The Livingston County Board of Commissioners on Monday will consider a resolution by Commissioner Wes Nakagiri that chides the Human Services Collaborative Board for promoting “events of two private organizations” in its summer newsletter, and creates an entirely new policy that controls what can and can’t be promoted by county departments.
The resolution raises three questions: Is the resolution a reaction to one or both of the “private organization” events the HSCB promoted? Or is the resolution part of a wider political effort in Michigan? Could it be both?
As to the first question: If the resolution is reactionary, then one or both of the programs promoted in the 2023 Summer HSCB Newsletter inspired it. Given the current national political climate, I have a hunch as to which it is, but I’ll let you make up your own mind.
One event promoted in the HSCB newsletter is a program offered by Ascension Health — one of the largest, private healthcare systems in the U.S. The program on the “addiction epidemic in America” offers continuing education credits to healthcare professionals. (As one married to a social worker, I know that maintaining a license to practice is all about continuing education credits; I think that’s a good thing because we want our healthcare professionals to keep current, don’t we?)
The other promotion is for Pride Month events sponsored by the Livingston Diversity Council and Pride Alliance of Livingston. The Livingston Diversity Council is a community 501-C3 nonprofit organization.
Nakagari’s resolution says both events “did not involve coordinating health and human services across systems,” and, as such, fall outside the mission of the HSCB, which makes their promotion a no-no if his resolution is adopted.
I have to wonder why the Nakagiri resolution is coming before the board at this time. In the recent past — when Nakagiri was chair of the county board — the HSCB newsletter promoted events of 501-C3 “private” organizations, all without triggering the creation of a resolution.
In its Winter 2022 newsletter, the HSCB promoted LACASA Center’s Starry Night Holiday Toy Drive. (Before I go further, I need to share that I am a longtime member of the LACASA board of directors, and I am wildly proud of the work it does for the victims of child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence.) LACASA is an independent non-profit organization, so under the definition put forward by Nakagari’s resolution, putting toys under the Christmas tree for children who are spending their holiday in LACASA’s shelter has nothing to do with “coordinating health and human services across systems.” Under Nakagiri’s resolution, it could never be promoted in an HSCB newsletter ever again.
That sounds rather Grinch-y, don’t you think?
Using the Nakagari resolution’s metric, two of three events promoted in the HSCB’s Fall 2022 newsletter would also be taboo. These are:
• “Preventing Type 2 Diabetes” training at Trinity Health. Why wouldn’t the county board want to promote programs like this any longer?
• An informative ad about Bethel Suites, a project of Community Catalysts, an independent 501-C3 organization that provides transitional housing for those in need. It’s a wonderful program, one that all of us — including the county board — should embrace. But Nakagari’s resolution won’t permit it. (You can read all about Bethel Suites by clicking here.)
Considering that previous programs and events seem a lot like the continuing education credits being offered by Ascension Health, I don’t think it’s too big a leap to think that the Pride Month events inspired Nakagiri’s resolution.
The Nakagiri resolution also makes it clear that its micromanaging of newsletters will extend to all county agencies, which will be prohibited from promoting anything in the community that doesn’t fall within its own mission. (The mission statement of the Human Services Collaborative Body? Ensuring a system of support for members of our community. Seems like Pride events fall neatly into that.)
Nakagari’s resolution would also seem to prohibit any county organization from promoting events like the upcoming Michigan Challenge Ballonfest, a project of the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce. Or the Fowlerville Family Fair, a project of the nonprofit Fowlerville Agricultural Society. Or any of Brighton’s downtown festivals put on by the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce.
As to the second question, is Nakagari’s resolution inspired by the recent takeover of communications by the Ottawa County board, the majority of which was elected as part of the Ottawa Impact coalition of candidates inspired to run by mask mandates and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts?
That board is currently embroiled in a big ol’ hot mess of controversy. You can read about some of the most recent goings on by clicking here.
The Ottawa Impact coalition is in the midst of taking control of county communications via a newly established, centralized communications director, whose job is to approve every single Tweet, Facebook post and release going out to the public. You can read about it here AND here. You can read about other goings on in Ottawa County’s government by clicking here.
So enamored is Nakagiri with Ottawa Impact that he referred to it at a county board meeting as he threatened recall against his fellow county commissioners.
So, which of the two scenarios spurred Nakagari’s resolution? Is it neither? Or is it both?
You can read Nakagari’s resolution in its entirety by clicking here.
You can see the entire HSCB Summer 2023 Newsletter by clicking here.
If you’re interested in Monday’s meeting, here’s what you need to know:
Monday, June 12, 2023 @ 6:00 PM
Hybrid In-Person and Virtual Meeting
Board chambers, 304 E. Grand River Ave. in downtown Howell
Zoom Virtual Meeting ID: 399-700-0062 / Password: LCBOC
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3997000062
