County gives up IM senior center title
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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Dickinson County on Monday gave ownership of the senior center at Crystal Lake to the Senior Citizens Council of Dickinson County, nearly 10 months after starting the process.
The council, which had previously leased the center, will pay a token $1 for the building and property.
"Amen," was the comment of County Board Chairman Henry Wender after a vote to complete the sale.
Dating to late 2018, the county has spent roughly $100,000 dealing with sewage backflows at the center, including funding a new lift station in 2019. With that problem addressed, Wender proposed last summer selling the building to the council to excuse the county from further maintenance.
The board concurred, but the transfer took some time. Several complications emerged, the most recent involving a title search, Controller Brian Bousley said.
Commissioner John Degenaer Jr. voted in favor but mentioned concerns he's heard about the county's willingness to surrender property. "It's good, yet it's not good," he said.
The senior center gift follows a similar $1 sale of the former Crystal Lake Community Center to the Northern Lights YMCA, as well as allowing townships to take ownership of several county parks. In each case, the county has reasoned, the properties went to responsible parties better positioned to develop and maintain them.
"I feel very good about it," Wender said.
The senior center in Iron Mountain was the only one owned by the county. Before the sewer trouble, it was used by the Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency for its Meals on Wheels program.
DICSA has since used a number of facilities to prepare home-delivered meals and hopes to soon finish construction of a kitchen at its 1238 Carpenter Ave. building in Iron Mountain. The new kitchen has benefited from a private donation with no taxpayer funds needed, Commissioner Barbara Kramer said.
In other action, the county board:
-- Heard Degenaer report that Jessica Johnson, chief financial officer, has become acting administrator at Pinecrest Medical Care Facility in Powers after a shakeup in leadership at the tri-county skilled nursing care center. "I think we're on the right way now," he said. The hiring search for a new administrator is underway, he added. The facility, home to up to 130 residents, serves Delta, Dickinson and Menominee counties.
-- Heard Bousley confirm that Ford Airport will be awarded $1,007,549 from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act. This year's funding follows a 2020 CARES Act appropriation of $1.085 million. About $690,000 of that was used to pay off hangar construction borrowing, with the remainder dedicated to payroll and other expenses. The county may spend the second grant over a couple of years, Bousley said. Plans continue for construction of a new hangar that could be leased to a commercial interest, while also providing office space. The grant may not directly fund the hangar but could offset other expenses to help cover the estimated construction cost of $1 million or more.
-- Heard Commissioner Joe Stevens praise ongoing COVID-19 vaccinations conducted through the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department. Dickinson County Memorial Hospital currently has one coronavirus patient and another recently was transferred for further treatment, he said.
-- Granted a leave of absence request from corrections officer Matthew Eisenreich to attend the Northern Michigan University Regional Police Academy from May 3 through Aug. 23, with the goal of becoming a police officer.
-- Approved a request from Sheriff Scott Rutter to hire a full-time road patrol deputy after a recent resignation.
-- Gave permission to the Rotary Club of Iron Mountain-Kingsford to use Pine Mountain Veterans Park for its Pine Mountain 500 stair climb scheduled for Aug. 6 and 7. The event was introduced in 2019 but canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
-- Learned from Kramer that Lake Antoine Park Partners has announced its outdoor movie lineup for the summer season, with weekend showings scheduled to begin June 26.