As of January 2021, the process to apply for STORM Act funds has not been identified but that information will be shared with local jurisdictions when available. In addition to mitigation projects, some relief may be in our future if the weather continues to cooperate. We have recently enjoyed a fall with less precipitation and storms than usual, and Lake Michigan is 6” lower than this time last year. Higher than normal temperatures so far this winter have delayed significant ice on Lake Michigan, allowing more time for evaporation and the potential to recede a couple more inches by spring. However, even with a recent trend of declining lake levels, we remain higher than normal and it will take a year or more of minimal precipitation to approach reasonable levels.
COVID-19 dominates present discussions, but shoreline erosion continues to affect Ottawa County and is being monitored closely. Public jurisdictions and private citizens have taken significant steps to protect property and continue to do so. We have enjoyed drier weather recently and future predictions seem to be favorable. We will remain vigilant, but there is hope for the future to maintain our beautiful shoreline that is part of our Ottawa County identity.
State of Emergency within Ottawa County
Our community has made progress responding to COVID-19. There is still the need, however, to take local actions in order to respond to the rapidly changing challenges of the pandemic. At the next Ottawa County Board Meeting, Commissioners are expected to discuss and vote on a resolution that extends a State of Emergency within Ottawa County due to COVID-19. This State of Emergency does NOT shut any businesses or schools down. The declaration allows for the County Administrator to rapidly approve decisions like eliminating convenience fees for online services -- so residents can get services without a trip to our offices. The Administrator can deploy County workers to homes or change one's job duties temporarily. In fact, the hiring of urgently needed COVID-19 contact tracers was approved under this order. Without a declaration, items that currently move us forward could take a month to approve through normal processes and could reverse the progress public health staff and residents have made in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Again, this local State of Emergency does NOT shut any businesses or schools down--but instead helps us forge ahead and stay open.
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