Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By JUSTIN LIBERTOSKI
Bessemer — The Bessemer School Board discussed the audit report for the 2016 year Monday.
Joe Verlin, from the accounting firm Gabridge, gave the report.
According to Verlin, the district’s fund balance is $382,000, which is 9.7 percent of the annual budget. The state recommends a fund balance of five percent or more.
The district was also issued an unmodified opinion, which is the highest opinion that they can receive. Board member Al Gaiss believes that it is the 25th consecutive year that they have received the highest award for the audit report.
Later in the meeting, the board welcomed new English teacher Kim Grigg. Grigg is a Michigan Tech graduate, who majored in English.
The decision to close Washington Elementary and consolidate to A.D. Johnston High School was also discussed by Deanna Janczak, a member of the citizens committee that recommended consolidation. As part of the proposed consolidation, the district would add another gymnasium to A.D. Johnston, requiring moving the water and gas lines under Iron Street.
Janczak said the committee wants to get the facts out regarding the proposed consolidation to try and build support for the eventual ballot measure necessary to move forward with the project.
“I think the message has to be out there, that if people are hearing things other than (what’s) coming from the committee or the board they really need to do fact checking and find out these are not facts. They’re just random things pulled out of the air to sabotage the referendum again,” Superintendent Dave Radovich said.
