Melissa Vertin

HOUGHTON — In their first meeting of the new year, Houghton-Portage Township Schools appointed a new board member.

The board unanimously selected Melissa Vertin from among seven applicants for a vacant two-year term. Vertin works as a family medicine physician assistant at Upper Great Lakes Family Heath.

“Generally, you have one board member that applies, sometimes two,” said Superintendent Anders Hill. “We had seven applicants, all really qualified people.”

Mike Salmi, who had been appointed to the board in 2023, was elected to a six-year term in the November elections. The board accepted his resignation from the two-year term Monday before appointing his replacement.

Longtime board member Nels Christopherson, who narrowly lost in the November elections, had been among the candidates for the appointment. Board member Buck Foltz praised Christopherson’s service for the board, but said he felt Vertin would be the better choice.

“Clearly the easiest thing in the world would be to put Nels back on this board,” Foltz said. “With all the people in this room, and all the misunderstandings over the last three months, I think it’s increasingly important that we find people that have kids that are young, that are interested, that had shown a commitment.”

Board Treasurer Brad Baltensperger moved that the board recognize Christopherson for his service with the district. Aside from a year gap after a narrow election loss, Christopherson had been on the board since 1991.

“He’s probably one of the best-informed board members in the state about state policy and how it affects local schools,” Baltensperger said.

After the resolution unanimously passed, board members and the nearly 100 people in attendance gave Christopherson a standing ovation.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the election of officers: Amanda Massaway as board president, Brent Burns as vice president, Salmi as secretary and Baltensperger as treasurer.

• Approved monthly meetings for 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of the month, to be held at the Houghton High School Board Room, Houghton High School Library or Houghton Elementary School.

• Went into closed session due to attorney-client privilege to consider a letter from the board’s attorney. No action was taken when the meeting resumed.