By Scott McClallen
Michigan Capitol Confidential
The Michigan Treasury Department is hiding records from the Detroit Free Press about millions of dollars the state paid to a real estate firm?as part of a major development in downtown Detroit, and the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation will represent the daily in a lawsuit recently filed in the Court of Claims.
The Mackinac Center’s lawsuit involves the expansion of the?One Campus Martius by Detroit-based Bedrock Management Services LLC.
The project benefits from transformational brownfield plan incentives. The state pays developers with a portion of the taxes generated by their projects — money that would otherwise fund public services like schools and cities.
The Free Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request March 17 seeking key reports used by the state to calculate the value of these payments. These requested documents are critical to understanding how much public money is being used and whether the project is delivering the jobs and investment promised when the incentives were approved.
The department denied the request in full, citing state tax confidentiality laws.
The lawsuit argues that the?Michigan Constitution?requires disclosure of any records involving the?use of public funds, including “financial records, accountings, audit reports and other reports of public moneys.”
The case asserts that this constitutional right overrides the statutory exemptions that the Treasury cited.
“The press has an important watchdog role and a responsibility to the public interest,” Detroit Free Press reporter JC Reindl said. “The records we seek are critical to understanding how taxpayer dollars were used for development projects receiving subsidies and should be a matter of public record.”
Michiganders should know how their money is spent, said?Derk Wilcox, senior attorney at the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation.
“The public has a constitutional right to know how its money is being spent,” Wilcox said in a press release. “These are not private tax filings. These are government calculations used to divert taxpayer dollars to private developers — and the public deserves transparency.”
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Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Michigan Capitol Confidential
The Michigan Treasury Department is hiding records from the Detroit Free Press about millions of dollars the state paid to a real estate firm?as part of a major development in downtown Detroit, and the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation will represent the daily in a lawsuit recently filed in the Court of Claims.
The Mackinac Center’s lawsuit involves the expansion of the?One Campus Martius by Detroit-based Bedrock Management Services LLC.
The project benefits from transformational brownfield plan incentives. The state pays developers with a portion of the taxes generated by their projects — money that would otherwise fund public services like schools and cities.
The Free Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request March 17 seeking key reports used by the state to calculate the value of these payments. These requested documents are critical to understanding how much public money is being used and whether the project is delivering the jobs and investment promised when the incentives were approved.
The department denied the request in full, citing state tax confidentiality laws.
The lawsuit argues that the?Michigan Constitution?requires disclosure of any records involving the?use of public funds, including “financial records, accountings, audit reports and other reports of public moneys.”
The case asserts that this constitutional right overrides the statutory exemptions that the Treasury cited.
“The press has an important watchdog role and a responsibility to the public interest,” Detroit Free Press reporter JC Reindl said. “The records we seek are critical to understanding how taxpayer dollars were used for development projects receiving subsidies and should be a matter of public record.”
Michiganders should know how their money is spent, said?Derk Wilcox, senior attorney at the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation.
“The public has a constitutional right to know how its money is being spent,” Wilcox said in a press release. “These are not private tax filings. These are government calculations used to divert taxpayer dollars to private developers — and the public deserves transparency.”
—————
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
New Safety Partnerships Cut Injuries
on Major Job Sites
Three high-profile construction projects in Michigan are taking safety to the next level through formal partnerships with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
The new agreements cover large-scale worksites in Kalamazoo and metro Detroit and bring together contractors, workers and MIOSHA in voluntary efforts to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.
Each partnership is tailored to the jobsite, emphasizing leadership involvement, proactive hazard identification, safety training and clear accountability.
The participating projects include:
• Kalamazoo Event Center (CSM Group and Barton Malow): The $515 million, 430,000-square-foot facility will be the future home of the Kalamazoo Wings and Western Michigan University hockey and basketball teams. Scheduled for completion in fall 2027, a construction livestream allows viewers to watch the arena take shape in real time.
• I-696 Reconstruction Project (Toebe Construction): An 11-mile overhaul of one of metro Detroit’s busiest corridors, involving concrete paving, bridge demolition and reconstruction and underground utility upgrades.
• Joe Louis Arena Hotel Project (Colasanti Construction Services): A high-rise redevelopment on the former Joe Louis Arena site in downtown Detroit. The project will deliver a 25-story hotel with six additional floors of podium and ballroom space.
