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Ontonagon approves sewer upgrade

For the Gazette

ONTONAGON – The Ontonagon Village Council voted unanimously at its Monday meeting to refinance the village sewer bond. The refinanced bond will fund an upgrade to the water and sewer system.

The council voted to make a $300,000 down payment for the $532,000 project, with the remainder paid through a 15-year note.

According to Village Manager Joseph Erickson, this would be a savings of over $221,000.

Some of the money the village will save on the refinancing may be needed for updates to the village water and sewer system.

The village acquired the raw water intake, pumping equipment, and supply pipes in 2001, after the 1998 closure of Copper Range Copper Company’s White Pine Mine. The village also acquired the potable water distribution system for the White Pine community, along with Silver City, and from M-64 to Ontonagon. The village constructed a water treatment plant just south of the mine site.

Currently White Pine Electric covers all the costs of pumping the raw water from Silver City to the village’s water treatment plant in White Pine.

“If White Pine Electric (WPE) was to shut down, those costs would then have to be picked up by all our water users,” said Erickson.

Former Ontonagon Village Manager Scott Roehm said if WPE was to cease operations, the village should look at going to smaller, more energy efficient pumps in Silver City.

This was not the only area where investing in newer technology was discussed.

“The computer system for the village water treatment plant was installed 15 years ago. The system needs to be updated to take advantage of existing technology,” said Erickson.

Erickson went on to say the water and sewer systems monitoring, telemetry, and other automation features need to be reviewed and evaluated. “This includes all control panels, back-up power and security systems. The goal of the system is to permit the water operators to monitor and control the entire waters and sewer system from a computer interface.”

Erickson also reported on Governor Snyder’s signature on the licensed medical marijuana facility legislation. This legislation permits the village to choose whether or not to adopt an ordinance. If the village does not adopt an ordinance, a medical marijuana facility could not be operated in the village. If the village was to adopt an ordinance, Erickson said zoning ordinances would have to be amended.

If the village was to adopt an ordinance for a medical marijuana facility, the village, county, and sheriff’s office would receive up to 60percent of taxes paid by the licensee.

“While I don’t advocate for an ordinance, the council may want to consider it from a revenue potential,” said Erickson.

The council did not discuss or take any action on this issue.

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