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Ottawa County schedules three public hearings on converting CMH to authority after tense debate
Summary
After hours of public comment and a detailed staff report, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners voted to schedule three public hearings to gather input on whether Community Mental Health (CMH) should convert from a county department to an independent authority. Dates and locations were set and the item returns for possible action in February.
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 13 to schedule three public hearings on whether Community Mental Health (CMH) should become an independent authority, a step county staff said could shift financial and operational risk away from the county.
The vote capped a three‑hour public comment period largely focused on CMH and a staff presentation laying out fiscal, departmental and service‑delivery analyses. Patrick, a county staff member who led the report team, recommended setting three hearings so the public can provide input before the board considers final action. “You’re not making the decision today,” Patrick told the board. “You’re just making a decision on the hearings.”
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