Ottawa County commissioners approve two CMH board members, several appointments and contracts after extended agenda and transparency debate

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners on March 25 confirmed two appointees to the county Community Mental Health (CMH) board, approved two new members to the Environmental Health Appeals Board and ratified several contracts after a lengthy discussion about agenda changes, transparency and the board’s role in reviewing sub-$70,000 administrative spending.

Why it matters: The CMH appointments came as commissioners emphasized the importance of experience and public trust ahead of a proposed CMH millage in 2026, while the contract debate illustrated continuing tensions on the board over what constitutes acceptable oversight of routine departmental purchases.

The board nominated and voted to fill two general-public vacancies on the CMH board for three-year terms beginning April 1, 2025. After debate in which commissioners cited experience with behavioral-health services and the need for broad community support for the upcoming millage, Paul Duff and Levon Vandersweig were approved. The meeting record shows Duff received nine votes and Vandersweig received 11 votes.

Appointment debate and context Commissioners and members of the appointment-and-alignment committee described Duff as a behavioral-health professional with long experience in the Michigan public behavioral-health sector and familiarity with CMH systems and millage-funded initiatives. Several commissioners described Vandersweig as a former or current CMH board member with prior service and community ties. Commissioners who supported keeping at least one experienced, nonprofessional, at-large board member said that doing so could help the county…