Grand Traverse County commissioners will hold a special virtual meeting Thursday at 1pm to address a recent incident in which Commission Vice Chair Ron Clous displayed a rifle during public comment, with the board set to vote on a “resolution of redress” that declares displaying weapons while members of the public are speaking as “inappropriate and unacceptable behavior.”

The resolution states that “video conferencing has brought together our homes and our workplaces in ways most have never experienced before, leaving emerging notions of appropriate behavior and professional etiquette not yet universally established.” It describes Clous’ display of a rifle as “well intentioned,” but says the incident “disturbed many members of our community and incited numerous community discussions on the appropriateness of such a display and many questioned the motivations of (Clous).”

Because Grand Traverse County “desires to lead by example and to inspire in its community a deep and abiding trust in the actions and decisions of its leadership,” the resolution states that the commission “hereby declares the display of weapons while members of the public are speaking to be inappropriate and unacceptable behavior.” The document also says commissioners “commit to maintain the same etiquette and professional behavior while in video conference meetings as they would in traditional boardroom meetings,” and that commissioners denounce “all forms of bullying or harassing against all persons, whether they be members of the public, staff, or elected officials.” 

The special meeting comes on the heels of a police complaint filed against Clous and community calls for his resignation. Traverse Connect also issued a statement Tuesday condemning the incident, saying it ran “counter to the civil discourse central to the functioning of local, state, and federal government.” More information on the resolution of redress and details for watching the special commission meeting - which also includes an agenda item about allocating county funding to address PFAS-contaminated wells in East Bay Township - are available online here.