A meeting of the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners was abruptly adjourned March 10 less than nine minutes after it began.
That’s because a large crowd packed into the County Offices Building at 33 McCollum St. to oppose a bond request from LifeWays — and proved too large.
The meeting, which lasted 8 minutes and 52 seconds, drew at least 67 people into a room designed to hold 45, according to residents who addressed officials during public comment. Even more attendees stood in the hallway, unable to enter.
Several residents called on commissioners to move the meeting to a larger venue or reschedule it, citing safety concerns.
“There are people outside,” said Elias McConnell. “This is unacceptable. It’s unsafe. Everybody who wants to participate can’t hear or see what’s going on. You need a bigger venue.”
McConnell said he would contact law enforcement if the meeting continued under current conditions.
“We’ve checked other venues and it’s not available,” said Commissioner Mark Wiley. “Every attempt was made to schedule this event at a bigger venue.”
Following brief public comment focused largely on the crowd size and proposed bond, Commissioner Brad Benzing moved to adjourn the meeting to a future date. Commissioner Doug Ingles supported that motion, and the meeting was adjourned with no discussion or action on the bond proposal — which was listed as a discussion item.
What is the request from LifeWays?
The proposed bond, estimated at roughly $15.5 million, would fund construction of a new building for LifeWays in Hillsdale County. Critics of the measure worry about long-term financial obligations, should the organization lose necessary federal funding. Proponents have said a county-backed bond doesn’t automatically pass the baton to taxpayers.
LifeWays’ current home at 25 Care Drive, representatives have said, is outdated and inadequate to meet growing needs. The issue was slated for placement on the ballot in August — rather than being approved by commissioners’ outright — but that changed in early February when Commissioner Kevin Collins reversed his position, saying the matter should’ve been dealt with by officials “long ago.”
Residents have said internal memos from LifeWays indicated officials’ pre-planned the effort to move forward without voter approval. Commissioners tabled a resolution Feb. 24 that would’ve rescinded the July 2025 decision to place the request on the ballot, opting instead to seek additional information from LifeWays.
No date has been announced for the rescheduled meeting, and it’s unclear whether a venue change is planned, nor what action commissioners might take next.
A complicated timeline
The debate is complicated by an ever-narrowing timeline. LifeWays is currently leasing the county-owned building at 25 Care Drive through 2030; though either party can terminate the agreement with proper notice. Recent actions suggest Hillsdale County still intends to relocate the 2B District Court to 25 Care Drive by October 2028, when the municipality must vacate the Courthouse Annex — sold in 2023 to Hillsdale Renaissance.
If officials wait until August to make a decision about the bond, LifeWays could remain reliant on 25 Care Drive at a time when commissioners must consider how best to convert the building into a functional courthouse. That renovation is estimated to cost more than $4 million, according to previously reviewed renderings — money Hillsdale County doesn’t have to spare.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale County adjourns meeting in minutes after crowd exceeds limit
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
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