Ironwood OKs agreement with Veterans Affairs Office

By PAMELA JANSSON

pjansson@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday adopted a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Gogebic County Council of Veterans Affairs.

Effective July 1, the agreement says that the city will provide its traditional proportion of cost to the county’s Veterans Services Office “as budget appropriations allow.”

The action was in response to a request from John Frello, the county’s Veterans Services officer, who in turn was responding to the city’s claim earlier this year that state law prohibits the city from donating to Frello’s office due to its non-profit status.

Frello claimed such donations are lawful as long as a memorandum of understanding is in place.

The 2024 request from Frello’s office to the city had been $8,517 and was based on population.

The Veterans Services Office provides free services to local veterans.

The current agreement, with which City Manager Paul Anderson said everyone is satisfied, will expire on June 30, 2025.

In other news, the city authorized Anderson to execute an agreement on a Mt Zion easement with Gogebic Community College.

Anderson explained that, while city officials prepared a parks grant application last year, they learned that the city had misunderstood the land ownership of the Mt. Zion area.

“It was always thought that the city owned the upper portion,” he said, adding that — accordingly — the city had invested over the years in establishing a public park there.

Anderson said, however, that the college had retained ownership of that area. Hence, the easement agreement was created and already had been approved and signed off on by GCC.

Commissioners also:

—Approved the Rural Development Pay Package No. 10 of $238,290.64 for Phase 1 of the city’s water treatment project and authorized the mayor to sign related documents.

—Voted to rescind approval of the American Rescue Plan State Revolving Fund Grant Agreement and Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Agreement between the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the city for Phase 2 of the water treatment plant. The city manager said the action was necessary due to the grant having been misnamed. He added that the correction was necessary for auditing purposes.

—Voted to approve the ARPA State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Agreement between EGLE and the city for the Phase 5 water project.

—Voted to approve construction of a new pavilion at the Kznarich Little League Field. The Ironwood Area Youth Baseball and Softball (Penokee Range Little League) had requested permission to build the pavilion in between two fields. The city’s Parks and Recreation Committee already had approved the request.

—Approved a contract with Angelo Luppino Inc. of Iron Belt, Wis., for the 2024 asphalt blacktop patching project.

—Due to a reduction based on peripheral options not needed, approved a change order decrease of $6,800 for the 2023 loader purchase from Miller-Bradford & Risberg of Wisconsin.

—Approved new cemetery marking fees in relation to possible timing delays by monument companies.

—Approved an invoice of $28,263.54 from Red Power Diesel of Fremont, Wis., for additional expenses for a city fire truck.

—Approved a resolution declaring June as Pride Diversity and Inclusion Month and authorized a pride flag to be flown in the city square during that time. “This is Ironwood’s way of being welcoming to all,” said Mayor Kim Corcoran, who also read aloud a related declaration. During the public comment session, Amy Nosal of Ironwood and Mora Nedland of Eau Claire, Wis., thanked the city for its support in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion.

—Introduced an ordinance to rezone 316 Houk St. from C-1 Neighborhood Commercial to R-1A Residential. The city manager said that all related hearings will occur via the Planning Commission.

—Introduced of an ordinance to rezone 1 Iron King Road from R-1A Residential to C-1 Neighborhood Commercial. The Planning Commission will conduct a related public hearing.

—Introduced an ordinance to vacate Blue Jacket Street from Brogan to Fudally streets; and Fudally Street from Blue Jacket to East streets; and East Street from Fudally to Geneva streets; and the alley right-of-way east of Blue Jacket Street, north of Brogan, and south of Fudally Street; and scheduled a related public hearing for the next regular commission meeting.

—Authorized the city to bid for refuse collection, commercial dumpsters and recycling.

A discussion on whether to accept the $66,000 Place Dynamics Proposal for the Strategic Housing Plan was removed from the agenda.

All votes were unanimous with all members present.

At the end of the meeting, commissioners entered a closed session to discuss a collective bargaining tentative agreement in relation to AFSCME Local 1538.

The commission’s next regular meeting will be on May 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the commission chambers of the Ironwood Memorial Building.