Judge dismissed claims against county commission

A Jackson County judge Monday dismissed a series of claims, filed by the board that oversees the County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County, against the county commission.
During an hour-long hearing in Jackson County Circuit Court, Judge Robert LaFlamme granted a motion for summary disposition. The move essentially means a victory for the county commission and its attorney, John McGlinchey, representing the Detroit-based firm Abbott Nicholson.
The matter was assigned by the state court to Jackson County.
At issue were claims by the CMH board that the county commission violated the Open Meetings Act, failed to adequately post notice of a time change for its Aug. 18 meeting, conducted a meeting improperly because two commissioners participated by telephone rather than in person, and it decided prior to assembling Aug. 18 to remove a trio of CMH board members from their positions.
In offering his summary, LaFlamme said to suggest that one-on-one meetings are prohibited outside of a public meeting is a gross intrusion on the legislative process itself.
CMH board members have a month to appeal. Its attorney, John Gretzinger, said the board’s next course of action will be discussed. He hinted, however, that he will probably recommend not seeking an appeal.