Oshtemo Truth in the FOIA: Understanding the Process Together
The October 28, 2025 Oshtemo Township Board meeting drew a packed house as residents gathered to learn more about the township’s developing Energy Ordinance and the proposed Van Kal Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
The turnout showed how deeply the community cares about understanding how large-scale energy projects are evaluated and how decisions are made.
A Night Full of Questions
The October 28th board meeting opened with some agenda confusion between Supervisor Cheri Bell and Trustee Neil Sikora, setting the stage for a long discussion filled with questions from both board members and residents.
Nearly two hours in, Township Attorney Jim Porter explained that Michigan’s Public Act 233 limits township authority over energy siting. Several board members asked clarifying questions about the law, though meeting records show they had previously supported resolutions consistent with it.
For many in attendance, the conversation reinforced how complex the state’s new energy siting rules have become — and how important it is for residents to have clear, truthful, and accessible information as Oshtemo navigates these changes.
Drafting Process Raises Questions About Developer Input
A September 24, 2025 email from Planning Director Jodi Stefforia to Rachel Walker of NewEdge Power offers a revealing look into how the township’s draft Energy Systems Ordinance was developed.
In the message, Stefforia wrote that she was “making minor changes to the draft I previously sent you” and would share it “when it’s ready for public review.”
Based on the available emails, the correspondence suggests that a working draft of the ordinance had already been shared with the developer for input well before it was available to other township officials or the public.
That sequence raises important questions about whether developer input may have come before broader public review and their interests.
Stefforia also added in the same email:
“Neighbors of the Van Kal site you are considering have been addressing the Planning Commission and Township Board under Public Comment to express opposition, FYI.”
This offhand remark to a project stakeholder — referring to residents who had voiced concerns — has prompted further public concern. Residents argue that township staff should remain neutral facilitators during ordinance development, not advance discussions with private developers before elected officials or residents are given the same opportunity to review the text.
Experts in municipal planning ethics note that ordinances are intended to be policy documents for the public good, not negotiated frameworks for a single project.
If a draft is shared privately with a stakeholder before being presented to the board or residents, it can erode confidence in the process and blur the line between technical consultation and policy collaboration.
Many residents have called for the township to adopt a clear procedural rule prohibiting staff from sharing draft ordinances with any private party before official review and public notice. Such a policy could prevent future misunderstandings and reinforce the township’s commitment to impartial governance.
Residents have asked:
- What role did developer feedback play in shaping early versions?
- Was the ordinance run by developers first to make sure it worked for them?
- How can residents provide input once it is released?
- Will our input still be considered, or have early drafts already reflected developer feedback?
Our goal is to work with township leadership to make those answers accessible for everyone.
Earlier Coordination and the Need for Clarity
FOIA documents also show that on June 24, 2025, several township and fire-department officials — including Planning Director Jodi Stefforia, Fire Chief Greg McComb, Deputy Chief Eric Burghardt, Assistant Chief Jim Wiley, Project Manager Zach Pearson, Paralegal Manager Sierra Lucas, and others — met with NewEdge Power representatives to discuss the proposed Van Kal BESS project.
Van Kal Energy Storage System – Oshtemo BESS
The October 17 memo referred only to “a company that made general inquiries” and did not mention this earlier meeting.
The same October 17, 2025 memo drafted by Jodi Stefforia also stated “No specific sites were the focus of the presentation or discussion that followed. ” However, notes attributed to Stefforia from June 24, 2025 (below) reference the site “immed opposite ITC substation, parcel w/ lines/pole ‘Weeds Lake’,” identifying a very specific parcel.
Residents are now questioning differences between Stefforia’s 10/17 memo and earlier meeting notes. Bringing these pieces together can help ensure that everyone — township staff, elected officials, and residents — is operating from the same set of facts.
Meeting Notes Referenced Below:
June 24, 2025 – Meeting with Oshtemo Fire Officials, Township Staff, and Planning Department
August 14, 2025 – Meeting with NewEdge Power Developers
Planning Transparency Under Scrutiny
Many have raised questions about the role of Planning Director Jodi Stefforia in managing developer communications during the drafting of the Energy Ordinance. While this kind of contact can sometimes be part of early research or due diligence, the timing and scope of those exchanges have created concern about how public participation fits into the ordinance development process and raising concern that developer perspectives may have outweighed resident input.
