Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Brownfield board candidates sought

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Bessemer — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners is seeking to fill three positions on the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

On Wednesday, the board agreed to advertise for candidates.

The terms on the board are for three years.

Neil Beckman chairs the authority.

County clerk Gerry Pelissero said while the board is made up of nine members, there are now only eight seated. Two terms are expiring, so that creates three vacancies in total.

The two members whose terms are expiring can choose to seek reappointment to the board, if they choose.

Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial or commercial facilities in which redevelopment is burdened by real or potential environmental contamination. They may be gas stations, dry cleaners or manufacturing plants.

In other business Wednesday, the board approved a final payment to Hoeft Construction of $4,373 for the Natural Resources building project. There’s a one-year warranty on the siding improvements.

The county received two bids for snowplowing and selected Bessemer Small Engine for plowing near the jail and courthouse at $200 per response, with other considerations to be included.

In other business, the county board:

—Agreed the first meeting of next month will be on Thursday, Nov. 12, because the courthouse will be closed on the regular meeting day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day.

—Approved a one-year pay increase for Donna Frello, a secretary in the county retirement commission office, as scheduled in the union contract. “I have enjoyed my time here and have learned a great deal,” Frello wrote to the board.