Benzie County authorizes counsel after closed session on McCall Jr. case as residents press for settlement transparency

Benzie County commissioners unanimously authorized legal counsel to proceed after a closed-session discussion about McCall Jr. v. Benzie County on Feb. 11, 2025, while residents pressed the board for greater transparency about any settlement.

The board voted to enter closed session under Michigan's Open Meetings Act exception for strategy in litigation, MCL 15.268(e), and invited the county administrator and sheriff to attend. After returning to open session at 10:34 a.m., commissioners voted—Jeannot, Markey, Nye, Sauer and Trigg voting aye with Commissioners Roelofs and Warsecke excused—to authorize counsel to proceed as discussed in closed session.

In public comment later in the meeting, Rebecca Hubard of Gilmore Township said the board should respond to community concern about local law enforcement following a Jan. 31 article published on MLive. "I request of the Commissioners to set higher standard for law enforcement and someone to make a public apology to the Women’s Resource Center," Hubard said.

Resident Eric VanDussen raised questions about the closed session process, saying the board "did not make a motion to settle the lawsuit and place on the record to settle the lawsuit and the settlement amount." Chair Art Jeannot responded that the board had followed legal counsel's specific direction when leaving closed session.

The board’s action authorized counsel to take steps discussed in closed session; the meeting record shows no public motion or on-the-record vote to approve a settlement amount during the open session. The board’s minutes record the authorization vote but do not list a settlement figure or a motion to settle on the public record.

Next steps were not listed in the minutes. The board adjourned at 12:39 p.m.