MIOSHA recently updated its partnership program to streamline assistance for construction projects focused on improving safety and health. These voluntary agreements reflect a growing commitment among Michigan contractors to go beyond compliance and foster strong safety cultures.
“These types of partnerships help ensure that everyone on these complex jobsites goes home safe,” MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman said. “We’re proud to support contractors who are choosing to lead on safety, not just comply. These projects will set the tone for what a strong safety culture can look like.”
MIOSHA construction partnership sites have experienced a 48 percent reduction in injury and illness rates compared to the statewide average, results that underscore the value of collaboration.
Stuart Mason, chief executive officer of CSM Group, highlighted the importance of personal responsibility during the July 18 kickoff of the MIOSHA partnership for the Kalamazoo Event Center with CSM Group and Barton Malow.
“It is really important to go home in a better condition than when we arrived,” Mason said. “This commitment to the partnership is all of us taking that personal responsibility oath to be the very best in the industry. More importantly, it’s how we work together and hold each other accountable to that promise that makes a difference.”
Tom Thelen, site safety manager for Toebe Construction and a former MIOSHA safety officer, echoed that sentiment:
“Having worked on both sides of the equation, I’ve seen firsthand how effective partnerships with MIOSHA can be,” Thelen said. “It’s not about enforcement — it’s about engagement, education and elevating safety together. This collaboration helps us stay proactive and protect the people who make these projects possible.”
MIOSHA partnerships are open to companies, local governments and employers in construction and general industries. Each agreement includes regular site visits, proactive hazard identification and core safety elements beyond standard requirements. While partnerships don’t exempt employers from enforcement, hazards found during visits are corrected without penalties.
MIOSHA currently has seven active construction partnerships statewide. Learn more at Michigan.gov/MIOSHApartnerships.
The new agreements cover large-scale worksites in Kalamazoo and metro Detroit and bring together contractors, workers and MIOSHA in voluntary efforts to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.
Each partnership is tailored to the jobsite, emphasizing leadership involvement, proactive hazard identification, safety training and clear accountability.
The participating projects include:
• Kalamazoo Event Center (CSM Group and Barton Malow): The $515 million, 430,000-square-foot facility will be the future home of the Kalamazoo Wings and Western Michigan University hockey and basketball teams. Scheduled for completion in fall 2027, a construction livestream allows viewers to watch the arena take shape in real time.
• I-696 Reconstruction Project (Toebe Construction): An 11-mile overhaul of one of metro Detroit’s busiest corridors, involving concrete paving, bridge demolition and reconstruction and underground utility upgrades.
• Joe Louis Arena Hotel Project (Colasanti Construction Services): A high-rise redevelopment on the former Joe Louis Arena site in downtown Detroit. The project will deliver a 25-story hotel with six additional floors of podium and ballroom space.
MIOSHA recently updated its partnership program to streamline assistance for construction projects focused on improving safety and health. These voluntary agreements reflect a growing commitment among Michigan contractors to go beyond compliance and foster strong safety cultures.
“These types of partnerships help ensure that everyone on these complex jobsites goes home safe,” MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman said. “We’re proud to support contractors who are choosing to lead on safety, not just comply. These projects will set the tone for what a strong safety culture can look like.”
MIOSHA construction partnership sites have experienced a 48 percent reduction in injury and illness rates compared to the statewide average, results that underscore the value of collaboration.
Stuart Mason, chief executive officer of CSM Group, highlighted the importance of personal responsibility during the July 18 kickoff of the MIOSHA partnership for the Kalamazoo Event Center with CSM Group and Barton Malow.
“It is really important to go home in a better condition than when we arrived,” Mason said. “This commitment to the partnership is all of us taking that personal responsibility oath to be the very best in the industry. More importantly, it’s how we work together and hold each other accountable to that promise that makes a difference.”
Tom Thelen, site safety manager for Toebe Construction and a former MIOSHA safety officer, echoed that sentiment:
“Having worked on both sides of the equation, I’ve seen firsthand how effective partnerships with MIOSHA can be,” Thelen said. “It’s not about enforcement — it’s about engagement, education and elevating safety together. This collaboration helps us stay proactive and protect the people who make these projects possible.”
MIOSHA partnerships are open to companies, local governments and employers in construction and general industries. Each agreement includes regular site visits, proactive hazard identification and core safety elements beyond standard requirements. While partnerships don’t exempt employers from enforcement, hazards found during visits are corrected without penalties.
