Wakefield Township addresses spring repair, cleanup

By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD – Spring time means that local officials turn their attention to damage incurred by the now fading cold season, and Wakefield Township supervisor John Cox said Wednesday that the issue has been one of his recent projects. “I just completed road inspections yesterday,” he told the Globe, adding that attention now will turn to needed repairs. According to Cox, the township has a combined $121,000 in funds from the township and the Gogebic County Road Commission to address this year’s concerns. The supervisor said an additional facet of spring cleanup will be via the township’s annual spring cleanup, which will be a two-day event on May 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at Western U.P. Recycling Center at N. County Road 519 and Planter Road. Cox said he hopes the spring cleanup will provide incentive to township property owners whose property may be hampered by items that no longer have value. No tires will be accepted this year. Cox added that, at their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, members of the Wakefield Township board appointed Tim Moon to an open seat on the Section 23 Authority. The supervisor said the appointment made sense since Section 23 refers to a sewer system used by Big Snow Resort, under which the Indianhead and Blackjack hills operate under Moon’s management. According to Cox, the board also: –Voted to sell a Planter Road lot for $2,000 to George Dalbeck, who intends to construct a storage unit with rental units for the public. Regarding the sale, Cox said, “It meets the purpose of economic development, and it’s also going to relieve people without garage space.” –Voted to release for foreclosure auction a piece of township property of under two acres that lies within a hunting camp area. Cox said $996 in taxes are due on the property, and the highest bidder will get the land. –Voted to approve a budget amendment of about $7,000 in relation to an expanded need for internet services from Merit Network and provided by Gogebicrange.net. The board will meet next on June 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wakefield Township Hall at 414 N. County Road 519.