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CENTRAL LAKE -Upon the announcement of retirement from Superintendent Mike Linton earlier this month, the Board of Education is starting the process of finding a new person for the role next school year.

The school board has asked Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District (Char-Em ISD) to assist in the search. As part of the search process, the ISD will host a series of forums to gather input from the community and school personnel on what they want in their next superintendent.

The public meeting will be Monday, Feb. 4 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the board room.

"The main purpose (of the forum) is to find out the characteristics that the community is looking for in their next superintendent. It's a way that the board of education can gather input from the community as the board starts to look for a superintendent," said Diane Litzenburger, director of communications for Char-Em ISD.

At the forum, Char-Em ISD Superintendent Mark Eckhardt will go over the tentative time frame to fill the position by July 1.

"The ISD will be running the search process," Linton said. "The people there will be conducting the meeting and take down ideas the community has on what they'd like to see."

Meetings with school staff and board of education members are scheduled for other times during the day on Feb. 4.

Linton, who has been with the school district since 2003, serving first as the k-12 principal and for the last two years as superintendent, said he is retiring for the second time.

He first retired from a school district downstate, but came back to work for Central Lake. He said he has no plans on returning again.

"It's just time," he said. "I have a couple grandchildren now. I want to spend more time with them."

Linton will be staying in the area, but there are things he will miss about working in the schools.

"I think I'll miss the interaction with the kids," he said. "I won't miss the financial difficulties, but it's been a great school to work in and it's a great community to live in."

Hadley Robinson can be reached at hrobinson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-533-8523.