MUSKEGON COUNTY, Muskegon County Commissioner Darrell Paige passed away over the weekend following a battle with cancer that lasted more than a year. The Muskegon County Commission now has 30 days from Saturday, the day of his death, to appoint a successor to his District 7 seat.
If the board cannot agree on someone to fill Paige’s position, the seat will remain vacant until a special election is held, according to Muskegon County Clerk Karen Buie.
“Hopefully the commissioners can come to some agreement, because even if they make the appointment, that person will still have to run for election in August, if there’s a primary, and in November,” Buie said.
Paige represented District 7, which includes all of Muskegon Heights and parts of Norton Shores and the city of Muskegon.
Buie said failure to appoint someone within the required timeframe would be a disservice to residents.
“I think it would be a disservice if that community has to wait until January of 2027 to have anybody that speaks to their needs and their wants in their community,” she said.
Buie, who said she and Paige were friends for decades, described his passing as a tremendous loss.
“It’s such a great, great loss. I don’t even know if there are any words to really express how sad we are and how much we miss him,” Buie said.
She remembered Paige, a commissioner and former mayor of Muskegon Heights, as loving, kind, and wise, calling him a “valiant fighter” until the end.
“He was a man of great faith, and all the way until the Lord called him home, he was just so calm and loving and secure,” Buie said.
Paige was 65 years old.
Buie added that for many in the tight-knit community, it feels like losing family.
The Muskegon County Board of Commissioners is expected to meet Thursday to discuss next steps, with public comment included on the agenda.
