Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM LAVENTURE
Ironwood — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday unanimously approved a resolution to support the proposed Downtown City Square project prior to applying for $1.67 million in grant funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The project at West Aurora and South Lowell streets will include an amphitheater and splash pad for summer events, and an ice skating rink and outdoor gas fire place for winter events including the finnish line of the SISU Ski Fest. The space would also provide tie downs and parking pads for food and craft vendors during summer festivals and possible farmers markets.
“This is huge,” said Commissioner Jim Mildren. “It’s a great plan.”
Mildren credited Tom Bergman, the city community development director, and his staff and others who researched what has proved successful and what has not in these types of projects in other cities.
The MEDC application is for $1.67 million from Community Development Block Grant funds already intended for the project, Bergman said. The city’s share is $191,850, to honor its agreement to complete the Streetscapes lighting project from a year ago by adding lighting on the west end of U.S. 2 toward Hurley, and north on Douglas Boulevard, he said.
The project continues developing the downtown as an asset to attract new businesses and talent to live and work in the community, he said. The commission in passing the resolution provides the support for the conceptual site plan and outlines its responsibilities in the project, he said.
“With the application sent to the MEDC the next step is for the acquisition of the property and then the architectural design,” Bergman said.
Mayor Annette Burchell said the community should continue to take part in the planning during the design phase with the architectural firm as a citizen advisory group as was done with the pavilion project.
“This would be a wonderful, collaborative way to include key interest groups into making a well designed park,” Burchell said.
The commission 5-0 approved city applications for USDA Rural Development Disaster Relief Grants. The grants have a 55-45 match for the city to include two squad cars for public safety, and an excavator and trailer for public works, said Paul Linn, city finance director and treasurer.
The commission 5-0 approved a $112,326 payment to Angelo Luppino, Inc., for summer street paving work. A final payment will follow as work continues.
A resident present during the public commentary period said the water is again foggy and is reading online about people reporting discolored water around town.
City Manager Scott Erickson said that anyone with water issues should contact the city water and sewer department. Workers will assess the problem and try to fix it, he said.
In his report, Erickson said that request for proposals for a city water treatment system were sent out to engineering firms specializing in water system and are due back at the end of September. Two commissioners will join the review team to select finalists, he said.
The city is also talking with a lead and copper specialist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a school noted for its expertise in water quality studies. The expert referred Erickson to a colleague who specializes in manganese, which is of concern for Ironwood, he said.
“Now we will have academic expertise along with engineering expertise,” Erickson said.
Jason Alonen, the city code enforcement officer, presented clean-up costs associated with an emergency abatement of two Ironwood properties. One owner was not home and the other was not responsive, which required city workers to use city equipment and time to do the work, he said.
Alonen presented costs of $736 for the first residence and $1,194 for the second. The owners may appear at the next commission meeting to address the billing, he said.
