Barry County Board appoints members to mental health authority, planning and zoning panels
April 01, 2026 | Barry County, Michigan
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Chair David Jackson called the Barry County Board of Commissioners to order at 9:00 a.m. on March 17, 2026, in the Mezzanine of the Old Courthouse in Hastings and led an invocation before the meeting proceeded to candidate interviews and appointments.
Three applicants — Duane Secord, William Mattson and Mark Bonsignore — were interviewed for seats on the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board. After the interviews, Commissioner Marsha Bassett moved and Commissioner Jon Smelker seconded a motion to appoint Secord, Mattson and Bonsignore to full terms beginning April 1, 2026 and ending March 31, 2029; two partial terms expiring March 31, 2027 were not filled.
The board heard interviews for the Planning Commission, including Fred Jacobs and Donald Perry; Jason Watson and Philip Joseph did not attend but provided cover letters for the board's review. The board recorded a motion (moved by Commissioner Bob Teunessen and seconded by Commissioner Marsha Bassett) to appoint Jason Watson and Fred Jacobs to three-year terms on the Barry County Planning Commission beginning May 1, 2026 and expiring April 30, 2029.
A one-year Citizen-at-Large vacancy on the Barry County Tax Allocation Board (term April 1, 2026–March 31, 2027) was not filled because the candidate did not attend the interview.
For the Zoning Board of Appeals, the minutes record an interview with Robert (Larry) Osborne. In the Items for Consideration, the motion (moved by Commissioner Catherine Getty and seconded by Commissioner Jon Smelker) names Ronald (Larry) Osborne and Donald Perry to full three-year terms beginning April 1, 2026 and expiring March 31, 2029. The meeting record contains both spellings; the board approved the motion as recorded in the minutes to appoint the two candidates to full terms, while a partial-term seat that expires March 31, 2027 was not filled.
There were no public comments during the meeting. The board recessed at 9:58 a.m., reconvened at 10:06 a.m., and adjourned at 10:18 a.m.
Three applicants — Duane Secord, William Mattson and Mark Bonsignore — were interviewed for seats on the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board. After the interviews, Commissioner Marsha Bassett moved and Commissioner Jon Smelker seconded a motion to appoint Secord, Mattson and Bonsignore to full terms beginning April 1, 2026 and ending March 31, 2029; two partial terms expiring March 31, 2027 were not filled.
The board heard interviews for the Planning Commission, including Fred Jacobs and Donald Perry; Jason Watson and Philip Joseph did not attend but provided cover letters for the board's review. The board recorded a motion (moved by Commissioner Bob Teunessen and seconded by Commissioner Marsha Bassett) to appoint Jason Watson and Fred Jacobs to three-year terms on the Barry County Planning Commission beginning May 1, 2026 and expiring April 30, 2029.
A one-year Citizen-at-Large vacancy on the Barry County Tax Allocation Board (term April 1, 2026–March 31, 2027) was not filled because the candidate did not attend the interview.
For the Zoning Board of Appeals, the minutes record an interview with Robert (Larry) Osborne. In the Items for Consideration, the motion (moved by Commissioner Catherine Getty and seconded by Commissioner Jon Smelker) names Ronald (Larry) Osborne and Donald Perry to full three-year terms beginning April 1, 2026 and expiring March 31, 2029. The meeting record contains both spellings; the board approved the motion as recorded in the minutes to appoint the two candidates to full terms, while a partial-term seat that expires March 31, 2027 was not filled.
There were no public comments during the meeting. The board recessed at 9:58 a.m., reconvened at 10:06 a.m., and adjourned at 10:18 a.m.
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