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IRON MOUNTAIN -- A property sale approved in August for a new Dollar General Store on Iron Mountain's north side may soon be wrapped up.
"It should close, hopefully, in the next month," City Manager Jordan Stanchina told the city council Monday.
The city has been working with the purchaser, Overland Group LLC of Birmingham, Ala., on the site plan and design standards.
The purchase price for the 1.5 acres at U.S. 2 and Blaine Street is $175,000, which the city lowered from $190,000 after requiring the company modify the store's exterior. This was done to improve the aesthetics of the building in an attempt to preserve the value of the adjoining vacant land.
The parcel is part of 10.724-acre former Khoury Inc. furniture plant site the city has had for sale for a number of years. Khoury sold the property to the Tax Increment Finance Authority for $875,000 in 2007, with the city taking ownership in 2012 when TIFA was dissolved.
The purchase agreement contains contingencies requiring a more historic building design that "prevents the split block and steel-sided buildings that are typical of Upper Peninsula Dollar Generals," Stanchina has noted.
In other action, the city council:
-- Will seek bids for the purchase of a drum wood chipper capable of handling branches up to 12 inches in diameter. The current chipper is from 1990 and is no longer reliable. The budget includes $40,000 for the purchase, which is expected to greatly reduce man hours and equipment costs for brush collections.
-- Heard resident Sue Theisen ask whether there are plans to provide pickleball courts. Mayor Dale Alessandrini said a private contributor may help the city convert tennis courts for pickleball use, either on the north side or near Ranger Field. "Hopefully it will get done this summer," he said.
-- Will seek more information on a request from We Energies for an easement to supply power to a Charter Communications facility off Park Avenue north of East A Street. Rather than splitting a city parcel, the council is asking if there's an alternative route. "Who knows what we're going to do there someday," Alessandrini said. The city assessor has placed a land value of $1,800 on the requested easement.
-- Heard Virginia Feleppa of the Iron Mountain Tree Board ask the city to help reduce the cost for residents purchasing trees to plant on street boulevards. Only four residents bought trees through the board's program this summer, perhaps because of the $170 cost, she said. "We need trees to beautify and make a healthier community," she said. The council will review the request.
-- Heard Stanchina summarize the city's decision at a Jan. 29 special meeting to join a multi-jurisdictional lawsuit filed against opioid manufacturers and distributors. Dickinson County earlier agreed to join the lawsuit after hearing a presentation from attorney Tim Smith of Smith and Johnson Attorneys of Traverse City. The lawyers would collect 30 percent of any monetary award with the remaining 70 percent going to the participating municipalities as compensation for costs such as law enforcement and treatment. Numerous states, cities and counties have filed lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies seeking reimbursement for government spending arising out of opioid addictions and overdoses.
-- Set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Feb. 19 on the planned purchase of a fire department pickup truck to be funded, in part, by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant. The city would be responsible for the first $23,504, with the grant covering $7,835 for a 2018 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab.
-- Reappointed Walter Lakari to the Iron Mountain Housing Commission and reappointed Dean Petschar to the Board of Review.
-- Approved a contribution of $2,000 toward the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools Summer Recreation Program.
-- Waived the City Park pavilion rental fee for the Golden K Special Needs Youth Picnic set for May 29, subject to a $75 security deposit.
-- Agreed to solicit bids for two-year city financial audit proposals.