ALLEGAN TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Sept. 9, 2024) – The conflict between the Allegan County Board and three county officials unwilling to move their offices may be heading towards its end.
On Tuesday, September 10th, the county’s register of deeds office will be closed for the day, while moving trucks transport the office to the County Services Building off of Dumont Lake (3283 122nd Ave.) for reopening on Wednesday morning. Space for such a move came about with the renovation of a former retail space into the new home for the county’s Mental Health Services department.
Three county officers – Clerk/Register of Deeds Bob Genetski, Treasurer Sally Brooks and Drain Commissioner Denise Medemar – filed a lawsuit in March of last year to block the shift of their offices out of the county courthouse building off of Chestnut Street in Allegan, citing state constitutional mandates of keeping those offices in the official county seat. The Board wants to convert space there for accommodating the expansion of the 48th Circuit Court by an additional judgeship.
Earlier this summer, Genetski dropped out as a plaintiff, and the clerk’s office, along with those of the treasurer and drain commissioner, are apparently still at Chestnut Street.
County Board Chairman Jim Storey, a Holland Republican, said in his weekly email to constituents that the cost of defending the lawsuit is currently over $20,000, and a hearing is slated for October 14th before Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Curtis Bell.
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