Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Ontonagon Economic Development Corporation officers look over the details of the budget they have sent the Ontonagon County Board. From left are: chairman Sue Preiss, secretary DaWayne Holtz, vice-chairman Tom Poisson and treasurer Nancy Hillier.
ONTONAGON - The Ontonagon County EconomicDevelopment Corporation with just $30 in the bank is looking to the Ontonagon County Board to assist in keeping the unit in operation.
Wednesday, the EDC held its annual reorganization meeting, acknowledging that it does not know what the future of the organization will be with the state actions which removed more than $600,000 in Revolving Loan Funds to a central organizational board, but left the EDC with some of the duties in qualifying requests for that money.
The EDC also has the lease for the Ontonagon harbor dock and hopes that some development will be forthcoming in that area.
The directors re-elected theirpresent leadership Sue Preiss, president; DaWaye Holtz, Bruce Crossing, secretary; and Nancy Hillier, Bergland, treasurer. Vice-chairman Fred Sliger's term had expired and he did not stay with the EDC. Tom Poisson was elected vice-chairman.
Hiller noted that it is not known what will happen regarding the EDC next year and it would be best for the present officers to stay until possible operational duties are better clarified.
Dale Parent, vice-chairman of the Ontonagon County Board of Commissioners, is sitting on the EDC board in the place of the late Hubert Lukkari until the county makes its permanent appointment to the board. He said that he is discussing with the county the EDC budget and the possibility that the county could assume some of the financial obligations.
Preiss said that she and Poisson had submitted a "bare bones" budget to the county. She noted the budget is $6,218.54 and includes someone in the EDC office for three hours one day a week from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The EDC also decided to hold quarterly meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m.
The EDC named four committees: Revolving Loan, Harold Amos, Tom Poisson, the designated member of the county board and Hillier as alternative; Fund Raising, DaWayne Holtz, Skip Schulz and Preiss; Finance and Strategic Planning, Amos, Preiss, Holtz and Hillier; and Tourism, Schultz, Holtz and Hillier.
