Barry County commissioners appoint members to mental health, planning and zoning boards

Barry County commissioners on March 17 confirmed several appointments to county advisory boards after a series of interviews with incumbents and local applicants.

The board appointed three incumbents — Dwayne Secord, Bill Madsen and Mark Brown Sr. — to the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board for terms beginning April 1, 2026, and expiring March 31, 2029. Chair moved the appointments, which were seconded and carried with commissioners responding "aye." The chair said the reappointments will maintain continuity on a board that oversees local behavioral health planning and coordination.

Why it matters: The Community Mental Health Authority Board helps shape how local behavioral health services are organized and funded; commissioners noted current concerns about recruitment (particularly for consumer seats) and ongoing changes at the state level that could affect funding and service delivery.

All three appointees spoke to the board before the vote. Bill Madsen, introduced himself as "the executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Agency here in the county," and described roughly four decades in the nonprofit behavioral-health field and prior CMH board service, saying this would be his third term on the county board. "We work real well together as a board," Madsen said of the CMH board.

Dwayne Secord, who told commissioners he is an adjunct professor and a long-time local mental-health worker, said recruitment for a "primary consumer" seat remains difficult and pointed to stigma as a barrier: "I think we're lacking most of the consumer at this point," Secord said, and added that the board has "got a big grant which has helped us over the last four years." Mark Brown Sr. said he was ready to serve a second term and noted he had begun to learn the board's work during his prior term.

Later in the meeting, after interviews for two planning commission vacancies, the board moved to appoint Jason Watson and Fred Jacobs to three-year terms on the Barry County Planning Commission beginning May 1, 2026 and expiring April 30, 2029. The motion passed unanimously after commissioners reported straw-poll preferences and discussed which applicants had attended interviews in person. Fred Jacobs, who described decades of local involvement in business, zoning and economic development, told commissioners he would bring a "common sense approach" to the planning panel.

The board also moved to appoint Robert Larry Osborne and (recorded in the motion text as) Donald Carey to three-year terms on the Zoning Board of Appeals beginning April 1, 2026 and expiring March 31, 2029; the motion carried. (Transcript: the applicant interviewed under the name Donald Perry; the motion text used the name 'Donald Carey'.)

Process details: Commissioners repeatedly emphasized local knowledge and attendance at interviews when weighing appointments. Several commissioners said they prefer to interview candidates in person before voting; at least two applicants (Jason Watson and Philip Joseph) submitted letters but were not present.

The meeting concluded with commissioners thanking applicants for their willingness to serve and noting that the board would follow up on appointments where additional interviews were preferred.

Votes at a glance: Appointments to Community Mental Health Authority Board — Dwayne Secord, Bill Madsen, Mark Brown Sr.; motion moved by Commissioner Bassett, supported and carried. Planning Commission — Jason Watson and Fred Jacobs appointed; motion carried. Zoning Board of Appeals — Robert Larry Osborne and the candidate recorded as Donald Carey appointed; motion carried.

Next steps: Appointees begin their stated terms on the dates noted above; the county will notify those appointed and complete any required onboarding or training.