City Commission to Hold 3 Public Hearings Prior to Tomorrow's Meeting

IRONWOOD, MI - Sunday, October 11, 2009 - Tomorrow night will the be second to the last meeting of the current City Commission. Mayor Bruce Noren isn't running for re-election. The other four Commissioners -- Bob Burchell, Tom Laabs, Gemma Gorilla Lamb, and Suzanne Toth -- are running for re-election. Eight other candidates are vying for a seat on the Commission -- Joseph F. Cayer, Kim S. Corcoran, Louise Demasi, George Goerig, Ken Jacobson, William D. Lucius, Rick Semo, and Ron Taylor. The November 3rd election is "at large" and the top five vote-getters will become the City's new Commission. The candidate who gathers the most support will be the City's new Mayor.

Prior to tomorrow night's meeting the Commission will hold three public hearings:

1.  At 5:15 PM the public hearing will be to hear comment on a Dimensional Variance request from Dennis and Linda Raisenan, 217 West Ayer Street (Parcel #27-52-22-314-150) to allow a new garage 32 feet by 34 feet (1,088 square feet). The Commission will be serving as the "Board of Zoning Appeals" for this hearing, and action will be taken immediately following the hearing.

2.  At 5:20 PM the public hearing will be to hear comment on Resolution #09-039, a Resolution determining the property located at 449 West Ash Street (Parcel #27-52-21-227-200) is a public hazard or nuisance and receive comment on proposed abatement.

3.  At 5:25 PM the hearing will be to hear comment on Resolution #09-040, a Resolution determining the property located at 400 Cedar Street (Parcel #27-52-21-478-070) is a public hazard or nuisance and receive comment on proposed abatement.

At 5:30 PM, following the public hearings, the regular meeting is scheduled to begin. According the the agenda, the following actions will be taken:

ROUTINE BUSINESS

A. At 5:30 PM, the meeting will be called to order. Mayor Noren will recite the opening prayer followed by the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

B. City Clerk Karen Gullan will record the roll.

C. The Commission will consider approval of the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda is supposed to be a list of routine, mundane business actions that should not require discussion. Commissioners and Citizens in attendance have the right to request that Consent Agenda items be moved to the Regular Agenda so that they can be discussed. The Consent Agenda items on tomorrow's agenda include:

1.  Approval of Minutes for the September 28th Regular City Commission Meeting and the Special Meeting of September 18th.

2. Review and Place on File the Ironwood Planning Commission Meeting Minutes for September 2nd.

3. Accept the resignation of Debbie Bowles from the Ironwood Planning Commission [as per Section 3.13 (3) of the City Charter.]

D. Following the approval of the Consent Agenda, the Regular Agenda is scheduled to be approved.

E. Citizens wishing to address the Commission on Agenda Items will be given the opportunity to reserve time to do so. There is an arbitrarily enforced three minute limit on these addresses to the Commission.  

F. The Ironwood Public Safety Department will be demonstrating their newly obtained Ladder Truck.

OLD BUSINESS

G. The Commission will consider action on regarding the blighted property abatement of 449 West Ash Street.

H. The Commission will consider action on regarding the blighted property abatement of 400 Cedar Street.

NEW BUSINESS

The Commission is scheduled to take action the following issues:

I. Discuss and Consider awarding bid for a 2010 four-wheel drive chassis cab truck.

J. Discuss and Consider awarding bid for water main connections and/or valves at six locations near Lake Road.

K. Discuss and Consider approving opening Greenbush Street, from Midland Avenue to Margaret Street for season-long snowmobile use; and establish a 25 MPH speed limit marked on that section of the route.

L. Discuss and Consider approving speed limits on Trail #2 for snowmobiles, as posted.

M. Discuss and Consider authorizing advertisement for bids for a new Loader.

N. Discuss and Consider declaring equipment as surplus and authorizing advertisement for sale of surplus equipment.

O. Discuss and Consider accepting recommendation of Planning Commission to set selling price for surplus property (Parcel #27-52-24-200-150) (adjacent to 210 Bonnie Road) at $1,090.00 without a revisionary clause.

P. Manager's Report.

Q. Other Matters (Five Minute Limit).

R. Citizens wishing to address the Commission on Items not on the Agenda (Five Minute Limit).

S. Adjournment.