Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Hurley — As a result of an April 2 election, four new members of the Iron County Board of Supervisors took their oath of office on Tuesday afternoon. New leadership also was elected.
The new members are Mario Loreti of District 2, Hurley Ward 2; Roxanne Lutgen of District 13, Mercer Ward 3; Doug Swartz of District 7, Kimball; and Paul Mullard of District 1, Hurley, Ward 1.
A fifth new member — Rick Boes of District 11, Mercer Ward 1 — also was elected but was absent on a preplanned vacation. He filled the seat left empty when John Sendra died on Sept. 28, 2023.
Ten other incumbents also were re-elected.
Interim Clerk Christan Brandt ran Tuesday’s meeting until members elected Larry Youngs of District 4, Hurley Ward 4, as the new chairman. Scott Erickson of District 10, Carey and Oma, nominated him, and William Thomas of District 5, Montreal Ward 2, seconded the motion.
Kurt Wolff of District 15, Sherman, was elected vice-chairman. Tanner Hiller of District 14, Mercer Ward 4, nominated him, and Lutgen seconded the motion.
Upon taking charge of the meeting, Youngs first thanked his fellow board members for electing him.
“It will be my honor and privilege to serve this board,” he said, assuring that he will do his best to keep them informed.
“This is one of the best boards I’ve ever served on,” he said, adding that “nobody here knows everything,” but that each member has his or her own valuable contributions.
Remaining re-elected incumbents are Jamey Francis, District 3, Hurley Ward 3; Roy Haeger, District 6, Montreal Ward 1; Karl Krall, District 8, Gurney and Saxon; Patrick Hanson, District 9, Anderson, Knight and Pence; and Karen Lauer of District 12, Mercer Ward 2.
Three incumbents lost their seats in the election: Former Chairman Joseph Pinardi lost to Loreti; former Vice-Chairman Thomas Thompson Jr. lost to Lutgen; and Brandon Snyder lost to Swartz.
Mullard won with five write-in votes for a seat that had no names to the ballot. Former Board Member Josiah Hewitt had opted not to run for re-election to that seat.
Board members also:
—Voted to advise that, at the end of each committee meeting, members determine what information needs to be reported to the board. Lauer made the motion.
—Voted to designate the last Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. as the official meeting time.
—Voted to fill appointments to the Highway Committee and the Agriculture and Extension Committee.
—Voted to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order in the conduction of meetings.
—Voted to designate the Iron County Miner as the county’s newspaper of record.
—Voted to hire Lisa Zanella as a full-time custodian with a $20 per hour starting wage. Youngs commended Zanella’s work ethic.
Board members tabled decisions to designate a county depository or to designate corporate council until more information is gathered. They also tabled a decision to approve the county Fairground Committee’s request to pursue financing for a new fairground stage.
At the end of the meeting, Wolff informed fellow members that he will contact them to set up a time for workshops relating to the conduction of Phase 2 of the county’s budget reconciliation.
When asked his priorities after the meeting, Youngs told The Globe, “The budget is one,” he said, as well as keeping all members informed.
The board’s next regular meeting will be on April 30 at 6 p.m. in the board room of the Iron County Courthouse.
