Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette The Keweenaw County Board annual organizational meeting last Wed. showed no changes in officers. Left to right are: Vice Chairman Del Rajala, Board Chairman Don Piche, trustees Rob DeMarois and Randy Eckloff. Absent was Trustee Jim Vivian.

EAGLE RIVER — The Keweenaw County Board’s annual Organizational Meeting, conducted last Wed. prior to the regular monthly meeting, made no changes to presiding officers.

County Clerk Julie Carlson called the meeting to order, then opened nominations for the position of Board Chairman for the 2023-2024 term.

Trustee Rob DeMarois nominated Don Piche for chairman and was supported by Randy Eckloff. With no other nominations, a unanimous vote was cast for Piche as chairman.

Piche opened the floor for nominations for vice chairman for 2023.

Eckloff nominated Del Rajala for vice chairman which was supported by DeMarois. Rajala was unanimously elected as vice chairman for 2023.

The board also unanimously carried a vote to continue conducting the County Board meetings on the third Wednesday of each month, with an approximate starting time of starting time of 6:30 p.m, with one exception.

The opening day of the Michigan firearms deer hunting season occurs on Nov. 15 every year. This year, that falls on the third Wednesday of the month. The Board voted unanimously to move to the November regular meeting to Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Also, during the organizational meeting, commissioners were appointed to committees.

Piche appointed commissioners to the following committees, with motion by DeMarois, supported by Eckloff, and unanimously carried to accept the following committee appointments:

• Brownfield Redevelopment Authority: Ray Chase, North Care, Eckloff

•Building & Grounds: Piche

• Planning Commission: Vivian

•Building Codes: Piche

•Road Commission: Piche

• Community Action: Piche

• Tri County Corrections: Rajala

• Economic Development: Piche

• Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress: Eckloff

• Finance & Budget: Piche

• UP Fair Authority: Langdon

• Freedom of Information: Carlson

• Houghton/Keweenaw Conservation: James Vivian

• Head Start BHK Program Eckloff

•UPWARD Talent Council: Vivian/Rajala

• Western UP Health Dept: Rajala/DeMarois

• Veteran Affairs Rajala

• Historic Highway/Byway: DeMarois

• Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region: Eckloff/DeMarois

• Human Service Piche

• 911 Committee: Rajala

• Keweenaw Economic Development: Ahlborn

• UP Legislative Review Comm: Eckloff

• KEDA Board: Vivian