A standing-room-only crowd filled the Hillsdale City Hall on Tuesday as the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners had a change-of-venue for their regularly scheduled meeting.
The change was due to public interest in a proposed $15.5-million bond for Lifeways Community Mental Health.
During public comment that lasted nearly two hours, area residents voiced their opposition to the Commissioners moving forward with the bond, without voter approval.
The Commissioners had narrowly passed a resolution last July, signalling their intent to place the issue before voters.
However, last month the board reversed course by voting against a resolution to place the issue on the ballot.
A meeting on March 10th was adjourned shortly after it started because the board room at the County Office Building was above its legal capacity. A large number of area residents turned out to speak about the bond. The adjournment prompted the move to City Hall for Tuesday’s meeting.
The issue was not on the agenda, and Commissioners took no action on Tuesday.
It remains to be seen which course of action the Board will take going forward. The issue is further complicated by the fact that Lifeways is currently housed in a building at 25 Care Drive, which is on a short list of future locations for the Hillsdale County District Court.