Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Hurley — The Iron County Board of Supervisors approved having District Attorney Matt Tingstad handle any future parental rights termination cases Tuesday.
The change means Iron County’s corporation counsel, Tim Dean, will no longer need to represent the county in any future hearings.
There hasn’t been many parental rights termination cases in recent years, however, that may be about to change.
“(It hasn’t happened) that frequently in the past,” Director of Human Services Cally Kilger told the Daily Globe. However, Kilger said the switch was made due to the recent increase of drug cases involving defendants with children.
“Most (parental terminations) are typically voluntary,” Kilger said, but she added there may be some upcoming cases that require hearings.
At previous committee meetings, one of the reasons given for the switch is Tingstad’s experience with handling the cases in private practice.
In other action:
—The board approved a three-year contract with the union representing the county’s road deputies. The new contract includes a 2 percent increase for three years in a row.
—The board was introduced to the AmeriCorps volunteers who have been working to build a trail to an overlook over Upson Lake.
—Approved an amendment to the county’s zoning ordinance, dealing with the Rest Lake Floodway Map of the Manitowish River. The change is a standard procedure required by state regulation.
