Platte County Commissioners are calling for a reconfiguration of the board of directors at the heart of a tri-county mental health fund.
At the Monday, July 21 meeting of the Platte County Commission, County Administrator Wes Minder presented a resolution asking the commissions of Clay and Ray counties to consider a reapportionment of the Clay-Platte-Ray Mental Health Board of Trustees.
Created in 1981, the board’s mission is to improve the availability of inclusive mental health services for residents of Clay, Platte and Ray counties. According to its website, the board was formed in response to the need for additional funds to support comprehensive mental health services, after the closure of large mental health facilities nationwide. The citizens of Clay, Platte and Ray counties in 1980 passed a levy of ten cents per hundred dollars on the assessed value of real estate to fund the program.
In 1981, the three Northland counties agreed to establish the Clay, Platte, Ray Mental Health Board of Trustees. The board is composed of volunteer representatives from each county, appointed by their respective county commissions. The responsibilities of the Board as stated in the bylaws are to:
• Purchase services from existing community mental health centers, mental health clinics or other public facilities or not-for-profit corporations based in Platte, Clay and Ray counties.
• Administer and disperse community mental health funds for the provision of any comprehensive mental health service.
• Contract with existing public facilities or not-for-profit corporations to provide services for residents of the three-county area.
• Submit information as required on the disbursement of monies from the community mental health fund to the Missouri State Department of Mental Health by such date as the letter specifies, in order to facilitate annual preparation of regional and state mental health plans.
Currently, there are two members of the board from Platte County, Sandra Ferguson, a Platte County attorney and former Parkville municipal judge who has served on the board since its inception. Veteran Jason Reed also serves on the board.
The board consists of nine members, one from each county and six members to be distributed as dictated by the population of the county.
According to the county resolution, based on the most recent 2020 U.S. Census population data, the composition of the proportionate board seats needs to be adjusted due to Platte County’s population growth over the past decade.
“The Platte County Commission hereby requests that the Clay-Platte-Ray Mental Health Board of Trustees reapportion its six population-based board seats in accordance with RSMo Section 205.984 whereby the Board allocates four seats to Clay County and two seats to Platte County bringing the total number seats for Clay County to five, Platte County to three, and Ray County to one,” the resolution states.
With its passage, the request will be sent on to Clay and Ray counties for their review and possible action.
Also, the county plans to move to an electronic bonding process, eliminating the use of cash in bail bonding. Sheriff Erik Holland said the change eliminates not only the possibility of human error in dealing with cash transactions, but also will provide a better paper trail for all parties, clearly outlining the terms of the bond at the time of its posting. The program will be funded through a $10 transaction fee.
Minder also encouraged members of the public to chime in on the future of downtown Platte City, noting the $135,000 grant Platte City received for a downtown study, geared toward creating a long-term plan for the area.
“We try to be a good neighbor here in downtown Platte City,” Fricker said, commending Minder for his role in suggesting the process and encouraging Platte City to pursue grant funding through the Mid-America Regional Council to help pay for the study.
As reported last month in the Citizen, Platte County and Platte City are partnering with Venice Communications, RDG Planning and Design, and additional engineering firms, to develop a long-term master plan to guide improvements for years to come.
The plan will explore ways to enhance business retention and attraction, improve traffic flow, address ADA compliance for sidewalks and parking, and update building facades. It will also consider adding public gathering spaces like parks and plazas.
Additional funding will come from city resources.
A formal draft of the master plan is expected in late fall. Afterward, the city will evaluate the proposed projects through its budgeting process. Some initiatives could require a citywide vote, while others may be approved by the Board of Aldermen.