Discussion regarding whether the county should take stewardship of Pentwater’s historic Red Barn reached its culmination at the July 23 regular meeting of the Oceana County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner Paul Erickson posed a resolution to the board, asking for the county to apply for a one-year use permit from the Michigan DNR - which currently has jurisdiction over the barn’s property - for the purposes of weathering in the siding and foundation of the building. This follows several discussions spanning the past 12 months, citing concerns of vandalism and natural deterioration of the structure and the desire from Pentwater and Weare Township residents to see the barn preserved. Prior to the commissioners’ discussion, public comment was given by Oceana County resident Phil Jonassen, who owns property proximal to the Red Barn and the DNR property it sits on. Mentioning his deep family ties to the area, Jonassen discussed his own interest in saving the Red Barn due to its historic significance to Pentwater. “There’s just a lot of history on that end of the county, which I think is very significant, and the barn would be a perfect place to preserve that type of history.” Regarding his property, Jonassen stated that the DNR has been interested in acquiring it for 20 years and has mentioned the possibility of a land trade involving "any piece of property that is suitable to fit within the Pitman Act parameters.” Closing out his comment, Jonassen encouraged commissioners to consider a suitable piece of land with the DNR. Another attendee at the meeting commented that there is strong support from Pentwater residents for preserving the barn and that raising additional funds to supplement the nearly $14,000 already earmarked for the barn by the Oceana Community Foundation would not be an issue. Following public comment, Keith Edwards, Pentwater Township zoning administrator and deputy supervisor, gave a presentation further emphasizing the agricultural significance of the Red Barn and its place within Oceana County. He also noted its geographical location nearby several existing and future recreational landmarks. Said Edwards, “the location of [the Red Barn] represents an opportunity for recreation as well as putting forth education into our agricultural heritage.” One particular recreational resource that has been introduced in the discussion of the Red Barn is the planned Pentwater-Hart connection to the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park, commonly known as the "Rail Trail." In past meetings, Edwards has presented a project conceptualizing the Red Barn as a piece of a greater parks and recreational collaboration between Pentwater and Weare townships. Said Edwards, reminding commissioners of the concept, “We’re proposing that, in the future, Weare Township and Pentwater Township work together to establish a boardwalk with connections to the river and then ultimately the Red Barn." Weare Township Supervisor Larry Doran is another developer of this inter-township proposal and attended the meeting, as he has for previous Red Barn discussions. Doran addressed the commissioners' prior concerns that Weare Township - where the barn is located - has not taken initiative in efforts to save the barn and admitted that the majority of the Weare Township board was not interested in taking on the use permit and work associated with the preservation project. In a final statement to commissioners, Erickson drove home his support to save the historical structure, “I think the big picture [is] it’s something we should do. I feel it's my duty to bring this to this board to save the Red Barn - the oldest structure in Oceana County and Charles Mears’ mark on the land. There’s a rich, rich history, and I’m sure more will unfold.” Erickson’s fellow commissioners raised their concerns regarding the risk of being tied to the DNR’s use permit and the uncertainty of the funds necessary to preserve the structure. Commissioners Tim Beggs and Robert Walker also pointed out the struggle the county faces maintaining existing county parks, especially as the deadline for the future of the Crystal Valley Dam draws closer, a project already estimated to cost the county several million dollars. Said Walker, “If we get into too many of these projects, we are going to be looking at bonding to be able to do them. I’m not so sure I would be in favor of bonding for projects like this.” Said Beggs, “I don’t believe it's the county’s responsibility to save historical sites…I’d love to see this project move forward, but I do not believe it is a county issue.” The proposed resolution failed by a vote of 1 to 5, with Erickson the only supporter. In other business, the board did unanimously approve the application for the annual homeland security grant proposal, which provides $12,000 worth of funds for the county’s mass alerting system, barricades, mask canisters and RTF kits. The board also awarded Tri-Berry Inc.’s bid of $24,691 to replace the stairs connecting the county jail to the courthouse, the degradation of which has posed safety risks to officers and inmates moving between the two buildings. The replacement steps will be stainless steel, replacing the current concrete structure. In a prepared statement, Walker addressed the public regarding the deaths of an attendee and infant at the 2026 Electric Forest Festival. In the statement, Walker and the board extended their sincere condolences and acknowledged public concerns following the event, also saying, "It would be inappropriate for the county to speculate, draw conclusions or comment on the matters that are being investigated by the appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies.” As for the county’s role in Electric Forest’s permit and operations, Walker reiterated that “the board of commissioners does not directly issue event permits [or] manage the day-to-day operations.” Clarifying the statement, Walker explained that, “[the county has] had demands that we put this on our agenda and we discuss it. The Oceana County Board of Commissioners are not going to put this on our agenda and are not going to discuss it because, the fact is, we have no control over any of the big events of the county.”
