Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM LAVENTURE
Bessemer — The Bessemer Area School District on Thursday approved the use of Massie Field for the annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration.
The board’s 4-1 decision followed discussion regarding concerns about trash, certain fireworks that litter the field with casings, preventing the consumption of alcohol and use of tobacco on school property, and planning the flow of crowds in and out of the stadium. The approval stipulated that the Fourth of July Committee assume responsibility for field clean up and the fire department to clean up the remains of fireworks.
Board member Richard Matrella voted against. He said most of the fireworks disintegrate in the air but there is one particular one ground level display that rolls and shoots like a machine gun, leaving shotgun-sized casings on one end of the field.
“Get rid of these kinds of fireworks that throw things all over the place,” Matrella said.
Linda Nelson, chair of the Bessemer Fourth of July Committee, said the fire department has all authority over fireworks. She would contact them about the concerns, she said.
The volunteer cleanup crew is instructed not to touch any fireworks materials and leaves that to the fire department, Nelson said.
After more discussion, school district superintendent Dan Niemi said he would ask that the grass at Massie Field be cut just prior to the event to help ensure that no fireworks remnants or other trash is overlooked during cleanup. He also asked the event committee to provide 15 to 20 additional trash cans to reduce the amount of trash on the field.
Nelson, who was present with fellow committee members Donna Matrella, Mark Malmberg and Brittany Bennetts, said the school has provided trash cleanup support in the past. The city does the same with the other portions of the Fourth of July events on the streets downtown, she said.
“The city has the equipment to do that and we don’t,” said James Partanen, school board president. “That is the difference.”
Board member Beth Steiger suggested that the board approve the request for the field. The board can revisit the concerns in 2022 and determine if the conditions and recommendations asked of the event committee were successful, she said.
In a separate action, the board approved the use of the school facilities by the Janesville, Wisconsin, Fife and Drum group in the event they are able to perform in the Fourth of July parade this year. The group is not confirmed to appear this year, but it may be possible, Nelson said.
According to the committee’s calendar, the Fourth of July events start with 50/50 tickets sales, geocaching and the Poker Run on June 26, followed by a week of events every day to include a polka dance, Tree of Honor ceremony and street dance on June 30, a full day of events on July 3, and the parade, concert and fireworks on July 4.
The board approved the resignation of Linda Johanson, a third grade teacher and K-6 physical education teacher, who will step down at the end of her contract year of Aug. 31. Johanson has taught in Bessemer since 2016 and started her career in Ontonagon schools in 1999.
The board approved a posting to advertise for a full time elementary teacher and a physical education teacher. The need for a third teacher would be determined if the fall kindergarten enrollment reaches 20 students, and is currently at around 15 students, according to school district staff at the meeting.