Ludington Daily News -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 10/18/2005
Last Visited: 10/19/2005
Ludington school board Vice President Tim Heinrich read fellow board member Jim Nickelson's letter of resignation to the full board Monday because, after more than 15 years on the board, Nickelson was afraid he would have trouble saying goodbye.
In his letter, Nickelson thanked the Ludington area voters "for allowing me to serve for one of best school systems in the state of Michigan."
Not only did Nickelson serve on the Ludington Area Schools Board of Education through the 1990s and beginning of the 2000s, his father, Bill, served on the board from
1969-75 and again in the 1980s.Nickelson's mother, Sylvia, was also a local school board member, serving on the Lincoln Valley School District board in the 1940s, and his grandmother served on that board during the 1920s and 1930s.
In his letter of resignation, Nickelson said he was finding that he had to devote more time to his business, Needlefast Evergreens.
What was Nickelson's favorite memory of his time on the Ludington school board?
"I think it was a big moment for the board and the community when the community approved the bond issue to improve the high school and junior high, and approved the sinking fund for the elementary schools," he said.
"This was definitely something we needed," he said about the building renovation projects.
For his many years of service on the board, Superintendent Cal DeKuiper presented Nickelson with a lifetime activities pass â€" made of metal â€" ensuring Nickelson's continued connection to the school district.