CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH KELLI VAN GINHOVEN
CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH MYRA CROASDELL
CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH MATT JENSEN
There will be three new members of the Delta County Board of Commissioners, after all three long-time incumbents were soundly defeated in a special election yesterday. The newcomers all won in landslide vote totals in a recall that was initiated 18 months ago by the firing of Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo.
According to final, unofficial results from the Delta County Clerk’s office, Kelli van Ginhoven defeated Board Chairman, Dave Moyle, 932-353; newcomer Myra Croasdell defeated incumbent Bob Barron 1,410-514, and newcomer Matt Jensen defeated incumbent Bob Petersen, 947-358.
New commissioner van Ginhoven says it was a great result.
“I am happily surprised with the numbers,” van Ginhoven told RRN News Tuesday night. “I’m thankful for a great turnout (28%) for a May election. Very thankful for my campaign team for all they’ve done during these last 450 days. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
New commissioner Myra Croasdell says the voters of Delta County rejected the turmoil and chaos that have marked many of the proceedings at county board meetings over the past 18 months, since the controversial firing of DeSalvo.
“It’s very embarrassing for the people of Delta County who live here,” Croadsell told RRN News Tuesday night. “Very embarrassing how they acted, and how they perceived themselves, and the people spoke tonight. They just spoke that they’ve had enough of their (incumbents) garbage, of the 3-2 votes, they’re personal agendas, of each and every one of them.”
Matt Jensen, who will now represent the Gladstone area, also said that civility had been lost in county government, leading him to run for office. He did not run as either a Democrat or Republican.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what your political party or ideology is at this level,” Jensen told RRN News Tuesday night. “You need to be able to work with those in the community for the better good of our community. They (voters) really didn’t like the direction it was headed, or how it was being perceived, or how they were conducting business. You didn’t seem to have civility within the board. There was no decorum. We need more civility and agreeing to disagree on issues. I think the numbers definitely reflect that the people did not agree.”
Croasdell had by far the largest margin of victory against Barron, who made news recently by being the lone commissioner to vote against a $51,000 allotment for the Michigan State University’s Extension Service, which runs youth 4-H programs in Delta County.
Barron voted “no” out of objections to the MSU “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies. The other two recall targets, Moyle and Petersen, voted to table the annual expenditure in April, but voted “yes” in the May vote.
“The people of District Three voted to get Delta County back on the right track,” Croadsell said. “We need to get healing, and get things done that’s supposed to be done, and in the right way.”
The event that started this recall effort was the firing of DeSalvo in 2023, after she came forward with multiple accusations against board members in a public meeting, among them, being unethical and not allowing her to perform her job functions.
Moyle, in an earlier interview with RRN News, said that “Emily fired herself”, saying that she had been disrespectful and insubordinate to the board, which, collectively, were her bosses. Moyle argued that no employer would allow an employee to speak that way, especially in public, and deserved to be let go.
Moyle, when contacted by RRN News late Tuesday night about the election results, replied:
“No comment”
van Ginhoven, after her win Tuesday night, said that the Delta County community should consider DeSalvo a “hero”.
“She no longer could stay silent with things that were going on,” van Ginhoven said. “She felt that there were some unethical things happening, and she spoke up, and she spoke out. I thank her for that. Emily DeSalvo is a hero in our community, and she should be regarded as that.”
Van Givenhoven, though, was questioned as well about her motives during the 400-plus days of the recall effort, and Tuesday night, she addressed those people who did not vote for her, but she will, nonetheless, represent on the county board.
“I want them to know that even though they have talked very poorly about me, I still respect them, and I want to hear what they have to say,” Van ginHoven said.
And beyond the political drama, these three new commissioners will now represent a voting block that can virtually determine the course of Delta County. But that’s over the next few months, because they will have to stand for re-election again in November. The terms they won Tuesday night are only good until December 31st.
Jensen says he will push for a millage on the November ballot to expand veterans services in Delta County. It would be a 1/10 of a millage tax increase in its current suggestive form, although that proposal could be altered by the new commissioners.
“The state average for the demographics for veterans is just under five percent,” Jensen said. “In Delta County, it’s right around or above ten percent. Any time you have a millage, it’s about educating the people, and the voters. Right now, you have one individual who is taking care of over 3,000 veterans in our (Delta County) population.”
Jensen said that, going forward, they want to not only calm things down in Delta County politics, but also, get things done.
“You’re going to see a board that’s going to be able to have discussions,” Jensen said. “We might not always agree, but we’re going to be civil. There are going to be times where we agree to disagree. The help from our community has been huge. It’s been overwhelming. And to those who may not have voted for me this evening, I look forward to trying to change their minds. I want their input./”
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