Boards and Commissions

Join A Board Ironwood City Commission Downtown Ironwood Development Authority Economic Development Corporation Housing Commission Human Relations & Equity Committee Ironwood Carnegie Library Parks and Recreation Committee Pat O'Donnell Civic Center Planning Commission Zoning Board of Appeals

Join A Board

Join a Board

The City of Ironwood is looking for citizens willing to help their community by joining the various boards and commissions that keep our town functioning and moving forward. If interested in applying, please fill out the digital application form below.

Board Application

Current Boards and Commissions in need of members:

Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA)
Ironwood Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

Appointment Process

The City of Ironwood advertises for expiring or vacant term.
Applications are filled out using the online form which are submitted to the City Clerk: clerk@ironwoodmi.gov.
Applications are reviewed by the Mayor who appoints applicants with Commission approval (Housing Commission is appointed by the City Manager).
The City Clerk will contact applicants who are appointed.

Ironwood City Commission

Ironwood City Commissioners are elected at large by the citizens of Ironwood and are charged with making policy decisions that affect the future of the City. The Commission employs a City Manager that oversees the day-to-day operations of the City departments. The City Commission also serves as the Zoning Board of Appeals. For information regarding future and past meetings please visit the Agendas and Minutes page. The Commission is tasked with implementing Ironwood's Award Winning 2014 Comprehensive Plan.

City Commissioners

Lauren Korpi - (906) 364-0711 - November 2025
David Andresen - Mayor Pro-tem - (651) 252-8494 - November 2025
Kim Corcoran - Mayor - (906) 285-0355 - November 2025
Rick Semo - (906) 932-2002 - November 2025
Jim Mildren - (906) 932-5178 - November 2025

City Commission Rules/bylaws

Michigan Municipal League

The City of Ironwood proudly supports the Michigan Municipal League (MML). The MML is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities.

Staff Contact

Paul Anderson
City Manager
City Engineer
City of Ironwood
213 S. Marquette St.
Ironwood, MI 49938
906-932-5050 x 116
Fax: 906-932-5745

Click Green Play Button for Live Broadcast

Downtown Ironwood Development Authority

The Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) is charged with creating an environment in Downtown Ironwood that is inviting and welcoming to residents, visitors, and the business community. Utilizing placemaking concepts; the Authority is working to implement its Downtown Development Plan and Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Plan as part of the city-wide Comprehensive Plan. The DIDA is a City authority whose membership includes downtown business and organization representatives, city officials, and downtown residents. Together they meet monthly to develop strategies and event plans to improve the downtown environment.

Downtown Ironwood is the location for The Historic Ironwood Theatre, the Ironwood Depot, the Memorial Building, Carnegie Library, and a diverse number of stores and restaurants.

Downtown Development Plan & TIF Plan

The purpose of this Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Plan is to provide for the acquisition, construction, and financing of the necessary street, sidewalk, lighting, streetscaping, parking, leisure, recreational and other facilities in Ironwood’s Downtown District. The 2023 Development Plan and TIF Plan are anticipated to carry out the objectives of the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) so as to prevent any deterioration of the Downtown District while promoting economic growth, which is to the benefit of all taxing jurisdictions located within and benefitted by the Downtown District.

Download the Plan

CURRENT BOARD - 4 year term

Lynne Wiercinski - June 30, 2027
Kim Corcoran - Ex-officio - Voting Member
Bruce Greenhill - June 30, 2028
Vacant - Vice Chair - June 30, 2027
Eric Moran - June 30, 2025
Vacant - June 30, 2027
Kevin Nyquist - June 30, 2026
Robbie Sardinha - June 30, 2027
Cathy Flory - Chair - June 30, 2025

Staff Contact

Tom Bergman
Community
Development
Director
906-932-5050 x 126
Fax: 906-932-5745

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Blueprint
Comprehensive Plan
Bylaws
Business Assistance/Programs
Memorial Building Self Guided Tour
Downtown Development Plan and TIF Plan

Economic Development Corporation

Ironwood Economic Development Corporation

The Economic Development Corporation is charged with alleviating and preventing conditions of unemployment, assisting and retaining local industries and commercial enterprises, strengthening and revitalizing the economy of the City of Ironwood, providing means and methods for the encouragement and assistance of industrial and commercial enterprises, including small business concerns, in locating, purchasing, constructing, reconstructing, modernizing, improving, maintaining, repairing, furnishing, equipping, and expanding in the City of Ironwood, encouraging the location and expansion of commercial enterprises in the City of Ironwood, and to more conveniently provide needed services and facilities of the commercial enterprises in the City of Ironwood and its residents. It accomplishes this by implementing the Award Winning Comprehensive Plan.

