Commissioners and CMH leadership weigh millage, staff protections and service continuity

Commissioners and CMH leadership used the Nov. 21 meeting to stress that any governance change must preserve services and protect employees. Dr. Brashears, the CMH CEO, said he will prepare a targeted analysis of potential impacts to clients, staff and operations, and that he has already held an all‑staff briefing to introduce the concept and gather questions.

Board members repeatedly asked how the county’s existing mental health millage would be treated in an authority model and sought written assurances that those taxpayer funds would remain restricted to community mental health purposes. Presenters said the millage process and approvals would not change if the county became an authority — the board would continue to approve millage ballot language and levy decisions — but recommended clarifying protections in writing during the transition plan.

Presenters and commissioners emphasized minimizing disruptions to IT, human resources and fiscal functions during any transition; staff proposed contracting arrangements in the short term so services continue while a new structure is stood up. The board directed staff to include employee protections and service‑continuity mitigation measures in the administrator’s recommendation to the board.