Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood Township — The planned repairs to the Sunset Park baseball field are moving forward, despite costs being higher than expected, after the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees approved the additional funding Monday.
The increase in cost is due to needing more material than originally expected.
The repairs to the ball field’s infield are likely to require around 80 yards of clay — rather than the 25 yards originally expected.
The extra clay raises the price from roughly $2,400 to $6,000, with the sand being added to the infield being another $900.
“It ended up being more than we thought, but this should be good for decades,” Township Supervisor Steve Boyd said.
The repairs call for removing approximately eight inches of existing clay from the infield, and replacing it with roughly four inches of sand and four inches of clay.
The township employees will do the work, and the $6,900 approved for the project comes from the township’s parks and recreation budget.
According to information presented in August when the project was first approved, the money for the repairs comes from money the township received from the Department of Natural Resources and is earmarked for recreation spending.
The removed clay is planned to be used as fill, Boyd said.
He also said he hopes the work will be completed before winter, having said at a previous meeting the winter would allow the ground to settle before the field is used again.
In other action:
—The board re-appointed LeRoy Johnson to another two-year term as noxious weeds commissioner.
—The board also re-appointed Trustee Bernie Brunello to a two-year term on the Gogebic Range Water Authority.
—The township plans to join with Bessemer and Marenisco townships in seeking a grant to host a tire collection event for residents.
—The board discussed purchasing security cameras for the township hall and parking lot, but decided more information was needed on township policy before the purchase could be made.
—Scott Carlson reminded the board the township fire department’s fun frolic will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in the township hall’s gymnasium.
