Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By ZACHARY MARANO
Bessemer – Two ballot proposals for the Aug. 2 election in Gogebic County were approved by a narrow margin of 4-3 at the county board of supervisors regular meeting on Wednesday. The proposals are levy renewals for the Gogebic County Medical Care Facility and animal control program.
The proposals are to renew the levy of 0.6 mills for the medical care facility for 2023-2026 for the continued payment of “maintenance of effort” costs and to renew the levy of 0.2 mills for HOPE Animal Shelter and the part-time animal control officer for 2022-2025. These are the same millage rates that have been in effect from 2019-2022 and 1998-2021, respectively.
Chair Jim Lorenson said that he didn’t know if the proposed rate was appropriate for the medical care facility or if they already have sufficient funds for maintenance. The board did not have financial records for either the medical care facility or the animal control program.
Board member Joe Bonovetz said that he did not know what was meant by the phrase “maintenance of effort” in the facility’s proposal. He said that it would be easier for them to understand if someone from the facility provided the board with an explanation.
Bonovetz also said that they had the authority to reject a proposal based on the language used, but he questioned whether the board of commissioners could deny a millage proposal for a county program outright or lower the rate proposed. The board agreed to ask Prosecuting Attorney Nick Jacobs about this once he returns to the office from vacation.
Since the proposals needed to be approved by April 26 and the board of commissioner’s next meeting is on April 27, the board motioned to approve the language of the proposals and request information about the maintenance of effort payments and building and grounds millage from the medical care facility, as well as financial records from both the facility and animal control.
This motion was passed 4-3, with board members Bonovetz, Joe Byrns, Bob Orlich and George Peterson voting yes. Lorenson and board members Tom Laabs and Dan Siirla voted no.
“The only reason I’m going to vote ‘no’ is that I want to vote yes for the animal control and no for the (Gogebic County Medical Care Facility) until I get some clarification,” Siirla said.
“My vote is ‘no.’ To clarify, I believe the ‘no’ votes do not reflect a bias against the entity. The ‘no’ votes reflect a desire for more information,” Lorenson said.
After hearing presentations from three consulting firms on the administration of American Rescue Plan Act monies in meetings over recent months, the most recent firm being Guidehouse at the March 23, the board agreed to contract with Warner, Norcross and Judd at their meeting on Wednesday, on the strength of the assistance they have already provided to County Administrator Juliane Giackino.
