Week in Review: A Timely Cut
“programs include. . . HIV testing”
Week in Review
County Commissioners, Tuesday, June 24
Public Comment
Mary Mientz: “I have filed a suit against this body, and against. . . LifeWays.”
Suspecting that the bond may be illegitimate: “It appears that an actual investigation was not conducted by bond counsel. They simply answered some questions presented verbally by this board. . . There was no delving into the law. . . What law gives you the authority to issue this bond?”
Kathy Black, on federal cuts that will severely affect cash cow grifts like LifeWays: “I am against the bond for the new LifeWays facility. . . My understanding is the DHHS funding is decreasing by 26.2 percent.”
On the bond petition: “You can sign the petition at the Emporium in Hillsdale, the Well, Spangler’s in Jonesville, Iles Custom Guns on Jonesville Road.”
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency Interdepartmental Update
Rebecca Burns on Progress in Human Rights here at your local Health Agency—
“Other programs include STI and HIV testing.”
“We work hard administratively.”1
“We provided some water bottle fill stations.”
LifeWays Quarterly Report
Maribeth Leonard, LifeWays CEO:
On using her publicly-funded time to lobby elected officials on behalf of her publicly-funded organization: “We’ve been meeting with legislators at a statewide and federal level to really educate them on what LifeWays is about. . . We have had the opportunity to meet with Michigan Senator [Babe] Bellino. . . and Michigan Representative Jennifer Wortz.”2
On LifeWays’ new therapy van: “A Mobile Crisis Van. . . allows for you to have a mobile response in the community, and be able to connect people with psychiatry and therapy.”
On Our Precious Democracy: “You have consumer representation on our boards.”
On the high likelihood of LifeWays losing a sizable chunk of its funding: “DHHS has released their proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget in regards to a 26.2 percent budget cuts. . . We don’t know what happens when the federal government makes reductions.”
Commissioner Ingles, on LifeWays’ modest 3 percent cut proposals as it faces a potential crisis: “You’re planning for a 3 percent reduction. . . The funding [cut] in your report is 26.2 percent?”
Leonard: “That’s correct.”
Ingles: “Do you know what the percentage of payment you receive is Medicaid, compared to private insurance or out of pocket?”
Leonard: “About 79 or 80 percent.”
Ingles: “You haven’t mentioned the building project. How’s that coming along?”
Leonard: “The construction drawings are complete. We have the site plan approval through the City Council. We are now just waiting for the financing for the project.”
Later in the meeting:
Commissioner Wiley, on a meeting with Hillsdale Renaissance—which owns the Courthouse Annex, the current home the District Court—about extending the lease so that LifeWays can remain in its facility if the building bond is rejected: “We met with them for probably 35-45 minutes. . . We told them worst case scenario: August of 2030. . . They were amicable in continuing to rent us space in the lower part of District Court. . . but it would be more in accord with the current market rate.”3
Commissioner Benzing: “If they don’t intend to vacate their current building until we make a decision about the bond. . . what if the voters don’t approve [the bond]?”
Wiley, spilling the beans: “County National Bank has postponed their review of the loan request until after July 8th. . . Hillsdale County National Bank has chosen not to do anything further until they figure out what’s going to happen.”
So there you have it: LifeWays is in fact going to lose quite a lot of federal funding, and it’s going to happen soon. We have a few highly-Negative questions which we would like some real journalists to look into:
How long has LifeWays anticipated this? Did the knowledge of this possibility lead them to expedite their timeline? Why were they not forthright about the possibilities of funding loss in their presentation of the bond proposal to the Commissioners? Did they knowingly attempt to saddle the people of Hillsdale County with their building bond? Why would they do such a thing to the people they purport to care about? Will Maribeth Leonard resign now that her game is apparent? Will LifeWays issue a public apology? Would anybody believe said apology?
How long have the relevant Commissioners—Wiley and Bert in particular—known that this was possible? Why did they vote for the bond and ignore the hundreds of objections on these very grounds? Why did the Hodshires write letters of support? Are the Commissioners capable of altering their votes in light of this news?
External Links
“But more than just a parade, it commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, an enduring expression of our nation’s founding ideals and shared history as Americans.” Sam Fry.4
“It’s complete disrespect for our neighbors. Hopefully, we can get people to understand how serious this is and reclaim our beach. We need to respect our public places so everyone can enjoy them.” Rob Socha.
“We must resolve to struggle against this forgetfulness and acquire the continual remembrance of death, if we wish to practice true repentance and obtain a firm hope of our salvation.” Fr. Steven Allen.
“Should the Lord continue to tarry, history will remember, with alacrity, the magnanimous nature modeled by these United States and Israel in exercising great restraint when provoked to use the sword. Alternatively, the historical record will not kindly remember our enemies’ malevolent speeches and actions.” Rob Socha breaks out his finest adjectives.
Is Hardwerkin’ Gerg looking for more werk? This sounds to us like a match made in heaven.
It’s obvious at this point that the vultures at LifeWays had a sense of what was coming, and have been pressing local and state level politicians to try to shift their cash channels to those government entities instead.
At the expense of the District Court, Lil’ Bert and Clean Needles would rather spend five years’ worth of your money on rental fees than tell LifeWays to procure its own facility.
Did Fry attend the Van Andel School of Statesmanship?
I prefer the single writer style, no more lower case wes.
BRAVO Robert! I believe it will soon become crystal clear to him and everyone without accountability all there is "is nonsense", that ALL culture starts from the TOP and that servants serve with out "fee fees" attached or you get a goat rope government..... Our beach, our trail, our property tax roles, our streets, our parks..... It's time to help the needy and drive out the vermin. To support true leadership based in honesty and accountability... To be real about the community's situations and seek to solve things via the grass roots not as the local government love, big government
Big government loves unfounded mandates, that's how they make serfs of us all:
Have you met my new boyfriend GRANT? ... Everyone knows Grant is a tease and he only wants you to chase him, once you get him you'll only have him for a while..... then that hole that grant filled will be empty and you'll have to fill it yourself....
Has no one watched how Lansing and DC have taken over "local" school districts?.... For example with the new budget (Thanks Jen and "Babe"!) Hillsdale is now either paying for that cop, or bye bye grant/funding.... LOL (Officer Kerstin is a great guy, cops in schools is beyond daft).