Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By PAMELA JANSSON
Bessemer — The Bessemer City Council voted Monday evening to table action on hiring a city manager until the full council is present. Councilman Mark Movrich was absent.
The vote was a repeat of what occurred at the council’s Sept. 9 meeting when councilman Adam Zak was absent.
“I don’t know how much longer we can kick the can down the road,” said Zak.
“This could go on for months and months,” said councilwoman Linda Nelson.
“No, it’s not going to go on for months,” said Mayor Peter Tacconelli, who requested Monday’s tabling. “Everyone will be here next month.”
The mayor explained that Movrich had been expecting to attend the meeting but was unable to do so when a family medical emergency required him to leave town.
“He wants to be present at the meeting when we vote on this,” said Tacconelli.
“Mayor, I appreciate your thoughts, but we need to make a decision,” said councilman Mark Serwe.
“This is really an important decision, and I want everyone to be a part of it,” said Tacconelli, who motioned to table the issue.
Zak said he would second the mayor’s motion because the council had delayed due to his own absence at the previous meeting. But he emphasized that he did not expect the council to delay the vote when he was not present.
He added that if the next regular meeting did not result in a full council, then a special meeting should be scheduled to address hiring a city manager in order to avoid further delay.
The mayor agreed.
According to interim city manager Mandy Lake, who is one of the final persons being considered for hire as city manager, the only other final candidate is a downstate resident.
She informed The Globe that 48 total people applied for the position, and only four underwent interviews. She added that two of the persons interviewed “withdrew their names for personal reasons.”
In other news, the council also approved a resolution to authorize an archery deer hunt this fall.
In his motion, Zak included a contingency that the number of allowed hunters next year be raised from the current 10 to 25.
Lake said that, at the direction of the state, the resolution eliminates the $10 fee that had been associated with previous archery hunts.
Council members also:
— Approved the second reading of a tax exemption ordinance that will provide “a service charge in lieu of taxes for a housing project for low income persons and families” in relation to a state housing effort so far named as the Iron Belle Apartments.
— Approved the purchase of $3,158.98 in computer and election equipment with the use of a state election grant but tabled the purchase of additional computer equipment.
— Approved a resolution to vacate an alley in blocks four and five of the city’s Karste Addition.
— Approved the cost of $3,239.80 for the continuation of cyber liability insurance.
— Approved several draws in relation to projects in association with the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Michigan’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
— Voted to table a request from Michael Wolf for an extension in time in relation to land he purchased for $1 from the city with a contingent deadline for housing construction. Zak also requested that Wolf be present for questioning at the next council meeting.
All votes were unanimous.
During staff reports, Lake said that Oct. 7 is last day to apply for a state Rural Readiness Grant up to $50,000. She said the city could submit interest in developing a park or site or could aim for a feasibility study, etc.
Zak suggested targeting acreage by U.S. 2 and Anvil Road, and Lake said she will prepare the related communication.
Lake later said via email that the property consists of 72.70 acres, 66.31 of which are south of the highway and 6.39 of which are north of the highway. She said she retrieved the data via a geographic information system.
Tacconnelli also reported that, at its Sept. 18 meeting, the DDA decided to market the Gambles building lot, which was recently cleared with the help of funds from the State Land Bank Authority.
The council’s next regular meeting will be on Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Bessemer City Hall.
