By Michael C. Guilmette Jr.
Staff Reporter
SAULT STE. MARIE — Chippewa County is now worth over $1.1 billion dollars — $1,151,229,521 to be exact — as stated in the 2004 Equalization Report, which was presented to the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners on April 12.
County value rose 9.68 percent over 2003, which totaled slightly under $1.05 billion. The report, prepared by Chippewa County Equalization Director Sharon Kennedy, tracks real and personal property values along with agricultural, commercial and industrial values.
Broken down, the City of Sault Ste. Marie leads in total value at $271 million, followed by Drummond Island Township at $171 million and Soo Township at $97 million.
According to Kennedy, the 9.68 percent growth rate, although strong, falls short of the 10-year average of 11.7 percent. The highest growth rate was in 2003, when values rose 11.42 percent.
The commission also approved the emergency action plan for the county courthouse building that specified what actions were to be taken in the event of a natural disaster or an emergency situation, such as a fire or a terrorist attack.
Commissioner Richard Timmer was resolute about approving the plan, saying that it was necessary to protect the citizens that visit or work in the courthouse buildings and stressing repeatedly that the plan needed to be passed. The plan calls for evacuation plans, establishing emergency control centers and emergency teams, beefing up physical security of the buildings and designating emergency coordinators.
The plan was drawn up by Tim McKee, the Chippewa County Office of Emergency Services/E911 director, and was modeled after the county emergency plan. After a fair amount of discussion, the commissioners passed the proposal unanimously.
In other action, the commission accepted the resignation of Sylvia Murray from the Chippewa County Family Independence Board, as she is taking employment with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. The commission appointed Floyd Rabideau to fill the vacant position after suspending the normal hiring procedures for such a vacancy.
Rabideau has previously served as the FIA board chair for many years and had been a previous applicant for the position that Murray held.
The county has also received funding from the State of Michigan through the Help America Vote Act to update polling machines in townships that are still using outdated punch card or lever ballots. According to Chippewa County Clerk Diane Cork, Chippewa, Hulbert and Trout Lake Townships are eligible for this funding.
Cork, who was appointed as the contact person for vote machine initiative at the meeting, said that the state has a three-phase program to standardize the polling equipment used in all Michigan townships.
The first stage is to purchase new machines — in particular, the AccuVote system — for townships using old equipment, the second stage is to reimburse townships that have recently purchased the same machines, and the third phase is to eventually upgrade all polling equipment statewide.
Also approved during the meeting was a resolution opposing “racino” legislation. Commissioner Rita Dale proposed the resolution that was carried up from the Finance, Claims and Accounts Committee, saying that each racino job created would take away two casino jobs. The commission approved the resolution unanimously.
The commission also slated $30,000 of two percent funds to the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority.