MIOSHA currently has seven active construction partnerships statewide. Learn more at Michigan.gov/MIOSHApartnerships.
Labor Day Mackinac Bridge
Walk Approaching
For the safety and convenience of all those participating in the 2025 Mackinac Bridge Walk on Labor Day, Sept. 1, the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) will again start the event from both ends of the bridge, at Bridge View Park in St. Ignace and the Jamet Street ramp in Mackinaw City.
Starting the walk in both cities, as it has been since 2018, eliminates the need for busing and offers additional options for participants.
Additionally, due to its success in 2024, the walk will begin on the north end of the bridge from Bridge View Park on the west side of I-75 rather than at the MBA administration building. As most participants who start in St. Ignace already park at Bridge View Park, starting the walk from that side reduces the number of people crossing the interstate before the event begins. Participants who park on the east side of I-75 will be guided across the road before and after walking the bridge.
“These changes to the Annual Bridge Walk format we’ve made over the past several years have made it safer and easier for everyone to participate in this beloved event,” Mackinac Bridge Authority Director Kim Nowack said.
A video posted on the MBA website at www.MackinacBridge .org/Walk explains the bridge walk schedule and choices people have whether they start from the north or south ends of the bridge.
Walkers essentially have three main options:
• Starting from either end of the bridge and walking toward the center, turning around at the midpoint and returning to the city they started from, where their transportation is located. The turnaround points will move toward the ends of the bridge beginning at 10 a.m. but walkers can walk at least a portion of the bridge if they start by 11:30 a.m. Walkers must be on the side of the bridge they wish to return to before 10 a.m.
• Walking the entire length of the bridge starting from either end. Those who choose this option must reach the midpoint before 10 a.m. or they will be turned back. Anyone who walks the entire bridge must arrange their own transportation back to the side they started once the bridge reopens to public traffic at noon.
• Crossing the bridge, starting from either end, and then turning around and walking back to the side they started from. In this option, walkers will need to cross the midpoint on their return trip by 10 a.m. or they will be turned back and need to find their own transportation back across the bridge after it reopens at noon.
As with the last several events, because walkers can start from either end of the bridge when they arrive, there will be no buses transporting participants across the bridge. Participants must plan accordingly to ensure they end their walk on the same side of the bridge as their transportation. The MBA does not provide any shuttle service after the walk and cannot guarantee outside shuttle services will be offered.
The bridge will again be closed to public traffic during the 2025 walk, from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Labor Day, Sept. 1, based on recommendations from the Michigan State Police and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Emergency vehicles will still be permitted to cross the bridge, but no public vehicles will be allowed until the walk concludes and participants are off the bridge.
The bridge walk has been an annual event since 1958, with the exception of 2020. The 2024 walk will be the 67th event. Between 20,000 and 35,000 people have participated in recent years; 30,000 participated in the 2024 event.
Starting the walk in both cities, as it has been since 2018, eliminates the need for busing and offers additional options for participants.
Additionally, due to its success in 2024, the walk will begin on the north end of the bridge from Bridge View Park on the west side of I-75 rather than at the MBA administration building. As most participants who start in St. Ignace already park at Bridge View Park, starting the walk from that side reduces the number of people crossing the interstate before the event begins. Participants who park on the east side of I-75 will be guided across the road before and after walking the bridge.
“These changes to the Annual Bridge Walk format we’ve made over the past several years have made it safer and easier for everyone to participate in this beloved event,” Mackinac Bridge Authority Director Kim Nowack said.
A video posted on the MBA website at www.MackinacBridge .org/Walk explains the bridge walk schedule and choices people have whether they start from the north or south ends of the bridge.
Walkers essentially have three main options:
• Starting from either end of the bridge and walking toward the center, turning around at the midpoint and returning to the city they started from, where their transportation is located. The turnaround points will move toward the ends of the bridge beginning at 10 a.m. but walkers can walk at least a portion of the bridge if they start by 11:30 a.m. Walkers must be on the side of the bridge they wish to return to before 10 a.m.
• Walking the entire length of the bridge starting from either end. Those who choose this option must reach the midpoint before 10 a.m. or they will be turned back. Anyone who walks the entire bridge must arrange their own transportation back to the side they started once the bridge reopens to public traffic at noon.
• Crossing the bridge, starting from either end, and then turning around and walking back to the side they started from. In this option, walkers will need to cross the midpoint on their return trip by 10 a.m. or they will be turned back and need to find their own transportation back across the bridge after it reopens at noon.