Current Board - 6 year term
Danielle Virshek – October 31, 2027
Kim Corcoran – October 31, 2027
Carolyn Libby – October 31, 2027
Gina Thorsen – October 31, 2027
Steve Lehto, Jr. – October 31, 2028
Glen Ackerman-Behr - Vice Chair – October 31, 2027
Kenneth Raush – October 31, 2029
Vacant – October 31, 2026
Michael Meyer - Chair – October 31, 2026

Staff Contact

Tom Bergman
Community
Development
Director
906-932-5050 x 126
Fax: 906-932-5745

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Business Assistance/Programs
Bylaws
Comprehensive Plan
Economic Development: What Is It?

Housing Commission

Ironwood Housing Commission

The Ironwood Housing Commission owns, operates and maintains 147 units of public housing in the City of Ironwood. We provide

Safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities in the City of Ironwood, Michigan.
Affordable housing to persons with very low, low and moderate incomes.

The Ironwood Housing Commission is committed to operating in an efficient, ethical and professional manner. The Ironwood Housing Commission creates and maintains ongoing partnerships with its residents and appropriate community agencies in order to accomplish this mission.

Visit the Ironwood Housing Commission.

Human Relations & Equity Committee

Human Relations and Equity Committee

Mission/Vision/Values and Full Ordinance

Human Relations and Equity Committee Ordinance

The Human Relations and Equity Committee (HREC) serves as advisees to the City Commissions and City Staff on human relations, equity, and diversity-related issues and recommend policies, programs, services, and events which enhance human relations, equity and diversity throughout the community. The committee strives to support the following visions, missions, and values.

Vision: To inspire a community that will embrace and celebrate the goodness of everyone.

Mission: Identify and create resources and support for the valuable community conversations regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Gogebic Range.

Values: Honor, transparency, community-building, inclusion, understanding, awareness, kindness, action, positivity, accountability

Member Names and Expiration Dates of Terms – 2 or 3 year terms

Annette Burchell July 31, 2025

Carol Erickson July 31, 2025

Gerald Gripper July 31, 2026

Tarun Patel July 31, 2025

Jesse Carroll July 31, 2026

HREC Projects

Ordinance Review – Recodification

HREC has spent time since 2022 going through all the city ordinances looking for places where language does not reflect diversity, equity, and inclusion values. A final review took place in July, and the City sent the ordinances out for recodification. That process will take approximately 2 years.

Hiawatha Project

The Tri-Panel signage was approved by City Commission and has been printed. A site has been located. Hopefully they will be erected before snow flies in 2024.

Annual Pride Event

HREC participates in Ironwood’s annual Pride event. This includes offering a Proclamation made by the City of Ironwood that entails the declaration that the month of June is Pride month, in which Ironwood celebrates diversity and inclusivity.

First weekend of June

Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE)

The HREC of Ironwood has joined GARE to become part of a support network in efforts to approach the work towards racial equity through local government. The target of GARE is to drive communities in a way that focuses on promoting healthy and joyful lifestyles, that see beyond race, class, ability, sexuality, and gender.

Member since 2024

HREC Survey

Efforts to dive into our communities view on how to improve diversity and inclusion, this survey aims to receive feedback from members of our community in order to work towards an environment where all feel welcome.

HREC Application

Board Application

Ironwood Carnegie Library

The Ironwood Carnegie Library Board of Trustees oversees the operations of the Ironwood Carnegie Library. Staff for the library include paid staff and unpaid volunteers.

