County Commissioner Doug Zylstra met with our Indivisible chapter in September. As events have unfolded over the intervening months, some questions lingered and others arose. Commissioner Zylstra agreed to provide some answers here.

It’s challenging to be clear about the levels of government working on our behalf: city/township, county, state, federal. What would you describe as the several most important or consequential responsibilities of county government?

I would say the most consequential role of county government is public safety, which includes the courts, the prosecutor and public defender, and the sheriff’s department. These are core state-mandated functions where just outcomes are deeply important to resident well being.

Close behind that is the clerk’s office—particularly elections—which is foundational to the legitimacy and functioning of our democracy, along with the many other statutory duties the clerk performs. Public health is also a critical responsibility, and for the time being, so is community mental health.

How, optimally, does the county government work with the state and federal governments?

In many respects, counties function as the state’s arm at the local level, carrying out state responsibilities in a way that reflects local concerns and priorities. That means the relationship is necessarily tight and structured—built around mandates, grants, and revenue sharing.

The federal government’s role is more indirect, but still important, particularly through funding streams and regulatory frameworks that flow through the state to counties.

What are the ways in which the county government can advocate for or protect Ottawa County residents against potential harm by state and federal actions? 

Ideally, these relationships are fairly symbiotic, particularly at the state–county level. In practice, that doesn’t always hold, especially when expectations aren’t matched with adequate funding.

When it comes to federal immigration enforcement, counties simply do not have as many levers as one might wish. We cannot block lawful enforcement actions, even if we disagree with them. That said, the county—primarily through the sheriff—does have discretion around cooperation policies, communication practices, and ensuring that due process norms are respected.

The sheriff plays a central role here, and it’s important that residents engage directly with him as an elected official responsible for balancing enforcement with community trust.

We’ve seen the county government lose traction on addressing affordable housing in a comprehensive way. How might we most effectively lobby for more initiative and vision from the county?

I’m very hopeful that this year we really see robust action on housing take place at the county level. There’s a recognition that the county does have a strong role to play, and it’s about how we leverage the tools and assets that we have to help create increased housing opportunities throughout the county for residents. 

Those who wish to see the county take more action in this space can continue to urge an expanded Housing Commission as well as advocating for more resources and additional personnel dedicated to those efforts. 

Photo by Peggy Paulson on Unsplash