CALUMET – Tom Tikkanen hopes to return to the Houghton County Board.

Tikkanen, who served on the board from 2013-15, is running in the Republican primary for District 1, which includes Calumet and Hancock townships. His opponent is incumbent Eugene Londo, who defeated Tikkanen in the 2014 primary. The winner of the August primary will face Democratic candidate Rick Kasprzak in November.

Tikkanen said he is running again due to what he perceives as a lack of support on the board in two key areas. On the Houghton County Medical Care Facility, he said continued funding is necessary due to the county’s demographics, which includes one of the highest percentages of seniors in the state.

“While sometimes it may make sense to privatize government institutions or services, I definitely don’t think that’s the case with the Medical Care Facility,” he said. “That is a very, very efficient and responsive care provider to our people here in Houghton County. They have progressed with time. They’ve instituted new treatment programs and expanded their facilities.”

The other area was the Houghton-Douglass Falls, about which Calumet Township Supervisor Paul Lehto had approached the board to partner with on planning. Lehto was able to find other community partners.

“I’m baffled by that, because here we have the highest waterfall in the state of Michigan, and the DNR has stepped forward and said, ‘We want to fund this. We feel very strongly about this. We just want to make sure that we engage with the local community in an appropriate manner,'” Tikkanen said. “It’s not just good for our local economy, tourism and that, but it’s part of our cultural and geographic heritage.”

As a prior accomplishment on the board, Tikkanen cited helping to originate the Houghton Energy Efficiency Team movement, which he said can help lower costs and create more energy independence for the area.

Tikkanen said he would also like the board to show support for maintaining and preserving the area’s recreational trail corridors, particularly in northern Houghton County. Those trails are used in many area recreational events, such as the Chain Drive, Great Deer Chase and Copper Dog.

During the time Tikkanen was on the board, he said, there was an effort to collaborate with Keweenaw County and work with the Department of Natural Resources and local tourism groups.

“It goes beyond simple recreation,” he said. “It’s also really a way of tying our communities together.”

Tikkanen said there should be an emphasis on “smart growth” that retains the character of the area but allows opportunities for young people to stay.

While he is against a millage to build a new county jail, Tikkanen said he hopes the county could find some opportunities for maintaining and improving the current facility. He also called for a broad-based group of county residents to study the process long-term.

“We have to treat our fellow human beings with the respect and care that’s necessary, but we also have to provide the utmost safe working conditions for our law enforcement officers,” he said. “It’s not something we can turn away from.”

Tikkanen, a Suomi College (now Finlandia University) graduate, has worked locally in real estate for the past 30 years, primarily as an appraiser.

He has served on a number of community groups and boards, including Main Street Calumet, of which he served as executive director for 10 years; the C-L-K Foresight Group, a grassroots effort advocating the creation of the Keweenaw National Historical Park; and the Calumet Downtown Development Association. He lives in Calumet with his wife, with whom he has five children.

Many residents feel disconnected from local government, Tikkanen said, which troubles him. He encourages residents to get involved.

“That was part of my job (at Main Street Calumet), was to keep citizens engaged in the community,” he said. “That’s where the real opportunities exist for solutions to our common challenges … I don’t see this as a burden. I see this as an exciting challenge. I would like to continue to work in a capacity where I can continue community service.”