Iron County Finance Committee hears administrative report

By PAMELA JANSSON

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Hurley - The Finance Committee of the Iron County Board of Supervisors heard a preliminary report on Tuesday from one of its members who is serving temporarily as a part-time administrative coordinator.

Roxanne Lutgen has been volunteering in the role for the past couple of weeks and will continue to do so in coming months.

Her aim is to help her fellow committee members, and the board at large, to determine precisely what type of position would best suit the needs of Iron County.

So far, Lutgen said she has been meeting with department heads to gain their input as well.

"I feel like I'm just kicking the tires, looking for ways for improvement," she said.

Lutgen added that she has been tracking her time as a means of gauging what the county may need if it hires someone to take on such a role officially.

She said the county also may want to request a formal presentation from the Wisconsin Counties Association regarding the various options available for such employees.

Finally, Lutgen said that grants should be another area of interest. "We need to be shaking the trees for all different types of grants and forms of revenues," she said.

In other news, committee members voted - at the recommendation of committee chairman Kurt Wolff - to apply $567,895.44 of carbon credit revenue recently received by the county to the unpaid principal of the county's Saxon Harbor loan.

Members also approved a resolution designating an official contract and fund for land record modernization.

Lutgen said that, since 2017, the county's Register of Deeds office has charged a $30 recording fee for people wishing documentation of records. She added that $8 of the amount was supposed to be reserved to scan land records, whereas an official fund never was established. The resolution will formalize said fund.

In addition, committee members:

- Approved appointing Neil Martinko to replace Daniel Soine as the county's tax lister.

- Approved hiring temporary part-time assistant help for the Clerk of Courts and for maintenance in the Iron County Courthouse, to compensate for medical leave needed by full-time employees.

- Approved a carryover of eight hours of vacation from 2024 into 2025 for a forestry employee whose vacation hours fell within a pay period that included both years.

Committee action generally is referred to the Board of Supervisors for final consideration.

After all other agenda matters were addressed, board members entered a closed session to discuss compensation for the county's chief deputy position.