CALUMET – At the regular monthly meeting of the Calumet Village Council Tuesday, Village President Rob Tarvis read a prepared message explaining the upcoming vote on the council’s Resolution of Intent to Vacate Portion of 9th Street. Tarvis said he wanted the people in the gallery to know the resolution was not a binding vote on vacating the portion of 9th Street, but instead is the necessary next step that, if passed, would lead to a public hearing where opinions could be shared.

Tarvis also announced the council would not respond to any public comments on the 9th Street issue. That said, there were still more than 30 minutes worth of petitions from the public with comments both for and against vacating a portion of 9th Street.

Virginia Dwyer, a resident of 9th Street, was adament in her opposition to the resolution and informed the council she is continuing to explore legal action, saying she is “not letting this go.”

Jim Flood, owner of the Mineral Range Depot in Calumet and the person who originally asked for the council to vacate the portion of 9th Street over lots 11, 12, and 13 which is property between the Depot and Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, spoke again in favor of the resolution and thanked the council for the work put into the issue thus far.

As the public continued to address the Council, comments occasionally turned more personal and some tempers flared. Village resident Peggy Germain was the last member of the public to speak, saying that the council needed to listen closely to people on both sides of the issue and stressed that the issue needed to be resolved.

Later in the meeting, the council voted unanimously to pass the resolution of intent to vacate, and set the Public Hearing for Monday, May 18, at 6:00 p.m. Trustee Kelly Ryan explained her decision to vote for the resolution was specifically to start conversations with residents of 9th Street, to hear their questions and concerns, and to talk through what the potential changes would mean for them. She stressed her end vote on the resolution will reflect what is best for the general public throughout the Village of Calumet.

In other business Village Manager Megan Haselden reported that a third-party administrator was selected for the $400,000 grant from the Michigan Neighborhood Community Development Block Grant. Details on how residents can apply should be coming out soon. She is also anticipating hearing about a $150,000 grant for new machinery for the Department of Public Works (DPW) by the end of the month.

Haselden also updated the council on the garage collapse on 5th Street in downtown Calumet. Fire crews from the Villages of Calumet and Laurium as well as the Township of Calumet all responded, as did the Village of Calumet’s DPW, to help clean up the debris that extended all the way to the sidewalk across the street.

A structural beam from the collapse that was threatening damage to the neighboring UP Pub was removed, but the rest of the debris cannot be removed until the asbestos testing comes back and any needed abatement is performed. The sidewalk and parking in front of the collapsed garage and the connected building is blocked off and the public is cautioned to stay away from the area.

The Village of Calumet’s spring clean up will be in May, with Haselden promising more information will be relayed to residents as the final details are sorted and the dates are closer. She hopes the village can get a dumpster again this year, and anyone willing to donate towards the cost of one is welcome to drop that off at the village office.

An update from the Blight Task Force was on the agenda, but once again there was nothing to report as the task force had not recently met. President Pro Tempore Pamela Que was nominated to take over the task force, and the council unanimously approved this change.

Articles of Incorporation for the “Calumet-Laurium Fire Authority,” which would combine the fire departments of Calumet Township and the Villages of Calumet and Laurium, were applauded by council members, particularly Que who said she has heard “nothing but good things” about this idea. The council unanimously approved sending the articles on to legal counsel.

Team Big Annie co-chairs Anita Campbell and Vada Riederich addressed the council with updates on the plaque they are designing for the Big Annie statue. Concerns from the council centered primarily on the placement of the plaque in the green space and if it would be in the way of other events in the area or snow removal in the winter.

Campbell and Riederich showed the council a mock-up of the size of the plaque and said their preferred placement of the plaque would be at the base of the statue itself. The council unanimously approved the plaque and its placement, putting the project on track for the planned August unveiling.

In other action, the council appointed Janet Johnston to the Downtown Development Authority and unanimously approved the “From the Ground” farmer’s market continuing to use the parking lot of Agassiz Park for their 2026 season.