Ishpeming Plastics Plant Back on the Table

The city of Ishpeming talked about it last year, and it never happened.

But once again, there may soon be a new business in the city making hard rubber-like plastics products.

And some nearby residents are up in arms about it.

The city is considering selling 3 acres of land near the old Mather ‘A’ Mine to city businessman Bob Airaudi.

Old tailings from the mine are strewn across it.

The Wabash Heights residential area is also right next to it.

And residents are concerned about emissions and noise.

Tim Hares is part of the family that lives closest to the proposed site.

He’s concerned about the lack of notice the city put out about this before putting it on the city council agenda.

Airaudi is asking for the sale to go through by the end of June.

The polyurethane plant would create about 25 full-time jobs within 3 years.

The city council agreed in principle to sell the land to Airaudi last summer.

But city manager Alan Bakalarski says they never heard from him again after that until he sent them the letter last week.

Bob Airaudi himself is out of the area on business, so he couldn’t return our phone calls for comment today.

UGN News will be there when the city council talks about it tonight, and we’ll have more on it at 10 and 11.