Commissioners appoint two to Community Mental Health board after public objections over selection process

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners on March 26 voted to appoint Thomas Byrd and Steven Rockman to two family‑member seats on the county Community Mental Health (CMH) Board and to fill a separate general‑public seat with Beth Vanhoven.

The appointments followed an extended public‑comment period in which residents raised procedural concerns about the committee selection process and whether the board’s CMH roster meets statutory composition requirements. Karen Obitz, of Spring Lake Village, told commissioners she was “interested to know just what criteria are being used” after reviewing application materials; Sheila Detloff, of Holland Township, said she believed the CMH board might be out of compliance with Michigan law cited in public comment and asked the board to table tonight’s nominations until the issue could be reviewed.

Commissioners discussed the selection process at length in open session. Several said the talent and recruitment subcommittee followed established procedures; Commissioner Cosby said she had asked the allegedly missing applicant, Bonnie (Vonnie) Vandersweig, to resubmit after discovering a problem with her earlier application. The clerk reported checking the application portal and said no record of a current timely application appeared under that account during the committee’s review, a clarification commissioners cited in refusing to reopen the completed subcommittee process on the spot.

Board members also noted that CMH still needs to fill primary‑consumer seats and that interviews for those roles remain pending. During the roll‑call portion of the nomination vote, commissioners cast named ballots for their preferred pair; the clerk reported that Tom Bird and Steven Rockman received the most support in that first step and the board subsequently ratified Thomas Byrd and Steven Rockman by voice vote. In the separate contest for one general‑public seat, Beth Vanhoven prevailed in the roll‑call and was confirmed by voice vote to serve from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2027.

What happened tonight matters to residents because CMH board composition determines which stakeholder perspectives (family members, primary consumers and the general public) are guaranteed a place at the table when the agency oversees services ranging from crisis care to developmental supports. Several public commenters urged the board to ensure an adequate number of primary consumers are recruited and interviewed before further actions.

The board did not postpone appointments. Commissioners who supported the nominations pointed to the subcommittee’s vetting and to candidates’ relevant experience; those urging delay cited procedural fairness and the need to verify that the board meets statutory make‑up requirements before new members begin service.

The board did not adopt any additional interim remedy tonight; commissioners said the clerk and talent committee would continue processing applications for the remaining primary‑consumer seats and that the next CMH meeting in April would include the ongoing recruitment work.

Actions taken: the board approved the nominations and ratified the appointments by voice vote. No further formal motions about reopening the nomination process were passed.

A note on spelling and names: the clerk’s record and public comments used a variety of spellings for some applicants and committee chairs; this article uses the spellings as presented during the meeting.