Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — The Bessemer City Council voted on Monday evening to approve a request by Jeremy Johnson and Melissa Anderson to purchase city property on the corner of Mine Street and First Avenue for $1 with the understanding that construction of a home must commence within a year.
The vote included the understanding that Johnson and Anderson must submit a related site plan, as requested by Mayor Peter Tacconelli.
City Councilman Adam Zak also requested that the agreement include the caveat that “any major deviations from plans would mean the city reneges on the deal.”
The action followed a discussion relating to the specific request in relation to the city’s policy of selling unneeded plots for $1 with the understanding that the persons buying the land commence with construction of a house within a year.
Zak said he has received feedback from city residents that some people using the city’s $1 deal do not intend to honor the intention to build on the property as expected by the city.
Hence, he recommended, hereon, that the city use “fail-safes” such as he and the mayor ultimately suggested for the Johnson and Anderson deal.
In an April 2 letter to council, Johnson and Anderson said they intend to clear, landscape and prepare the land for a prefab home that they expect to serve as their primary residence by fall.
Johnson, who attended the meeting, provided a hard copy of construction details and thanked council members after their vote.
By voting to approve the request by Johnson and Anderson, council members did not opt to grant a request by James and Susan Prezkop to purchase the same piece of property, noted as 506 S. Mine St. in their March 28 letter, with intentions to erect a structure by the end of the year.
The Prezkops previously had purchased the same property under the city’s $1 deal, but Zak said they did not follow through with construction, as agreed, and so the land was reclaimed by the city.
In other news, council members also voted to table action in relation to the Bessemer Area Historical Society’s desire to arrange for the construction of a new building.
After the meeting, Interim City Manager Mandy Lake — who is also Clerk/Treasurer — told The Globe that BAHS Treasurer Richard Steiger is seeking a new location after original plans to build on South Sellar Street did not work out due to confusion over lot ownership.
Council members also:
—Approved the city’s authorization to consult with North of 45 LLC in Hancock as needed for zoning issues.
—Approve a resolution to decertify Water Works Road from the state’s Act 51 Mileage Certification Report on the grounds that it is inaccessible to traffic.
—Approved any requests for returns of donations targeted to a pending new Iron Belle Trailhead behind City Hall. The project is on hold after being rejected for state grants the past two years.
—Voted to accept and file a Sept. 4 letter from Ann Parker, who raised concerns about plans by the Bessemer Area School District to purchase electric buses. After the meeting, Lake said no action was taken because the matter refers to the school system rather than the city.
—Voted to accept and file a March 11 request by the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team to provide funding to help with its operating expenses.
—Voted to authorize the payment of $213 to the mayor for his transportation expenses to attend a state commemoration last month in relation to the city’s three-year utility and road work project. The council also voted on March 25 to authorize a payment of $417 to councilwoman Linda Nelson to cover her expenses for the same event. Tacconelli and Nelson did not participate in those votes.
The council also held a workshop meeting on April 3 in relation to the pending 2024-2025 budget.
“The budget workshop went well,” said Lake in an April 8 email. “We will be posting a public hearing notice to discuss the budget on April 22. This will be part of our regularly scheduled meeting.”
She said a link to the budget draft may be posted to the city’s website by today.
“The budget will hopefully be adopted at the regular meeting on May 13,” said Lake.
The council’s next regular meeting will be on April 22 at 6 p.m. in the council chamber of the Bessemer City Hall.
