Houghton County Commission passes 2nd Amendment resolution
Three years ago, the county board debated and voted 3 to 2 against a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County resolution. On April 11, the board considered a revised resolution and passed it 4 to 1.
The Board of County Commissioners, left to right: Joel Keranen, Glenn Anderson, Tom Tikkanen, Roy Britz and Gretchen Janssen. Photo by Juxta Sprague.
Three years ago, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners debated and ultimately voted 3 to 2 against a Second Amendment Sanctuary County resolution. At its meeting on April 11, the board considered a new, revised resolution and passed it 4 to 1.
The new resolution does not mention the words “sanctuary county.”
The new resolution affirms support of “all constitutional rights, including, but not limited to, the right of the people to keep and bear arms.” It also calls for adequate funding of mental health services.
On the surface, it sounds reasonable and positive. But in fact, as several members of the public who packed the Circuit Courtroom Tuesday pointed out, its intent is to give the sheriff and other law enforcement officers the discretion not to enforce the new state gun control laws recently passed by the Legislature. The section on funding mental health services includes language that essentially guarantees that people with mental health issues will still have access to guns.
Sheriff Josh Saaranen is an outspoken advocate of the need for more and better mental health services, but he does not support ensuring mental health patients access to guns.
“I have no problem giving my opinion that, yes, we need to keep firearms out of the hands of not only dangerous felons, but adjudicated mentally ill persons, both of whom should be provided due process,” he said in an email.
Saaranen describes himself as a constitutional sheriff. Constitutional sheriffs say that they are the supreme legal authority with the power and duty to defy or disregard laws they regard as unconstitutional.
Saaranen had this to say about law enforcement discretion in enforcing laws: “As your sheriff, I am constitutionally charged to enforce the laws of the State of Michigan. Law enforcement, however, has long been allowed discretion. Discretion is used daily by all our deputies and local constabularies. This sound discretion will be used on the enforcement of any law as to not only protect the public, but also protect the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Michigan. As sheriff, I will enforce state law and protect every community member's inalienable constitutional rights to the best of my ability.”
The Circuit Courtroom, filled to standing-room only. Photo by Juxta Sprague.
Three issues emerged from a contentious, hour-long session of public comments before the county commission’s vote:
Does the county government have the right not to enforce laws that it deems unconstitutional?
Does the sheriff have the discretion not to enforce laws that he believes are unconstitutional?
Is the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms limited or unlimited?
Objections to the Resolution
“I am opposed to the county board taking a stand that our county law enforcement officers should make their own independent assessment of constitutionality,” said Faith Morrison, a professor emerita of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University. “Our system in the United States is that the courts are the ones that determine constitutionality.”
Morrison also urged the commissioners not to vote on the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting.
“The resolution was made available to the public only yesterday,” she said. “As is the usual practice of the board, time should be allowed for the citizens of Houghton County to hear the arguments for and against the proposal before the commissioners take a vote.
“What is constitutional or not is ultimately decided by the courts,” said Pete Ekstrom. “It should not be up to a law enforcement officer to decide.”
In response to the oft-cited claim that “guns don’t kill people; people kill people,” Ekstrom said, “It’s people with guns in their hands who kill people. The Second Amendment doesn’t guarantee the right to kill.”
Houghton City Councilman Craig Waddell said, “I am a gun owner, and I support common-sense gun control. But Second Amendment rights are not unlimited.”
Even Justice Scalia, the late conservative Supreme Court Justice, has stated that neither first nor Second Amendment rights are unlimited, Waddell pointed out.
“I think this resolution also puts the sheriff in a potentially awkward position,” Waddell said. “The Michigan constitution gives the governor the power to remove a sheriff who refuses to enforce state or federal law.”
Others spoke passionately about the danger of guns. “If a gun is present, someone is much more likely to use it,” said Joan Chadde. “You have guns; you have deaths.”
“Why aren’t the people who want guns at the forefront of efforts to ensure gun safety?” asked Donna Cole.
“I support sensible gun safety laws,” said Janeen Stephenson. “We are all safer when gun safety laws are enforced.”
Support for the Resolution
“Our constitutional rights need to be protected and affirmed,” said Brian Mason, pastor of the North Star Baptist Church. Mason spoke on behalf of the citizens who presented the resolution. “We are asking our commissioners to confirm their support for the Constitution. We singled out the Second Amendment because that is the one that is being politicized.”
Dan Holcomb. Photo by Juxta Sprague.
Dan Holcomb, one of the co-authors of the resolution, said his concern is “unlawful gun laws that only serve a political agenda and punish lawful gun owners.”
