Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By PAMELA JANSSON
Wakefield — The Wakefield City Council approved the allotment of $190,000 to fund an inspection of municipal wells installed in the Chicago mine drift.
The action at the council’s Nov. 25 meeting was reported in a Nov. 26 email from city manager Robert Brown Jr.
Brown said the topic had been added to the agenda after the city received its sanitary survey that day.
He described the survey as “an annual review of the city’s drinking water infrastructure.”
Moreover, added Brown regarding Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, “EGLE has required Wakefield to perform downhole camera inspections of the municipal wells installed in the Chicago mine drift following the E. coli source contamination event in April of 2023.”
He said the inspection cost will be covered by the city’s general fund but added that Wakefield still hopes to receive governmental relief for the expense “as it is associated with the 2023 flood.”
The vote was unanimous with all members present.
In other news, Brown reported that Chris Holmes, the city’s engineer regarding the Phase One Water Project, provided a brief update on that progress, noting that several “punch list items” still needed completion as of the meeting date.
“Weather permitting, the remainder of the punch list will be completed this year,” wrote Brown.
During the city manager’s report, Brown also noted that employee health insurance premiums will rise by 17% in 2025.
The council’s next regular meeting will be on Dec. 9, and the Planning Commission will meet on Dec. 10. Both meetings will be at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the municipal building.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board also will meet on Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. in the same location.
