Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton County Chair Tom Tikkanen and Vice Chair Roy Britz discuss planned work at the proposed jail and justice center site on Sharon Avenue.

HOUGHTON — After approving American Rescue Plan Act funds for several improvements last year, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners took steps toward making them happen.

The board approved earmarking $25,000 for planning and architectural work for the proposed jail and justice center site on Sharon Avenue. The county will reach out to OHM for the project, said Chair Tom Tikkanen.

The board approved purchasing the First Apostolic Lutheran Church site on Sharon Avenue in Houghton for $1.2 million in September.

The county purchased the land with an eye towards building a replacement for the 60-year-old county jail, which would be funded by a county millage.

Other county departments could also be moved to the Sharon Ave. site to relieve some of the burdens on the overcrowded courthouse. Preliminary plans call for the district court, family court and probate court to be moved to the site once the building is vacant.

“We have to be ahead of the game and have that plan ready when the church is ready to move into their new facility,” said Vice Chair Roy Britz.

The county also approved reaching out to U.P. Engineers & Architects to request a proposal for architectural and engineering professional services for district court security upgrades, a single-point entry for the courthouse and air conditioning upgrades for the courthouse. UPEA had done the preliminary work on the upgrades, Tikkanen said.

“We want to hit the ground running being in January because as much as we enjoy winter, it won’t be here all that long and we’ll be in the air conditioning season again,” he said.

In other action, the board:

• Reappointed Tikkanen to a two-year term as chair and Britz to a one-year term as vice chair.

• Approved submitting a 10-year renewal of the Houghton County Road Commission’s millage for a special election in May. The 1.369 mills go towards road maintenance.

• Discussed selling the county’s 911 building in Laurium, which has seen declining usage, Britz said. The county still uses a small portion of the building for radio equipment, which could potentially be moved to a state-owned tower in Centennial. Commissioner Gretchen Janssen, one of two realtors on the board, will meet with Britz, Emergency Measures Coordinator Chris Van Arsdale, and Sheriff Joshua Saaranen will discuss the best approach before reporting back next month.

• Reappointed Petio Kotov for a four-year term as medical examiner.

• Approved a $42,500 agreement with Michigan State University Extension. The service provides a 4-H program as well as services in agriculture and agribusiness; health and nutrition; and community food and environment.

• Approved a service agreement with Northcare Network Service for $56,107 for the county’s treatment court.

• Reappointed Commissioner Gretchen Janssen for the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) Board of Directors.

• Approved a request from homeowner Jessica Nicely to add the county as a secondary lienholder as part of the Community Development Block Grant Homebuyer Program. Superior National Bank, the first-place lienholder, will approve a mortgage for Nicely to add onto her home. Nicely is planning to expand and upgrade a foster home in-home facility.

• Authorized the sheriff’s department to send corrections officer Brett Beauchamp to police academy training. The county will receive $4,000 reimbursement for wages and benefits.