Wisconsin company offers to buy former Ojibway site

By PAMELA JANSSON

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Marenisco TOWNSHIP — A new marijuana facility might find a home in Marenisco Township if the state of Michigan agrees to sell land that once housed the former Ojibway Correctional Facility.

Township supervisor Bruce Mahler reported the news to The Globe on Sept. 27.

He said that representatives of Whispering Cedar LLC of Wisconsin gave a presentation of their plans during a Sept. 23 meeting of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees.

In mid-September, they made an offer for an undisclosed sum to the state.

“They would like to open a marijuana grow processing and testing facility within part of the property,” said Mahler.

He added that the company’s plans for the remainder of the site are not yet clear, noting that “a lot of ideas” nevertheless came up “short on specifics.”

Per township ordinance, the site of the former OCF, which is off M-64 and south of the downtown area of the unincorporated area of Marenisco, is the only land in the township on which marijuana enterprise can be established.

Regarding any other possible restrictions relating to the land, Mahler said, “Anybody can buy that place. It’s not the township’s place to say anyone can’t buy it as long as local ordinances are met.”

But he said he is not aware of any other current offers to buy the land.

The supervisor said the property has been dormant since the Michigan Department of Corrections closed the prison in 2018 and removed the lagoon system, which served as the facility’s independent wastewater system.

Mahler said the township recently issued the state a blight notice, including a reference to Marenisco’s grass and weed ordinance. “Then, they did send someone out to cut the grass,” he said.

In other news, the board also completed a new lease agreement Trig Solberg, owner of Superior Natural Mineral Water. Solberg also owns Trig’s Foods in Minocqua.

“He has a new (financial) partner on board,” said Mahler, adding that he is Art Dumke, who once owned the former Indianhead Mountain and Blackjack Mountain sites.

Mahler said that the board agreed to Dumke’s request for a longer term contract with the water-bottling operation, which has been leasing one of the township’s wells since 2020 or about four years.

As a result, Mahler said the newly negotiated contract will include the remaining six years on the initial contract, as well as the original option for a second 10-year lease, along with an added option for an additional 10-year lease.

“So, it pushes it out to 26 years,” said Mahler.

Solberg and Dumke also agreed to the township assessing the company’s water usage every couple years with an eye to possible related hikes in compensation to the township.

After all, said Mahler about the well water, “This is our commodity.”

He said that contingencies also were added to assure that, if the company ever closed, the township would be positioned to reclaim the well immediately.

Mahler concluded that Superior, which has not been operating in recent times, anticipates restarting production soon.

“They expect to have a job fair,” he said.

Trustees also:

—Approved the installation of a new phone system in the town hall. Mahler said the existing system likely dates back to the 1990s.

—Approved a computer service agreement with Al’s Computer Service in Ironwood.

—Voted to request the AFSCME union that represents township employees to delay pending negotiations until after the Nov. 5 election when a newly elected supervisor and board members will be sworn in.

—Approved the appointment of Tracy Hand to a seat on the township’s Cemetery Board.

Trustees also received an update from Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township) and Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock), who attended the board meeting.

Mahler said the men reported little activity in the state legislature at this time.

“They’re all out campaigning,” said the supervisor of legislators.

The board’s next regular meeting will be on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. in the Marenisco Town Hall.