Holcomb said, “We firmly believe that if the Second Amendment is infringed, it will set a dangerous precedent that will undermine the rest of our constitutional rights, including, but not limited, to our first and fourth amendment rights.”
Holcomb is former chair of the Houghton County Republican Party. He has twice run unsuccessfully for a Houghton County Commission seat. The local Republican Party helped draft the resolution, said Mason.
“If the new laws are enforced, it would make it illegal to defend yourself in your own home,” said one supporter of the resolution.
“We have a right to defend ourselves,” said another. “What good is a gun if it’s locked away when someone breaks into your house?”
County Commission Response
Commissioner Gretchen Janssen, who cast the only no vote on the resolution, rebuked the resolution’s supporters, saying: “I don’t appreciate your implication that I don’t support the Constitution if I don’t support this resolution.”
Glenn Anderson focused on the mental health provision. Anderson, who is advocating for 24-hour walk-in mental health services, called the proposal “a more common-sense resolution that includes mental health.”
He also pointed out that 80% of households in Houghton County have guns.
Saying that he was changing his previous no vote to yes, Roy Britz noted that the “sanctuary county” language had been removed from this resolution.
However, he said, “the laws are the laws. The county board does not have the right to choose which laws it wants enforced. The sheriff has the responsibility to enforce the laws of the State of Michigan.”
Sheriff Saaranen urged both sides of the gun control issue to sit down together to figure out how to stop the scourge of gun violence.
“We need to come together and identify how to stop deranged perpetrators, specifically to protect our most valuable and vulnerable citizens, our children,” he said. “We should all come to the table and have an objective conversation on how best to do so. It is a multi-faceted challenge and not a single-issue fix. We all have arguments, opinions and insights, some of which are politically divisive, but we must have honest and civil discourse to be able to effectively address these complex problems.”
New Gun Control Legislation
On Thursday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed two gun control bills recently passed by the Michigan Legislature. The new laws, which take effect next year, will expand background check requirements for firearm purchases and institute storage standards for guns kept in homes where children are present.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on April 13 at the signing of gun violence prevention bills. Photo courtesy of the governor’s office.
The same day, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a package of “red flag” bills that would allow individuals to ask a judge to confiscate firearms from persons believed to be a risk to themselves or others. The bills had already passed the Senate.
“When our leaders in Lansing actually listen to their constituents and survivors, this is what can happen: ground-breaking, historic legislation that will save lives by preventing school shootings, suicides, accidents, and daily gun violence,” said Madeline Johnson of No Future Without Today, an organization founded by student survivors of the 2021 Oxford school shooting.
Questions raised about Houghton County's signed purchase agreement
Terms of purchase may constitute a donation to a religious organization
The Houghton County Board of Commissioners has finalized purchase of the First Apostolic Lutheran Church (FALC) property on Sharon Avenue. The purchase price was $1.2 million, which will come from the $6.8 million that the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act, according to County Commissioner Roy Britz, who chaired the negotiations for the property. The county hopes eventually to build a new jail, sheriff’s office and other county offices there.
Satellite photo from Google Maps
The purchase agreement allows the church to continue to use the property rent-free for up to four years, while FALC searches for a new home. The county also agreed to insure the building while the church is still occupying it.
A local citizen contacted the Copper Beacon to express concern about the agreement.
We reached out to Gerald Fisher, a professor emeritus at Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School who specializes in land use law. Fisher has served as special counsel to governmental bodies throughout Michigan.
Fisher said he saw several issues raised by the purchase agreement. The biggest one, he said, is that a discount to the church—allowing them to use it rent-free—is basically the same as making a contribution to the church. A governmental body cannot legally make a donation to a religious organization. The buyer paying to insure the property while the seller is still occupying it is another contribution to the church, Fisher said.
Another issue Fisher mentioned is whether the fair market rent equals the difference between the fair market value and the discount received.
An appraisal received by the county in December showed the fair market value of the FALC property to be $80,000 higher than the price the county paid. That means that the discount received in lieu of rent equals $20,000 a year or $1,667 per month in rent that would have been paid.
“There are precedents for a lower price in exchange for continued occupancy, but there has to be something in writing specifying the rent to be paid or the discount in price in exchange for no rent being paid,” Fisher said.
The fact that the property is partly in Houghton and partly in Portage Township could have raised another potential roadblock. The county plans to move the sheriff’s office to the new complex, and the sheriff’s office is required by law to be in the county seat, which is the City of Houghton. Portage Township is willing to allow Houghton to annex the portion of the FALC property within the township limits for nine years, said Bill Fink, Portage Township trustee. After that time, if the new jail has not been built there, the property will revert to Portage Township, Fink said.
