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TRAVERSE CITY Grand Traverse County residents who turned out for public comment overwhelmingly demanded the resignations of commissioners Ron Clous and Rob Hentschel during a special meeting Thursday.

Many demanded an apology for the actions of Clous, who displayed a rifle at the Jan. 20 commission meeting during public comment, and Hentschel, who laughed at Clous behavior.

And many said they were disgusted that the board has not denounced the Proud Boys, a far-right group, whose members were featured during a public comment session at a board meeting last year.

No resignation, no apology and no denouncement was forthcoming from either commissioner. But after nearly five hours of public comment from more than 70 people a Resolution of Redress brought forward by Hentschel was taken off the agenda on a vote of 5-1, with Hentschel voting no.

Commissioner Brad Jewett left the meeting early because of a prior commitment.

The resolution, written by Hentschel, would have declared the display of weapons while members of the public are speaking inappropriate. It also called on commissioners to use the same professional behavior in video meetings as they would in a traditional meeting.

Members of the public called the resolution inadequate and unapologetic, that it whitewashes the issue or simply sweeps it under the rug.

They called Clous display of the rifle intentionally intimidating and coming as it did during a discussion of the Proud Boys and the Second Amendment, associates the county with the group whose members have been tied to the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol.

What happened on the 20th, I accept that a lot of people saw that situation differently than I did at that moment, Hentschel said of the incident.

Clous made no comment. Clous has returned just one call to the Record-Eagle since the incident, but Hentschel has given radio and television interviews.

Immediately after the incident Hentschel said he saw nothing wrong with what Clous did, saying he laughed because he found it ironic that the commenter was talking about the Second Amendment when Clous picked up the gun. He has not changed that opinion during the backlash since.

County attorney Kit Tholen told board members that an investigation has been started and that the county has received notice that at least one attorney is looking into a lawsuit against the county.

Some residents asked the board to instead pass another Resolution of Censure that will likely be presented at a Feb. 3 regular meeting.

The alternate resolution was written by newly-seated Commissioner Darryl V. Nelson and says that the two commissioners actions violated an ethics policy that all employees and appointed and elected officials are required to follow.

Some said the Resolution of Redress presented Thursday was meant to circumvent Nelsons resolution and avoid censure. It is unclear if it will be presented again at the February meeting.

Many commenters at Thursdays meeting said the Jan. 20 incident, which has received wide national and international media coverage, was shameful, embarrassing and unacceptable.

People all over the world are watching, said Christine Uribe.

I am disgusted by the actions of this board, Uribe said.

Many commenters also signed a letter calling for Hentschel and Clous to resign. The letter had been signed by more than 1,400 people as of Thursday, including every member of the Traverse City Commission.

As the public comment session wore on, some people unmuted their microphones to interrupt speakers with music, jeers and swearing.

Hentschel invited IT director Cliff DuPuy to put them in the lobby or remove them from the meeting.

Many of those giving public comment said they did not want to give their names, as they were afraid of repercussions.

A high school student who declined to give her name or where she went to school said Clous is more than 25 years old with a fully-developed brain that should have registered that what he was doing was wrong.

You are an adult and you should be acting as such, the student said. There are students who look up to you and you represent our community.

Bob Brown said he approves of gun rights and said that what Clous does in his own home is his business.

That was his home, but it was a public meeting, Brown said, who recommended censuring Clous and Hentschel and moving on.

He also called on them to take responsibility for their actions.

Stand up, be men, apologize, Brown said. Its just disturbing to see people acting like junior high school locker room boys in a public meeting.

T.J. Andrews said the process of calling the special meeting seemed meant to discourage attendance. It was held at an irregular time 1 p.m. instead of the normal 8 a.m. with less than 24 hours notice, she said.

It appears this meeting was intended to limit public engagement, Andrews said.

Notice of the special meeting was posted within the 18 hours required by the Michigan Open Meetings Act.

The Resolution of Redress states the pandemic has forced people to use new technologies such video conferencing, for which standards of appropriate behavior and professional etiquette have not yet been universally established.

Andrews said livestreamed meetings have been going on for months now and even schoolchildren understand what their behavior should be when they are in class on Zoom.

Some people said calling for the two commissioners to resign goes too far, that Clous actions are being blown out of proportion by liberal snowflakes. Clous may have used bad judgement, but it doesnt justify losing his board seat, they said.

Clous brought his gun out while Keli MacIntosh was speaking out about the Second Amendment resolution. She also objected to the boards refusal to denounce the Proud Boys, a group whose members played a role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

MacIntosh has filed a complaint with the Michigan State Police, saying she felt threatened by Clous actions. She is now receiving threatening calls, and the MSP is making regular checks on her at her home.

One caller who gave only his first name, Chris, said he was disappointed at the hate directed toward Clous.

To say or imply that this was in any way threatening is idiotic, he said.

Tholen at the start of the meeting said he regretted that there was not an invocation listed on the agenda.

The reason an invocation is allowed at a meeting is because it encourages people to focus on shared values and respect for each other, something that is in short supply lately, Tholen said.

But board members are there to do the publics business, he said.

You are not going to agree with everything you hear in public comment, Tholen said. But as your attorney I ask that you listen to people and treat their thoughts with respect.

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Resolution of Redress removed from GT board agenda - Traverse City Record Eagle