CRYSTAL FALLS — The Iron County Board on Tuesday approved compensation for incoming Friend of Court Shawn Houle, who previously worked in the Register of Deeds office.

Iron County Trial Court Chief Judge Donald Powell said the compensation should be $45,000 effective Oct. 14, $47,000 effective Jan. 1 and $49,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Commissioner Mike Stafford disagreed with the wording of the proposal, saying the raises in pay should be effective year one, two and three. Commissioner Patti Peretto agreed.

“I have a problem with somebody getting a $2,000 raise after a couple of months,” Peretto said. “I think that we should stick with $45,000, $46,000 and $47,000, then if there is an issue we can look at it next year.”

Powell cited statute MCL 552.527 that states the chief judge shall appoint the Friend of the Court, set the compensation and the county treasurer shall pay it. Powell noted the compensation was the same as agreed upon for the previous Friend of the Court.

Powell also said the judicial and executive branches have always had a good relationship.

Civil Counsel Steve Tinti, however, said the court system does not have authority over financial matters. The county had budgeted $45,000 for 2025 and when the state has a line item budget that designates by position, the court is required to operate within it.

The board approved the motion for $45,000 the first year, with the $2,000 raise in the subsequent two years.

In other business, the board —

— Heard from Iron County Equalization Department Director Amy Bucek on the 2024 apportionment report. Bucek stated the county-taxable value is $681,998,319, a 7.5% increase compared with 2023. Eleven of the 20 taxing authorities received a fractional millage reduction, or Headlee rollback. The Headlee Amendment requires local governments to reduce their millage when the annual growth on existing property is greater than inflation.

This was also the second time since Michigan’s Proposal A was approved in 1994 that any increase in taxable value on each property was limited to 5%, regardless of the increase in assessed value.

Bucek reported the county’s share of the levy will generate $4,336,214, which is an increase of $296,905 from 2023.

Nearly half of the taxes collected across the county go towards education.

— Approved new pay rates for the Iron County Board of Road Commissioners. The chairman will receive $725 monthly and other members will get $625 a month. Special meetings outside of the regular meeting will pay $40 a day in county and $75 a day out of county.

— Authorized posting job openings for a part-time register of deeds accounting clerk and full-time accounting clerk for the treasurer’s office.