In an email in response to our questions about the purchase, Pete Wesa, chairman of the FALC board, described the negotiations.
“The county was looking for property for a possible jail site, and also to move some offices to that location. Hearing that the FALC property on Sharon Ave. was for sale, they contacted the church. Both parties then got together to discuss what would work best for the county and FALC. When that was accomplished, the county then had their attorney write up a purchase agreement which has been signed by both the county and FALC.”
He did not comment on our question about whether FALC felt that allowing the church to continue to use the property rent-free for four years was ethical.
We emailed County Commissioner Gretchen Janssen about the purchase of the property, which is in her district. She said she considers the $1.2 million price a fair one.
Janssen, a real estate agent herself, said, “I believe that we are paying a reasonable amount for a valuable property. If we waited a few years to purchase when the church is ready to move, I think the price would likely be higher or perhaps the property would no longer be available to us.”
As for letting the church continue to use the property rent-free, Janssen said;
“It is likely that we would not have an agreement to purchase this property without allowing the church to occupy after the closing. The church had an appraisal done a couple years ago. We are purchasing at that amount. My crystal ball is broken, so I can’t predict the future, but I’ve been selling real estate long enough to know that prices rise over time. If the church were to hold off selling this property until they were closer to moving into the new building they are planning, I would anticipate that the price would be higher, and perhaps there would be multiple entities bidding on the property, driving up the price.”
Janssen went on to say, “I maintain that this is a very reasonable purchase for the County, even with the delayed occupancy.”
We also emailed Tom Tikkenen, county commission chair, to ask about the county continuing to pay insurance on the property while the church occupies it.
“The seller will be responsible for maintenance and utilities during their occupancy after the purchase of the property, including replacement of a portion of the garage roof,” Tikkanen said.
Houghton County pays $1.2 million to unknown recipients
Houghton County Commissioners, Feb. 15, 2022
Meeting Highlights
$1,284,077.59 paid to unknown entities
The county commissioners again paid more than a million dollars worth of monthly bills without offering any information to taxpayers about where that money is going. Past Freedom of Information Act requests filed by Copper Beacon for pertinent documents have been denied without legal justification.
Commissioners skip discussion on wind turbine PILT agreement
The board did not discuss the Payment In Lieu of Taxes agreement sent to them by Circle Power regarding the Scotia Wind project. It starts on page 2 of the documents packet if you’re interested in reviewing it.
2nd Portage Waterway crossing task force update
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen reported that the task force must seek a feasibility study to move forward with planning a second crossing of some kind. They’re seeking funding from the state to fund that study.
Tikkanen said he’s hopeful that the funding will be available for the project because of recent state and federal commitments to funding infrastructure updates and improvements.
Sheriff’s patrol cars may be further delayed by bridge protest
Commissioner Roy Britz reported that the county sheriff’s department is growing frustrated with the high mileage of their patrol cars causing breakdowns and maintenance issues. The board has approved the purchase of seven new cars, some as long as two years ago, but none have clear delivery dates yet. Britz said the most recent news is that blockages on the Ambassador Bridge caused by protestors may further delay the patrol cars.
Britz reported that County Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn would work with the sheriff’s department to see if there were options for quicker delivery.
Commissioners discuss opioid settlement agreement
While exact amounts were not publicly discussed, Commissioner Tom Tikkanen said the settlement would amount to about $40,000 to $50,000 a year. They took no action on the agreement.
FOIA appeals denied again, continues opaque financial practices
The board of commissioners denied an appeal of two FOIA requests lodged by Copper Beacon based on an “off the record” written memorandum offered by the county administrator. County Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn stated aloud that the first request, for the county check register, was “granted in part”, but the county’s response letter does not contain those words.
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen stated that some of these records (the check register) are available on the second floor of the county building for inspection, and said that members of the general public can come and “make an abstract or memorandum”, but did not mention whether they could make copies. Michigan FOIA law expressly states that the requestor has a right to receive copies in their desired format.
Bjorn stated she did not want the documents shared online because of sensitive or private information contained within the check register. However, FOIA law states that members of the general public can request copies of public documents and that the government body has an obligation to redact any private information before supplying those copies. The cost of time invested in redaction can be charged to the requester. The county has made no such request for funds of Copper Beacon.
FOIA appeal denied, Zoom attendance reinstated for public, opioid settlement moved forward
Houghton County Board, Jan. 11, 2022
Meeting Highlights
Chairperson Al Koskela was not present at this meeting.
