Hillsdale County re-elects Mark Wiley as chair; elects Brad Benson as vice chair

The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners re-elected Mark Wiley as chair and selected Brad Benson as vice chair at its organizational meeting on Jan. 2026, concluding the officer elections and administering the oaths of office.

The board opened nominations for chair, closed nominations and conducted an anonymous ballot. The clerk reported a three-vote total for Mark Wiley and two votes for the other nominee; Wiley was declared chair and was sworn in. Nominations then opened for vice chair; after a roll-call vote the vice chair post was decided by a 4-1 vote in favor of Benson, who also took an oath of office.

The officer elections were procedural but set the board's leadership for the coming year. The chair and vice chair will preside over subsequent agenda items and sign documents on behalf of the county where authorized.

The meeting record shows nominations, a short debate about secret-ballot procedure and the formal swearing-in of both officers before the body proceeded to adopt meeting dates, committee appointments and other business.