NORWAY — A joint meeting of three county boards to discuss “concerns” about Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare System ended Tuesday with resolutions being offered for a no-confidence vote on the mental health agency’s CEO.

The boards of Dickinson, Iron and Menominee counties did not vote at Tuesday’s session but were asked to bring the matter up at their next regular meeting.

Board members from Dickinson and Menominee counties also called for an investigation by the Michigan Attorney General’s office or the Auditor General into Northpointe’s “deficiencies identified by the three counties.”

Northpointe provides services in the three counties for those with severe emotional, behavioral and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities, according to its website. It has offices in Kingsford, Iron River and Menominee.

Tuesday’s special meeting opened with citizens’ comments in which a host of Northpointe employees, clients and others praised the work the agency has done and what CEO Jennifer Cescolini has accomplished since starting five years ago.

They described programs that had been expanded, services that have been added, better staff retention and Northpointe going from regularly overspending each year to being able to return funds for the state’s Community Mental Health Services Programs.

Chad Niemi, a registered nurse, said he joined Northpointe’s staff six months ago and it “was like a breath of fresh air.” His role is to address the client’s physical health needs, which often are numerous and can factor into the mental health issues. He’s since been able to coax two former co-workers to join the agency, he said.

Norm and Lisa Clark said Northpointe’s help was critical when they decided to open a developmentally disabled adult foster home in Menominee County. With their assistance, the home opened in a month and a half.

Northpointe is governed by a 12-member board, with five representatives each from Dickinson and Menominee counties and two from Iron County, each appointed by the respective county boards. Roughly 95% of the agency’s funding is federal, but the counties also provide allocations.

According to the Northpointe website, Dickinson representatives on the Northpointe Board are Kevin Pirlot, Mari Negro, Wendy Mattia and Robert Roberge. Iron County representatives are Nancy Pasternak and Kathy Thompson. Four Menominee County representatives are listed currently — Patricia Phillips, Millie Hofer, Patricia Mueller and Mary Stein.

Several who spoke at the meeting characterized the board as divided to the point of being dysfunctional.

Pirlot, chair of the Northpointe board and a former Dickinson County Board member, questioned why Tuesday’s joint meeting was called without any details on the agency’s supposed shortcomings, even though he said he asked repeatedly, “What’s going on?”

He got those Tuesday.

Dickinson County Board member Barbara Kramer brought an 11-point list of “concerns” that included more than $903,000 in bonuses to employees as “retention and longevity payments”; Cescolini’s salary raised by $15,000 to more than $145,000; not following state law on open meetings and public hearings; returning $2.35 million to Marquette-based Northcare Network rather than adding staff to better meet demand; and not being in compliance with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Kramer also faulted the agency for not providing in-person 24/7 Crisis Stabilization Services as mandated by state law. A person with the agency after the meeting disputed that claim.

Mark Stauber, chair of the Iron County Board, said officers in his county have had to deal with transporting people to other mental health agencies because they can’t access Northpointe services.

But the biggest problem in Menominee County is that it is in Michigan but the closest hospital is just across the Menominee River in Marinette, Wis., where Northpointe is not licensed to operate. While asked to take steps to address this issue, Northpointe has not, Menominee County board members said.

Menominee County Board Member Patricia Mueller, who also is on the Northpointe board, said she has become a target of “retaliation and intimidation” for raising concerns about Northpointe operations. The Northpointe board voted 9-1 Thursday to censure her for what was described as a violation of patient confidentiality rights, after a complaint filed with the Michigan Office of Recipient Rights claimed she shared in an open meeting the name of a person who received services from Northpointe.

The boards left after the 2 1/2 meeting with several potential resolutions, including the no-confidence vote, a demand that Northpointe make a written plan to correct its deficiencies and to have Northpointe’s funds placed in escrow until that plan is approved by all three counties.

Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 240, or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.