Approval of bills
The board unanimously approved the payment of $1,094,926.50 in monthly bills to unknown persons and companies. (The check register or other summary of bills paid is one document Copper Beacon has been unable to regularly obtain.)
Jennifer Kelly’s comments on the conclusion of Matthew Smith’s trial
You’ve probably heard about the case by now, which involved a late-night phone call made to County Clerk Jennifer Kelly during 2020. The sentencing was earlier this week, and Kelly said she feels safe for the first time in almost two years.
Opioid settlement approved
The draft settlement is in the documents posted above. While no estimated dollar amount was shared with the board, County Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn said the settlement would be “sizeable”, and paid out over a set period of time.
Bjorn told Commissioner Glenn Anderson that she would potentially have a rough dollar amount at the next meeting.
Board approves two union contracts
The commissioners voted to approve proposed contracts with the airport employees union and the AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) without any discussion.
Open Meetings Act rules are designed to allow for closed-door negotiations with unions and can be used to also keep unapproved drafts from the public. These contracts should be made public once they have been ratified by all of the involved parties.
Return to using Zoom for interaction with the public, county officers
At the request of a constituent, the commissioners agreed they should restart facilitating the public attending and interacting in the meetings via Zoom. They cited COVID-19 precautions and hazardous winter driving over Houghton’s geographic area as reasons for wanting to return to using Zoom. The commissioners are still expected to meet in person.
During 2020 and 2021, the county used Zoom regularly and still has the necessary equipment and software.
The constituent’s letter is available in the document packet linked above.
1988 rules of order renewed with small change
The board renewed the rules of order that it has used since 1988, with one alteration. The original rules held that the chairperson was to be chosen each year, but the new rules hold a new chairperson is only selected in January of odd years.
Copper Beacon FOIA appeal denied
I briefly addressed my appeal to the FOIA request denial during the early public comment session. I prefer the written word to speaking, but you can hear my comment to the board here in the video.
During new business, the council referred to my appeal letter, which was part of the council packet (but not shared with the public), and then voted unanimously to deny the appeal with no discussion of the points therein.
You can read my appeal letter, the original request, and the county administrator’s denial at the link below.
Commissioners pursue 2nd bridge, accept first payment from CCMH, approve union agreement and wage increases
Houghton County Commissioners, Dec. 14, 2021
A Freedom of Information Act request has been filed with the county to obtain:
Summary of accounts payable
Draft letter concerning the possibility of a new bridge
Sheriff’s union agreement
Remonumentation documentation
Summary sheet for the wage increase of appointed and elected officials
and the
Quarterly budget amendments
Meeting Highlights
Bridge “steering committee” formed, seeking feasibility study, letter drafted
County Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn drafted a letter about the funding for a new bridge crossing the Portage Lake waterway. Commissioners Glenn Anderson and Tom Tikkanen are taking the lead on reviewing this letter. The two commissioners also met with several people from KEDA, MDOT, local city managers, and Michigan Tech to discuss the possibility of pursuing a second bridge. They concluded that a feasibility study is a necessary first step. They also highlighted that other waterway crossings such as a tunnel or tube are also possible.
Counties receive first-ever reimbursement for transport from CCMH
Through an agreement that Councilor Tom Tikkanen credited Chairperson Al Koskela for reaching with Copper Country Community Health, the county has received a $46,500 check for the transportation of mental health patients by the county sheriff.
Houghton County considers terms of opioid crisis settlement
If all other involved counties agree, the case will not go to court. Commissioner Glenn Anderson said that the dollar amount of the settlement has not been confirmed yet and that he hopes to learn more specifics at an upcoming meeting.
Commissioners agree to unknown Sheriff’s union agreement
With no public discussion or available draft, the county commissioners voted unanimously to approve an unknown pending agreement. Later in the meeting, in response to a question from County Treasurer Lisa Mattila during public comment, it was revealed that the agreement was part of a third-year reopener, for a $3 per hour raise for 2023, the last year of the deal.
Remonumentation application and progress
In the ongoing effort to place new, modern monuments for establishing property boundaries, the commissioners heard from the remonumentation program representative. The effort has been ongoing since the 1990s, and the representative estimates the county is roughly 30% done. Funding for the effort is tied to property deed registration fees and a state grant calculation.
Commissioners approve raises for appointed and elected county officials
The commissioners voted to approve a wage increase for the appointed and elected offices that is equal to the courthouse union. Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn referred the commissioners to a summary sheet that was not available to the public but said that the raise would be $0.80 an hour for 2022, $0.60 in 2023, and $0.50 in 2024.
