• Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette

Marquette
57°

Escanaba
61°

Houghton
63°

Iron Mountain
62°

Watch
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette
No Result
View All Result
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette
No Result
View All Result

2 Weather Alerts

View Details »

Delta County Commission to send complaint to MDARD over potential “confidentiality breach” involving Conservation District chair

by Lily Simmons
April 30, 2024 - Updated on May 3, 2024
A A
Kaplan addresses the Board of Commissioners.

Kaplan addresses the Board of Commissioners.

ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Delta County Board of Commissioners is writing a letter of complaint to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) regarding Delta Conservation District Board Chair Joe Kaplan.

In March, Commissioner Bob Barron accused Kaplan of a potential “breach of confidentiality,” as well as singling out the county as a landowner by asking about the county’s enrollment the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). The situation specifically involves a proposed day-use area project at O.B. Fuller Park.

On Monday, Barron once again brought the issue to the Board of Commissioners.

“The confidentiality, I believe, potentially was violated when it was brought to Administrator [Ashleigh] Young…by the chair of the Soil Conservation District, especially the comment saying we couldn’t do the Fuller Park project,” he said. “That’s not something that they can do from that aspect.”

Barron added that Kaplan should not have been the person to bring material to Administrator Young. Rather, Barron says it should have been the MAEAP technician.

“It is between the tech and the landowner,” he said. “We’re an individual landowner. Why are we being singled out?”

Administrator Young told the board that she spoke with MAEAP representatives about her conversation with Kaplan, following Barron’s initial allegations.

“[Kaplan] is the administrator of the program, so he can have that information,” she said. “We sat and discussed it at the conference table, all the different plans.”

Commissioner Steven Viau asked, “And he’s allowed to do that?”

“Yes,” Young said. “I talked to MAEAP and…he is allowed to do that. He is not allowed to share anything outside…”

“So there was nothing in confidentiality broke?” asked Viau. “Even now?”

“Not that I was aware of,” answered Young.

“What he did was within his rights in that position, correct?” Viau asked.

“I believe so, because he is the administrator of the program,” Young said. “…I think Commissioner Barron’s part was that we were not allowed to go to the technician. I don’t know if there’s any credibility behind that, but that’s the part I could not address.”

Kaplan continues to deny Barron’s claims. He says the true confidentiality breach was when Barron made the situation public.

“I had an internal conversation with our staff about what happens if we do something that’s inconsistent with the management plan,” Kaplan said. “Somehow, that made it from my lips to Commissioner Barron’s ear. It wasn’t my breach of confidentiality; it was his.”

Barron made a motion to send a letter of complaint to MDARD. Barron, Commissioner David Moyle, and Commissioner Robert Petersen voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners Viau and John Malnar voted against it.

“I don’t want to just write a complaint if we don’t have the actual facts,” Viau said.

“If they’ve done nothing wrong, they don’t have anything to worry about,” said Petersen.

At Petersen’s suggestion, the board also voted to look into the pros and cons of pulling out of MAEAP. Commissioners Moyle, Malnar, Petersen, and Barron voted in favor of the motion.

Get WZMQ 19 anytime, anywhere

Download the app

AppleAndroid

Watch on TV

RokuFire TVZeam

Connect on social media

FacebookTwitterInstagram

More

News

Krusin’ Klassics Car Club takes ‘final kruise’ this weekend

May 30, 2025
News

Historic Manistique Bank Building granted new life as residential and commercial development

May 30, 2025
In collaboration with Accelerate UP, the Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) assisted Great Lakes Glass & Calibration with a ribbon cutting to celebrate its grand opening in a new location along us 41 in Ishpeming.
News

Glass shop opens in Ishpeming

May 30, 2025
News

State officials tout home energy rebates at Mackinac Policy Conference

May 30, 2025
safety is no accident, a popular slogan for workers, underscoring the need to always keep safety at the forefront of any construction project.
News

MIOSHA officials meet with local builders

May 29, 2025 - Updated on May 30, 2025
News

Michigan Unveils Workforce Plan to Address Economic Shift to AI

May 29, 2025 - Updated on May 30, 2025
Next Post

MSP Gladstone troopers investigate fatal crash in Wells Township

2025 budget cuts proposed for Office of Auditor General

  • Home
  • News
  • Weather
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Events
  • Programming
  • Station
WZMQ CBS | 19 News

© 2025 WZMQ, LLC | FCC Public File | EEO Report

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
  • Events
  • Programming
    • Programming Guide
    • CBS
    • MeTV
    • Start TV
    • Heroes & Icons
    • Court TV
    • ION
  • Station
    • About Us
    • Community Involvement
    • Mobile App
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Advertising
    • Request Copy of Story
    • FCC Public File
    • EEO Report
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
  • Events
  • Programming
    • Programming Guide
    • CBS
    • MeTV
    • Start TV
    • Heroes & Icons
    • Court TV
    • ION
  • Station
    • About Us
    • Community Involvement
    • Mobile App
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Advertising
    • Request Copy of Story
    • FCC Public File
    • EEO Report
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our privacy policy.
Go to mobile version