Ottawa County

10/30/2026

Six months later, the Ottawa County Clerk / Register of Deeds' Office is wrapping up their ABCs of Elections series! Look back to see all of the interesting election lessons as we look forward to Election Day on November 3rd.

Z is for Zero Report! Before to the polls are opened, we need to make sure that the voting machines start off with a clean slate at zero. So poll inspectors have to print a report that shows all options on the ballot have zero votes recorded on the machine. This is called the zero report! We keep the zero report on file so that we can prove that the machine started with zero votes!

10/30/2026

We love celebrating our team!

The annual Service Awards Banquet, hosted by our Human Resources Department, is an evening dedicated to honoring staff who've reached retirement or a significant service milestone, and recognizing the dedication that our passionate public servants demonstrate every day.

Staff packed the Pinnacle Center this past Monday to accept awards and cheer on their coworkers. Join us in thanking our many honorees for their commitment to excellence in public service! 👏

10/30/2026

Four Ottawa County elected officials have made guest appearances on 99 7 and 1450 WHTC's Talk of the Town in the last few days, providing important updates on what's going on with many facets of our county government. Links to each interview are in the comments below!

10/30/2026

Just like most things in life, incorporating native plants into your landscaping takes a little forethought. Now is the perfect time to start developing a plan for next season. Cozy up with some hot apple c***r and check out these free resources:

🌱 Ottawa County Be Water Wise Planting Guide: https://bit.ly/waterwiseguide

🌱 Wild Ones: nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/create-your-garden-plan/

🌱If you’re looking for more structure, our friends at Ottawa County Parks are offering a three-part Native Garden Masterclass Series this winter. Learn more at miottawa.org/connectedcountypark

No matter whether you source your H20 - municipal or well - we all can take steps to conserve this vital resource.

10/29/2026

🍎 The Department of Strategic Impact got its Michigan Apple Crunch on with apples staff picked from Farmhaus Farms' U-Pick operation in Tallmadge Township. The Michigan Apple Crunch celebrates National Farm to School Month and the delicious bounty of Michigan-grown apples.

Ottawa County has approximately 3,800 acres of apple orchards, the third most in the state, according to the most recent USDA Agricultural Census.

And one of those farms - the 75-acre Windy Ridge Orchard in Chester Township - is poised to be the first apple producer to be protected through Ottawa County’s Farmland Preservation Program, which is coordinated by Strategic Impact.

Learn more: https://loom.ly/_vdCDdM

Michigan State University Extension | Michigan Apple Crunch

10/29/2026

💧The 21st Annual Water Quality Forum Hosted by Water Resources Commissioner Joe Bush and the Water Resources Department 💧

Over 300 attendees came out to the Pinnacle Center to discuss water quality challenges and collaborative strategies to protect local water resources. Topics ranged from riverbank restoration at Paw Paw Park to Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) hydrogeological imaging.

Thank you to our event sponsors and partner organizations (below), speakers, and staff who all contributed to making this event successful. By working together, we can ensure that future generations have a clean, plentiful water supply.

Partners:
ADS | Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
Fishbeck
InterfaceH2O
KSI | Kennedy Solutions, Inc.

Platinum Sponsors:
Spicer Group
Prein & Newhof
Waste Management
LRE Engineers & Surveyors
VK Civil
Northern Concrete Pipe
Progressive Companies

Gold Sponsors:
PLM Lake & Land Management Corp
Arrowaste
ETNA Supply Company
Feenstra & Associates, Inc.
Michigan Groundwater Association
Fleis & VandenBrink
Hecksel Bros.
ENG
Lakeshore Environmental, Inc.

10/28/2026

Students-- time is running out to submit for the annual OCCAA Walk for Warmth Poster & T-Shirt Design Contest!

Submit by Nov. 6 at 5pm to be considered for a chance to have your design featured at the event, win a fantastic prize basket, and use your talents to support a great cause!

Contest submissions and guidelines can be found at miOttawa.org/w4w

10/28/2026

🛑✋ Hold it right there. Take a doomscroll break and see what's going on in your county government!

The highlights from the October 27th, 2026 Board of Commissioners Meeting:

• Recongition of four brave members of our team from the Sheriff's Office and Department of Public Health
• Two policy revisions: Reemployment of Retirees & Facilities Use
• The Board voted to formally petition to intervene in the RWE Solar Maple solar development in Zeeland Township. This is the first step in the process and doesn't necessarily indicate our position (i.e. opposing or supporting), but allows us to have a seat at the table as the Board continues to discuss their position. Separate legal counsel will be brought in using funds provided by the developer, so no general fund dollars are expected to be used at this time. More updates are likely to come in early 2027.

10/28/2026

The grand opening of our new Veterans Services office at the Fillmore Campus is just two weeks away!

Join us on Veterans Day to honor those who served, celebrate this new chapter, and connect with each other to improve the lives of Veterans in our community.

November 11, 2026 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
11:00 am – Ribbon Cutting & Guest Speaker
11:30 am – 8:00 pm – Open House

Light refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

Enter through the north lower-level entrance and go past the Clerk/Register of Deeds and Treasurer's Office.

We hope to see you there!

10/27/2026

A moment for the SIGNAGE 👏

New signs have been installed across the Fillmore Campus and are coming soon to our locations around the county! In addition to looking pretty and fostering a friendly environment, clear signage helps visitors navigate the campus and improves public access to county services.

Navigation inside buildings has also been improved with added maps and large-print room signs in hallways.