Other notes:
The U.S. Coast Guard “explicitly said no” to keeping the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in the down position during morning and evening rush hours.
Tikkanen reports that the DNR expects the trail between Dollar Bay and Lake Linden should be complete by this time next year.
The Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund has awarded $300,000 to developing the Houghton-Douglas Falls park.
The heating system in the Sheriff’s Department has failed and is expected to take a few weeks to replace.
The commission accepted the sole bid, for $1,000 and cost of removal from the facility, on the cardboard compactor at the county transfer station.
Two members of the CCMH board resigned and were replaced by the board.
Effort for new bridge launched, ARP funds committed toward patrol cars, cybersecurity strengthened
Houghton County Commissioners, Nov. 16, 2021
Meeting Highlights
Union contracts updated
Changes to the county courthouse employees contract included updating gender pronouns, adding mother-in-law and father-in-law to the definition of immediate family, and adding up to 6 weeks of parental leave (two paid, four unpaid).
The county airport employee contract was updated to include Good Friday as a holiday and increase the clothing maintenance stipend by $200/year.
Both contracts updated the pay raise schedule, too.
ARP money spent on patrol cars
The board voted unanimously in favor of purchasing five new patrol cars for the county sheriff through the state bid system using money from the American Rescue Plan.
Cybersecurity proposal from Laurium Labs
Someone from Laurium Labs has pitched a cybersecurity suite to augment the IT services already provided by the in-house IT employee (not at this meeting).
The board voted unanimously in favor of spending $3,360 on the service without expanding on what that service included.
No documentation was included in the board packet for this item.
New bridge discussion
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen told the board that Michigan would be receiving $10 billion in funds through the newly passed infrastructure bill, and he would like to see some of that come to Houghton County for a second bridge crossing the Portage Waterway.
Commissioner Glenn Anderson said that he had found that the area north of the bridge is the second-largest area, by population, in the continental U.S. serviced only by a single bridge.
The board voted unanimously to draft a letter to MDOT and state legislators to pressure them to consider committing funds for an additional bridge.
Other Notes
The board approved the sale of a lot of land attached to the county airport to Copper Island Academy for $5,000.
Plot map of the property to be sold.
The county board also approved compensation for the Houghton County Road Commissioners, which was informed by the state of Michigan that their compensation had to be approved and appropriated by the board of commissioners.
Dick Storm submitted a letter to the board expressing his disappointment that the board is no longer streaming their meetings via Zoom.
New administrator's first meeting, jail property annexation finds a road forward, Secure MI Vote discussion, more
Houghton County Commissioners, Oct. 12, 2021
Editor’s Note: I goofed the beginning of the video up a little, but it evens out after a couple of minutes and I caught my mistake. Luckily, I had two cameras there!
Meeting Highlights
Click the underlined headlines to see the video, or other underlined text for more information and sources.
Public comment erupts over Secure MI Vote
The public comment started with two residents standing to speak in support of a resolution opposing the Secure MI Vote petition initiative. The second resident was interrupted by several people before trying to continue and being told her time to speak was over by Chairperson Al Koskela.
Another resident stood and also expressed his concern about the possible legislation, and said that “we all know what the game is”, and said that the bill would be approved into law by the Republican-controlled legislature without a statewide referendum or the chance for a governor’s veto.
“This is an attempt to make an end-run around a legislative process,” William Keith said and asked the commissioners to take a principled stand against it.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Gretchen Janssen and Commissioner Glenn Anderson supported the resolution to oppose the Secure MI Vote petition. Anderson specifically opposed anything that made absentee voting more difficult for the elderly population.
However, upon voting, the commissioners were split 2-2, Commissioner Roy Britz being absent. Without at least three votes, the resolution failed.
One citizen implored people to read the legislation.
So I did, and here’s what I found.
The bill does require the last four digits of the elector’s social security number to be part of the registration application, but I don’t see anything that requires it to be on the outside of an envelope. I guess that’s up to whoever designs the applications.
It quite drastically changes the ID requirement. Whereas the previous law allows a person to be identified through a comparison of signatures or offering other information that matches the voter registration list, this law adds a photo ID requirement for all voters.
Excerpt from the proposed legislation.
Where previously being unable to complete the ID requirements meant that you had to sign an affidavit and then your vote was challenged according to the standing practice, the new law requires them to fill a provisional ballow that will be segregated from other ballots and only processed if the voter returns to their local clerk with qualifying ID within six days.
The proposed law also establishes a fund to pay for IDs if an applicant claims hardship and signs a form that is yet undeveloped.
