U.P.S.E.T. to lease space in Marquette’s City Hall

An Upper Peninsula drug team has a new home in Marquette County.

The Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team will be leasing space in the lower level of Marquette’s City Hall.  The lease was approved by the Marquette City Commission at its meeting Tuesday.

U.P.S.E.T.’s current space at K.I. Sawyer is in disrepair, and the Board of Directors was looking for a new location to house its operations.  The organization will pay $750 a month to rent out a few rooms adjacent to the police department.

“We think ($750 a month) is a fair amount for both organizations,” Marquette City Commissioner Don Ryan said.  “It represents commitment on the part of the city, and it also represents commitment on the part of U.P.S.E.T.”

“U.P.S.E.T. will continue to operate as they do, they have a specific mission related to drug activity and they will be a separate operation (from the Marquette Police Department), but they will be here in the city and I think that’s what’s really important.”

Having U.P.S.E.T. located inside city hall is a good development for not only law enforcement, but the city as a whole.

“This just really brings more law enforcement to our community, it provides some space for some federal officers, and it’s really important that we keep this program going,” Ryan said.  “Money is always a problem, and this provides a better solution for them (U.P.S.E.T.), and hopefully we get continued support from the federal and state government on this project because it’s very important for our community.”

U.P.S.E.T.’s lease with the city will start immediately, and run through 2017.  U.P.S.E.T. will also have a new office in Escanaba.