Lake Linden-Hubbell School Board has contracted with the CCISD for temporary superintendent services. Board members (from left): Jeff Dennis, Jennifer Beaudette, Lori Ambuehl, Board President Patricia Burton, David Anderson, Mellisa Corrigan, and Courtney Holzberger discuss the contract. (Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette)

LAKE LINDEN — Jim Rautiola, superintendent of the Copper Country Intermediate School District, has been named interim superintendent of Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools.

A special meeting of the school board was held at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning to discuss and contract with the CCISD to provide someone to fill the position. At the meeting, Rautiola told the board that the ISD does provide such services to the local school districts.

“If the Lake Linden School Board chooses to use our entity to provide interim superintendent services for a period of time until you can name an interim, or what that looks like for your district, we would be willing to entertain that for you,” Rautiola said. “It is not uncommon for us to do this. A lot of our (smaller) local schools do not have a superintendent, or request our services.”

Retired LL-H Schools superintendent Craig Sunblad had been filling that role since July 1. Due to other obligations, however, his final day was Friday, and by Michigan law, the school board is required to fill the position before Sundblad vacates.

At a special meeting of the school board Tuesday, Board President Patricia Burton said she would contact the ISD to request an interim superintendent. Rautiola said the ISD could assist the school district, providing the situation does not drag on indefinitely.

“Whether that would be myself sitting in, depending on how long it went on, or others of our staff helping out, we certainly could assist with that,” he said.

Trustee David Anderson asked if Rautiola would be available to be in the building. Rautiola replied it would be on a limited basis.

“I would anticipate doing some open office hours, depending on the work load and what was needed,” Rautiola replied. “Some of that would be done remote, some of it would have to come in the building. The community has board meetings, I would anticipate us being there, and assisting in that capacity as well.”

Trustee Courtney Holzberger asked if there were any considerations regarding the district’s need for a high school/middle school principal.

“This may not be a question for you, Jim,” she said, addressing Rautiola, “but I mean, our administration has to cover the duties of those positions. Jim would serve as superintendent, but I don’t think that that’s the principal’s position as well.”

Anderson suggested it is the superintendent’s responsibility to find someone to fill that position.

“Technically, the superintendent would be the one that would find a principal,” he said, “so, I’m sure that’s not what you had on your radar, right?”

Rautiola said that is not necessarily so, but if it became necessary, he would do it.

Lisa Ruhman, Ph.D, middle/high school assistant principal, had told the board she would be willing to fill the interim superintendent position, but Burton rejected the offer.

Holzberger summed up the situation, saying for the next week, the school will have one administrator in the building, a bus route change to be addressed soon, and a bond meeting with an engineering company scheduled for next week.

Burton said the school district has a policy regarding principals, but did not elaborate.

“I think if we don’t find somebody in the next few weeks,” she said, “then we would have to revisit it. I think it’s 10 days, if you don’t count the weekends, until we have our next meeting. If we don’t have a good candidate by that time, then we might need to evaluate further what to do.”

A motion was made to contract with the CCISD for superintendent services through Dec. 8, 2025. The motion unanimously passed.