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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Dickinson County plans to use federal American Rescue Plan funds to replace the grandstand roof at the county fairgrounds in Norway at a cost of $108,875.
The quote from Lake State Roofing Inc. of Iron Mountain was accepted at a county board meeting March 9.
According to minutes from the session, Commissioner John Degenaer Jr. said some of the labor and materials will be donated. Lake State Roofing would like a banner hung in recognition, he said.
The county is receiving $4.9 million in ARP funding and has until the end of 2026 to spend it, although commitments must be made earlier.
In other action March 9, the board agreed to borrow $750,000 from First National Bank and Trust of Iron Mountain for a hangar project at Ford Airport. The terms include an interest rate of 3.5% with a 20-year amortization period, although there may be an early payoff.
Controller Brian Bousley said the borrowing is for cash-flow reasons and the county wants to move quickly to satisfy a potential tenant. The resolution for the borrowing describes it as a construction loan.
The board in December approved buying a hangar from Joseph O'Brien for $130,000, plus reimbursement of a ground lease and taxes totaling $6,618. It was anticipated the county would lease the hangar to recoup its costs.
Meanwhile, it awarded a $1.28 million hangar construction project last summer to Gundlach Champion of Iron Mountain. Steel for the structure is expected to arrive this spring, Bousley said. When completed, the county will lease the hangar to a commercial interest while also having office space for its own use.
The bid for that project was awarded during a June 11 airport committee meeting. The county initially had hoped steel would arrive in fall 2021.
Also March 9, the county approved a $39,570 quote from Energy Control and Design of Appleton, Wis., to replace a courthouse boiler.
The county board Monday approved minutes from the special session. The board posts notices of such meetings at the courthouse entrance.
In other action Monday, the county board:
-- Heard Sheriff Scott Rutter report efforts are underway to resume services to local non-profit and governmental agencies through the sheriff's work van. The program is conducted in conjunction with the corrections division and district court. It has been suspended throughout the pandemic.
-- Learned from Margaret Minerick that a COVID-19 steering committee at Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, formerly Dickinson County Healthcare System, continues to meet on an as-needed basis. At times during the pandemic, it had met daily. Minerick, who formerly chaired the DCH Board and now is on the Marshfield Clinic Hospitals Board, noted the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute received a $22.5 million grant in July 2020 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Marshfield was chosen as the sole reference lab for studies monitoring symptomatic COVID-19 and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding. COVID-19 vaccine-effectiveness studies have also been a part of Marshfield's work for the CDC.
-- Appointed Brian Swanson to a three-year term on the Dickinson County Planning Commission and reappointed Barb Bedard to a three-year term.
-- Approved a request from Judge Julie LaCost to fill an upcoming full-time civil clerk vacancy in the district court office.
-- Approved a tuition/expenses reimbursement agreement for assessor's training for equalization department employee Taylor Davies. A five-year commitment to Dickinson County employment is expected in return. The courses in Marquette are sponsored by the Michigan Tax Commission.
-- Updated the county's animal control skunk trapping policy. If using county traps, there is no charge for the first skunk in a calendar year, $25 for the second and $35 for each skunk thereafter. Traps are also available for a fee through the Dickinson County Humane Society (Almost Home Animal Shelter), according to the policy.
-- Agreed to allow the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Rotary Club to use the stairs at Pine Mountain ski jump for its annual Pine Mountain 500 running event Aug. 6.