Orion Township’s recent grand opening (the new Orion Township Municipal Complex) celebration on Tuesday, February 1st, wasn’t so grand for three Lake Orion and Oakland Township women hoping to find residents interested in becoming poll workers.

With signs and clipboards in hand, volunteers Sandra Kiesel, Tammy O’Dea and Jami Bauer-Locricchio received a chilly reception from officials. But soon they were asked by a county sheriff’s deputy to leave the building lobby at the request of officials.

While standing outside near the entrance, the deputy soon asked the women to move away from the covered area in front of the building to the flagpole area near the parking lot. This was despite light rain and cold temperatures that evening.

Thankfully, about the same time, Sheriff Michael Bouchard arrived and allowed the women to remain covered and out of the rain.

It is hard to imagine that volunteers wanting to sign people up to work on election day would not be warmly embraced by officials. The effort to include residents in the operation of our government and elections should be applauded, not discouraged. Volunteers should not be shunned.

We need the community to come together and have everyone feel included, not be driven away.

Jay R. Taylor

Oxford