CMH Director Lynne Doyle is latest Ottawa County admin to step down

Sarah Leach, Holland Sentinel
·4 min read
Lynne Doyle
Lynne Doyle

OTTAWA COUNTY — Another longtime Ottawa County administrator is stepping down.

Community Mental Health Director Lynne Doyle notified the county's CMH Board of Directors she will retire May 20.

"It has been an honor to work for the individuals we serve and with the many dedicated staff at CMHOC and our contractual partners," she wrote in her letter to board members. "I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to lead this organization. Let me know how I can help make this transition as smooth as possible."

Doyle has been on medical leave since January and was not available for comment.

She was appointed to the role in 2013 after previously serving as deputy director at the agency; she's held several positions in Ottawa County over the past three decades.

During her time heading CMH, Doyle helped execute the county's mental health millage as needs outpaced available state and federal dollars. In March 2016, voters approved the 10-year millage, which generates an estimated $3.2 million annually.

Over the past six months, a slew of county directors and officeholders have announced their retirements, including the sheriff, prosecutor and treasurer.

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, currently controlled by far-right fundamentalist group Ottawa Impact, also fired its second administrator in as many years in February, which has led to the fifth lawsuit the county has faced in 14 months.

The CMH Board has experienced turmoil, too, after OI-affiliated commissioners and loyalists joined.

The Ottawa County Board appointed Jason Monroe to the CMH Board in March 2023, who quickly made headlines in July when he used an ableist slur in emails with a Rolling Stone magazine reporter. Monroe resigned in December.

Longtime member and former chair Robert Brown resigned suddenly in August after other board members characterized the county's mental health system as "broken."

In September, commissioners appointed OI supporter Stephen Rockman to the board, who has heavily criticized progressive polices like diversity, equity and inclusion as "radically inclusive."

More: Ottawa Impact looks to appoint anti-'woke' candidate to CMH board

The biggest focal point in 2023 was an effort by OI-affiliated members of the board to cut off funding for the Momentum Center over its focus on social determinants. Barbara Lee VanHorssen's organization was accused of "pushing a political agenda," "using clients as social experiments" and spouting "diversity, equity and inclusion propaganda."

Supporters of the Momentum Center say the criticism is simply fear-mongering, coming from those who don't support inclusion or the LGBTQ+ community.

After a volatile meeting in December with shouting between board members and residents, the board approved six months of funding for four social recreational programs, including the Momentum Center.

According to CMH Board policies, the executive committee must appoint an interim director within five business days of Doyle's retirement date, or May 27, followed by an executive transition committee within 15 business days, or June 10.

The transition committee will establish a time frame and plan for the recruitment and selection of a new director.

Currently, CMH Deputy Director Anna Bednarek is heading the department.

According to Michigan Mental Health Code, the board must "appoint an executive director of the community mental health services program who meets the standards of training and experience established by the department."

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According to Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, those qualifications include:

  • A physician, psychologist, social worker, registered nurse, or other human services professional who has at least a master's degree, three years of professional experience in his or her field of training, and one year of experience in the administrative supervision of mental health programs.

  • A person who possesses at least a master's degree in a field of management relevant to the administration of a county community mental health program with three years of professional experience in management and one year of experience in the management of human services programs. The areas of community mental health administration, hospital administration, public administration, institution management, business administration, or public health are deemed to be relevant fields of management.

If a candidate does not meet the minimum education and experience qualifications and the board requests review, the candidate could be deemed qualified if he or she is found to "have substantially met the education and experience requirements of this rule."

The Ottawa County Board has the power to reject the initial appointment of the next director by a two-thirds vote within 15 calendar days of the appointment, according to state statute.

The next CMH Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, April 26, at the Fillmore Complex, 12220 Fillmore Street in West Olive.

— Sarah Leach is executive editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: CMH Director Lynne Doyle is latest Ottawa County admin to step down