The Mackinac Island State Park Commission will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 6, at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Lyon Meadows Conference Center in New Hudson.

The meeting agenda includes a report from auditor Douglas Wohlberg, a presentation of a revised 2026 operating budget, Mackinac Island airport business, fees revisions, policy updates, use permit requests, lease renewal requests, and updates on the Fort Michilimackinac Reenactment. 

The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is the seven-member governing body of Mackinac State Historic Parks. In 1875, the government land on Mackinac Island—encompassing 50 percent of the island—was designated the second national park in the United States. It was turned over to the State of Michigan in 1895, becoming Michigan’s first state park. At that time, the state legislature created the Mackinac Island State Park Commission to be stewards of the park and its many historic structures. Due to the commission’s efforts, parkland now encompasses more than 80 percent of Mackinac Island, which includes 1,800 acres. The commission also oversees and manages parks on the mainland. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is responsible for a combined 2,500 acres of parkland within Mackinac State Historic Parks, over 110 buildings, and approximately 1.7 million artifacts.

“During its 131 years of history, the commission has protected, preserved and presented the parks’ historic and natural resources by securing additional park acreage, restoring historic structures, and creating and operating one of the most visited history museum systems in the nation,” said Steve Brisson, Mackinac State Historic Parks Director.

Mackinac Island State Park Commissioners, who serve six-year terms, are appointed by the governor of Michigan and subject to confirmation by the Michigan Senate. Commission Chairman Dan Loepp began his chairmanship in September of 2019. He has served on the Mackinac Island State Park Commission since 2015.

Click here for a downloadable version of this release. The meeting will be available live at the Mackinac State Historic Parks YouTube channel.