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IRON MOUNTAIN -- A Vulcan man has been named to serve a five-year term on the Dickinson Library Board as William Cummings, the panel's longtime chairman, steps down.
Jeffrey Edwards II, office manager and controller at Edwards Automotive Inc., was appointed Monday by the county board in a 3-2 vote.
Edwards was backed by Chairman Dan Harrington and commissioners Peter Swanson and Victoria Jakel. Barbara Wilson of Iron Mountain, a retired teacher, counselor and literacy coordinator, received support from commissioners Kevin Sullivan and Joe Stevens.
The other applicants were Anthony Adams of Quinnesec and Colleen Driscoll of Sagola Township.
Driscoll and Wilson both addressed the board, as did Library Director Megan Rose, who said Cummings' institutional knowledge will be nearly impossible to replace.
After serving seven terms, Cummings has left the "gift of a financially stable and well-loved library," Rose said.
Driscoll, who is employed by Breitung Township Schools, submitted a letter outlining her qualifications, including writing and receiving grants to enhance library holdings. She is vice president of Friends of the Dickinson County Library.
In her application, Wilson included a letter of support from Catherine Blackhall of Kingsford, who represents the county on the Superiorland Library Cooperative. During citizens' time after the vote, Blackhall asked commissioners to explain their support for Edwards, but it was not discussed during commissioners' personal privilege.
Edwards has served as treasurer for Edwards Automotive for 20 years and is going into his third year as treasurer for Norway Township.
Stevens, after the vote, proposed a resolution saluting Cummings, describing the library as the county's most important structure. A prominent local historian, Cummings was first elected library board chairman in 1993.
Dickinson County Library, with a main building in Iron Mountain and branches in Norway and Felch Township, is supported by a property tax levy of 0.9 mills, or 90 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. Voters approved a five-year levy in August 2024 -- 2,796 yes to 2,325 no.
The approval came after some citizens had objected to several book selections available to library patrons. Fliers had also been circulated opposing a levy renewal.
Other current members of the library board are Robert Lundholm, Wanda Khor, Pamela Trask and Donna Hayes.
In other action, the county board:
-- Appointed Sandy Sullivan of Iron Mountain to a three-year term on the Department of Health and Human Services Board. There were no other applicants.
-- Reappointed John Shealey of Iron Mountain to a three-year term on the Veterans Services Board. Also applying were Andrew Mendini of Breitung Township and Timothy Griggs of Quinnesec.
-- Accepted Liane Arnold's resignation from the Dickinson County Fair Board, effective Dec. 31. Arnold plans to stay on and work behind the scenes, Harrington said.
-- Approved, in a 3-2 vote, a $3,000 payment to Dickinson County Clerk-Register of Deeds Carol Bronzyk for serving as early voting coordinator county-wide for three elections since 2024. Harrington proposed a $2,000 payment as an alternative, but commissioners Swanson, Stevens and Sullivan supported the full amount. After voters approved Proposition 2 in November 2022, nine days of early voting is required by the state for each statewide and federal election. The nine days of early voting includes two weekends in advance of each election.
-- Received a request for $8,170 in funding from Tracy Johnson, director of prevention services at Great Lakes Recovery Centers behavioral health services, to help support continuation of a peer recovery program. Jakel informed Johnson that support is likely available through Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare System, and Johnson agreed to pursue that lead first. The program and other services had previously been supported by a $39,000 Michigan Quick Response Teams grant.
-- Heard Stevens praise the county's veteran services officers, Denise Formolo and Lacey Ellison. Their office at 2301 Woodward Ave., Kingsford, provides local veterans with claims assistance, VA health care enrollment and disability compensation.
-- Heard Bob Simon of Vulcan call for a restoration of Michigan State University-Extension office funding, citing home canning as one of the educational services offered. Simon was twice gaveled by Harrington as he told Simon to get to the point of a discussion about the purchase of an induction cooktop.
-- Also during citizens' time, heard Beth Bray of Vulcan support the board's practice of allowing pre-meeting prayers and heard John Sacchetti of Kingsford share memories of local coaching icons Rick Olds and Dick Mettlach.
Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.