Houghton’s city council appointed Rhiannon Schmidt on Wednesday to fill a vacant seat left after Mayor Bob Backon’s death in February.
The council took only one round of voting to fill the vacancy after Schmidt received the necessary four yes votes. The city’s appointment guidelines require a majority of the council out of six to appoint a new councilor.
Schmidt, a public health nurse with the Western UP Health Department, will serve until November 2026. She will need to run in the November election if she wishes to remain on the city council.
Schmidt is British and has international experience in English education from time spent in Italy, Ireland and Norway. She holds two bachelor’s degrees, multiple certifications and is a registered nurse.
City Manager Eric Waara explained that once one nominee met the four-vote threshold, the election process would cease and the new member would be sworn in.
Houghton received seven candidate applications in total. Chad Arnie and Jennifer Deephouse each received a nomination and second from councilors. Applicants Spencer Jenkins and Don Lee each received nominations but did not receive a necessary second from a councilor to become eligible for a vote.
Schmidt received a 5-1 vote. Her nomination was voted on first as she was nominated before others by Councilor Craig Waddell. Councilor Mike Needham cast the lone no vote. City Clerk Amy Zawada swore in Schmidt before Mayor Bubba Megowen adjourned the meeting.
The city council also completed abandonments of rights of way near Michigan Tech’s campus leftover from a 1973 project. Prior to where College Avenue now sits, the highway ran directly through the college campus. At that time, the City of Houghton retained three rights of way near the road.
Waara explained to the council the rights of way leftover after the project was completed were likely overlooked. He requested the city abandon rights of way for College Avenue, Hubbell Street and Oak Street. The small stretches of road connect parking lots to the road network and have been maintained by the university since College Avenue was moved from the middle of campus.
The council also approved a rezoning request for the Alpha Delta Alpha sorority for the organization’s new home. The action reorganizes 212 and 214 East Street as R-3 multi-family from an R-1 single-family designation. The sorority plans to establish a permanent home after renting a six-bedroom home on Vivian Street from Houghton for Rent, owned by Derek Bradway, for several years.
Councilors agreed that the sorority’s plans fit with the city’s larger master plan and moves toward solutions on housing needs for a growing college population.
