Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By ZACHARY MARANO
Bessemer — A request from the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office prompted a discussion on the county’s employee benefits for other groups at the board of commissioner’s regular meeting on Wednesday.
Gogebic County Sheriff Ross Solberg requested that his new undersheriff be allowed to continue the retirement benefits that he had as deputy sergeant. Jorge Cruz was promoted from deputy sergeant to undersheriff when the pervious undersheriff, Solberg, was named sheriff and left the other position vacant in December.
As a deputy sergeant, Cruz did not have the benefit for medical insurance upon retirement. Instead, he contributed 1.55% to a deferred retirement option plan that would allow him to pay medical expenses upon retirement. Solberg said that when he was promoted, he was allowed to keep his benefits, so Cruz should be allowed to continue his contribution to the DROP as well.
“If we don’t allow incoming undersheriffs and sheriffs the opportunity to keep their benefits, I don’t think it would make sense for any union member to seek those promotions, knowing they lose too much in the end,” Solberg said.
Board member Joe Bonovetz noted that the county has different benefits for vacation time and sick leave for different groups, including the Gogebic County Sherriff’s Office and the municipal employees union. He said that he would like to see the county make all of these benefits the same.
“Obviously, wages aren’t all the same — they shouldn’t be — but for some of these benefits that everybody earns, I never understood why there were multiple categories or different ways that some people get better preferences than other groups,” Bonovetz said.
The board also:
—Re-elected Tim Byrns as vice chairman of the board of commissioners.
—Approved a contract extension with Aspirus MedEvac for Watersmeet Township for one year, a 5% operational increase and an additional $960 for partial payment of Michigan licenses for crew and rigs out of Eagle River, Wisconsin.
—Approved payment to Heidi DeRosso for her work on the ambulance committee.
—Resolved that they support the Michigan Prosperity Roadmap Plan utilizing $5.7 billion in American Rescue Act Plan funds to support infrastructure, fiscal health, thriving communities, a strong economy and public health and safety.
—Authorized County Clerk Ramona Collins to advertise upcoming vacancies on the Gogebic Community Mental Health Board. Members Robert Lynn, William Malloy, Scott Erickson and Ken Wegmeyer all have terms expiring on March 31.
