Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM LAVENTURE
Bessemer — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved the rate request for the biannual property tax levy for municipalities, school districts and other taxing units.
The board action allows local units to start billing for the summer property tax levy for the cities and school districts, while the townships have the property tax levy in the winter, said Kathy Jo Koval, director of the Gogebic County Equalization Department.
Koval said Tuesday that the normal county operations millage of 6.68 per $1,000 of valuation was calculated at 6.6473 for the 2020 summer tax levy. There was a 0.9951 rollback for 2020 which reduced the allowable rate to 6.6473 to be levied against the taxable value of the county.
“There are checks and balances and if you are going to collect more money than the rate inflation there must be a rollback,” Koval said. “This is required of all units of government when the annual growth of property value is greater than the rate of inflation.”
The commission approved two sub-grant agreements with the Michigan Department of Transportation, which is the block grant program participant through the Federal Aviation Administration. The county is the sponsor for the $30,000 in funds under the FAA CARES Act grant on behalf of the Gogebic-Iron County Airport.
Commissioner Joe Bonovetz, who is the chair of the two-county airport board, said after the meeting that until the grant guidelines are made available it will not be known how the funds can be used. It might be possible to use the funds for a parking lot project, or to pay toward the local share of the capital improvement fund, he said.
It is more likely that the funds must be used to cover expenses incurred related to the COVID-19 shutdown, Bonovetz said. So the funds could go to cover employee salaries during the shutdown when revenue was low.
The board unanimously approved a request of Commissioner George Peterson that the county do something to recognize and thank essential employees in the form of an advertisement or other communication for their work during the coronavirus pandemic. He mentioned law enforcement in particular, to include local units, the county sheriff’s office and the Wakefield post of the Michigan State Police, for their work during the national protests.
“We can tell them that we appreciate what they do for us because it’s all we hear (with the protests) is how bad they are and I don’t agree with that,” Peterson said.
In the commissioner reports, Bonovetz said the Northern Rail Transportation Commission, of which he is a member, has not met in nearly two years for lack of activity. Recently, he said Canadian National, which had not been receptive to any type of sales or leasing program of former rail grade, informed the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that it is open to sale or lease options for the Rhinelander to Goodman and Park Falls and Ashland rail grade.
The Michigan Department of Transportation and the rail commission worked to identify six short line operators who showed interest in the past, he said. Two operators in particular showed serious interest but would only be interested in a purchase or lease if it included the Marengo, Wisconsin, to White Pine line.
“So, I don’t know what that means or what will come of it, but there is renewed interest now that Canadian National, that would never even talk about leasing sections of the line, are now willing to sell, and/or lease,” Bonovetz said. “There is potential and there are businesses in Gogebic County that would utilize that (line).”
It’s early, but it’s a positive sign, he said.
In other business, the commission:
—Noted that Paul Putnam, director of Michigan State University Extension, was on the agenda to speak to the board but was not present.
—Was informed by the Gogebic County Council of Veterans Affairs that a $25,000 emergency relief grant was approved by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency to provide direct and indirect financial assistance to county veterans and eligible family members experiencing a financial setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
