Public turnout forced the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners to adjourn its March 10 meeting early to find a venue that could accommodate at least 70 people.
Members of the community filled the board’s meeting room to comment on the proposed bond for LifeWays, a mental health program. Elias McConnell, a contractor who lives in Hillsdale, told the board he counted at least 67 people in a room designed to fit 45.
“We need a bigger venue, you need to do this at a different time, or I’m going to be calling the police, and they’re going to be shutting this down,” McConnell said. “So I would advise you to shut this meeting down and reschedule it, right now.”
The crowd applauded after McConnell spoke.
LifeWays is requesting a bond of up to $15.5 million to build a new facility on Industrial Drive, The Collegian previously reported. The resolution would let the county borrow money and issue municipal securities — bonds intended to finance civic improvements — to LifeWays. Previous boards did not approve two previous bond requests.
At its Feb. 24 meeting, the board had rescinded a resolution requiring a public vote on the bond, despite public comment and multiple emails requesting that the public be allowed to vote on the issue. Rescinding the resolution allows the board to decide the bond itself at a later date.
All of the 30-plus emails read into the record at the Feb. 24 meeting asked the board to keep the issue on the August ballot, saying a bond worth this much money should be decided by county voters instead of the commissioners.
Hillsdale County resident Susan Heath, who spoke during public comment before McConnell, encouraged the board to let the public vote on the bond.
“We do not want the LifeWays bond — regardless of what amount — without a minimum of the vote of the people,” Heath told the board. “Let the people vote. That’s the right thing. If you cannot do the right thing, then please step down.”
Commissioner Mark Wiley told the room the board had attempted to find a new meeting space.
“Every attempt was made to reschedule this meeting at a different venue, to include the circuit courtroom, which is a bigger venue,” Wiley said.
McConnell told the board it should adjourn the meeting until it could find a large enough space.
“I don’t care if you can’t find a new meeting space, that’s not my problem,” McConnell said. “That is your problem as our leaders.”
The board voted to adjourn the meeting and reschedule to another location and date, which have not been decided.
An earlier version misnamed Commissioner Mark Wiley.
