Boards and Commissions

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 Blueprint Plan as part of the city-wide Comprehensive Plan. The DIDA is a City committee whose membership includes business representatives, city officials, and city 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.

Current Board - 4 year term

Lynne Wiercinski - June 30, 2027
Kim Corcoran - Ex-officio - Voting Member
Bruce Greenhill - June 30, 2024
Robert Alexander - Vice Chair - June 30, 2027
Eric Moran - June 30, 2025
Nancy Korpela - June 30, 2027
Ben Thompson - 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

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
Bob Schonberg – 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
Nancy Korpela – 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?

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.

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
Paul Kostelnik – July 1, 2024
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

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, 2024
Scott Bissell - December 31, 2025
Stephanie Holloway - December 31, 2023
Mark Silver – December 31, 2025
Vacant - December 31, 2025
David Andresen – Ex-officio
Sam Davey III - Chair – December 31, 2023
Richard Jenkins - Vice Chair - December 31, 2023

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

Ironwood Zoning Board of Appeals

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

1. 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

Join a Committee

Ironwood is looking for citizens willing to help their community by joining the various committees that keep our town functioning and moving forward. Please fill out the application and turn it into the City Clerk’s office.

Current Board/Commission in need of members are:

• Ironwood Economic Development Corporation to fill unexpired term (Term ending October 31, 2026)
• Planning Commission Board member to fill expired term (3 year term. Term expiring December 31, 2022).

Board Application

Appointment Process

1. City of Ironwood advertises for expiring or vacant term.
2. Applications are to be submitted to the City Clerk clerk@ironwoodmi.gov.
3. Mayor to appoint applicants to various boards with Commission approval  (Housing Commission is appointed by the City Manager).
4. Clerk will contact applicants with the outcome of the appointments.