Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
The Houghton County Commission tabled further action on the Upper Peninsula Environmental Health Code until next month. After a lengthy discussion that included comment Western Upper Peninsula Health Director Tonya Rule, commissioners agreed to take additional time to review the codes.
Rule noted that the word potential is found within health codes throughout the country and is used more than 500 times throughout state-approved technical manuals and the environmental health code put before the board. Adding health officers base their decisions on state-approved technical manuals and the law.
The commission then moved on to approve expenditures by the 911 committee that included purchasing radios for the Hancock Police department and Mercy EMS, a pay raise for the county 911 Coordinator, and moving equipment from the Laurium 911 tower to the new Centennial site.
Houghton county will petition Senator Debbie Stabenow for FY 2024 funding appropriations for a Portage Canal feasibility study. A few months ago the county commission, led by Chairman Tom Tikkanen and Commissioner Roy Britz, began discussing the need for a second crossing across the canal. County officials noted that the region has two hospitals located north of the Portage Canal. Additionally, the area has seen growth in the tourism industry and the local residential population, causing more frequent traffic around the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. And there is concern about the ability to get emergency patients from the south side of the canal safely and timely, given those factors.
The board of commissions also recognized a few people leaving. First, the county received notice that Canal View Administrator Kim Salmi plans to resign. Chairman Tikkanen assures that the facility’s board is undertaking the proper steps to transfer administrative duties. And the facility has an interim administrator waiting in the wing to take over the role while a search for a new administrator begins.
The board also took a moment of silence for former County Drain Commissioner Ray Niemi, who recently passed away. He served the county for 20 years. As a teacher, Neimi received the UP Teach of the Year award and Copper Country Association of School Boards – School Service Award, during his career.
And the board recognized 14 years of Circuit Court service from Judge Charles Goodman. Judge Goodman plans to retire at the end of March. He was first appointed to the Houghton County Probate Court in 2003 by then-Governor Jennifer Granholm and replaced the retiring Judge John Mikkola. In 2009 Goodman was elected to the Houghton County 12th Circuit Court role. Governor Gretchen
