Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By PAMELA JANSSON
Bessemer — Reconstruction at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds is moving closer to reality, thanks to action taken at a May 8 meeting of the county’s Economic Development and Capital Improvements Committee.
Committee members voted to advise engineers and the county’s insurer to collaborate on preparing plans to rebuild a 4-H horse barn, a hay barn and a grandstands structure.
All three were lost to fire nearly eight months ago.
The Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority is the county’s insurer, and U.P. Engineers and Architects of Houghton is preparing engineering plans.
Committee members voted to build the 4-H horse barn in the same place and dimensions as the previous barn, which was 40 feet by 100 feet. The one exception is that, instead of stationary stalls, the pending new barn will feature portable stalls that will facilitate adjustments in stall space and in the barn’s open space.
The county also is asking MMRMA and UPEA to look at a hay barn in the same size as the previous one, but repositioned slightly back from the grandstands area for better fire protection.
UPEA also will be asked to provide cost estimates for a concrete slab and portable, metal bleachers to be placed upon the slab.
During preliminary discussion, Joseph Bonovetz was the only committee member to question the action.
“The question I have is, is this the best plan — putting up the same building in the same place?” asked Bonovetz of the horse barn. He also wondered whether the county should consider a grandstand structure similar to what Iron County has, with a roof.
“Are we looking into the future, or are we just looking at current needs?” said Bonovetz. “Is there a need to look into the future?”
“MMRMA is only going to be covering replacement costs,” said county clerk Ramona Collins. “They’ve been very clear on that more than once.”
“In a perfect world, you would go back and ask people what they want,” said Lorenson. “The concern is that you’ll get 50 ideas.”
He also said that MMRMA will pay only to replace, in the same manner, the lost structures. Any additions to those plans would result in the county having to cover the additional costs.
“Any extra money we spend on this is money we can’t spend on something else,” said Lorenson.
He said that options such as a grandstands roof could be considered in the future.
In relation to repositioning the 4-H barn, committee member Daniel Siirila also said that would cause additional issues and expenses in relation to utilities.
No matter what decisions the county makes, committee chairman James Byrns said, “One thing is sure: not everyone will be happy.”
In other news, the committee learned from Collins that MMRMA is suing Bolle Contracting of Clare, Michigan, and Superior Excavation and/or owner Peter Giovanoni of Hurley.
Bolle was the main contractor in relation to the demolition of three fairground structures last year, and Superior Excavation was the subcontractor.
A fire report by Fire Marshal Brandon Snyder of the Ironwood Public Safety Department said that a Sept. 26, 2023, fairground fire was caused by Giovanoni’s workers — while in the midst of demolition — having used a blow torch to cut metal poles within the fairground grandstands.
Giovanoni later told The Globe and other officials that sparks from the torch had entered the wall of the grandstands, causing the structure to go up in flames. The fire then spread to the nearby hay barn and 4-H barn, neither of which had been scheduled for demolition.
Board members also:
—Approved a cost of $500 per month for the rental of the front office in the fairgrounds’ multipurpose building by the Western U.P. Convention and Visitors Bureau. Commissioners rejected the WUPCVB’s request for snowplowing service. The Fair Board will continue to cover utilities.
—Heard Greg Basom of the Snowmobile Olympus say that the organization’s insurer will help to pay to fill a gap in fairground fencing around the racetrack. Until last September, the gap had been filled by the original grandstands. The track has been used for the Snowmobile Olympus and for harness racing and other events.
—Voted to seek new bids in relation to pending upgrade of the fairgrounds’ parking lot.
All votes were unanimous with all members present.
