The Macomb County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 23 appointed Kenneth (Ken) Goike to fill the District 1 vacancy created by the resignation of Commissioner Don Brown, voting 12-0 to approve the appointment for the partial term through certification of a special election.

The board conducted a roll call after interviews of 15 applicants for the seat, then named Goike the winner by majority. The motion to appoint was made and supported on the record; the final vote was recorded as 12-0 in favor.

Why it matters: The appointment fills a seat that commissioners described as central to county leadership. Brown, who resigned his commission seat earlier this month to accept a role in the county’s public works office, received extended public remarks and a proclamation acknowledging his years of service.

Commissioners who spoke in praise of Brown described him as a longtime mentor and county leader who worked across districts. Commissioner Lucido called Brown “a mentor, a friend,” and several commissioners noted Brown’s consistent presence at community events and committee work across the county. Former Commissioner Brown told colleagues he would continue working with county residents from his new position in public works and said he planned to assist commissioners with constituent needs in their districts.

After the vote, Goike thanked the board for its confidence and said he would not let them down, calling Brown’s tenure “good footsteps” to follow. He said he looked forward to building relationships across districts and continuing “one mission, one team.”

The board’s appointment process: Chair Joe Sabatini thanked all 15 applicants and noted the range of applicants — former commissioners, trustees and community leaders — who applied for the vacancy. The board’s announcement said the appointee will serve a partial term until the county certifies a special election to fill the seat permanently.

The vote and next steps: The board approved the appointment 12-0. Commissioners noted they would shortly process the formal paperwork for the appointment and asked staff to proceed with administrative steps associated with seating the new commissioner.

Ending: The board concluded the appointment item and moved on to other agenda business, including committee recommendations and resolutions that were also approved at the Jan. 23 meeting.