As with the last several events, because walkers can start from either end of the bridge when they arrive, there will be no buses transporting participants across the bridge. Participants must plan accordingly to ensure they end their walk on the same side of the bridge as their transportation. The MBA does not provide any shuttle service after the walk and cannot guarantee outside shuttle services will be offered.
The bridge will again be closed to public traffic during the 2025 walk, from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Labor Day, Sept. 1, based on recommendations from the Michigan State Police and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Emergency vehicles will still be permitted to cross the bridge, but no public vehicles will be allowed until the walk concludes and participants are off the bridge.
The bridge walk has been an annual event since 1958, with the exception of 2020. The 2024 walk will be the 67th event. Between 20,000 and 35,000 people have participated in recent years; 30,000 participated in the 2024 event.
Former WMU Exchange Student Charged
with Sexual Assault
Al Allan De Los Santos Mueses, 40, a former foreign exchange student from the Dominican Republic at Western Michigan University, was arraigned on July 28 in the 8th District Court in Kalamazoo on charges stemming from alleged assaults perpetrated on a fellow student in March of 2010, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
Meuses is alleged to have assaulted a fellow student, a female then 20 years of age, in his own apartment shortly after meeting her at a campus recreation center. The victim immediately reported the alleged sexual assault to university police and then underwent a forensic medical examination. No charges were issued at the time.
Mueses, most recently residing in Miami, Fla., was charged on July 1 of this year with four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and arrested on July 11 before being extradited to Michigan.
“I remain grateful to our state’s devoted SAKI units and their efforts to bring about justice for victims of sexual assaults perpetrated years ago,” Nessel said. “Their commitment ensures that survivors have the opportunity to see their cases fully investigated and that perpetrators are held accountable.”
Mueses was a foreign exchange student at Western Michigan University between 2009-2013. The investigation into this case remains ongoing by the Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), and anyone with information about this incident or similar conduct by Mueses is asked to contact Kalamazoo County SAKI Investigator Richard Johnson by phone at (269) 569-0515 or email.
The State’s SAKI was established in 2016 to investigate and prosecute sexual assaults related to previously untested sexual assault evidence kits.
The SAKI project provides sexual assault victims with the opportunity to have their cases re-investigated in a comprehensive, trauma-informed manner. The Kalamazoo SAKI is a collaborative project of the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office, and the YWCA of Kalamazoo.
The Kalamazoo SAKI Team is in the process of investigating more than 200 cold-case sexual assaults that occurred in Kalamazoo County between 1976 and 2015.
“The investigation into these cases continue despite the difficulties caused by the passage of time and suspects moving to different parts of the world,” Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey S. Getting said. “Hard work, persistence, and a commitment to justice are hallmarks of my office, the Attorney General’s office, and the SAKI program.”
Mueses was granted a $250,000 cash or surety bond, and was scheduled to appear before the court today for a probable cause conference. A preliminary examination is scheduled before Judge Kathleen Hemingway for August 14.
Input Is Sought on County Road Plan
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Ottawa County Road Commission has posted its draft Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for 2026-2030 on its website for review.
The Road Commission will receive comments from the public and stakeholders on the draft document from now until Sept. 11.
This plan is updated annually and is based on a yearly review of county road assets in order to identify improvement needs, and determine economical methods to finance improvement and maintenance projects.
Included in the draft plan are proposed reconstruction and resurfacing work, preventative maintenance treatments, and drainage and bridge improvements. Implementation of the projects listed in the draft SIP will be based on receipt of identified funding sources and are subject to change based budgetary constraints or other factors.
Primary road improvements that have been proposed in 2026 under the draft plan include:
• Butternut Drive, from Lakewood Boulevard to Riley Street in Holland Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 120th Avenue at Port Sheldon Street in Olive Township, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• 120th Avenue, from Taylor Street to M-45 in Olive and Robinson townships, mill and resurfacing;
• 144th Avenue at Lincoln Street at the Grand Haven/Robinson township line, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• 48th Avenue at Baldwin Street at the Blendon/Georgetown township line, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• Baldwin Street, from 20th Avenue to Cottonwood Drive in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 28th Avenue, from the Hudsonville city limits to Bauer Road in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 12th Avenue, from Port Sheldon Street to Baldwin Street in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• Linden Drive, from M-45 to Leonard Street in Tallmadge Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders;
• Leonard Street, from the village of Spring Lake to 148th Avenue in Spring Lake Township, resurfacing;
• Arthur Street, from 8th Avenue to Kenowa Avenue in Wright Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders;
• Cleveland Street, from M-104 to 96th Avenue in Crockery Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders.
