Wakefield Township renews energy agreement

By IAN MINIELLY

iminielly@yourdailyglobe.com

Wakefield TOWNSHIP — Wakefield Township’s 30-year franchise agreement with Xcel Energy was about to expire, so the township board renewed it with Michael BeBeau from Xcel in attendance Tuesday.

Township chairman John Cox said he has lived in many places over the years and is pleased with the energy provision by Xcel in the township.

The board discussed which roads are scheduled for chip sealing and blacktopping when the weather turns warmer. The portion of Old U.S. 2 that goes through the township and Sampson Road are both going to get chip-sealed, while Indianhead Road and North County 519 from the township line to the township hall are going to get patches to repair larger blocks.

With MTRALE from Ontonagon planning to take over the off-road vehicle/snowmobile trail from Wakefield to Korpela Road, the county chapter meeting is scheduled for Feb. 22 for discussion.

Cox said Marenisco, Watersmeet and Wakefield Townships are all displeased with the disbursements of payment in lieu of taxes money to Gogebic County, especially considering all three townships have large chunks of federal land within their borders. Cox said Gogebic County receives around $600,000 in PILT money and the three townships should receive some of that money for the services they provide. The three chairmen are discussing methods and options to receive their shares of the money.

Wakefield Township struggles every year with garbage pick-up on roads that are weather-restricted because of thawing. In the past, the township has tried Dumpsters, which was unsuccessful, and bags, which were equally unsuccessful. This year, Gogebic Range Solid Waste is planning on using large pickup trucks to drive the restricted roads so all residents are able to have their trash collected during the spring thaw.