The Marquette Township Board has gone through significant changes recently.

In late July, Dennis Liimatta, who had served as township supervisor for more than six years, told the board he had a job offer as superintendent of Grand Blanc Township.

After Liimatta submitted his resignation, the board appointed Trustee Lyn Durant as his replacement.

Township Manager Randy Girard said in an earlier Journal article that the board decided on Durant because they wanted to sustain consistency in operations, rather than having to conduct an external search to find someone who may have been unfamiliar with what’s happening in the township.

Durant has served on the board for about seven years.

The decision to move Durant to supervisor left a vacant trustee seat on the board, which was filled last week with the appointment of John Markes.

Like Durant, Markes is no stranger to government. He served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives back in the 1970s, as well as holding seats at the city, township and county levels downstate.

Moreover, he’s been on Marquette Township’s Zoning Board of Appeals for the last decade. According to trustees, Markes has attended many township board meetings and has offered in-depth information on topics he felt trustees may not have fully understood.

One key item to note, however, is the supervisor and trustee positions will become subject to voter approval in next year’s election, as Durant and Markes’ recent appointments are to last until November 2016.

While we have faith the two will do what they believe is right for the township over the next year, we also feel the need to remind the public of something we have always believed in – community involvement in local government.

Whether you live in Marquette Township or any other municipality for that matter, get involved in your local government. Join a committee or advisory board, run for public office, or at the very least, educate yourself on the issues by attending meetings, reading through the minutes or talking with your community leaders.

Noted Markes: “If you want good government and you want to keep it, you have to be a part of it.”

We couldn’t agree more.