By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


The Northfield Township Board of Trustees has appointed a new member to their vacant seat.

When former Treasurer Lenore Zelenock moved out of the township and resigned from her post, Trustee Jacquelyn Otto was appointed to her seat. At Tuesday’s Board meeting, 6 candidates for the newly opened Trustee seat were given time to share with the Board and the audience their qualifications, desires and goals, should they be appointed.

In the end, it was Rachel Smith who got the nod and was sworn in. Smith is a structural engineer who runs her own company in the township. She said she wants to support responsible development as detailed in the master plan and has no agenda other than wanting to improve the community for her two 2 children and neighbors. Northfield Supervisor Ken Dignan nominated Smith and shared what he felt set her apart. Dignan told WHMI he took a look at the diversity of all the skills and skillsets they have on the Board and felt Smith brought something to the table that they didn’t have in her engineering background. He said he thinks she will bring a great perspective and shares a value set that is in line with the community, in general. Smith was approved by a 5-1 vote.

Dignan, Otto, and Trustee Janet Chick all spoke to the impressive quality of candidates while encouraging those who weren’t selected to run again in an election or to consider other boards and committees to become a part of.

One candidate, Adam Olney, was unable to attend due to contracting COVID-19 and being quarantined. Fellow candidate Marissa Prizgint was complimented for having the integrity to read a prepared statement by Olney, on his behalf at public comment. One other candidate, Udo Huff, arrived at the end of the meeting after Smith had been sworn in. He expressed frustration, claiming to have sent an email saying he couldn’t be there on time due to a business meeting. When there was nothing the Board could do for him, Huff told them “You will hear from me, don’t worry about it.”