County looks to fund EDA office

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Bessemer — The work to open a county economic development authority office is moving forward, according to a report to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday.

In her county administrator's report, Juliane Giackino said she and county board chair Dan Siirila took part in a Wednesday conference call with the U.S. Economic Development Association's regional office in Chicago. The two asked questions about starting a county economic development office.

“This is still an ongoing process, Giackino said.

The work to open an EDA office started following a county economic survey conducted for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, she said. The county is eligible to apply for an EDA grant for the office due to area unemployment rates, income levels, and the 2018 flood disaster, she said.

“We qualify in more than one area of the EDA's grant process but there still is a 20% match and that's something that must be a county board decision,” Giackino said.

The county's economic development fund could be used to fund a matching grant, she said. But the first step is to ensure there are no state moneys in the fund, she said.

“We’re moving forward but the grant has to be done sooner than later,” Giackino said.

The structure for a county EDA exists from the previous office and board that stopped functioning a decade ago, she said. A new EDA office would require the participation of municipalities in the county, Giackino said, noting that Ironwood has its own EDA office.

The board approved tax anticipation funding for the county ambulance contract with Beacon Ambulance Service and Aspirus Health Care. The request was presented by James Lorenson, district four commissioner, who is on the finance committee.

The county anticipates millage money for the ambulance contract to start coming in by December, Lorenson said. The approval allows the county to borrow up to 50% of the potential collectable millage with a tax anticipation loan to pay the next quarter's payments prior to receiving the proceeds from the millage, he said.

In other business, the board voted to:

—To adopt and authorize signatures for a Dickinson County resolution to support the Enbridge Line No. 5, and the proposal to invest $500 million to build a 1-foot thick concrete tunnel 100 feet below to cross the Straights of Mackinac.

—To adopt a resolution acknowledging Sept. 8-14 as National Suicide Prevention Week.