Commission handles development matters

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood - The Ironwood City Commission on Monday 4-0 approved items related to city welcome signage along the U.S. 2 corridor, and for the proposed Ironwood City Square Project.

Commissioner Joseph Cayer was not present at the meeting with an excused absence.

Tom Bergman, city community development director, said the Michigan Economic Development Corporation requires that qualifications for engineering and design services, along with a budget, be provided for the Ironwood City Square Project, which he said was a development intended to draw visitors and public downtown for events and to promote regional business.

"This is a large scale economic impact project," Bergman said. "At this point we're going out and finding an engineer and an architect to design this project for us."

If all goes according to plan the project could break ground in June 15, 2020 and have the work completed by Nov. 1 2020, he said.

Commissioner Rick Semo said "the excitement builds" but also wanted to know if the MEDC funding was "locked in yet." MEDC has allocated funding but the plans and a firm budget and costs are required before they would consider, according to information at the meeting.

The commission approved Bergman's request for operating agreements with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan Department of Transportation for placement of two gateway entrance sign monuments on the west and east side of Ironwood on U.S. 2. The east monument would be on the south side of U.S. 2, just west of the Industrial Park entrance, while the west sign would be located at the Michigan Welcome Center.

The monuments will alert drivers they have crossed the Wisconsin border into Ironwood from the west and when they have entered Ironwood from the east, Bergman said.

New gateway signage is also needed at the corner of U.S. 2/Cloverland Drive and Douglas Boulevard, Bergman said. City staff will open bids for signage that will more clearly direct people to downtown, he said.

"One of things that has bothered me is that MDOT views keeping traffic flowing on Highway 2 a high priority, and my view is to slow it down and keep people in town," said Commissioner Jim Mildren. "Douglas is not like Lowell (Avenue), which is residential. Douglas is wider and can handle more traffic and is the logical way to go back and forth."

The commission approved amending the Miners Memorial Heritage Park Mountain Bike Trail System resolution concerning the MDNR Trust Fund grant. Bergman said the city is approved for funding but the DNR requires language that states clearly that the city will appropriate $120,000 in a local match, along with $14,0000 additional in-kind contributions, the $40,000 in additional confirmed funds from SISU Dirt Crew, and the $66,000 from the Ironwood Tourism Council.

"It's more a nuts and bolts resolution that we need to have for DNR," Bergman said.

In the city manager's report, Scott Erickson said the temporary dome over the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center was inflated over the weekend. The work to remove the roof and walls for the dome is so the facility can be used for the 2019-20 winter season.

Next summer, the city of Ironwood's insurance will replace the building that was damaged by heavy snow in March. The insurer's engineering firm determined the footings are sound and the structure will be built at the same location, he said.

"The work is now continuing on the interior with cleanup and hooking up the utilities and getting everything in place so that hopefully, in a few weeks, we should have ice," Erickson said. "A lot of people are working together to make that happen in time for the start of the season."

The Civic Center manager's position has been re-advertised after the recent finalist for the position decided on another job option, Erickson said. The application deadline ended Monday and the interviews should start in a week or two, he said.

The city water filtration system committee will interview two engineering firms that specialize in municipal water delivery systems this week, Erickson said.

The state Tax Commission approved the award at its Oct. 14 meeting, to acknowledge the city of Ironwood for its perfect score on the the 2019 Audit of Minimum Assessing Requirements, that was conducted during an audit over summer by the state of Michigan Department of the Treasury, Erickson said. Gogebic County was also recognized for a perfect AMAR score and received the awards from David Buick, executive director of the state Tax Commission.

The city assessor's office and Dennis Hewitt were most responsible for the city's compliance with all of the items that were covered with the AMAR audit, Erickson said.

The city approved a $48,768 payment for street construction work to Angelo Luppino, Inc. The payment concludes the 2019 Local Street Paving Program that was within budget at $161,095, he said.

Mayor Annette Burchell appointed James Panosso to the Civic Center Board. He replaces David Sim, who resigned in September, to complete the term expiring on Aug. 31, 2022.

In other business, the commission approved the exemption out option of Provision of Public Act 152, an annual requirement of the state to show compliance for public employee medical benefit plan coverage.