While these requirements may not seem extreme for many of us, people in larger cities, well known to be Democrat “strongholds” are worried the new ID rules could swell already long lines at polling places beyond any capacity they have to manage.
The law entirely bars any person employed by the state from sending unrequested absent voter ballot applications. Those applications must include a driver’s license number, state ID number, last four digits of a social security number, or the applicant must visit the clerk in person to present photo identification.
In some places, the bill changes the word ‘elector’ to ‘individual’, but in others, it changes the word ‘voter’ to ‘elector’. I don’t know why.
It also contains a clause that prohibits private funding to run elections, but it also prohibits “in-kind contributions” from individuals, which many are concerned means volunteering will no longer be lawful. I have to agree the wording is vague enough to be interpreted that way.
There were many complaints about election clerks being overworked during the 2020 election. How much harder will it be without extra outside grant funding, and maybe without volunteers? I might have to ask an election clerk.
Fifth Street fire update from Commissioner Tikkanen
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen said the 5th Street fire cleanup is “virtually completed”, and that the EPA may even be interested in helping clean up a fire site on 7th street, too.
Tikkanen said the effort of governments and representatives at all levels came together to make the cleanup possible.
Commissioner Glenn Anderson later added that Tikkanen himself was also a big part of the cleanup effort.
Transfer station and recycling update
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen said that the County Clerk’s office is accepting applications for a transfer station manager, which is also going to start accepting card-based payments next week.
Recycling at the transfer station is going to be available Monday through Friday during the normal transfer station hours (but not Saturday), and later hours are being planned for some weekdays soon, too.
From May through September, 12.5 tons of recycling have moved through the transfer station.
Tikkanen also plugged an upcoming event organized by the Copper Country Recycling Initiative which will feature two speakers.
Tracy Purrenhage has decades of experience managing public and private sector solid waste and recycling programs, and Brad Austin is the Director of Operations at the Marquette County Waste Management Authority, which is where Houghton’s recycling goes.
The meeting is at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton.
New county administrator greeted - Elizabeth Bjorn
There wasn’t much of an introduction, but Chairperson Al Koskela did greet the new county administrator, Elizabeth Bjorn, and thanked outgoing administrator Ben Larson for 14 months of work. Other commissioners and county employees later added to their thanks and listed some of what Larson helped the county accomplish; recycling at the transfer station, union negotiations, sale of the old transfer station, and budgets for the transfer station and marina.
Sheriff Saaranen’s first update to the board
Sheriff Josh Saaranen said the Sheriff’s Department is still working to fill the positions left open after the late Sheriff Brian McLean’s death and his own promotion to Sheriff, and picking up projects after Sheriff McLean’s sudden passing.
Jail property annexation may move forward soon
The Houghton-Portage Township Board has agreed to temporary annexation so that the county can move forward with the land purchase and plans to build a new jail, but wouldn’t agree to a permanent annexation until a millage is passed. If the jail isn’t built and the property is sold off again, the township wants to retain it if taxable.
Commissioner Glenn Anderson pushed to close the purchase before Administrator Larson’s last day on Oct. 22. The board has already approved the purchase.
Postponed one week to Nov. 16.
This is a bummer for me because now it conflicts with my coverage of the Calumet Village Council. The county surely takes precedence, but I don’t like missing one, especially so soon after starting coverage there.
I’ll try to squeeze both in, but it may not be possible.
County administrator resigns, mine cave-in on KRC test course, board protests PLLB work pace
Houghton County Board, Sept. 14, 2021
Meeting Highlights
Click the underlined headline to be taken to the video segment
Commissioner Tikkanen update on the transfer station
In a brief update, Commissioner Tom Tikkanen shared with the board that about 10 tons of refuse have been diverted from the landfill into the new recycling option at the county transfer station. Later, he also informed the board that the EPA was moving in to clean up the contamination in Calumet from the major fire earlier this year. He thanked all the parties who contributed to the effort, which is an unusual arrangement made for the benefit of the surrounding community.
Commissioner Anderson update on 2020 census
Commissioner Glenn Anderson shared a breakdown of the 2020 Houghton County census, showing that 8 of 14 townships in Houghton County grew, and acknowledged the county marketing effort to get a complete count. The county commissioner districts may be changing as a result.
Jail construction hits another hurdle
During Commissioner Roy Britz’s update, he said the trustees of Portage Township did not want to approve the annexation of a strip of property into the city of Houghton to facilitate the county’s new justice center plans. They’re concerned that if the plan falls through as it has before, they could lose valuable taxable property to the city. They said they’d approve the annexation if the jail project is completed. A more complex, conditional agreement will have to be made.
