IRON MOUNTAIN — An elections panel ruled Monday that recall petitions filed against four members of the Dickinson County Board have sufficient clarity to go forward.

Dickinson County Probate Judge Thomas Slagle, who led the public session, said it’s not up to the three-member elections commission to determine if the petitions are true — only if they are factual and of sufficient clarity.

The petitions are directed at Board Chair Dan Harrington of Breitung Township, who represents District 3; and commissioners Kevin Sullivan of Iron Mountain, District 2; Peter Swanson of Breitung Township, District 4; and Victoria Jakel of Norway, District 5.

The four commissioners, all Republicans, won four-year terms in the November 2024 election.

Public confusion arose during the 90-minute hearing over the meaning of “factual,” as Slagle explained the Michigan Court of Appeals hasn’t equated “factual” with “true.” In a legal sense, he said, any statement in the petition is examined to see whether it “is a fact that can be disputed.”

Barring a circuit court appeal, petitioners may begin seeking signatures to force a Nov. 3 election.

Dickinson County-Clerk Carol Bronzyk, another member of the commission, said petition language is not on the ballot in a recall election. The ballot would list candidates for a seat, as in any other vote, she said.

The petition filed by George Wiedenhoeft of Breitung Township against Harrington states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Dan Harrington voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension office, resulting in the loss of local 4-H, agricultural education, and community extension services.”

The petition filed by Robert Simon of Vulcan against Jakel states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Victoria Jakel voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension office, resulting in the discontinuation of local 4-H programming and related community services.”

The petition filed by Beth Provencher of Breitung Township against Swanson states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Peter Swanson voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension Office, resulting in the loss of youth services in Dickinson County.”

The petition filed by Jason Gibbs of Iron Mountain against Sullivan states:

“On May 12, 2025, Commissioner Sullivan voted in favor of a motion to reduce the Dickinson County Board of Commissioners’ regular schedule from two meetings per month to one, combining the regular and finance meetings, thereby reducing opportunities for public comment and citizen participation in county board proceedings.”

Objections were raised both by commissioners and their supporters against all four petitions. In each case the panel, which also included County Treasurer Lorna Carey, found the language to be clear.

Sullivan gave a statement in which he pointed out that citizen time comments have increased compared with previous years. He claimed “reducing opportunities for the public comment” is “mere speculation and not factual.”

Petition filer Gibbs, in turn, said fewer meetings means fewer opportunities. “Multiple things can be true,” he said.

There was much discussion from the audience about whether the language regarding MSU-Extension is false or misleading. Some programming, including 4-H, continues, citizens pointed out.

Petition filer Simon, in response, pointed to the word “local” as reflective of what’s being lost or discontinued.

The composition of the elections commission is set by state statute — the probate judge, the county clerk and county treasurer. At one point, citizen Jeff Gurchinoff of Kingsford voiced frustration over the panel’s rulings on the petitions and said “it’s a shame” Slagle can’t be recalled.

“I’m not here to revamp the system,” Slagle offered.

Any circuit court appeal must be filed within 10 days of the commission hearing. Recall petitions are not valid for circulation until a determination is made by the circuit court or until 40 days after the date of the appeal, whichever is sooner, Bronzyk said.

The number of signatures needed to trigger a recall election is 25% of the votes cast in the respective commissioner’s district for all candidates for the office of governor in the 2022 election. According to data from the clerk’s office, the signatures needed in the respective districts are 489 in District 2 (Sullivan); 599 in District 3 (Harrington); 660 in District 4 (Swanson); and 610 in District 5 (Jakel).

If a petition drive succeeds, the commissioner whose recall is sought is automatically listed as a candidate, while the opposing political party’s executive committee nominates a candidate as well. Candidates without political party affiliation may seek a spot on the ballot through a qualifying petition.

If an incumbent wins a recall election, no further recall petition may be filed against the same incumbent during the remainder of the term.

The county board’s fifth member — Republican Joe Stevens of Kingsford — sought to retain county funding for MSU-Extension and also spoke against the board’s decision last year to reduce the number of regular meetings.

Stevens is the only returning member from a county board that approved an $81,000 agreement for MSU-Extension funding in December 2024.

Harrington, the new board chairman, proposed elimination of Extension funding at the board’s first regular meeting of 2025. The budget cut was approved 3-1 at the Jan. 13 session, with Sullivan abstaining.

In revisiting the issue at an Aug. 25 meeting, Stevens dissented as the board voted 4-1 to again reject an $81,000 Extension allocation. A $40,000 compromise failed as well.

———

Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindaiiynews.com.