KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners held their first meeting of the new year Tuesday night, with a few new faces, picked new leadership, and expressed hope that there will be a new attitude as they go about running county government.
After several tense years marked by partisan infighting and hard-ball politics, while trying to cope with a pandemic, the board picked John Taylor to Chair the board. He vowed to work across the table to get things done amicably.
Democrat Tami Rae was elected Vice Chair, and Republican Jeff Heppler was elected to fill a new position, Vice-Chair Pro Tem. He will help set the agendas and chair meetings if the other two can’t.
Taylor, who is a member of the Democrat majority on the board, says creating that third leadership position and electing Heppler to fill it promotes bipartisanship.
The change was part of an overhaul of the board’s bylaws, which were approved in draft form. Final approval is expected at the board’s next meeting.
(reporting from John McNeill)
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