City Commission reorganizes

By TOM LAVENTURE

[email protected]

Ironwood — The Ironwood City Commission held its reorganization meeting on Monday to follow the general election on Nov. 2. 

Kim Corcoran took the oath of office as mayor as the candidate who received the most votes in the general election. David Andresen received the second most votes and took the oath of office as mayor pro tem.

The three remaining commissioners, Nancy Korpela and incumbents Jim Mildren and Rick Semo all took the oath of office together. The board of five commissioners will serve for two-year terms.

The board approved the appointment of city clerk Wendy Hagstrom. She will serve as a co-clerk until the pending retirement of current city clerk Karen Gullan.

“Thank you,” Hagstrom said to the commission and city staff at the meeting. “I look forward to working with all of you.”

Hagstrom was recommended by a search committee of board members and city staff. The committee received 21 applications for the position and interviewed 10 candidates. 

Hagstrom has an extensive background in administrative services as well as public service and will be an excellent addition to the Ironwood team, according to the committee report. The appointment was effective Tuesday.

The city clerk oversees elections and serves as official custodian of city records along with assisting in annual budgets, correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes. The clerk manages staff and temporary election workers under the supervision of the city manager.

Semo asked if the one-month overlap with Gullan is sufficient for Hagstrom to assume full duties. City manager Scott Erickson said the transition should work well with experienced administrative staff in place and Gullan available for questions,

The commission approved several committee appointments to include Mildren and Semo (alternate) reappointments to the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority and Board.

Semo was reappointed to the Historic Ironwood Theatre Board. Mildren was reappointed to the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center Board.

Andresen was appointed the ex officio member of the city Planning Commission. Korpela and Andresen have served on the planning commission prior to being elected to the commission and may no longer serve as voting members.

Corcoran was reappointed an ex officio member of the Parks and Recreation Committee and the Carnegie Library Board. As mayor, Corcoran is automatically appointed to the Downtown Ironwood Development Association.

In the agenda action items, the commissioners authorized bids for the Drinking Water Asset Management Lead Service Line Inventory Verification Project. The project is required with the $214,913 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy that was used for distribution system improvements, according to Bob Tervonen, city utilities manager who was at the meeting.

The bids will be to hire a contractor to expose water service lines using specialized hydro-vac equipment to document or verify existing documentation that water lines are copper, galvanized steel or lead. The inventory of water service lines expires in three years and the city will have 20 years to replace lead and galvanized steel water lines.

The board approved a $10,000 local match toward a $150,000 grant application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Rural Development. If approved, the funds would further develop a mountain bike trail system at Mt. Zion with project partners, Sisu Dirt Crew, Gogebic Range Health Foundation and Gogebic Community College.

“We want to attract people to visit here, to live here and develop businesses here,” said Tom Bergman, city director of community development.

Semo asked about land ownership of the project. Bergman said the city of Ironwood is the primary property owner for first phase construction on approximately 40 acres. A third of the development would occur on GCC property, which has provided a letter of support to move forward and to partner in the project with the city as the grant applicant.

The board thanked former commissioner Joseph Cayer for his service. Cayer, who was not reelected, was encouraged to continue providing input on issues of concern.

In the open comments, Semo recommended the replacement of faded and crooked wayfinding signage that directs motorists to points of interest in the downtown from U.S. 2. Erickson said he would direct the city Department of Public Works to look at the signage.

In other business, the city commission approved:

—The annual designation of the city’s official newspaper as Ironwood Daily Globe and official Radio Stations as WJMS-WIMI and WUPM-WHRY.

—The adoption of the rules of commission with an amendment for gender neutral language in one section.