Traffic Controls Subject of Debate

Members of the Bessemer City Council said goodbye to councilmen Carpenedo and Peterson at the close of last nights council meeting. Both councilmen have chosen not to seek reelection in today’s elections. Mayor John Frillo presented the the two councilmen with plaques of appreciation by the city for their service to the community.

The council tabled a vote of a variance request by Mr Harju. Harju wants to get a use variance for a snowmobile park on his forty plus acreage. In the past Harju has operated the park on a very limited basis. His request for a permanent variance brought swift action by neighbors who do not want the park so close to their homes, citing noise and traffic in their petition presented to the council.

A neighbor, Greg Miller was at the meeting. He told the council that the neighbors were not necessarily opposed to the park being operated as it had been in the past. Their concern was with a permanent variance and what might develop from it.

The council voted to postpone action pending a public hearing.

The council took action on the U.S. 2 traffic situation. Members of the council are not satisfied with the signage along the highway. The number one culprit is the Tacconelli Sign which obscures the 30mph sign from eastbound motorist . Councilmen Matonich believes that signs could and should be better placed along the roadway.

The only disagreement on the matter results from the impotency of MDOT officials to do anything about the matter. They cite the fact that in order to move a sign just one inch an entire traffic survey must be completed by the State Police. The irony in this is that the the survey could actually result in the speed limit being increased. It was the probability of that happening that caused the signage request to be voted down at last night’s meeting.

Editor’s Note: There is something very wrong with this entire situation. One minute we’re told that there are no longer enough State Police Officers to inspect our school buses. The next minute we’re told MDOT cannot make a highway signage decision without the State Police stopping their vital work in order to do a traffic survey. We’re told by MDOT that there isn’t enough dead bodies on US 2 to justify a traffic light at the Walmart intersection. Not enough money or injuries to justify the expense of one stinking traffic light and yet the same cast of characters can give away million dollar communication towers so that they build new multi-million dollar towers. That’s a great big HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

The Township Board of Trustees confirmed their confidence in Township Supervisor Kim Mattson. In a unanimous vote the Trustees elected Mattson to  represent the Trustees on a joint conference committee with members of the Planning and Zoning Committee. The committee was formed to finalize the INFAMOUS SOIL ORDINANCE.

Unfortuately, Simmons is spending Township money in the process. Township Taxpayers will pick up the tab for the special election created by Simmons and his band of semi-illiterate followers.

We now know why the Globe was so willing to print his smear letters. He has placed a full page in the Globe. It appears that Advertising revenue drives the Globe editorial and Opinion page. Sounds just like the Unfriendly Friend$ of the Carnegie doesn't it?

Meantime Mattson has sent out fliers of her own:

Vote "No" To The Recall on November 3

I have been with the Ironwood Township since July, 2000. Before working at the Township, I worked at MFC First National Bank for eight years. Previous to that, while attending college, I worked at Sun-N-Snow Café. I obtained my Associates Degree from G.C.C. and my Bachelors Degree in Business-Accounting from the University of Phoenix. I am also a Level 1 Assessor.

Being elected to the position of Supervisor in 2008 was an honor. I take the office seriously, listening to concerns and helping with problems.

I was born and raised in the Township, on Slade Road. I continue the tradition by raising my children, Troy and Jamee, in the Township too. My Father, Kenneth (Bim) was a local mechanic and my Mother, Nancy worked in banking and real estate. I have many local ties here and aim to live up to their aspirations.

I am a member of the GRWA (Gogebic Range Water Authority) Board, the GRWA Executive Board, the GIWA (Gogebic Iron Wastewater Authority) Board, the PAUD (Powderhorn Area Utility District) Board, Parks and Recreation Committee, the Strengthening Your Niche group, the Ironwood PTO, and am President of the Barracuda Swim Team Parents Board.

In order for the recall to have made it to the ballot, a petition was circulated. While it was circulating, many people were given misinformation about me. Again, I was born and raised here. Having my reputation tarnished by this misinformation has been very difficult. The misinformation on the petition pertains to wages, meetings, petitions, and pensions.

The following is clarification on the misinformation:

• The Charter Township of Ironwood Board of Trustees consists of seven members-each of whom have equal votes. I was not seated in office when the first draft budget was presented. The seven-member board makes the decisions on the proposed budget. As Supervisor, I received a 0% increase from my predecessor. The Clerk and Treasurer received a 3% increase.
• Meeting notices are posted as required by the Open Meetings Act, and are a statutory duty of the Clerk.
• Union negotiation contracts are not discussed in open meetings until the contracts are approved.
• Management was contacted to see if they were aware of a petition circulating there.
• Timely responses are given to all Freedom of Information Act requests according to Michigan law. Requests are answered exactly as received.

Thank you to all for your continued support. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Authorized and Paid for By the Committee to elect Kim Mattson, N10676 Lake Road, Ironwood, MI 49938

Rick Semo: "Not Until It's Ours!"

Semo replied "Not until this place is ours!" 

Ooops, I thought it belongs to the taxpayers and all the residents. We guess the perpetrator of the littering wasn't the only one with bad manners!

This  story was told to us by several people on that tour. Mr. Semo has shown such characteristics before. During the election for the K-6 Bond Issue, Mr. Semo stopped Arlene Szott who was on her way into the Gymnorium to speak on a different point of view than that of Semo's. He made sure that he was so rude that Arlene was shaken up and unable to address the voters in the gym. Semo, later called to apologize for his obnoxious behavior.

