DOLLY COOK

IRON MOUNTAIN — Dolly Cook, who has served more than three decades as Dickinson County’s clerk-register of deeds, will retire effective Feb. 28.

Controller Brian Bousley shared the news Monday during the county board’s Zoom meeting and noted Circuit Court Judge Mary Barglind is required by state statute to name a successor. Cook reached the difficult decision to retire in order to spend more time with family, Bousley said.

Commissioners offered high praise for Cook, a Democrat who has been in office since Nov. 12, 1990.

Joe Stevens, a Republican, said Cook is “at the top of the list” of local leaders.

“Thank you, it’s been wonderful every day. I’ll miss you all,” said Cook, audibly fighting back tears.

Republican Barbara Kramer offered a virtual hug and joked that maybe not all days were wonderful.

“The rest builds character,” said Cook, who was honored a year ago at a courthouse reception celebrating 30 years on the job. She currently is the longest-serving county clerk in Michigan.

During the 2020 reception, state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, presented a resolution saluting Cook as one of the most knowledgeable clerks in the state who “freely shares her passion, advocacy and assistance.”

Bousley said a packet will be available in his office for anyone interested in applying for the position. Although Cook was reelected without opposition to a four-year term in November, the office now will go on the November 2022 ballot.

In other action, the board:

— Directed Bousley to draft contract terms with the Medical Care Access Coalition of Dickinson/Iron County Inc. to operate a health care benefits assistance program. MCAC submitted the only proposal for the counseling service, which will be funded through a 0.1-mill levy expected to generate $93,245 in Dickinson County and $53,728 in Iron County. MCAC, which has operated since 2004, will be charged with helping individuals and families to obtain Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drugs, affordable health insurance and other related health care benefits. Voters in both counties approved the four-year millage in November. It was pointed out that Iron County will be under a separate contract.

— Learned Ford Airport has received all but about $51,000 of its $1,085,245 federal CARES Act grant announced in April. About $690,000 of the funding was used to pay off hangar construction borrowing. The rest mainly will offset operating expenses and a final payment is pending, Bousley said. Although the pandemic has reduced revenues, the grant has put the airport’s fund balance $250,876 to the good, he said.

— Agreed to consider expanding the county’s Veterans Affairs Committee from five members to seven, to allow more representation for Gulf War-era veterans. Bousley will continue to research it.

— Approved a request from Lake Antoine Park Partners to hold the Crafty Flea Market at Lake Antoine Park on Saturday, Sept. 11, with a rain date of Sept. 12. The event benefits LAPP as well as The Daily News Newspapers in Education program. Kevin Pirlot was tapped to fill an LAPP Board of Directors vacancy for a term that ends in July.

— Heard Stevens say he will write a letter in support of the Keystone XL pipeline project and will invite other commissioners to sign on. President Joe Biden signed an order last month revoking a permit for construction of the pipeline, which has long drawn the ire of environmentalists. It was blocked by the Obama administration in 2015 before former President Donald Trump overturned the order and allowed it go ahead.

— Heard Chairman Henry Wender praise the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department for its work in organizing and conducting COVID-19 vaccination clinics. With vaccine supply limited, the Dickinson clinics at the fairgrounds in Norway for now are limited to those in priority groups able to secure appointments.