IRON MOUNTAIN — Each of the five senior citizen centers in Dickinson County will receive a supplemental allocation of $10,000 that will be paid from a surplus in the county’s senior millage tax fund.

The county board approved the payments Monday to centers in Kingsford, Iron Mountain, Felch, Norway and Sagola. The Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency, which coordinates senior programs, also will receive $10,000.

The surplus developed over several years, partly due to community stabilization dollars paid by the state under personal property tax reform, Controller Brian Bousley said.

Commissioner Barbara Kramer, who serves on the DICSA Board, said Commissioner Joe Stevens suggested the plan to distribute funds equally among the centers and DICSA. About $40,000 will remain available for emergency needs.

Commissioner Kevin Pirlot voted no, saying he supports spending the surplus but first wants the county to settle on a formula for distributing senior millage revenues totaling $394,500 in 2020.

The DICSA Board has proposed supporting home-delivered meals in the Norway-Vulcan area by diverting $30,000 from the Norway Senior Center, leaving that center with nothing in the way of a county senior millage allocation for next year. The Norway center, which operates independently of DICSA but does not provide home-delivered meals, is mainly supported by a separate millage in Norway and Waucedah townships and the city of Norway.

DICSA’s funding proposal doesn’t have the full support of the county board, which is seeking further information as well as legal advice. The proposed senior millage allocations were tabled Monday.

In other action, the county board:

— Unanimously adopted a 2020 general fund budget that totals $9.75 million, up 4.4% from this year. The county’s operating levy remains at 6.1403 mills, or $6.14 per $1,000 of taxable value. About a fourth of the increased spending is due to the hiring of a sheriff’s deputy assigned to Breitung Township, with the township providing $108,000 in funding.

— Heard Pirlot and Commissioner John Degenaer Jr. say they’re disappointed over the absence of any county funding for Michigan State University-Extension or 4-H programs. Degenaer said 4-H is “a character builder and important to our community.” At a Dec. 9 meeting, only Degenaer supported Pirlot’s motion to provide $20,000 for the Extension.

— Thanked state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who was present, for the legislature’s efforts in partially resolving a state budget impasse with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by passing supplemental spending bills. On another issue, McBroom said leadership from the governor’s office would be helpful in efforts to close the “dark store” tax loophole that has resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in tax revenue for local governments across the state.

— Awarded a $15,265 bid to Jacobson Logging of Felch Township for timber to be harvested from a 12.5-acre county parcel near the Pine Mountain ski jump. Jacobson’s bid was the highest for the estimated 55 cords of mixed hardwoods and 230 cords of aspen. There were three other bidders, with Franks Inc. of Peshtigo, Wis., the second-highest at $11,971.

— Reappointed Mary Stolze and Dennis Lynch to four-year terms on the Veteran Affairs Board. Chuck Lantz also applied and received support from Kramer and Pirlot. Stolze received votes from Chairman Henry Wender and commissioners Degenaer, Kramer and Stevens. Lynch was supported by Wender, Pirlot, Stevens and Degenaer.

— Appointed former Commissioner Ann Martin to a five-year term on the Dickinson County Library Board. Martin was the only applicant and Degenaer voted no.

— Appointed Alexander Carey to a partial term on the Planning Commission to expire Feb. 28, 2022.

— Approved paying dues of $523 to the National Association of Counties. Wender voted no.

— Scheduled its 2020 reorganizational meeting for 10 a.m. Jan. 2 in the conference room of the Dickinson County Correctional Center.