November 12, 2024
At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the County of Ottawa, Michigan, held at the Fillmore Street Complex in the Township of Olive, Michigan on the 12th day of November 2024 at 9:00 o’clock a.m. local time.
PRESENT: Roger Bergman, Doug Zylstra, Roger Belknap, Gretchen Cosby, Rebekah Curran, Chris Klienjans, Sylvia Rhodea, Allison Miedema, Kendra Wenzel, Joe Moss, Jacob Bonnema.
It was moved by Commissioner Wenzel and supported by Commissioner Cosby that the following Resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the State of Michigan and Ottawa County recognize the importance of giving children permanent, safe and loving families through adoption; and,
WHEREAS, around 10,000 children are in the Michigan foster care system and, of these approximately 250 children are awaiting adoption without an identified forever family; and,
WHEREAS, to help children find permanent, nurturing families, the 20th Circuit Court of Ottawa County will open the doors of the Family Justice Center on Michigan Adoption Day, Tuesday, November 26, 2024, to finalize the adoptions of local children, join other organizations to celebrate all adoptions, and to recognize our local social service agency and court employees working to secure forever families for our youth; and,
WHEREAS, this effort, along with similar celebrations around the Country, will offer children the chance to live with stable and loving families and encourage other dedicated individuals to make a powerful difference in the lives of children through adoption; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners does hereby proclaim November 26, 2024 as Michigan Adoption Day in Ottawa County, and in so doing, urge all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness about the importance of adoption; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all resolutions and parts of resolutions insofar as they conflict with this Resolution are hereby repealed.
YEAS: Roger Belknap, Rebekah Curran, Gretchen Cosby, Sylvia Rhodea, Kendra Wenzel, Allison Miedema, Chris Klienjans, Joe Moss, Douglas Zylstra, Roger Bergman, Jacob Bonnema.
NAYS: None
ABSTENTIONS: None