Semo has made it very clear that he wants no motorized vehicles in the Caves. So has Gemma Lamb, Bob Burchell and Ron Taylor. The problem we have with this is that the Proposed Miners Memorial Park is a sham. A coverup to hide the real motives of these hiker/biker groups. That is to 1) kick the ATV and Snowmobiles out of the Caves and 2) to kick the Snowmobiles and ATV's off of Trail 2 and, 3) Kick the ATVs and Snowmobiles off the City Streets.

This is what the MMP wants. That is what they consider their "Comprehensive Recreational Vehicle Master Plan"

We believe that the Caves area is large enough to accommodate both  motorized and non-motorized sports.

We believe that Ironwood cannot afford to choose one or the other.

We believe that a Miner's Memorial Park is an OK idea. But, we believe that it should be developed by honest people with honest motives.

I do not ride ATVs nor do I Ride snowmobiles. I have in the last two months invested in a new mountain bike and a new set of snow shoes. I look forward to using them in the caves area.

But, I do not look forward to evicting snowmobiles or atv's for my own Greedy purposes. Ironwood cannot afford to choose one or the other.

Unfortunately, some of the people involved in the division have monetary considerations that are clouding their judgment.

Library Renovation Tax

Number 1

Ironwood Issue

It seems as might be expected at Election time, things start getting muddy as to who said what and who did what. Politicians are known to have selective memory and of course those with a financial stake in the election outcome also have selective memories.

Which begs the question. Just where the heck do they want these motorized recreational vehicles? Obviously anywhere except Ironwood. What bothers me most is that Semo, Burchell, Lamb and Taylor all lack the courage of their convictions and will not state honestly just what their position is on the Caves.

Both candidates have extreme anti snowmobile and ATV sentiments

Listening to Burchell, Lamb, Semo and Taylor, I get the feeling that I am watching the Governor on rerun. Over and over and over ad nauseum.

You too can view the video by clicking below.

See the Side Step. Click above. If you've attended any city council meetings in the last four years you will really appreciate this one!

After public opinion opposed the loss of the tax revenue, Burchell, Semo and Lamb set out in a new direction. Let’s call the trails something people will be afraid to talk out against. Oh, let’s call it a heritage trail. Well it has worked to some extent, but not entirely. Trail interest has waned. Recent tours of the caves have produced less than half the number of hikers as earlier in the year. Even a tour to the Pabst Mine on the anniversary of the Mine Disaster was a dismal failure. If local residents don’t care why would anyone else care. This alleged memorial has already cost the Ironwood taxpayers and will cost them a great deal more if the wrong people are elected to the city council. Read Previous Article 11/08

We hit pay dirt on the second mailing when we pointed out how MSHDA had been greasing the skids for the downstate speculators. We pointed to all the surveys showing the foul land, we pointed out how a DEQ survey on wet lands issues had been waived etc., etc. etc. We didn’t sit on our hands nor did we just write letters, or editorials. We at IronwoodInfo put our money where our mouths were.

We paid for information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Much of that information is now in the hands of the attorneys fighting the Hovey debacle.

What we did accomplish was this, we at IronwoodInfo stalled the project long enough for others to jump into the fray. Today, 95% of taxpayers and of those who can read disapprove of the Hovey project. Now, some of the city council supporters have become Born Again, with respect to the project.

With the project stalled and public opinion rising against the project, we were able to do one more thing. The city council finally listened to one of our major complaints about Hovey. There was no sunset clause to the tax free ride. No termination date. The wording accepted by the city council would have left the possibility of this debacle being tax free forever. Now, everyone knows and understands what we knew and reported all along.

It was Gemma Lamb who voted against putting it on the ballot .

Tom Laabs, never supported Hovey outright. He did favor the project if the revenues to the city were increased. Tom has been lusting over the $38,000 per year water charges that the complex is predicted to produce. Look again Tom. There’s hanky panky there also. The commission candidates should all walk away from Hovey. Not because of politics but because the project is bad for Ironwood. Interesting enough, the land where the project was to be built was ordered to be sold. Nothing has been done on that score either. Nothing. It is the same group of Unfriendly’$ behind that too!

Once again IronwoodInfo moved to protect the city taxpayers. Our conversation with the DNR raised their attention to the fact that the property on which the $200,000 tennis courts would be built would belong to a private investor.

Candidates George Georig and Tom Laabs are both on the Civic Center Board and have made the changes necessary to put the center back in the black.

While we’re on the subject, King Noren, Burchell and Gemma Lamb did everything in their power to kill off the center and keep the millage from getting on the ballot. Gemma Lamb voted twice against keeping the center open for the Polar Bears and Ice Crystals.

It was Tom Laabs and Suzanne Toth who stood fast against the conspiriters and placed the matter on the ballot, thus insuring a home for the Ice Crystals, Polar Bears and other kids to skate during the long, long winters.

Two years ago the City Manager, husband of the Librarian, placed the library renovation into the City Improvement Plan without anyone’s permission. But, you can bet he had the approval of "I Wish I Was King Bruce Noren." Fortunately, City Council Member John Kasieta caught the trickery and exposed it at a council meeting. Once more we learned a lot about the issue by using the Freedom of Information Act. Some of the information was so damning we didn’t pursue all of it. We did however, expose most of what we learned to the public which resulted in the landslide defeat of the Tax.

Again, the City manager has attempted to move the Unfriendly Taxation measure through the city council. Fortunately, Congressman Stupak let the cat out of the bag with his press release. Now we can deal directly with those culpable, Gemma Lamb and Bob Burchell. They may be friendly to the library and Hovey but they certainly are not friendly to taxpayers. Too much of their time is being spent on self-serving projects and screw everyone else. How Unfriendly!