Community members are asking for more clarity on:
- The timeline of the ordinance’s preparation and revisions.
- What kind of feedback or influence outside parties may have provided.
- When a moratorium will be considered with so much public pushback on the project.
- What monetary benefits to the community had been offered by the developers in those meetings.
- Whether the township has or should adopt a standard protocol to ensure that draft ordinances are shared publicly at the same time as they are circulated to industry stakeholders.
Transparency in planning isn’t just about compliance — it’s about maintaining public trust.
By clarifying these questions and setting clear boundaries for future communication and staff oversight, township leaders have an opportunity to demonstrate accountability and reinforce confidence in the process.
After the Closed Session
When the board reconvened following a closed session, only a few residents remained.
Before entering that session, Supervisor Bell had told attendees:
“I want you to know this closed session is about a separate contract issue and it’s not closed session discussing the BESS project.”
After returning, she reminded the board that in the meeting they had just talked about using the township website to share fact-based information with the public
While the sequence created some confusion about whether BESS had been part of the closed-session conversation, residents expressed appreciation that the township plans to post verified information online — provided that all sources and documents are included.
Clarifying meeting summaries and online updates can go a long way toward rebuilding trust.
Watch the October 28, 2025 3-hour Oshtemo Board Meeting cut down to the 3 sections that focused on the BESS
Full meeting can be watched on the Oshtemo Township Website
Residents Seek Information, Not Conflict
Throughout the October 28 meeting, residents stepped to the podium to ask questions and share their frustration perceived lack of transparency from township officials.
Many pointed out that information about the proposal had surfaced previously through public records and neighbors that spoke at earlier meetings.
Rather than dwell on miscommunication from board members, our focus now is on connecting the dots between what’s been said publicly and what’s documented in township records.
Trustee Neil Sikora noted that he had requested the agenda item, but FOIA correspondence suggests it may already have been planned. That kind of timeline clarification can prevent future misunderstandings and improve trust between residents and township officials.
One positive note came from Board Member Michael Chapman, who offered an apology to residents and pledged to keep learning about the issues involved. – That willingness to listen and improve is exactly what this community needs.
Fighting for Accountability — Together
Oshtemo residents are ready to move from frustration to collaboration.
We’ve seen recurring gaps in communication:
- Questions left unanswered.
- Public information that remains unavailable.
- Shifting explanations between state and local responsibility.
- The FOIA records offer valuable insight into how these processes unfold, but they’re only one part of the picture.
- Our aim is to use them constructively — to identify where information flow breaks down and to work with township officials to fix it.
Residents across Michigan are uniting to ensure Public Act 233 is implemented fairly and transparently. Here in Oshtemo, the challenge is twofold: understanding state-level requirements while also improving local communication. We invite township leaders to partner with residents in reviewing records, answering questions, and publishing clear updates on future meetings and ordinances.
More FOIA documents are being reviewed, and summaries will be shared as they become available.
Stay tuned — together, we’ll keep uncovering facts and building understanding.
Join the Conversation
- We know residents still have questions — and we’re here to help find answers. If there’s information you haven’t been able to locate or something you’d like clarified, send us your questions.
- We’ll gather responses from township officials, state agencies, and public records, and we’ll publish them in a coming Community FAQ so everyone can access the same information in one place.
Oshtemo deserves clarity, safety, and trust — built together.
Residents have asked for more background information, below are some Township reference links:
- https://www.paviliontwpmi.gov/_files/ugd/222eb1_cadbf2dbcdc24da0bc9ab4b1c87d60ba.pdf
- https://www.oshtemo.org/files/assets/public/v/1/boards-and-committees/township-board/minutes/01172012.pdf
- https://www.oshtemo.org/files/assets/public/v/2/boards-and-committees/township-board/agenda-packets/2024-3-12-tb-agenda-packet.pdf
