HILLSDALE, Mich — Mental health provider LifeWays will have to wait until the 2026 August primary to find out whether Hillsdale voters approve a bond measure for the construction of its new building.
A surprise motion at Tuesday's County Board of Commissioners meeting by Commissioner Brad Benzing proposed putting the question to voters in next year's August primary. It was approved 3-2 — to the applause of neighbors in the audience.
WATCH WHAT HAPPENED AT TUESDAY'S MEETING:
The motion came on the heels of a petition drive to put the issue on the ballot. Organizers say they fell about one third short of the number of signatures needed to trigger a public vote on the measure...but that the petition showed how many people were concerned about it.
"Seeing that there is more than just a few people that are upset about this — that probably had something to do with it," said signature gatherer Ashley Risher.
The $15.5 million bond measure was supposed to provide low-cost financing for a new building for LifeWays. The organization — the County's designated mental health authority — says it needs more room for the mental health services it provides to Hillsdale neighbors.
The County, meanwhile, had plans to move the District Court from its downtown location into the building LifeWays would vacate. All of this — is now on hold until voters have their say on the matter.
Opponents said the financial obligation was too risky for the County to take on, especially given expected cuts to federal health benefits — a significant source of funding for LifeWays.
Proponents said the lower-cost loan that the bond measure would enable would allow LifeWays to spend more of its budget on mental health services...and less on interest.
Benzing says Tuesday's decision does not prevent LifeWays from moving forward with the building.
"LifeWays can now move forward with the idea of commercial financing and then if, in the future, a bond is approved, then the bond can go ahead and buy that building and we can go back to the proposal that we had originally before us today," said Benzing.
A statement sent to us by LifeWays says the decision “delays the construction timeline for the Hillsdale facility to what many consider an unreasonable timeframe” and “consequently, LifeWays will assess the decision made by the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners and strategize our next steps, as we remain committed to serving the members of the Hillsdale Community.”
CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THE BOND MEASURE HERE AND HERE.
