Alpena County committee approves fairgrounds use for Food Bank, subordinates home-improvement loan and recommends courthouse sculpture

The Alpena County Facilities, Capital & Strategic Planning Committee met on Nov. 19, 2025, and voted to recommend a package of administrative actions including subordinating an existing Home Improvement loan, permitting monthly food-distribution events at the county fairgrounds and approving placement of a public sculpture on the courthouse lawn.

Home Improvement Director Nicki Janish presented a request to subordinate an existing Home Improvement loan (loan #005-03-HI). Janish said the request met the department's subordination policy contingencies. The committee recommended approval; Commissioner Brenda Foumier moved the recommendation and Commissioner Todd Britton supported it. A roll-call vote recorded AYES: Commissioners Foumier, Britton and Kozlowski; NAYS: none. The motion carried.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer and Maintenance Superintendent Nick Akins reported on fairgrounds operations, including a recent $2,000 power bill from the week of the fair that the Fair Board agreed to pay. The committee approved a request from Courtney Holmes, an organizer with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, to hold monthly food-distribution operations at the Alpena County Fairgrounds. Holmes said she would coordinate dates with the maintenance superintendent and county administrator to avoid traffic issues; the motion to recommend monthly use carried.

Thunder Bay Arts Council representative Tim Kuehlein presented a plan to place an eagle sculpture titled "Eagle has Landed" on the courthouse lawn as part of July 2026 commemorations tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the Alpena Bi-Path anniversary. The committee recommended placing the sculpture at the corner opposite the Veterans Memorial pending any site issues; the arts council plans a public campaign beginning on Giving Tuesday and asked the city to form a Sesquicentennial Commission to coordinate community events.

Airport Manager Mick Higgins reported a hangar tenant had died and said the county is evaluating options for the hangar. Local resident Sid Hausding expressed interest in purchasing and asked for reassignment of the current lease. The committee directed the county administrator to obtain additional information for a future full-board decision; that request passed on a roll-call vote with all four commissioners present voting AYE. The committee then voted to table further action until more information is provided.

The committee also recommended offering Alpena Rink Management a one-year lease extension to allow time for the county to determine longer-term plans for Northern Lights Arena and ensure sufficient funds for maintenance; the motion carried. On finance matters, Board Chairman John Kozlowski reported the Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority had been assessed a 10% late fee (about $570) and the committee agreed it was fair to apply the fee despite turnover at NMMMA.

The committee received and filed monthly recycling and fairground manager reports and heard maintenance updates, including near-completion work at the county Dental Health Clinic and a plan to evaluate splitting the fairgrounds electrical service into separate meters to reduce demand charges.

The committee set its next meeting for Dec. 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the Howard Male Conference Room/Zoom Room and adjourned at 10:41 a.m.