The next primary road improvement project planned in Zeeland Township isn’t scheduled until 2029, when the Road Commission plans to resurface 72nd Avenue from M-121 to New Holland Street, according to the plan document.
It is important to the plan development process to gather input and comments about the proposed projects from the public and local governmental partners prior to the plan being finalized and approved by the Road Commission board.
Comments can be submitted on the Road Commission’s website at ottawacorc.com, or sent to info@ottawacorc.com.
Zeeland Record
The Ottawa County Road Commission has posted its draft Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for 2026-2030 on its website for review.
The Road Commission will receive comments from the public and stakeholders on the draft document from now until Sept. 11.
This plan is updated annually and is based on a yearly review of county road assets in order to identify improvement needs, and determine economical methods to finance improvement and maintenance projects.
Included in the draft plan are proposed reconstruction and resurfacing work, preventative maintenance treatments, and drainage and bridge improvements. Implementation of the projects listed in the draft SIP will be based on receipt of identified funding sources and are subject to change based budgetary constraints or other factors.
Primary road improvements that have been proposed in 2026 under the draft plan include:
• Butternut Drive, from Lakewood Boulevard to Riley Street in Holland Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 120th Avenue at Port Sheldon Street in Olive Township, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• 120th Avenue, from Taylor Street to M-45 in Olive and Robinson townships, mill and resurfacing;
• 144th Avenue at Lincoln Street at the Grand Haven/Robinson township line, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• 48th Avenue at Baldwin Street at the Blendon/Georgetown township line, construction of an intersection roundabout;
• Baldwin Street, from 20th Avenue to Cottonwood Drive in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 28th Avenue, from the Hudsonville city limits to Bauer Road in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• 12th Avenue, from Port Sheldon Street to Baldwin Street in Georgetown Township, mill and resurfacing;
• Linden Drive, from M-45 to Leonard Street in Tallmadge Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders;
• Leonard Street, from the village of Spring Lake to 148th Avenue in Spring Lake Township, resurfacing;
• Arthur Street, from 8th Avenue to Kenowa Avenue in Wright Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders;
• Cleveland Street, from M-104 to 96th Avenue in Crockery Township, resurfacing and paved shoulders.
The next primary road improvement project planned in Zeeland Township isn’t scheduled until 2029, when the Road Commission plans to resurface 72nd Avenue from M-121 to New Holland Street, according to the plan document.
It is important to the plan development process to gather input and comments about the proposed projects from the public and local governmental partners prior to the plan being finalized and approved by the Road Commission board.
Comments can be submitted on the Road Commission’s website at ottawacorc.com, or sent to info@ottawacorc.com.
Community Day Celebration
Set at Drenthe Grove
Zeeland Township will hold its annual Community Day celebration next Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Drenthe Grove Park, 615 68th Ave.
The family-fun event runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Critter Barn will bring many of its animals to the celebration. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and Zeeland Township Fire Department will be on hand. Three food trucks will offer a variety of food and MooVille will be serving free ice cream.
The family-fun event runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Critter Barn will bring many of its animals to the celebration. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and Zeeland Township Fire Department will be on hand. Three food trucks will offer a variety of food and MooVille will be serving free ice cream.
Road Commission to
Shut Down 96th Next Week
A section of 96th Avenue north of the Zeeland city limits will be closed down starting next week for culvert replacement work.
Contractors for the Ottawa County Road Commission will close 96th between Quincy Street and Ransom Street starting Monday. The project is estimated to be completed by Friday, Aug. 22, but all work is weather dependent and completion times are subject to change, a Road Commission spokesman said.
The road will be closed to through traffic during the culvert replacement project. A detour route will consist of Quincy, 88th Avenue and Ransom.
Contractors for the Ottawa County Road Commission will close 96th between Quincy Street and Ransom Street starting Monday. The project is estimated to be completed by Friday, Aug. 22, but all work is weather dependent and completion times are subject to change, a Road Commission spokesman said.
The road will be closed to through traffic during the culvert replacement project. A detour route will consist of Quincy, 88th Avenue and Ransom.
