County board and road commission seek common ground

By TOM STANKARD

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Bessemer - The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners and the county road commission met Wednesday to discuss the road commission's proposed location for a new facility and went over other issues that "needed" to be resolved.

Joe Bonovetz, county board chairman, said the county board disapproves of the proposed site and wanted to discuss it with the road commission. He said the county board doesn't have the power to reject the site, but wants to discuss it.

Darren Pionk, road commission manager-engineer, said the current garage in Bessemer is outdated and does not meet the road commission's needs. He said the new garage proposed on Marshalek Road will be roughly 46,000 square feet and cost about $4.7 million.

"The intent is for the future," Pionk said. "We can't stay where we're at forever - packed in between the school, jail and courthouse. It's probably the worst spot possible for a road commission facility."

Several county board commissioners said the proposed location is considered dangerous by the public and law enforcement and the road commission should look for a new spot.

During past road commission meetings, Pete Matonich, Gogebic County sheriff, and Michigan State Police Wakefield Post troopers have said the proposed site is an "accident waiting to happen."

At Wednesday's meeting road commissioner Marti Wegner said Matonich is only concerned about the proposed location because it's in his "back yard" and has rallied support from law enforcement officers and community members to protest it.

Bonovetz said he has known Matonich for a "long time" and the sheriff would "never do that."

Pionk said he had numerous discussions with the Michigan Department of Transportation about the site. He said the site will have a minimal impact on traffic pulling onto U.S. 2 from Marshalek Road.

"We looked at a traffic study conducted by MDOT and it concluded the best entrance from the complex was onto Marshalek Road."

Pionk said the site also suits the commission's utility needs. "We need 10 acres for development," he said.

Jim Oliver, county board commissioner, said the road commission has claimed it has a lack of funding and asked how it is going to fund the new facility.

Pionk said the road commission started discussing a new facility about 5 years ago, but the commission doesn't have the money yet.

"We're taking steps to afford it. We're trying to fund for the facility properly and still take care of the roads, equipment and our employees," he said.

Pionk said the road commission has time to figure out the final site and how to fund the facility.

The plowing of the county's roads was also discussed at the meeting when several county board members said the community has complained to them about the quality of snowplowing in the area.

Pionk said the road commission isn't "spot on" 100 percent of the time. Like other road commissions in the Upper Peninsula, he said the commission isn't fully staffed and it doesn't have the necessary equipment to respond 24/7.

"Plowing isn't always on time everyday because weather patterns change," he said.

Also on the agenda, the county board of commissioners appointed Roy D'Antonio to the road commission to fill Arthur Lyons spot following his resignation. Bonovetz said D'Antonio was selected amongst a list of applicants.

In a letter, Lyons said he has helped upgrade the road commission's fleet of equipment through the years and has always tried to make decisions based on what was best for citizens of Gogebic County.

As a new board member, D'Antonio said he is honored to be appointed to the board. He said the commission's plowing job is unacceptable, its employes are disgruntled and its equipment is depleted.

D'Antonio said he is just one board member, but wants to make a positive change.

Several area residents commended the county board of commissioners for addressing these issues with the road commission.

Multiple road commission board members said they would like to improve communication with the county board in the future.