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.