Curtis Burdette, executive director of the Oceana County Economic Alliance (OCEA), provided the Oceana County Board of Commissioners with an update on OCEA’s impact in the community at their Aug. 27 regular board meeting. The county has, in the past, allocated a portion of the general fund to aid the organization and its economic investment into Oceana. Last year, commissioners agreed to contribute $100,000 to OCEA, with the presentation claiming that “for each $100 from the county in the past two years, more than $5,100 in economic impact can be measured from major projects in Oceana County.”
The goals of the OCEA are to invest in new and existing businesses and industries in the county, develop new jobs and encourage job retention. Said Burdette regarding the conversations held between the organization and county businesses and their ongoing collaborations, “We don’t see a lot of businesses who want to leave… but we also want to make sure that there's no reason that’s making them want to leave.”
Burdette also shared with commissioners programming that OCEA introduced in 2026, such as Small Business Buzz coffee circles - encouraging business owners and entrepreneurs to build relationships with others in the community - and 5x5 Pitch Night North - a regional fundraising and ideas-sharing competition. One particular goal of OCEA for 2026 was expanding and strengthening efforts to collaborate with communities on the east side of the county, with support offered to HesperiART and the new Walkerville KwikMart.
OCEA estimates that it has facilitated $60 million in community development projects and $20 million in business development projects, and has high hopes for future programs such as focusing further on business real estate development, housing needs and downtown revitalization. The organization also has hopes for their finances in fiscal year 2027, namely a cash reserve for three months of expenses; OCEA ended FY 2026 with less than one month of a cash reserve. Alongside the general fund contribution from the county, OCEA receives funds from private investors and through grants.
As operating costs continue to rise across the board and operations expand for the organization, OCEA has requested a further $8,500 from the county for a total of $108,500 to fund operations in 2027. Said Burdette, “That increase just supports the current programming and new programming. We cover economic development, community development and things throughout the county, and we want to continue providing those services for the county and being able to provide those services to businesses and [the] government at no cost to them.”
The board meeting was attended by members of the OCEA board and other interested parties. Of the few that spoke following the presentation, attendees praised Burdette for the work he did for OCEA. “He’s all in on Oceana County, all in on economic development… He represents us very, very well, and we just appreciate how much he gives to us as a county,” Shelby Village Administrator and OCEA board member Phil Morse said of Burdette’s work.
Senior Vice President of Community Development for the Right Place Tim Mroz thanked the county commissioners for their service and financial assistance, explaining that the investment helps the community by alleviating the need to fundraise and “freeing that [financial] burden from [Burdette] and letting him do his job.”
Arbre Farms Division Controller Cory Latsch attested to the help of OCEA, navigating the company through financial and legislative burdens they had faced, calling Burdette “a great connector,” for resources and networking. Latsch also made mention of the Walkerville KwikMart and its new role as an eatery and gathering place for Arbre Farms employees.
Commissioner Paul Erickson likewise thanked Burdette and expressed appreciation for the help afforded to the Walkerville KwikMart and hopes for the old Crystal Valley Tavern, recently purchased by the KwikMart’s owners. Chairman Robert Walker agreed with Erickson and extended thanks for the work being done in eastern Oceana.
At the July 9 Board of Commissioners meeting, Undersheriff Ryan Schiller and incoming Hart Schools Superintendent Brad Jacobs introduced the possibility of Hart Public Schools entering into a contract with the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) for a new school resources officer. On Aug. 27, Schiller presented the board with a contract for the chosen SRO, Deputy Owen McGuigan. Schiller described the opportunity as “a great partnership that we can support the school district where they have a need.”
The contract is similar to the one that OCSO shares with Shelby Public Schools, who also partners for an SRO, with a few notable differences. Primarily, during summer months, the Hart Public Schools SRO will alleviate staffing strains and overtime. Also included were increased comp hours to encourage SROs to attend extracurricular and after-school events, such as sports games.
The 2026-2028 contract was approved with the addition suggested by commissioners to adjust 2028 wages as needed, based on increases set by OCSO.
For department head reports, Sheriff Craig Mast and Schiller reported the ongoing efforts between OCSO and County Administrator Tracy Byard to provide adequate healthcare coverage for inmates in the county jail. One avenue being explored is working with Trinity Health Leadership in Muskegon regarding the Rural Health Transformation Project and associated grant opportunities.
While the process is slow-moving, Schiller reassured that “[Trinity] is continuing to put a lot of resources together, talking with us, communicating with us as to what our needs are. They’re still very positive about it. They still see the potential of a good possibility and something to happen from it because they feel like the jail population and Oceana County fitting the definition of rural health for MDHHS is significant.”
While Mast explained that county inmates are provided the best health care possible and, oftentimes, leave jail in better health than they entered, Schiller further explained the importance of the project. “Inmate health care, no matter where we are in America, your county jail inmates are the sickest population of any community. It's a known fact. And when they come to us, they’re sick, and when we have to take them to the hospital and do all these things, it's a huge burden to the local taxpayers.”
