Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — Members of the Bessemer City Council voted Monday to accept internal applications for the position of clerk/treasurer until Friday.
Councilman Linda Nelson and Mayor Adam Zak also agreed that it makes sense to give existing office employees a chance to engage in more tasks so that they can see whether the job is a good fit for them.
Jennifer Adams, who served as clerk/treasurer before she became city manager at the start of this year, recently has been continuing her role as city manager while also serving as the interim clerk/treasurer.
Zak suggested that Adams consider the possibility of removing some pressure by delegating someone else to take over responsibilities such as attending Planning Commission meetings.
Adams also reported that she spoke with Wakefield City Manager Robert Brown Jr. about the possibility of the two towns hiring one treasurer that they could share.
“He was definitely interested in that,” said Adams, but she added, “We’re not sure how that would look.”
She also said, “There was some concern about overlap with audits and taxes.”
“The problem I see with partnering with Wakefield … it’ll take quite a while to work that out,” said Councilman Robert Coleman.
Adams said that she and Brown will discuss the matter more after gathering additional information.
In other news, council members voted to approve two resolutions relating to separate pieces of land on which deteriorating structures are scheduled for demolition. In order to allow Gogebic County to use funds from the Michigan Land Bank Authority to demolish those buildings, the city thereby is electing to purchase those properties, which are located at 217-221 S. Sophie St. and at 111 W. Sellar St. The purchase price for the first is $39,926 and, for the second, is $2,277, plus a $30 deed recording fee on each transaction.
Council members also:
—Voted to accept a bid of $22,485 from Tiziani Sand and Gravel in Ironwood for 1,500 cubic yards of sand, screened and delivered.
—Voted to approve a request by Kathryn Paynter to purchase for $100 a city surplus lot numbered 51-03-004-000. The lot is adjacent to Paynter’s own.
—Voted to approve the scheduling of the third annual Gary Engstrom Memorial 5K Race on Oct. 1, starting at 11 a.m. behind the Bessemer City Hall and continuing on the Iron Belle Trail to Ramsay. Race participants will have the freedom to use the City Hall auditorium and rest rooms during that period.
The council’s next regular meeting will be on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
