MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners recently held a meeting to discuss several privileged comments, action items and to have a closed session meeting.

The action items included Marquette County’s anti-discrimination policy revisions, the county taking over taxes in Champion Township and the accepting of grants for Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport.

The board of commissioners first moved to pay the bills from Nov. 1 through 14, the expenditures totaling just over $1.5 million, which does not include payroll ending on Nov. 9, at $838,219, and $583 due to Alger-Delta Electric Co-Op.

Next, the board heard privileged comments, including Marquette County Road Commision managing director Pete Duex, who made a presentation on a recap of projects MCRC has completed in the past year, as well as what projects will be coming in the next year.

“We have a really big construction year, bigger than when Eagle Mine opened,” said Duex.

The MCRC will handle at least 18 culvert, bridge and road projects in 2025. Project areas include Marquette County roads 581, 496, 601, M-94 and more. CR 550 will have two miles of road work done, costing $436,000 and CR 601 will have 5.9 miles of road work done totaling $1.4 million.

Following this presentation, county commissioners moved to the action items. First on the agenda was Marquette County policy revisions brought by Finance Department manager Anne Giroux.

“It is a direct recommendation from the auditor to make these changes,” said Giroux.

These policy changes included three additions: making sure that value of shared costs or matching funds will be valued and recorded at fair market value, that financial records of grants that require it shall have records of the grant retained or three years from the date of submission, and finally to include disability, political affiliation, reprisal, military service, pregnancy and the submission of a complaint in Marquette County’s nondiscrimination policy.

“Its recommended that we spell out these protected groups,” said Giroux.

The board of commissioners unanimously voted to go along with staff recommendations, and these changes in policy were made and accepted. The board also accepted an amendment for a grant for the Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport, a grant given to the Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport, a collective bargaining agreement with the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department and the Marquette County Senior Officers Association, and the appointment of James Nankervis to a partial term at the Marquette County Transit Authority.

The last action item brought up was from Marquette County Treasurer Jackie Solomon and was to seek approval from the board of commissioners on an agreement for Solomon to collect current year property taxes for Champion Township, as well as taking a 1% administration fee from Champion Township’s taxes to offset the cost of these services.

“The longtime treasurer retired at the last election,” Solomon said.

A new treasurer, Lisa Derocha, took the place of the last Champion Township treasurer, Linda Pelkola, but asked Solomon to file the taxes, as Derocha is still being trained for the role. Solomon is not sure when Champion Township will handle its own taxes.

“It has the potential to be long term, but it is up to them,” said Solomon.

The board of commissioners agreed since the timing is tight for Solomon to get Champion Township’s taxes in order, at the next meeting more details will be written on the agreement between Marquette County and Champion Township.

The next Marquette County Board of Commissioner meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Room 231 of the Henry A. Skewis Courthouse Annex in Marquette.

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.