COVER PHOTO: Denise Dykstra (right) is administered the oath of office Jan. 3 as clerk by Martin Township Supervisor Glenn Leep while Treasurer Sue Tiemeyer looks on.

The appointment of Denise Dykstra to the post of Martin Township Clerk surprised virtually nobody.

Dykstra, who actually won her appointment at a special meeting Tuesday, Jan. 3, succeeds Rachelle Smit, who resigned at the end of 2022 to be sworn in as 43rd District State Representative in Lansing. Smit spent about two years grooming Dykstra, who was deputy clerk, so she could handle her duties in a smooth transition.

Dykstra, in comments addressed to the board, said, “Thank you for appointee clerk of Martin Township. I am grateful for this appointment and look forward to working with you all more.”

The new clerk is no stranger to Martin. Besides serving as deputy clerk, she has been active with the Farmers Market program and in Martin school programs.

All four of her sons have attended or graduated from Martin Public Schools. Her husband, Jason, is a member of the Martin Village Council and he was elected two months ago to a seat on the Martin Board of Education.

She may be more familiar to Townbroadcast readers as the author of the “Everyday Joys” weekly column.

In other business at Wednesday night’s meeting, the Township Board:

• Welcomed Josh Wickham, owner of the Wickham Cemetery Care service, which handles cemetery duties for about 20 area townships and villages, including Orangeville, Middleville, Yankee Springs, Caledonia and Hastings. Wickham is the new sexton, succeeding Mark Simpson, who resigned at the end of the previous year.
• Was told by Dillon Thomas of Martin Fire & Rescue that the department handled 282 calls for all of last year, including 106 medical calls, 51 accidents and 33 fires.
• Agreed to the appointments of Greg Scotsma and Matt McVean to the Planning Commission, succeeding Pete Zeinstra and Dan Diekema.
• Learned the road graveling program by the Allegan County Road Commission will cover 11th Street, Third Street, 122nd Avenue, 12 Street and 120th Avenue, between six and seven miles in total.
• Tabled a proposal to have the township adopt a resolution from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program enacting an ordinance governing rules for flood plains and gaining flood insurance.
• Learned that the JC Wheeler Library’s annual Festival of the Trees fund-raiser gained a record $1.039.
• Was told by Allegan County Commissioner Gale Dugan that Dan Fritsch has been hired as new recycling coordinator for the county, succeeding Rosemary Graham.