Bessemer City Council approves Western Gateway Trail Authority's insurance resolution

By TOM STANKARD

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Bessemer - The Bessemer City Council unanimously approved Monday the Western Gateway Trail Authority's resolution for insurance of the trail.

According to council member Al Gaiss, the group needed $300 from area district members to pay for insurance.

Gaiss said there needs to be "some protection afforded to the trail authority in the event that anybody is injured."

Gaiss said six or seven entities, including all the townships, Wakefield and Bessemer, would cover the cost of insurance for the first year.

Council member Linda Nelson said it's a "good system" and "$300 isn't too much to ask for."

According to information provided at the meeting, the trail authority is seeking to obtain a Michigan Department of Transportation Alternatives Agreement Program grant to support the trail. The trail authority is seeking help from the Gogebic County Road Commission to apply for the grant.

The road commission needs to apply for the grant because it is an eligible agency, whereas the trail authority isn't, according to info presented to the council.

Meanwhile the trail authority is coming up with a resolution for the Gogebic County Board to pass which dictates that the GCB will pay the road commission for a portion of the work of the trail that's going to be reimbursed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant, according to info presented to the council.

Paul Anderson, Coleman Engineering Project Manager said the resolution should be ready for the county board meeting on Oct. 14 and then at the road commission meeting on Oct. 26.

Also on the agenda, the council agreed to not take a position on Gogebic Community College pool efforts, and encourages the community to support the cause.

Council member Doug Olsen said the college board approved to close the pool and see if Snow Flake Aquatics is interested in opening and maintaining the pool.

"I think we have to let the college board handle this," he said. "We don't have the money."

Gaiss said the Bessemer Area School District shutdown the pool at Washington Elementary because it was too expensive to keep open.

"We can't afford to do it once the pool begins to crack and have the need for $100,000s to fix (it)," he said.

"There's a number of people that want to keep the college pool open, but I don't see how we have any money available to do it."

In other action at the meeting:

A number of local residents voiced their opinion about a medical marijuana business to be located at the former grocery store in Bessemer.