Graphic courtesy of Houghton County One of the concepts for a new county jail in the 2025 Jail plan.

HOUGHTON – The Houghton County Jail Committee met last week to search for a solution to the jail issue that voters will endorse.

“We need a solution that people will support,” Committee Chair Jared Hyrkas said. “All our time will be wasted if we don’t come up with a plan that gets us a jail.”

After the August election, voters voiced concerns with the process used to develop and fund the 2025 Jail Plan, according to the Houghton County website. To address concerns, and to better involve county citizens in the designing and funding of an appropriate jail facility, the county board voted to form three committees to look at several issues expressed by the voters.

Faith Morrison, Jail Committee member and co-president of the Copper Country League of Women Voters, said the Jail Committee was formed to identify voter issues and listen to what the public said in their “no” vote in August to learn their objections, then revise the jail plan based on the objections.

At the committee’s 4 p.m. Nov. 3 meeting, County Board Chair and Committee Member Tom Tikkanen said many people are so busy with work, families, or are not interested and are not engaged in the discussion.

Some feel part of the reason may be with County Board itself. In August, the Copper Country Republican Party approved a resolution calling on the Board to to change the location and time of its regular monthly meetings. The resolution stated Board meetings were held at 3 p.m. on the second Tuesday following the first Monday of each month. In the past, they began at 4 p.m. Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Kelly said the resolution was not presented at the Aug. 12 regular meeting, nor was the regular meeting convened at 3 p.m. It was moved to 10 a.m.

At the November Jail Committee meeting, Gretchen Hein, Osceola Township resident, said the one option from the 2025 Jail Plan that was chosen for the millage was not the least expensive option, and asked if a cheaper alternative could be proposed in the future.

According the Houghton County website, the Master Plan that was developed contains the raw information needed to specify a new jail. The next step in that design process is to choose sizes and options that are described in the Master Plan.

Mike Hamilton, committee member said a primary reason for the August defeat was property owners do not want higher taxes. “That’s the biggest,” he said.

Some committee members expressed resentment at voters not wanting more tax increases to fund the project. Committee member and co-president of the Copper Country League of Women Voters Valorie Troesch said cost and taxes were a concern. “They do not want their taxes to go up,” she said It’s an aging community. (There was) also a combination of factors given as excuses; they just don’t want their taxes to go up.”

Tikkanen responded: “It’s all about money.” He went on to say the voters were astounded that the County added the proposal to the August ballot. “The timing wasn’t good.,” he said. “Was there an alternative? I don’t know.”

He pointed out the proposal will not get easier competing with school millages or caring for and feeding senior citizens. “Valorie’s point was a good one,” Tikkanen said. “They don’t want their taxes to go up, but they can find other reasons.”

Committee Chairman Hyrkas, who was on 2018 Jail Taskforce, said he has heard almost every single one of those reasons and personally felt and agreed with many of them. “I would rather pay for a $24 million jail than a $32 million one, if possible,” he said.

Adam Laplander, Canal View administrator, agreed, asking why the cost is so high. “Contractors in the room at a previous county meeting said they could do it for less,” he said.

Committee members cited other concerns expressed by voters, including the Sharon Avenue property was purchased by the county without public input; some people attended the informational meetings and came away feeling their views were not appreciated and the issue was “pushed down their throats.”