Alpena County commissioners approve extra maintenance hire, authorize contingency funds for ice-storm cleanup

The Alpena County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to approve hiring an additional Buildings, Grounds & Maintenance employee and authorized use of the county contingency fund to support ice-storm cleanup, the board said at a special meeting March 19 held in the Howard Male Conference Room and by Zoom.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer told commissioners that three of the Grounds and Maintenance employees were out of work, with one partially back, and that the department is already understaffed. He asked the board to approve hiring another worker to help with cleanup of damaged trees and fallen limbs at the courthouse and other county properties.

“Three of the Grounds and Maintenance employees are down with one partially back,” Osmer said, describing the department’s staffing shortfall and the operational strain caused by storm damage.

Commissioner Bill LaHaie moved to approve the request to hire another individual for the Buildings, Grounds & Maintenance Department; Commissioner Lucille Bray supported the motion. A roll-call vote recorded AYES from Commissioners Bill LaHaie, Dan Ludlow, Lucille Bray, Brenda Fournier and Todd Britton. Commissioners Bill Peterson, Travis Konarzewski and John Kozlowski were excused. The motion carried.

The approved motion also directed the Treasurer, Clerk and the Administrator’s Office to complete any necessary line-item adjustments and transfers to fund the hire, and authorized use of funds from the Contingency Fund for ice-storm cleanup assistance if needed.

Earlier in the meeting, Emergency Management Director Nic Modrzynski updated the board on a house explosion on Clark Street and provided details about ongoing ice-storm impacts across the county; no public comments were received during the meeting.

The special meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Brenda Fournier at 12:30 p.m. and adjourned at 12:55 p.m.