Public outreach, radio ads and a county mailer discussed for proposed Houghton County jail millage

Commissioners and public commenters at the Houghton County Board work session on July 1 debated who should pay for outreach to voters on a proposed jail millage and how much the work will cost.

Faith Morrison, who said she is assisting public education on the jail and working with the League of Women Voters, told the board the nonprofit has a PowerPoint nearly complete but is struggling to raise funds for a countywide flyer and mailings. Morrison said the millage language is “vague and can change” and reported the group had received a $1,000 donation but needed more money to mail materials.

Morrison provided outreach cost estimates: she said printing would cost about $2,000 and mailing to every Houghton County resident would be roughly $5,000; later figures discussed at the meeting put full-page print-and-mail at about $6,548 and a two-sided half-page at about $6,966. Morrison urged the county to cover the mailing cost.

Commissioner Glenn Anderson proposed adding $6,000 to the next board agenda to pay for a mailer and radio ads; he noted other local campaigns and nonprofits had used mailers and radio. Chairman Tom Tikkanen said that if the county will use communications for educational purposes, the board must take formal action at the next meeting to authorize such spending. Commissioner Gretchen Janssen suggested Morrison draft a script and have commissioners record radio spots. Morrison said a local station offered 50% off for spots at three times a day.

No formal spending authorization was recorded at the work session; commissioners instructed staff to place the outreach item on the next board meeting agenda for formal action.