Mine discovered at Houghton County Memorial Airport
Commission Chairperson Albert Koskela revealed that a mine had been discovered on county property after it had caved in, then turned it over to Dennis Hex, airport manager, for more details. The mine was discovered on the Keweenaw Research Center test course, which is leased from the county. It’s being investigated and the estimate is the shaft is 500 feet deep. The airport is currently looking for funds to cap it or fence it in. Hex also said the airport was doing well currently, and a Sun Country Airlines charter will be coming to the airport in November, with bookings already open.
County Administrator Ben Larson submits his resignation
County Administrator Ben Larson submitted a letter of resignation, (notably withheld from the board packet released to the public on Monday). The board accepted the resignation, with Chairperson Koskela dissenting with a laugh. They also moved quickly to post the job opening and hold interviews to give Larson as much time as possible to train in his replacement. The deadline for applications was set for Sept. 28, the applications will be reviewed at the special meeting at noon on Sept. 29 (originally for the public hearing on the budget), and interviews will be held on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
Larson declined to interview in-person with me, but did offer this written statement further explaining his resignation (hyperlink added):
It is good for my family as it will allow for me to get back into a game that I love. That game is sales and business development. REL, Inc. President Josh Loukus and I had a great talk late last week about a way that I can get back into the game, and he convinced me how I could help him and his company to move forward and possibly grow if I am successful. They have given me a great offer to join them, and, as hard as it is to walk away from a great job at the County, I am happy and satisfied with my decision to do so. I have given everything that I have to my position with the County on each of the days that I came in. I took over for a great leader in Eric Forsberg when he handed the keys to me, and I am hoping that I can do the same for my successor. The County is in great shape, we have survived an interesting pandemic year, we have initiated some great new efforts and have changed a couple of things that I thought were worth doing, we have made some needed changes at our two enterprises with investments that happened at our marina and transfer station, and we have a great team in place across the County. All of the ingredients are here for someone to step right in to take over from me, and for the next person to have their own success. I have offered to stay until October 29th, and the commissioners are happy with that and agreed. I will now work super hard to get a group of solid candidates for my Commissioners to consider, and, if we can get the right person here soon I am happy to tutor, mentor, and teach them the many things that they will need to know and learn to find their own success.
Letter of support for PLLB raising restrictions
Administrator Larson introduced a draft letter asking for restrictions on when the Portage Lake Lift Bridge will raise for pleasure craft. Several local government bodies and organizations are working together to try and get 1-hour bans on raising for non-commercial craft during rush hour traffic. The board unanimously approved sending the letter. Later in the meeting, the board approved a motion by Commissioner Glenn Anderson to implore MDOT to prioritize finishing the current bridge construction, bid future projects for 24-hour work, and refer the issue to the bridge committee for them to consider emergency procedures and the potential for a second bridge to eliminate the bottleneck.
Board of Canvassers members re-appointed
Barb Manninen and Becky Bruin-Slot were re-appointed unanimously to their position on the Canvassing Board. This is the board responsible for canvassing and certifying elections in the county. Reappointing them signals tacit approval of the job they did during the 2020 election by the board.
“Orphaned” overlook maintenance funding tabled
A request for money to update and maintain the MDOT overlook on Quincy Hill. Opinions on the matter differed, with some of the board saying it was an asset to the county’s tourism industry, while others said they couldn’t see support in their district for investing there. Eventually, they agreed, 4-1, to seek the opinion of the attorney to see if giving money for such a purpose was allowed.
This Friday at 4 p.m., county commissioners and Hancock City Council members will be touring the county arena in Hancock. There is an ongoing discussion about whether to sell the arena to Hancock.
During public comment, Roger Sullivan stood to “drop off” his resume for county sheriff, which was not submitted before the deadline for applications. He proceeded to conduct a self-interview during which he made non-specific allegations of corruption in the county.
After Sullivan’s five minutes expired, Mike Mangan stood to address the board about establishing wind energy in Houghton County. He said he was knowledgeable about wind energy and had seen “devastation” wrought by them in Wisconsin. He recommended the county make a formal declaration that wind rights are locally, publicly owned. He also said he believed wind power could be beneficial to the area if it was done through local decisions, not out-of-area developers.
Annexation initialized, permit application expense increased, and election audit effort introduced
Houghton County Board, Aug. 10, 2021
Meeting Highlights
During the committee reports, Commissioner Gretchen Janssen highlighted WUPHD’s naming as a Community Health Champion by the Gogebic Range Health Foundation for their work during the pandemic.
