Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Members of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners prepare for their regular meeting while waiting for others to arrive in person or by phone on Wednesday. The meeting was held in the large court room of the Gogebic County Courthouse to allow for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
By TOM LAVENTURE
Bessemer - A public hearing on a county resolution to seek grant funding to purchase forestland was delayed due to lack of mobility from the coronavirus, according to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday.
The commission 6-0 approved the delay of a public hearing for the purpose commentary on the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fun grant application proposal for land acquisition of parcels totaling approximately 4,000 acres located in Gogebic County. The public will now have the opportunity to present comments in writing, email or other communication with the county clerk of court office through April 17.
The public hearing will be held at a regular meeting following the deadline. At that time the county board will consider the resolution of commitment for 25% local matching funds for the grant application, titled, "Flannery Forestland Acquisition Project."
The resolution stated that the proposed application is supported by the county's five-year approved recreation plan. The county desires to purchase the forestland parcels to enhance public natural resources and recreational opportunities.
The land exists within county owned forestry land and currently belongs to the Melvin Flannery Estate. Flannery Trucking and Contracting of Crandon, Wisconsin, is offering the sale of the logging land, saying it is consistent with the wishes of the late Flannery who passed away at age 91 on April 14, 2018.
The Flannery appraisal of the land was $22,000. Their fair market value report of the timber is $3.8 million.
Commissioners physically present at the meeting included Dan Siirila, chair; James Byrns, vice-chair; Tom Laabs, Joe Bonovetz and James Lorenson. Commissioners Bob Orlich and George Peterson appeared by phone.
Lorenson was not in the meeting room at the time of the vote. He was assisting an individual who was having some difficulty outside of the court.
The board 7-0 approved extension pay for employees working remotely through April 10. The matter may be revisited at an emergency meeting that is to be planned for next week.
Commissioner Laab asked that all charges made to the county at this time be tracked for the purpose of possible reimbursement at some point in the future.
The commission discussed the idea of maintaining some daily physical presence in the county offices. No action was taken but county department directors will be asked to explain work plans and show how daily work flow is being performed remotely or at county offices.
The board approved receipt of two resolutions and one support letter request from the Upper Peninsula Association of County Commissioners.
The first was a letter express UPACC opposition to Senate Bill 431, as written. If passed, the bill would remove local government's zoning authority and oversight capability, preempting township regulations for sand and gravel mining operations, regardless of where it is located or the impact to nearby residents, according to the letter.
Additional concerns are the unavoidable risks to public health, safety and welfare. Similar to the Michigan Township Association, the UPACC believes local government must maintain its already limited authority regarding mining operations, and is best equipped to balance the needs of residents with the impact of mining operations, the letter said.
Commissioner Bonovetz said the big concern is that the state would end up with the exclusive authority to make decisions in matters that were largely under local control.
"The concern is that there won't be any stopping them," Bonovetz said. "They could locate a gravel pit anywhere and the town would have no say about it."
A UPACC resolution was received that requests that the Great Lakes shoreline be declared a disaster area due to record high water levels and increase storms and high wave action. The request is to seek assistance for damage to shoreline erosion, roads, private property and public infrastructure across the state.
The shoreline conditions directly affect business and U.P. tourism by limiting access to beaches, boat landings and parks along the shorelines and loss and damaged property directly affects the local, county and state tax base, the resolution stated.
The second resolution called for "emergency management and safe schools." It requests that funds for a new Office of Public Safety division could be better used by redistributing funds through existing local emergency management Public Act 390 programs already providing safe school protocols in their respective jurisdictions. It recommends the Office of School Safety to be established within the Michigan State Police department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and distribute local funding in collaboration with local county emergency management managers.
The county board meeting and future meetings will be broadcast on Facebook live with access via the county's Facebook page.
