Ronald A. Bultje

Ronald Bultje is a member in Dickinson Wright’s Grand Rapids office. His practice is concentrated in the areas of municipal law and labor relations. He represents numerous municipalities throughout the western half of Michigan’s lower peninsula. He has extensive experience in advising legislative bodies, planning commissions, and zoning boards of appeal. In representing municipalities, Mr. Bultje provides a full array of services, including advice on contracts, intergovernmental relations, land transfers, governmental powers and authority, land use and zoning, utilities, millage matters, the Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. He also has participated in collective bargaining negotiations, unfair labor practice hearings, arbitration hearings, and unemployment hearings. Ronald has also provided counsel to municipalities and private sector employers regarding fair employment practices.

• Handled a Michigan Supreme Court case, Ottawa County v. Jaklinski, 423 Mich 1 (1985), which established that discharge grievances which arise after the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement are not subject to the grievance process in the expired agreement.
• Handled a Michigan Court of Appeals case, Miller v. Grand Haven Board of Education, 151 Mich App 412 (1986), which established that in cases of teacher misconduct, a school board does not need to show detrimental effect suffered by students in order to discipline a teacher.

• Presenter, Planning & Zoning Fundamentals, Ottawa County, 1990’s – 2021