Current Board - 5 year term
Amber Hurkmans – December 31, 2029
Kathryn Maciejewski – December 31, 2028
Helen Slining – December 31, 2025
Pam Johnson – December 31, 2027
Wendy Hicks – December 31, 2026
Kim Corcoran - Ex-Officio

Staff Contact

Lynne Wirecinski
Library Director
Lynne@ironwoodcarnegie.org
(906) 932-0203

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Parks
Park and Recreation Plan

Parks and Recreation Committee

Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee

The Parks and Recreation Committee is charged with analyzing, planning, and recommending procedures affecting the recreational, cultural, and life-enrichment aspects of community life, maintaining the City’s Park and Recreation Plan; help coordinate activities of the various groups working in this area so as to encourage initiative, but also to make the best use of the limited resources available, bearing in mind the needs of the residents and the appeal of the activities to tourists and other visitors to the area.

Current Board - 3 year term
Jake Ring – July 1, 2026
Randy Kirchhoff – July 1, 2025
Jerry Nezworski – July 1, 2025
Richard Jenkins – July 1, 2025
Thomas Sams – July 1, 2027
Sam Davey III - Chair – July 1, 2025
Kim Corcoran - Ex-Officio
Tom Kangas - Vice Chair – July 1, 2026

Staff Contact

Tom Bergman
Community
Development
Director
906-932-5050 x 126
Fax: 906-932-5745

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Parks
Park and Recreation Plan

Pat O'Donnell Civic Center

Ironwood Pat O'Donnell Civic Center

The Pat O'Donnell Civic Center board is in charge of overseeing the function and operation of the Civic Center.

Current Board - 3 year term
Robert Stempihar – October 31, 2027
Jerry Gullan – October 31, 2026
Donald Pellinen – October 31, 2025
Marcus Re – October 31, 2027
Bill Thomason – October 31, 2026
Stephanie Peterson - Chair – October 31, 2027
Jim Mildren - Ex-Officio

Staff Contact

Jay Kivisto
Civic Center Manager
civiccenter@ironwoodmi.gov
(906) 932-0602

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Parks
Park and Recreation Plan

Planning Commission

Ironwood Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is charged with the following responsibilities:

1. Preparing and implementing the City’s Comprehensive Plan and additional plans/planning documents.

2. Processing Zoning Requests including: Zoning Amendments (Text and Property), Site Plan Review, Special/Conditional Uses, Development Review.

3. Sale of City owned Surplus Property.

4. Other planning and zoning related matters that may come before it.

If you have a development need that requires Planning Commission review and approval please contact Tom Bergman, Community Development Director, for assistance in the process.

Current Board - 3 year Term
John Spence – December 31, 2027
Scott Bissell - December 31, 2025
Grant Boelter - December 31, 2026
Mark Silver – December 31, 2025
Klaus Kutschke - December 31, 2025
David Andresen – Ex-officio
Sam Davey III - Chair – December 31, 2026
Richard Jenkins - Vice Chair - December 31, 2026

Staff Contact

Tom Bergman
Community
Development
Director
906-932-5050 x 126
Fax: 906-932-5745

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Bylaws
Comprehensive Plan
Maps
Plans
Zoning Ordinance
Zoning Application

Zoning Board of Appeals

Ironwood Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals is charged with the following responsibilities:

Hearing cases for Variance requests and appeals.

Current Board - 3 year Term
Rick Semo - November 3, 2025
Kim Corcoran - November 3, 2025
Steve Lehto - March 31, 2027
Rich Jenkins - March 31, 2026
Nancy Korpela - March 31, 2025

Staff Contact

Tom Bergman
Community
Development
Director
906-932-5050 x 126
Fax: 906-932-5745

Items of Interest

Agendas
Minutes
Bylaws
Comprehensive Plan
Maps
Plans
Zoning Ordinance
Zoning Application

Boards and Commissions

Join a Board

Appointment Process

Ironwood City Commission

City Commissioners

Michigan Municipal League

Staff Contact

Downtown Ironwood Development Authority

Downtown Development Plan & TIF Plan

Staff Contact

Items of Interest

Ironwood Economic Development Corporation

Staff Contact

Ironwood Housing Commission

Human Relations and Equity Committee

Mission/Vision/Values and Full Ordinance

Member Names and Expiration Dates of Terms – 2 or 3 year terms

HREC Projects

HREC Survey

HREC Application

Ironwood Carnegie Library

Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee

Staff Contact

Ironwood Pat O'Donnell Civic Center

Staff Contact

Ironwood Planning Commission

Staff Contact

Items of Interest

Ironwood Zoning Board of Appeals

Staff Contact

Items of Interest

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