KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County has its first African-American County Chair, and she is a woman, but her route to the position was unusual. The democrat was elected by all the Republicans while all five Democrats voted for Democrat Tracy Hall, who lost 6 to 5.
Then Hall lost again to former Chair Dale Shugars, who was elected Vice-chair, 6 to 5.
Moore was the swing vote in both cases.
It was a political arrangement that was struck a year ago. Shugars would chair the first year, and Moore the second, with the two switching the Vice-Chair’s position.
It drew criticism from Township Trustee Jen Strebs who says they could have had a more progressive vice-chair, had Moore voted for Hall. . While most praised Moore’s election, one public speaker was critical of such deal making, saying it put party first and constituents second.
Two of Moore’s siblings came all the way from Atlanta for the occasion.
While the NAACP called in a public letter for unanimous support for Moore, they did not get it last night. There has been tension and partisanship on a board that had been relatively free of such issues before last year.
For the first time the county has increased security at meetings and rope barriers have been placed between the commissioners and the public seating area.