Commissioner Glenn Anderson expressed his shared frustration with MDOT’s management of the bridge construction and the traffic disruptions it has caused. He also attended a conference for the Michigan Association of Counties where he learned more about the possibilities of the American Rescue Plan and also discussed with County Administrator Ben Larson the settlements coming out of the Purdue/Sackler opioid class action suit. The county is part of the suit but doesn’t know how much or when the money will be coming, Larson said.
Commissioner Tom Tikkanen reported nearly 8 tons of recyclables shipped through the Houghton County Transfer Station and other details, including the potential need for a compactor down the road. He also updated the board on the cleanup work ongoing in Calumet, after the major fire there earlier this year. A change in leadership in the village briefly hung up the procedure, but Tikkanen says all levels of government are working together toward the hazard cleanup and hopes to see it done this year yet. What happens after the cleanup is still undetermined, but Tikkanen says they’re pushing for redevelopment.
The board approved the purchase of a formerly leased excavator used at the transfer station.
The board also approved the resolution to annex a piece of property into the City of Houghton.
The map Administrator Larson refers to. The small triangle is within the City of Houghton, but the blue rectangle is not. Houghton County is requesting that the City of Houghton annex it so it will be part of the county seat and can then house county facilities (like a jail) under state law.
The board also voted 4-1 to increase fees at the building department to match the state rate charged in surrounding counties. Chairman Al Koskela was the dissenting vote and said he felt the building department was getting by fine on the previous rates, and that the taxpayers shouldn’t have to shoulder more fees. Administrator Larson said the increased fees would be useful for the cost of moving the building department into a digital system instead of paperwork, and Commissioner Anderson pointed out the fees can only be used to support the building department, and could be lowered again in the future.
The board also approved the documents for the Enduring Gift Fund that the county is instituting for fundraising.
During public comment, one Adams Township resident stood to give an update on behalf of the Guardians of the Keweenaw Ridge, which opposes wind turbine development in Houghton County. Commissioner Tikkanen also encouraged residents to continue pursuing zoning ordinances at the township level.
Another citizen informed the board of her efforts to perform a privately-funded election audit. She’s FOIA’ing for ballot access township by township (which is legal, with some restrictions) and crowdfunding for the costs (which are significant). Her page is on GiveSendGo and has currently raised $110 of her $7,000 goal, from anonymous donors. Her stated goal is to check the count of the software, but she also said she wants to check for other problems.
SNAP for veterans, DNR trail repair progress, August millage renewals, and more
Houghton County Board, July 13, 2021
Houghton County Board, July 13, 2021
Meeting Highlights
MSU Extension District 1 Director Paul Putnam updated the board, specifically about veterans being eligible for SNAP benefits.
During Vice Chairperson Tom Tikkanen’s committee reports, he updated the board on the state of DNR trail repairs. The trail between Lake Linden and Dollar Bay still won’t be open this coming winter, but funds are lined up for the repairs and engineering is underway. The Pilgrim River Bridge repairs are underway and are expected to be completed for this season.
Commissioner Glenn Anderson encouraged people to vote in favor of the Canal View (Houghton County Medical Care Facility) millage and Hancock’s recreation millage coming to vote on Aug. 3. Ballot language and other information are available by clicking here.
Airport Manager Dennis Hext had generally positive news for the board, including the application for a third $1 million grant from the FAA for operating costs, available as pandemic relief.
The board’s only significant new business was a resolution to support the UP Area Agency on Aging’s 2022 Annual Implementation Plan. They also approved an MOA appropriation for the MSU Extension for $9,341.25.
During the open public comment section, 4 people spoke up with concerns or opposition to the wind turbine development in Houghton County. One person announced a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 22, at South Range Elementary School where a lawyer will outline what legal options the group has to oppose the turbine project. Another person asked the board members what their personal opinions on the towers are. Koskela, Janssen, and Anderson said they weren’t in favor of the development. Tikkanen said people should “not roll over” and fight it with all legal methods. Britz said he’s concerned about the long-term impacts of the turbines, but also the energy future of the country, and that he is “still being educated.”
Another person spoke about supposed “election shutdowns” they learned about from Facebook, and distributed an email to the board members, and made some nonspecific allegations against Senator Ed McBroom. They also presented negative information about maintenance by Election Source, which supposedly destroys election records. Later in the public comment period, Steve Delongchamp from Election Source explained the maintenance did not impact any election records and has been routine for elections every two years for the last twenty years, and refuted other allegations as well.