×

Local government ROUNDUP

Recent actions by local governments in Northeast Michigan:

∫ The Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners selected the Saginaw-based Spicer Group to complete safety inspections on the Grand Lake and Lake Emma dams. The county will pay the firm $675 for the inspection of the Grand Lake Dam, according to county Drain Commissioner Mary Ann Heidemann.

The inspection for the Lake Emma Dam will cost $775, which Heidemann said will be paid from a special assessment fund paid for by residents who live on the lakefront. Inspections of the dams occur every three years and the county has until the end of the year to complete the inspections.

Also in Presque Isle County, Airport Manager Allan Stiller said the Rogers City Airport is due to get cracks in the runway repaired. Stiller said the state has a crack-sealing program that would help the county fund the repairs.

Stiller said he needs to get an estimate of what the repairs would cost and present those costs to county commissioners by the end of August. He would like to have a decision from the commissioners by the first week of October as to whether they are willing to fund the repairs.

He would then forward a proposal to the state to get on the schedule for crack-sealing repairs for 2020.

∫ The Rogers City City Council voted 4-to-1 to purchase ice eaters for each fixed dock at the boat harbor, for a total cost of $7,000. Councilman Larry Fuhrman cast the dissenting vote.

Fuhrman said he understands the harbor needs the ice eaters, but believes the timing of the purchase to be “very unfortunate.” He said the council recently discussed at a previous meeting not having funding for a police officer and was concerned about the image that was going out in the community.

City Manager Joe Hefele pointed out funding for the ice eaters will come from the marina’s fund balance, not the city’s general fund. Hefele said that, because the water level is so high, and based on projections from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the docks could sustain “at least a quarter-million dollars” in damage this winter if city officials do nothing.

The ice eaters will allow marina staff to keep the water around the docks moving and open and prevent the docks from being frozen in, twisted or mangled, according to the city manager’s report.

∫ The Alcona County Board of Commissioners recently heard about the countywide clean-up from organizer Bill Thompson. Thompson said the event was successful, that there were lines, but that things moved quite well.

A total of 244 vehicles came through the gates. The event brought in $10,111 in revenue but cost $9,905 to hold, leaving a balance of $206.

“Overall, you can say we broke even,” Thompson said.

Thompson said a state grant paid for the disposal of tires. He noted that, if the clean up is not able to get a tire grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy in the future, the cost of putting on the event would be $2,000 more, meaning the coordinating fee for the event would likely increase.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today