City Commission to Meet Early Monday Evening

IRONWOOD, MI - Sunday, March 22, 2009 - The Ironwood City Commission (ICC) will be meeting earlier than usual for its next meeting tomorrow evening. Four Public Hearings are scheduled prior to the regular meeting.

The first hearing scheduled to begin at 5:10 PM, will be to hear comments regarding the 2009 Housing Resource Fund application in the amount of $150,000 for the component of Rental Rehab in the NPP District.

The second hearing will be to hear comments regarding grant applications to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Michigan Natural Trust Fund (MNTF) and to the MDNR, Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for the purpose of acquiring old railroad grade (for biking/walking purposes) throughout the City. The second hearing is scheduled to begin at 5:15 PM.

At 5:20 PM a third hearing is scheduled to hear comments regarding grant applications to the MDNR, MNTF and to the MDNR, LWCF for the purpose of developing by expanding and upgrading the tennis facilities at Patterson Tennis Courts.

Another grant application to the MDNR, MNTF and the MDR, LWCF will be the topic of the fourth and final public hearing tomorrow evening. This grant is for the purpose of upgrading and modernizing the facilities at Curry Park. The final hearing is scheduled to begin at 5:25 PM.

On the Consent Agenda for tomorrow's regular meeting are the following items:

Approval of the March 9th Regular City Commission Meeting.
Review and Place on file minutes for the:

Downtown Ironwood Development Authority, February 26th.
Ironwood Planning Commission, February 4th.

Schedule a Public Hearing for Monday, April 27th at 5:15 PM to hear comment on Ordinance No. 470, Book 4, an ordinance to repeal the existing Planning Commission Ordinance, Chapter 22 and enact a new Planning Commission Ordinance, Chapter 22.
Consider application submittal for a Michigan Municipal Management Authority RAP (Risk Avoidance Program) grant. This grant application is for the purpose of making the Ironwood Memorial Building and the Ironwood Carnegie Library "secure" buildings by installing (1) security systems; (2) surveillance cameras; (3) recording equipment; (4) "panic buttons;" (5) partitions and safety glass to separate employees from the general public; and (6) lock-unlock magnet systems on interior doors and combination locks on the exterior doors. The project cost estimate is $20,000, half of which will be covered by the RAP grant and the other half that will come out of the general fund.

Consent agenda items are generally mundane, and/or routine items that should require little or no discussion.

During the regular meeting action will be considered on each of the four issues discussed during the public hearings. In addition, the Commission and the general public is expected to be updated on the whether or not the City Deer Management Hunt has been successful.

The Commission is also expected to consider a request from DOVE to reduce the cost of renting the Auditorium for DOVE Bingo games. According to a letter of request submitted by Pam Orr, Executive Director of Domestic Violence Escape, Incorporated (DOVE), "due to rising costs of equipment and supplies, our proceeds have continued to decline over the past couple of years. As a non-profit organization it is imperative to raise funds to support our programs so that we may continue to provide services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in our community."

At tomorrow evening's meeting, the Commission will also discuss and consider scheduling a Special City Commission Meeting for Monday, April 6th, at 5:30 PM to award the Solid Waste Collection and Disposal contract.

Following the Manager's Report, the Commission is scheduled to go into closed session to discuss the status of contract negotiations with AFSCME, Local 1538 and Ironwood Professional Police Association Unions. This item has been placed on the last several meeting agendas, and it has immediately been removed at the beginning of each meeting. It is apparent that the City is not seriously working to resolve the long-standing union issues that have left our City workers and our Public Safety Officers for years without a contract.