Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette CCISD Superintendent James Rautiola reported to the CCISD Board of Education that Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools has brought on Emily Geiger as the school's interim superintendent. Rautiola served as the school's interim superintendent for 18 days before hiring Geiger.

HANCOCK — Michigan Tech alumna and Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD) MiSTEM Regional Network Director Emily Geiger has been appointed the interim superintendent of Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools. CCISD Superintendent James Rautiola made the announcement to the Board of Education during its meeting on Tuesday. Rautiola had held the LL-H position for 18 days before Geiger’s appointment.

“So she will take the baton for me pending contract negotiations, which shouldn’t be too much of a problem,” Rautiola said. “She is one of ours, so it’s kind of a stinger to lose her. She was the director of MiSTEM and she’s just an outstanding individual– very, very smart, very talented, but good for Lake Linden–Hubbell to be able to secure that for the next several months.”

Rautiola said Geiger’s funding dried up because the State of Michigan cut MiSTEM from the budget for the current school year, and she would have been out of funding in December. “So it’s a good opportunity for her to grow and good opportunity for us to still be connected with Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools,” he said.

Rautiola explained Mental health and safety funding deadlines, originally set for Nov. 15 were changed. He said the Michigan Department of Education moved the date to Nov. 30, and following this, other ISDs and school districts got together to sue the Education Department because the grant comes through the MDE.

“We got news this afternoon that a judge did issue that he’ll hear the case on his merit. So that is good. So in federal court, a judge accepted this and basically our beef with it is that it’s unconstitutional. They’re taking away a constitutional right that you as a school board have, and that we as districts have, so that case will be heard on December third. We’re hoping, which is almost unprecedented, that a judge would take it that quick to hear it, but he or she also understands, the magnitude of what this could mean, so they’ll hear it on December third. MDE has moved the deadline to December fourth, as far as districts being able to opt in,” he said.

If the CCISD wants to procure those funds, the board would have to pass a resolution to opt in. Rautiola explained he has been telling local districts to hold on and wait until the last minute to make that decision. He is hoping the governor will pull back the opt in portion.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous that we’re in this situation having to have this discussion over a grant, having to deal with mental health and school safety. We’ve been doing this for a long, long time. We’ve never ever had these sort of restrictions placed upon us as a public entity,” he said.

During the meeting, the board was presented with its audit report which ended on June 30, 2025. There were no audit findings over internal controls over financial reporting and there were was no material noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations. The general fund’s total assets amounted to $14.7 million with total liabilities of $12.7 million. The board voted to accept the audit report.

The board also approved assigning the fund balance for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Construction Trades program, which will see funds made from the house built by CTE students redirected into the program. Career Tech Director Corey Soumis explained the plan to the board.

“I believe it was asked that any funds generated be contributed to a construction trades fund, so that they’re spent on that program alone, and not trickle to other programs,” Soumis said. “Whether it goes for scholarships or preferably seed money for purchase of other properties and materials and what we need. Basically, I wanted a designated fund if myself were to leave, or [Rautiola] were to leave so that the next person knows that this is what these funds go towards, is this particular program.”

The board then adopted a summer tax levy resolution and a ballot proposition. Rautiola said on the May 2026 ballot, the CCISD will ask the voters for a a renewal of the CT millage. “We’re asking for just a straight renewal as it stands,” Rautiola said. “So that will be a 0.9797, so just a hair under one mill. It is true renewal, and not asking for anything additional to bring us back to the one mill.”