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County master plan makes progress

ESCANABA — Efforts to update Delta County’s master plan are continuing, outgoing Delta County Administrator Philip Strom said during a meeting of the Delta County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. Strom gave board members information on the county’s master plan project at the meeting.

“We are just about through Phase One,” Strom said.

This phase, which deals with launching the project and gaining public engagement, began on April 1 and is set to end on Oct. 1. Phase Two, which will focus on analyzing information collected in Phase One, developing the master plan and presenting the plan for final approval, will begin in October and continue through April 2020.

Strom urged commissioners to encourage their constituents to get involved with a community survey for the master plan project.

“We really need your help — as board members, as community liaisons — to get engagement with the online survey,” he said.

He went on to note survey participation numbers are currently about halfway to the point they need to be at for the survey to provide meaningful information. The survey is set to close Oct. 1, and a link to the survey can be found on the county’s website at deltacountymi.org.

Strom said he spoke about the master plan project during Monday’s meeting of the Delta County Planning Commission. Delta County Building and Zoning Administrator Dan Menacher, CUPPAD Executive Director Dotty LaJoye, OHM Advisors and the planning commission are set to become more involved with efforts to update the master plan as Strom prepares to leave his current position.

“They’ll ultimately bring recommendations to this board to review and approve in April of 2020,” he said of the planning commission.

In May, a number of focus group interviews for the master plan project were held. Strom spoke about some of the key findings from these interviews Tuesday.

According to Strom, one subject discussed heavily by interview participants was mental health and community wellness.

“That was overwhelmingly a statement of mutual concern throughout the focus groups,” he said.

Interview participants also discussed talent retention and attraction, responsible tourism, diversity and infrastructure.

Strom said those involved with the master plan project have done good work so far.

“I’m pleased with where we’re at in terms of closing out Phase One,” he said.

He also said half of the costs associated with the project are built into the rough draft of the county’s 2019-20 budget, which he plans to present at the board’s next meeting. The other half of the costs were factored into the county’s 2018-19 budget.

In other business, the board:

– opened the sole bid submitted for scrap metal removal services at the former Delta County Correctional Facility site. The board also accepted the bid, which was submitted by Gene’s Towing & Recovery of Escanaba.

Under the bid, Gene’s Towing will evenly split revenues from scrap metal sales with the county.

– discussed the hiring process to find a replacement for Strom. No official decisions on this matter were made during Tuesday’s meeting, but the possibilities of using an executive recruitment firm, handling the hiring process as a full board and forming an internal committee were addressed.

“Ground rules” for the hiring process will be discussed at the board’s next meeting, Board Chair Patrick Johnson said.

– moved a meeting originally set for Tuesday, Aug. 20 to Wednesday, Aug. 21. This meeting will still be held at its regular time of 5:15 p.m.

A joint board meeting with Escanaba City Council has also been scheduled for Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Delta County Service Center. Strom said the joint meeting will focus on development at the former Delta County Correctional Facility site.

“It’s our intention to bring to the two governing bodies a proposed development agreement with the developers to talk about that project, and hopefully both governmental bodies will approve that development agreement on the 21st at the special meeting,” he said.

– approved the allocation of $25,000 in new revenue from the county’s contract with the city of Escanaba for the handling of city ordinance violations. $10,000 of this revenue will help offset the costs of anticipated courthouse security improvements, $6,000 will be put towards Chief Assistant Prosecutor Lauren Wickman’s salary, $5,000 will go to Prosecutor Brett Gardner to be placed into his 457 account, $2,000 will be used for office staff overtime and $2,000 will be used for non-salary payroll costs.

– okayed out-of-county travel for commissioners planning to attend the Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio Regional State Leadership Day at the White House on Oct. 3.

– approved a grant agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for specialized services related to the Menominee-Delta-Schoolcraft Community Action Agency in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

– approved sick time donations from one county employee to another.

– tabled a presentation on Michigan Works’ efforts to prepare for the 2020 U.S. Census.

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