A handful of sparks flew at the usually laid back, relatively speaking, Marquette County Board of Commissioners meeting earlier last week when the panel voted 3-2 in favor of a resolution entitled, “Resolution in Support of the People.” This innocuous label obscured what the document was really about: keeping the federal government, specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, out of Marquette County or, as an alternative, somehow compelling them to behave decently if ever they do show up here.

Commissioners Karl Numinen, Dana LaLonde and Karen Alholm voted yes on the resolution while Chairperson Joe Derocha and Vice Chair Bill Nordeen cast nay votes. Commissioner Fred Benzie was excused from Tuesday’s meeting.

The resolution couched the above in language underscoring the high degree of professionalism local law enforcement typically displays, calling on any agency that comes into Marquette County to do the same. The federal government and ICE is not mentioned in the text of the resolution.

The no votes, Derocha and Nordeen, worried that the resolution could bring unwanted federal scrutiny onto Marquette County and could even cost the county federal dollars. Additionally, a more general concern, that the resolution wasn’t good for the county, was also voiced.

Said Nordeen: “”I do want to stay in our lane and I don’t want to shine a light on us in any fashion. I don’t want it to be political. I don’t want a bunch of national politics to invade Marquette County. I just don’t, and if we had the problem that Minneapolis had, I’d be right on board with something stronger than this. But we don’t have it. And I don’t want to create an atmosphere that maybe attracts it.”

He further stated: “I don’t see that we have a problem (with federal law enforcement) right now. And I’m afraid that by doing this, maybe it’ll attract a problem and it’ll attract the federal government … if we start pushing on the federal government, does that mean that we might lose some of the funding that we get from the federal government? I hate to see that.”

Noted Derocha: “This is about law enforcement. This is about — It’s not about Republican or Democrat. It’s what’s good for Marquette County. And I don’t see this being good for Marquette County.”

Newly seated commissioner Karl Numinen penned the resolution. A practicing attorney who has been stirring the local legal pot for years, Numinen is no stranger to public scrutiny. In defending the resolution, he cited freedom of speech while noting the commission’s action should reflect what local residents have said.

“I’ve heard the phrase now ‘staying in our lane to avoid being political’ but I’ll say this, if staying in our lane means being afraid to speak out on issues of concern to our community members, then I’m not going to stay in my lane. I’m going to get in the passing lane and I’m going to go 85 miles an hour around the slow traffic that is clogging the lane because we need to open this up and we need to reflect the voice of the people that have come to all these meetings, sent in all these communications and have voiced their concerns loud and clear.

“We can’t avoid being political. We are a political body and there’s nothing in this resolution that’s going to jeopardize any federal funding or jeopardize any kind of lawsuit by the federal government. We still fortunately have some freedom of speech in our country and this is all that is. It’s a reflection of freedom of speech. It does not restrict any government agency. It does not prohibit any government action. It simply asks them to meet the same standards that our law enforcement have already adopted.”

Added Alholm: “This (resolution) does not mention the federal government. …It’s recognizing that our police agencies are reassuring that people are able to follow the rules. It doesn’t mention Democrats. It doesn’t mention Republicans. It says, okay, yes, we have good law enforcement agencies in this county and they are doing their job and, you know, it’s about as bland in terms of politics as it can get. I would not call this political.”

First things first. Don’t dismiss Nordeen’s concern that the resolution could somehow end up costing Marquette County money. This is not unreasonable paranoia. It’s our belief that the people we’re talking about here are about as vindictive as fourth graders at recess. Anything is possible.

That said, Numinen hit the nail on the head when he opined that the county board should endeavor to represent the viewpoints of the local electorate, which, it appears, have been made abundantly clear. And the First Amendment does come into play. The ability to voice one’s opinion is a cornerstone of American democracy. Lose it and we lose much.

We congratulate the county board for taking the correct, albeit potentially rockier, path on this issue. Doing the right thing is seldom the easiest course. But that’s what happened here and we believe they deserve recognition.