Marquette County Commissioners Meeting

THE COUNTRY’S FINANCES ARE NEWS STORY NUMBER ONE FROM COAST TO COAST IN AMERICA.

AND, IN THE U–P, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE ALSO FACING MONEY ISSUES.

THE MARQUETTE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A BUDGET WORK SESSION THIS AFTERNOON

ONE TOPIC BACK IN DISCUSSION: MOVING THE ISHPEMING 96TH DISTRICT COURT TO THE MARQUETTE LOCATION.

THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE COST EFFECTIVE TO KEEP THE 2 FULLY OPERATIONAL DISTRICT COURTS IN SEPARATE LOCATIONS.

COURT OFFICIALS SAY CLOSING THE ISHPEMING FACILITY IS NOT LIKELY TO LIGHTEN THE WORK LOAD.

SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF FORMING A NEW COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT IS AVAILABLE VERSUS WHAT IS USED BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS ABOUT CLOSING A BUILDING.

THE GROUP ALSO DISCUSSED NEW PROCEDURES IN CLOSING BUILDINGS.

PARTICULARLY, KEEPING VACANT STRUCTURES SAFE, AND POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE FOR RE–USE…BUT AT THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE.

THE BOARD MEETS AGAIN TONIGHT AT 6 IN THE HENRY A. SKEWIS ANNEX IN THE MARQUETTE COUNTY COURT HOUSE.