Gogebic County commissioners censure Commissioner Dan Wood, strip committee assignments

BESSEMER, Mich. — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners voted 6-0 on Nov. 10 to formally censure Commissioner Dan Wood and remove him from committee and agency assignments, also prohibiting his use of county travel and county vehicles.

Chairman Dan Siirila read a motion for censure alleging that "Commissioner Wood has failed to comply with Gogebic County policies regarding Commissioner expenditures and the use of taxpayer dollar." Commissioner Matonich moved to adopt the censure and Commissioner Lorenson supported the motion.

The board took a roll call vote. Commissioners Lorenson, Matonich, Yon, Peterson, Cayer and Siirila voted yes; there were no votes against the motion. Commissioner Dan Wood was absent. The motion passed and the sanctions spelled out in the motion were entered into the record.

A member of the public asked the board to clarify the "multiple occasions" cited in the motion; the meeting transcript records the question but does not include further detail or a response specifying dates, amounts, or particular expenditures.

The special meeting opened at 4:00 p.m. at the Gogebic County Courthouse in Bessemer and adjourned at 4:06 p.m. Clerk Erin Bunt recorded the roll.

The meeting minutes state that the censure was based on noncompliance with "Gogebic County policies regarding Commissioner expenditures," but the record provided at the meeting does not enumerate the specific policy violations or supporting evidence. The board did not record an amendment or a separate investigative finding during the special session. The clerk's minutes list the motion text, mover, seconder and the roll call tally.

The board approved the meeting agenda by unanimous voice vote before taking up the censure motion. No formal follow-up date or additional procedural steps were announced at the meeting.