Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Airport Park nearing completion

Board approves bid to sell Spirit Creek Timber

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees discussed finishing up some projects at the Airport Recreation Park during a meeting Monday evening.

John Garske, of Coleman Engineering in Ironwood, received some figures regarding rain gutters for the pavilion at the park, as well as an enclosure for the north side of the pavilion.

The figures were gathered for informational purposes, not as bids. Clerk Gayla Salmi researched the cost of installing the gutters through employees at the township, versus bidding the project out.

Figures to install the gutters through a company were more than double what the township would pay to have employees do it.

The board discussed delaying the gutter project until employees had more free time.

"They are in the peak of mowing season now," Salmi said. "Should we worry about this now, or do it later?"

Funding for the park project was provided through a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant, which matches 75 percent of costs. Board members questioned whether the gutters could be paid for through the grant, if funding was still left.

A motion was approved to approve the gutters, as long as funding was available through the grant.

As for the enclosure, the board tabled the issue, to see if grant funding would also be available for it.

Other business

The board approved a bid for the Spirit Creek Timber sale, worth nearly $60,000. The motion was approved with an understanding the money would be designated to the roads and bridges fund.

A motion was also approved to hire four election works for the Aug. 5 election.

Citizen Rudy Grbavcich also spoke to the board about the township's costs for litigation regarding a proposed gravel pit on NorthStar Road.

According to documents Grbavcich received from the township office through the Freedom of Information Act, the township has spent more than $47,000 on litigation costs, for what Grbavcich called "special interest groups."

"In my opinion, if this were to proceed further, it's not in the best interest of Ironwood Township," he said.