KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Kalamazoo County Commission held their last meeting of 2020 Tuesday night and took care of some business to make sure when the New Year rolls around, everything will be ready to go.
Judge Alexander Lipsey presided over the County’s first virtual swearing-in ceremony, standing in his home office in his robes. He was swearing in all the newly-elected county officials standing in their own home offices. Among those taking the oath: the Prosecutor, the Sheriff, the new Clerk and Treasurer and County Commissioners.
Their terms begin on January 1.
New Commissioners sworn in include the following:
- District 1: Tami Rey, Democrat
- District 4: Jen Strebs, Democrat
- District 5: Veronica McKissack, Democrat
- District 6: Jeff Heppler, Republican
- District 9: Dale Shugars, Republican
- District 11: Fran Bruder Melgar, Democrat
The returning Commissioners are Tracy Hall, Mike Quinn, John Gisler, Roger Tuinier and Zac Bauer.
The Board also declared that a State of Emergency exists in the County. In any other year that might be a major news story, but in 2020 it was just a matter of routine. It was necessary that the County make the declaration formal, since the State Supreme Court vacated the Governor’s declaration mid-year.
It will be necessary to have the emergency declaration in place so that the County Health Department can continue to carry out its duties, especially now that it will be distributing vaccines to the region. The declaration also has to be in place when the New Year begins so that County, municipal and school boards can continue to meet virtually.
County Board Chair Tracy Hall noted in her final comments that 2020 began with a Polar Vortex, continued with an outbreak of EEE and went downhill from there when COVID-19 struck in March. She says the board got a lot accomplished despite those problems, and hopes that the next Board will be even more successful next year.
— Copy Written by John McNeil —
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