Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood Township — Citing the positive relationship so far, the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees Monday renewed the township’s contract with the firm Makela, Pollack & Ahonen for auditing services for the next three years.
Supervisor Alan Baron said he was recommending the township stick with the firm in part because of advice from officials in the Department of Agriculture, who have been working with the township.
“The USDA said they play a big part in rural development and they ... encouraged us to stay exactly where we are at,” Baron said. “With all the findings that we had, and with their talking back and forth with (auditor Gus Ahonen), they feel comfortable that we stay where we are at.”
Trustee Steve Boyd expressed a desire to see more active help from the firm than what was given in in previous years.
“I know they’ve stated they can not do somethings because they are considered managing ... I’m not ask (Ahonen) to manage, but I would like to see a more detailed and active response — like we’ve talked about all along,” Boyd said.
Treasurer Jyl Olson-DeRosso and Clerk Mary Segalin assured him that the relationship has already changed considerably and Ahonen is working with them to address issues as they happen.
“I’m very comfortable asking him questions, and he always gives me an answer,” Segalin said. “... It’s been working fabulous and I really hate to lose the momentum we’ve gotten right now, because we’re addressing (issues with past audits) and he so understands how our township works.”
According to information presented to the board, the township will pay $10,150 the first year, $10,300 the second year and $10,450 the third year of the contract.
The prices could rise if the township asks Ahonen to do more work than he did for the previous audit.
In other action:
— The board didn’t take action regarding a proposal to contract with Rukkila Negro and Associates to work with the township preparing for the audit. The board agreed less work would be needed for future audits and more information was needed regarding the the costs of the work.
— The board discussed the recently created township improvement list — which lays out a schedule for several years of work projects — and agreed while progress has been made, more information regarding costs and funding sources was needed before the list could be put into action.
— The board also authorized permission for township officials to apply for a county grant to remove blighted properties owned by the township, if the township was able to find any eligible projects.
— The board approved the purchase of a new computer for the township offices.
