Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Keweenaw County faces concerns and challenges as Houghton Township seeks to be absorbed by a neighbor. Shown is the Keweenaw County Jail, located in Eagle River, the Keweenaw County seat.

KEWEENAW COUNTY – Keweenaw County’s Houghton Township faces challenges as it seeks to consolidate with a neighboring township. The Keweenaw County seat, Eagle River, is located in Houghton Township.

At its December 2025 regular meeting, the Keweenaw County Board of Commissioners reviewed a letter from Houghton Township officials requesting consolidation with either Allouez or Houghton township. The letter was signed by Township Supervisor Robby Fischer, Township Clerk Leslie Fischer, and two trustees, Tom Hall and Jim Huovinen.

The Township Board says it is struggling to meet the challenges of managing the township in fulfillment with Michigan law and good governance guidelines.

“It has a small population with only 74 residents. Many of those are seasonal residents,” the letter states.

In addition, the township cannot find enough people willing to take Board positions and run the township effectively. Houghton Township officials requested the County Board authorize the county attorney to review the statutory requirements, potential pathways and legal considerations associated with such a consolidation.

Keweenaw County Board Chairman Don Piche said this week that Chuck Miller, county attorney, laid out a plan for the township to follow.

“I talked to the (township) supervisor about a week ago,” Piche said, “and I guess they discussed the things that Chuck gave them to discuss.”

Piche said the county attorney’s role in the process is limited due to potential conflict of interest between the county and the township, and he advised the township to retain its own attorney.

Piche admitted consolidating townships is complex. “This is going to be quite a process,” he said. “You can’t just say ‘we want to become part of Eagle Harbor Township.'”

Several questions require attention, said Piche, including fire protection, taxes, a viable water system and infrastructure.

“I mean, there’s no sewer system in Eagle River,” said Piche, “there’s no real fire protection there; they rely on Allouez Township to do their fire protection.”

In addition, he said, a large portion of the Eagle River (Evergreen) cemetery is located in Allouez Township.

“There is so much that has to be discussed for it to work,” Piche said, “and then if they do come up with some type of an agreement, you have to petition each of the townships. Each township has to petition is constituents. After that, it has to go to the ballot in each township. You have to have a special election and go from there.”

Piche said a County Commissioner, what concerns him is if Houghton Township simply declares it can no longer function.

“It’s going to get laid in the county’s lap, and I don’t know what to do then.”