Kurt Rickard speaks during Hancock’s organizational meeting Wednesday after being re-elected as mayor for a one-year term. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette)

HANCOCK — Hancock’s current mayor will preside over another year of meetings.

At Wednesday’s organizational meeting, the council unanimously chose Kurt Rickard for another term. Rickard has served as mayor since 2023, when he was picked after former mayor Paul LaBine stepped down to become Houghton County’s prosecuting attorney. 

“I’m honored to be mayor of Hancock, and I’m glad to do it again,” he said. “I like to keep the meetings moving along smoothly, and I think I’ve set some records for short meeting times, so I’m pretty happy with that.”

The council also unanimously elected Whitney Warstler as mayor pro tem, where she succeeds Lisa McKenzie. 

It was the first meeting for Councilors Laura Givens, who defeated Ryan Tanner in the Ward III race, and Dean Woodbeck, who was elected as a write-in candidate for Ward II to replace Richard Freeman, Jr., who did not run for re-election.

Council members also determined the next year’s representatives on the city’s boards and committees. Rickard and Councilor Ron Blau will sit on the Planning Commission; McKenzie on the Recreation Commission; Givens on the Zoning Board of Appeals; McKenzie, Woodbeck and Warstler on the Local Development Finance Authority; McKenzie, Blau and Warstler on the Finance, Public Safety and Personnel Committee; Blau, Warstler and Lounibos on Community Development & Business Relations; Blau, Lounibos and Givens on Public Works and Utility Services; 

They also chose the city’s representatives on other local boards: Blau on the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region; Department of Public Works Supervisor John Erickson on the Portage Lake Water & Sewer Authority; Woodbeck on the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance; Woodbeck, Warstler and Lounibos on the ad hoc Ordinance Review Committee; Givens for the Houghton County Recreation Authority; and Lounibos for the HoCo Arena. 

No action was taken on appointing a representative to the ad hoc Acquisition Committee. The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club appointment will be handled administratively, said Clerk Linda Kalinec.

The council’s next regular meeting will be on Wednesday.