KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo county commissioners have spent more time in public meetings in the last month listening to discussions about Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline than any other issue on their agenda, but not by choice.
And it may continue for another two weeks.
Dozens of citizens have lined up at the podium during meetings, speaking for hours at a time, trying to convince the board to pass a resolution that calls for the shutdown of the controversial pipeline.
They have also been receiving email and other messages from constituents, urging them to vote one way or the other on the issue. The resolution was withdrawn last month when sponsor Mike Quinn saw he didn’t have the votes.
On Wednesday, he announced he will reintroduce it, because he believes enough minds have been changed on the issue to pass it.
The resolution will be back at their next meeting on May 16. Presumably, so will the dozens of Line 5 opponents for one last big debate on the matter. To be precise, it will be discussed at the board’s afternoon session, and then voted upon during their evening meeting.
It has triggered several lengthy discussions on whether such resolutions should be discontinued or designated as proclamations.
Some commissioners feel that composing, debating, and taking public comment on the largely symbolic resolutions has gotten in the way of the real work the County Board is trying to do.
Other commissioners feel as the elected representatives of the county, that its exactly the kind of work they should be doing.
