Western Gateway Trail Authority makes strides

BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners approved a Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant Wednesday.

According to chairman Joe Bonevetz, the grant approval will allow the Western Gateway Trail Authority to continue.

Gogebic County Prosecuting Attorney Richard Adams said he agreed with the boards approval.

“It’s a worthwhile project that potentially benefits the area,” he said. “I know that has been the experience in communities that have sponsored trail projects.”

In the past, Adams said he’s been involved with the project and communicated with people on the subject.

“My job was to cover the county’s tail as best possible,” he said. “This whole project is very complicated with number of people involved — the people who have backed up the finance committees; the state agencies involved that are going to review things as it goes along. I touched base with someone who’s very experienced in banking and community development. He made a number of suggestions on how to firm things up. I followed those suggestions and got the insurances that he was comfortable with.”

After hearing Adams’ approval, the board unanimously voted to approve the resolution for accepting the grant and authorized proper signatures.

With the board’s approval, Paul Anderson of the Western Gateway Trail Authority said they can now continue to establish a trail from Ironwood to Bessemer and eventually to Detroit as part of Iron Belle Trail.

“Without the trust fund grant, the Western Gateway Trail Authority would have died,” Anderson said.

In other action, the board:

—Made a motion indicating they received and put on file a resolution from the West-Central Upper Peninsula Community Corrections. The WCUP is a six-county program that provides alternative sentencing options for felons and misdemeanors. Recently, the Department of Corrections reduced funding for the WCUP from $349,130 to $53,533. The WCUP asked the board to consider helping to reinstate the program’s funding.

—Placed a letter on file from Jason Oberle, superintendent, United States Department of the Interior: Bureau of Indian Affairs. In the letter, Oberle reviewed Chairperson of Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians James Williams Jr.’s application for acquiring approximately .55 acres of land into trust. Williams said the tribe will use this land for housing.

—Placed a letter on file from the Gerry Pelissero of the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress. He requested the board include UPCAP in its budget with dues of $800.