Hancock re-elected Rickard as mayor | News, sports, jobs

Kurt Rickard speaks at the Hancock organizational meeting on Wednesday after being re-elected as mayor for a one-year term. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Newspaper)

HANCOCK – The current mayor of Hancock will chair meetings for another year.

During Wednesday’s organizational meeting, the council unanimously elected Kurt Rickard for a new term. Rickard has been mayor since 2023, when he was picked after former Mayor Paul LaBine resigned to become Houghton County prosecutor.

“I am honored to serve as mayor of Hancock, and I am thrilled to do it again,” he said. “I make sure the meetings run smoothly and I think I’ve set some records for short meeting times, so I’m quite happy with that.”

The council also unanimously elected Whitney Warstler as mayor pro tem, where she succeeds Lisa McKenzie.

It was the first meeting for Councilmembers Laura Givens, who defeated Ryan Tanner in the Ward III race, and Dean Woodbeck, who was elected as a write-in candidate for Ward II to replace Richard Freeman, Jr., who did not file for re-election. -election.

Council members also determined next year’s representatives on the city’s boards and commissions. Rickard and Councilman Ron Blau will serve on the Planning Commission; McKenzie on the Recreation Commission; Information about the Zoning Board of Appeal; McKenzie, Woodbeck and Warstler on the Local Development Finance Authority; McKenzie, Blau and Warstler on the Finance, Public Safety and Personnel Committee; Blau, Warstler and Lounibos on community development and business relationships; Blau, Lounibos and Givens on public works and utilities;

They also elected the city’s representatives to other local governments: Blau in the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region; John Erickson, supervisor of the Public Works Department at the Portage Lake Water & Sewer Authority; Woodbeck on the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance; Woodbeck, Warstler and Lounibos on the ad hoc Ordinance Review Committee; Data for the Houghton County Recreation Authority; and Lounibos in front of the HoCo Arena.

No action was taken on the appointment of a representative to the ad hoc Acquisition Committee. The appointment of the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will be handled administratively, said registrar Linda Kalinec.

The next regular meeting of the city council is Wednesday.