Mental board stymied

The Dundee Township supervisor and trustees currently deserve a failing grade for their failure to appoint three members to the Dundee Township Mental Health Board (DTMHB). There are two reasons the DTMHB has been unable to conduct business in 2026. It cannot hold a meeting without a quorum.

First, a single DTMHB member has chosen not to attend meetings. This deliberate action leaves the DTMHB without a quorum to conduct business. This board member has effectively said, if I don’t get my way, I’m shutting the program down. And sadly, he has succeeded.

Second, the township board has failed to fill the three vacancies on the DTMHB. For the last seven months nominations have been made by the supervisor and denied by the Trustees.

The supervisor and trustees need to ask themselves whether this showdown really serves the needs of township. This failure to reach consensus on their part has real consequences.

First, Service Providers applications have not been funded in 2026 because the DTMHB cannot approve funding without a quorum. Second, the DTMHB is a plaintiff in a tax challenge. The DTMHB has been unable to responsibly spend taxpayers’ money in 2026, and it may also be open to future litigation because it is unable to take steps to execute its 2027 Grant Program.

There is no information that would lead the public to believe the supervisor and trustees are working in good faith to identify and resolve the issues preventing the appointment of the three mental health board vacancies.

The supervisor and trustees need a third-party mediator who can help them identify the issues preventing appointments and obtain compromise on their differences. The supervisor and trustees are effectively choosing to deny services to Dundee Township residents.

Raymond Auger, DTMHB Member

Algonquin