Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Marenisco — The Marenisco Township board of trustees voted Monday evening to authorize the submission of an injunction to prevent the Michigan Department of Corrections from filling in a self-sufficient sewer system within the grounds of the now closed Ojibway Correctional Facility.
MDOC has argued that the well and wastewater system on the former prison property, which is on township land, is too expensive to maintain.
However, Marenisco Township supervisor Richard Bouvette told the Globe Tuesday that he does not agree and argued that the property should be left alone, pending possible renewal of its use.
Last month, Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Houghton, told local residents that he is pushing for the state to consider using the OCF property as a training center for MDOC’s correctional employees.
Markkanen’s proposal already passed the state House and then advanced to the state Senate, although he conceded that MDOC will make the final decision on the property’s fate.
Meanwhile, Bouvette is also awaiting a response on the township’s separate appeal to the state Court of Appeals. The Feb. 7 action was in relation to a lower court’s ruling against Marenisco’s attempt to sue MDOC for closing OCF at the end of last year without properly notifying residents here in advance.
The first hope of Bouvette and other Marenisco officials is that the prison itself could be reestablished.
Bouvette also has said before that, even if the property is sold to a private interest, the decision of whether to keep the wastewater system should be left to the next property owner.
According to the supervisor, Marenisco Township attorney Jim Bucknell will submit the new injunction in relation to the wastewater system.
Citizens to decide Marijuana enterprise
In other news, Bouvette said a Marenisco initiative has gathered enough signatures to put the question of marijuana enterprise on the November ballot.
After a related public hearing in May, the Marenisco Township board voted in June to pass a Marijuana Facilities Ordinance that outlined the terms under which marijuana could be processed and sold within the township.
The ordinance was unprecedented in Gogebic County, where most towns and townships have “opted out” of marijuana enterprise and some linger as undecided.
Bouvette voted for the ordinance, along with township clerk Donna Kenney and trustee Dave Hagen. Township treasurer Diane Dean and trustee Kelly Dunbar voted against it.
“It’s going to be close either way,” said Bouvette of the pending citizen vote.
He said last year’s vote to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan drew 55 percent support in his township. In addition, the May hearing brought out arguments both for and against any related enterprise.
No matter what decision the election brings, Bouvette has made it clear that no such enterprise will commence until after the state issues definitive licensing guidelines.
