Candidates who sign the Contract with Ottawa are asking to be held accountable to the heart of those who elected them, rather than the bureaucracy or special interests which too often sway individuals post election.

In our pursuit of excellent candidates, we asked Ottawa Impact candidates to sign the Contract with Ottawa. The Contract with Ottawa is an ongoing promise to The People of Ottawa, not a contract with an individual or Ottawa Impact.

In the spirit of Newt Gingrich’s 1994 Contract with America, the Contract with Ottawa is a promise to The People of what candidates will stand for, and an invitation to The People to hold them accountable to specific actions in fulfilling their campaign promises.

The candidate’s word is glued to the document as evidence that they are not speaking empty promises.

The Contract with Ottawa provides a means of accountability during the term of service, prior to the next election cycle. We ask The People to give encouragement to those who fulfill their promises, and to hold those accountable who do not. Ottawa Impact will make available certain voting records, but The People of Ottawa are ultimately responsible for holding elected individuals accountable.

Separate from the Contract with Ottawa, endorsement of candidates during an election cycle does not indicate Ottawa Impact’s permanent endorsement of an elected officials’ behavior. Endorsement status for future elections is evaluated on an ongoing basis as vetted candidates serve The People.

Overview

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (The Declaration of Independence). To preserve these rights, local governments play a limited, yet important role, which must not usurp the individual rights or authority of the governed.

When local government ceases to preserve and protect the rights of the People, the People must act to reform their local government. This is accomplished by electing new leaders who prioritize freedom and the People above all else, while serving the needs of the community.

As citizens seeking elected office in Ottawa County, we establish this Contract with Ottawa for the people of Ottawa County, Michigan. Our cause is to secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and future generations and to restore the bonds of trust between the People and their elected representatives.

The August 2022 primary and November 2022 election offer the People of Ottawa County an opportunity to elect a fearless majority to the Board of Commissioners, along with other important elected positions, who will lead courageously, reject passivity, restore local authority, and respect the values and faith of the People of Ottawa County.

Governing Principles

We recognize our nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage and celebrate America as an exceptional nation blessed by God. We stand united to restore and amplify the principles of American exceptionalism:

  • Limited government
  • Individual responsibility
  • Self-determination
  • Freedom of speech
  • Freedom of association
  • Religious liberty
  • Sanctity of life and conscience
  • Due process
  • Justice governed by grace, mercy, love, and compassion
  • The right of parents to direct the care and upbringing of their children

Contract with Ottawa

As an elected official in Ottawa County, I will:

  1. Promote and protect liberty and freedom by valuing the People of Ottawa County above the interests of government, corporations, or special interests. I will boldly take action to thwart tyranny, government overreach, and injustice in Ottawa County.
  2. Govern with the least force and least authority required, allowing citizens maximum opportunity to make their own decisions for their families, businesses, employees, churches, and schools.
  3. Promote due process and defend the rights and liberties of the People of Ottawa County, so the People may live without fear of reprisal or intimidation from local elected officials and staff.
  4. Defend the moral responsibility of parents and legal guardians to maintain control of the care and upbringing of their children, which must not be usurped by local government or the government school system. The government’s moral responsibility for children must remain subservient to parents’ rights.
  5. Honor all people equally due to their individual intrinsic value and worth; reject ideology that segregates people into groups to justify treating them differently.
  6. Use common sense, courage, and the Constitution when making decisions in my elected role.

Public Policy Agenda

If elected to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, I will support the following items listed below:

Civil Liberties
I will support a county resolution that recognizes civil liberties are not reduced or suspended in times of crisis. Unconstitutional orders imposed in such times by a Governor, state agency, or local agency will be actively opposed and not enforced.

Parental Rights
I will support a county resolution recognizing each parent’s right to guide their child’s care, education, and curriculum. Evaluate how the county interacts with OAISD and local school districts. Create mechanisms to promote accountability and transparency to ensure the county’s actions with schools are limited and appropriate.

Transparency
I will support a county resolution that instructs the county administrator and corporate legal counsel to take steps to make county information “public by default” to increase transparency and accountability. Private information should be the exception for public servants.

Removing GARE Membership and Divisive Teachings
I will support removing Ottawa County from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (“GARE”) membership, and discontinuing Ottawa County’s promotion of divisive teachings aligned with Critical Race Theory such as; racial equity, privilege vs oppression based on skin color, intersectionality, implicit bias, systemic racism, and revisionist history.

Removing Planned Parenthood-Aligned Resources
I will support ending the county’s promotion and use of Planned Parenthood-aligned resources, especially to schools and universities in Ottawa County.

Changing Scheduled Time for Board Meetings
I will support changing the scheduled time for board meetings to a time after normal business hours to make it easier for people to attend and participate.

Changing Rules of the Ottawa County BOC
I will support changing the Rules of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, which allow Commissioners to punish, remove, restrict, or censure a commissioner who breaches the overly broad rules, including the rule to “advance the county’s corporate, legal, and financial interests,” which may conflict with the interests of the People and a commissioner’s right to free speech.

Respecting the judgment of citizens, I seek their mandate to restore trust and freedom by signing the Contract with Ottawa. Soli Deo gloria.

Signature: __________________________