Houghton County commissioners approve deficit plans, wedding fee hike and public-safety radios; discuss drain maintenance after spring flooding
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Summary
At its May 9 meeting, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners adopted deficit-elimination resolutions for airport, solid-waste and treatment-court funds, raised the clerk’s wedding ceremony fee to $50, approved purchases of radios for first responders and discussed creating county drains to reduce future flood damage.
Houghton — The Houghton County Board of Commissioners on May 9 approved a series of budget and policy actions intended to stabilize county finances and respond to recent flooding while endorsing investments in public safety and airport infrastructure.
Chairman Tom Tikkanen opened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. and the board heard a brief public hearing to close out a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing grant that ended in 2018. Mary Ellen Hyttinen of the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) said the grant funded homeowner repairs and noted one open grant remains.
On the consent side of the agenda, commissioners approved the April 11 minutes, the meeting agenda and bills totaling $1,292,071.90.
The board adopted Amended Resolution #23-5 recognizing the Houghton County Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Fund will show a perpetual deficit in unrestricted net assets because of the Federal Aviation Administration’s timing of collections and expenses; the resolution approves projected budgets for 2023–2027. Commissioner Joel Keranen moved to adopt the resolution; Commissioner Gretchen Janssen seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Administrator Ben Larson presented two other deficit-elimination plans. The board approved an amended plan for the Solid Waste Transfer (SWT) Enterprise Fund that includes a 9% service charge increase effective May 1 and scheduled 1.5% increases in later years, together with expense reductions. The board also approved an amended plan for the Treatment Court (drug court) fund relying on increased captured reimbursement revenue to correct a negative fund balance. Both measures passed unanimously.
County Clerk Jennifer Kelly asked the board to raise the fee for performing marriage ceremonies from $25 to $50; Commissioner Glenn Anderson moved the increase, Roy Britz seconded and the board approved the change effective June 1, 2023.
The board approved an Airpark/Airport sewer ordinance and a separate resolution clarifying the PFC fund’s accounting treatment. Airport Manager Dennis Hext told commissioners a runway project is expected to begin around May 15 and that passenger counts are up about 13% versus the same period in 2022.
Emergency Management Director Chris VanArsdale briefed commissioners on flood recovery work, saying initial damage inventories are being collected (17 individual self-reports so far) and the county awaits state verification of damage totals. VanArsdale outlined paths to federal assistance, including a Presidential Disaster Declaration under the Stafford Act and FEMA Public Assistance reimbursements, and warned that lack of maintenance records for drainage infrastructure could jeopardize future FEMA funding. He said Section 19 funding under Public Act 390 of 1976 could provide an estimated $500,000 to the county as a fallback, but that reimbursement programs require jurisdictions to fund projects up front.
As part of long-term flood mitigation, the board discussed the process to establish County Drains under the Michigan Drain Code. Drain Commissioner John Pekkala and Emergency Management staff noted creating drainage districts and special assessments are typical steps to fund maintenance and reduce future damages.
On public-safety equipment, the 911 Advisory Board recommended and the commissioners approved funding for three radios for the City of Houghton Police Department ($24,000) and one radio for Michigan Tech Public Safety ($7,000). The board also approved routine appropriations including a $2,974.25 payment to WUPPDR and an $8,506.02 ARPA-funded payment to Karhu Cyber.
Under Sheriff Jon Giachino reported 192 calls for service in the most recent month and 25 inmates in the county jail; he reported three felony and 16 misdemeanor arrests. Chairman Tikkanen said the Houghton County Land Bank is holding two parcels from a recent Calumet fire and that the county will use emergency grant funds for a site redesign.
Public comments included a question from Tim Gasperich about marriage license fees and a statement from Horst Schmidt about culvert issues in Lake Linden. Commissioner Joel Keranen commented on takeaways from the recent Michigan Association of Counties conference. The meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
Votes at a glance: increase wedding ceremony fee to $50 — passed 5-0 (motion: Anderson; second: Britz); PFC Fund Amended Resolution #23-5 — passed 5-0 (motion: Keranen; second: Janssen); SWT Enterprise Fund Amended Resolution #23-6 — passed 5-0 (motion: Anderson; second: Janssen); Treatment Court Amended Resolution #23-7 — passed 5-0 (motion: Keranen; second: Britz); Airpark/Airport Sewer Ordinance — passed 5-0 (motion: Anderson; second: Keranen); 911 radio purchases — passed 5-0 (motion: Britz; second: Janssen); WUPPDR and Karhu Cyber appropriations — passed (voice votes).