In an effort to increase the safety of local students, the Niles City Council voted unanimously to relocate all polling stations away from schools and to other venues.

The action, which came at Monday’s regular meeting of the council, takes effect immediately.

Longtime election inspector Jan Personette praised the decision, saying it would result in safer schools on election day, while also keeping students from being displaced by invasive polling centers.

“I cannot tell you how tickled I am to see this,” said the Niles resident during the citizen participation portion of the meeting.

According to information provided by the council, the relocation will be as follows:

• First Precinct — St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1340 Sycamore St.

• Second Precinct — St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1340 Sycamore St.

• Fourth Precinct — Niles Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 531 N. State St.

The Third Precinct will remain at the Niles Fire Station at 1345 E. Main.

The First Precinct was held at Niles High School, the Second Precinct at Eastside Connections School and the Fourth Precinct at the Niles School District’s Westside Administrative Building.

By moving polling stations away from schools, city officials said it would keep strangers from entering schools in order to vote.

Many school districts have taken similar measures after recent school shooting tragedies, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in which 20 children and six adults were killed.

City Clerk Linda Casperson said St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has enough space to house handle two precincts.

Also Monday, the council:

• Approved the 12th annual Hunter Ice Festival for Jan. 22-24.

• Approved the Dream Paws Animal Rescue 5K run in Riverfront Park for May 21.

• Re-appointed Serita Mason to a two year term on the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission’s NATS Policy Committee.

• Re-appointed Brian Thomas to a three-year term on the Niles Planning Commission.

• Re-appointed Kathleen Alton, Betty Knoll and Patricia Young to one-year terms on the Niles Public Arts Commission and John Lidecker, Candace Skalla, Jeanne Watson and Fredda Zeiter to two-year terms on the Niles Public Arts Commission

• Appointed Christina Arseneau and Mollie Kruck and re-appointed Michael Nassaney, Candace Skalla, Kristie Erickson, Mary Ellen Drolet and Larry Sehy to two year terms on the Fort St. Joseph Archeology Committee.

• Appointed Larry Pickles and re-appointed Katie Furner and Lacey Peters to four-year terms on the Parks and Recreation Board.