KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Julie Rogers has stepped down from her position as Board Chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.
During a virtual meeting Tuesday night, Rogers made the announcement of her decision to the board.
“Every commissioner on this board is a leader and has important contributions,” Rogers said. “I’ve become involved in many responsibilities of late, and the county may be served with someone else as Chair. I think it’s important to build leadership succession now, moving into 2021, for a smooth transition. I am resigning as Board Chair effective immediately.”
Rogers will continue serving as a Kalamazoo County Commissioner representing the residents of Kalamazoo County’s fifth district.
Commissioners weighed in with a number of comments regarding the Rogers as Board Chair.
“I want to provide you with my sincere thanks for your leadership,” Commissioner Zach Bauer said. “This last end of your tenure has been something to behold. There has been a number of competing issues and crises for your attention, and [in the future I hope] you get everything you desire.”
Her position as Board Chair is succeeded by (now former) Vice Chair Tracy Hall, who represents district 3 in Kalamazoo County.
“I am humbled to have the support of my colleagues as Kalamazoo County’s newly elected board chair,” Hall said. “As Kalamazoo County Board Chair, I pledge to continue to put the residents of Kalamazoo County first and guiding the Board of Commissioners through whatever decisions lie ahead as our county and state continue battling a global health pandemic.”
Hall has served as vice chair since 2019 and was first elected to the county board in 2016.
Commissioners then worked to nominate who should take Hall’s former position as the new Vice Chair. Commissioner Bauer nominated Commissioner Michael Seals (District 4), who won in a 7-4 vote, with Commissioners Aniano, Place, Moore and Quinn dissenting.
Moore cited the PFAS water crisis and the disbanding of the Community Action Agency as part of the reason for her dissenting vote.
“The disbandment happened as a result of the board taking action,” Moore said. “The truth of the matter is it caused even greater disparities from people who were already struggling, especially when trying to figure out how to have access to clean water.”
During the conversation, Seals attempted to call a point of order while Moore was speaking. Seals felt that Moore was “attacking” him with her comments.
This caused Commissioner Meredith Place to issue some comments of her own, saying that she has had poor experiences with Seals.
“I personally have not had great experiences with Commissioner Seals,” Place said. “These have been experiences that have been on this board, in front of everyone, and experiences on internal subcommittees that have not been pleasant. Frankly, I have felt bullied by Commissioner Seals at some of these meetings, and I have not seen him vote based on his values. Commissioner Moore spoke to one vote that had a tremendous impact on our community. Look at what we’ve just seen – calling a point of order because someone disagrees with you is not a point of order. It’s exactly what Commissioner Moore pointed out – it’s unjust.”
Place also said that disagreements will happen, but everyone most be given the opportunity to speak.
Ultimately, Seals was voted in as Vice Chair.
“I’d like to say thank you to the people that did support me, and to the people that did not, I hope that in the next six months I can prove that I’m better than what I heard tonight,” Seals said. “I will work very hard to correct my mistakes if I have any. I do. As anybody else, I am human. I look forward to working with you and I will probably have more to say at the next meeting.”
In a written statement released after the meeting, Seals said the following:
“I want to thank my fellow commissioners for electing me to serve as vice chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. I look forward to continuing my work to ensure every county government employee is treated fairly and with respect and to see continued progress on the county’s new Justice Facility.”
Hall’s and Seals’ terms as chair and vice chair, respectively, expire at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Rogers is still running her campaign for the State Representative in the 60th House District, and Moore is continuing her campaign as well.
