Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RALPH ANSAMI
Ironwood — The $2 million the city of Ironwood will seek in a grant to replace booster pumps at the city well-field would be used for the first phase of a project there, according to city manager Scott Erickson.
At a special meeting on Thursday evening, the city commission agreed to seek the $2 million in a Michigan Economic Development Corporation Strategic Fund Community Development Block Grant.
The MEDC invited Michigan communities to apply for the Infrastructure Capacity Enhancement competitive funding.
The city’s match to the ICE grant, $222,222, would come from the city’s water-sewer fund, Erickson said.
No members of the public showed up for the public hearing.
Erickson said the future phases of the project will depend on funding and there’s no guarantee the city will receive the $2 million for the first phase.
The original booster pumps were installed in the 1920s.
Replacing the pumps is the top priority at the well-fields, while work on the clear well there is second on the priority list.
Erickson said a feasibility study on the pump station was previously completed.
A community development plan was adopted Thursday in connection with the application.
A total of 55.5 percent of the city’s residents are low and moderate income persons, as determined by an income survey approved by the MEDC.
