County board organizes for 2019 Wednesday

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Bessemer — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners will meet Wednesday at 5 p.m. for a re-organizational session.

The board originally planned to meet last week for the session, but was unable to do so.

The regular meetings will continue on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 5 p.m., with the finance committee meeting the fourth Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m.

A chair and vice-chair will be elected Wednesday.

One of the first actions of the new board will be to act on the resignation of James W. Peterson, of Ironwood, from the Department of Health and Human Services board of directors. He has resigned effective Jan. 4.

Appointments to the Gogebic County Transit Board, Upper Peninsula State Fair Authority and Upper Peninsula Commission on Area Progess board are also on the agenda for Wednesday.

County treasurer Lisa Hewitt has requested credit cards for new county commissioners, which needs to be acted on.

A letter from Sheriff Peter Matonich on filling the position of sheriff’s department Sgt. George Beninghaus, who plans on retiring March 29, is also on the agenda. Matonich has requested to discuss filling the job with the board. He said he would like to begin the process as soon as possible “to allow a smooth transition.”