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Board appoints Paul Duff and Levon Vandersweig to Community Mental Health board
Summary
After a contested alignment and brief debate about partisan considerations, commissioners appointed Paul Duff and Levon Vandersweig to fill two public vacancies on the CMH board; votes were recorded and multiple commissioners stressed experience and the upcoming 2026 millage as a reason to select experienced board members.
The Ottawa County Board voted March 25 to fill two public vacancies on the Community Mental Health (CMH) board, selecting Paul Duff and Levon (Lavonne) Vandersweig to the positions with terms beginning April 1, 2025.
Commissioners discussed qualifications and the political optics of appointments ahead of a 2026 millage. Allison Miedema (speaker 19) and others highlighted Paul Duff’s 30-plus years of behavioral-health experience and personal familiarity with CMH services; Miedema said Duff can "get right to work and make informed decisions". Other commissioners emphasized the importance of maintaining a slate that would support the millage to fund CMH services.
Some commissioners pushed back on the idea of excluding qualified applicants for partisan reasons. "Mental health is not a political party thing," one commissioner (speaker 3) said, arguing the community needs votes for a future millage and that excluding experienced applicants for party affiliation could undermine the board’s credibility.
The clerk announced the tallies: Paul Duff received nine votes and was appointed to one seat; Levon Vandersweig received 11 votes and was appointed to the other. Commissioners noted the workload ahead as CMH faces a budget shortfall and the approaching millage vote.
