TRAVERSE CITY — Members of Club Cadillac and Traverse City Clubhouse were just a few that spoke out following a Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority board meeting that reviewed the proposed spending plan, cost containment and the process to help with an 8.7 million dollar deficit.
Interim CEO Brian Martinus attended via zoom to go over the details of a proposed spending plan and more as they try to bring down costs following a new budget allocation from the
Many options were discussed to save on cost, including laying off 30 employees effective immediately if the budget is approved. Members of Club Cadillac and Traverse City Clubhouse were left worried, as they also were on the chopping block to have funding cut.
He added if this were to happen, it would increase the case load of those who stayed from 40 to 50 or 55 cases.
Martinus stated that many employees aside from that would be reallocated to those CMH has contracted with, and would be employees of the contractors, not CMH.
In the end, the proposed spending plan, cost containment, and process were approved by the board, with some hesitation. It is important for the public to understand that everything discussed is just a plan, and nothing has been approved.
The board of directors will also be reviewing an itemized list of what the exact plan is, and what could be done to save money, and will be voting at a later date.