COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Randall Hazelbaker was selected as the Chair of the Branch County Board of Commissioners for 2021 during their organizational session on Monday morning.
In addition, the Commissioners selected Leonard Kolcz to be the Vice Chair. Jon Houtz was also nominated for Vice Chair but Kolcz received all five votes for the position.
Commissioners also agreed to change the amount of time for the public to speak during meetings from five to three minutes.
Administrator Bud Norman said there has been some discussion about the length of time for public comments.
Commissioners agreed the time limit should be three minutes but they can grant additional time if requested.
Regular meetings would still be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 4:00 p.m..
Work sessions would be held on the previous Thursday at 9:00 a.m..
If there was a Community Health Agency Board of Health meeting that same morning, the work session would start at 2:00 p.m. since a pair of Commissioners serve on the Health Board.
This just isn’t right.
Randall Hazelbaker is already vice mayor of Coldwater and now he is chairman of the county board of commissioners too?
We have 12,000 people in Coldwater, 43,000 people in Branch County and despite the claims to the contrary many capable people would love to fill these service positions. For forty years Mr. Hazelbaker has made a living by serving on nearly every city and county government positions and other positions. These local government positions were intended to be part time public servant positions not life long professions. Why are we allowing one man to control so many government positions of influence? Where is the “two heads are better than one” concept? “One man one vote” sure doesn’t apply! I commend him for his love of community and service to it but what the hell is really going on here?
Furthermore why are we still allowing the unelected Dud Norman to continually push to suppress our rights to free speech, redress our government and demoralize our emergency service people out lives depend on?
Of course the can give you extra time but I know from experience that the board will shut you up if don’t like what you are saying and they can. They have even used lies, threats and intimidation to keep citizens from legally using the city sidewalks around the courthouse.
Wake up people! Time to object!