Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette The Hancock Fire Department will return its cherry picker to the firehouse today after renovations were completed this week.
HANCOCK — The vehicles are rolling in.
Hancock Fire Chief Bill Lepisto said at Wednesday’s city council meeting that the fire department would pick up the fire department’s aerial lift truck on Thursday after 39 weeks. It passed hydraulic, electrical and aeration tests last week. Firefighters will drive the truck home this afternoon. The council had approved $395,000 to overhaul the truck in 2023.
The city’s new garbage truck is already in town and was parked in front of the town hall on Wednesday evening.
Last month, the City Council voted to have the Public Works Department take over garbage and recycling collection starting in September. The city had previously contracted with Waste Management but decided to provide the service itself after the company submitted a much higher bid for its next contract.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the council finalized the purchase of the truck, a 2024 Freightliner M2 with a Heil PT1100 rear loader, for $248,000. Two senior DPW members have committed to operating the truck, Babcock said.
“We were very pleased with the enthusiasm of the DPW employees for these positions,” she said.
Before the switch, the council voted Wednesday to increase the monthly garbage collection fee from $6 to $15. If the city had stayed with Waste Management, the fee would have risen to $21.80, said City Manager Mary Babcock.
“That leaves the remaining dollar per label, so at least some of that is sort of a pay-as-you-go approach. So if you produce less waste, you pay a little less.” she said.
The Council has also:
• Approved a $584,885 grant to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s Technical, Organizational and Financial Assistance (TMF) program to provide townships with lead service line replacement. Water line inspections will be contracted out to outside service providers and must be completed within two years. No lead service lines have been found to date, Mayor Kurt Rickard said. Council also approved a $70,540 request from OHM for professional services under the grant.
• Approval of Payne & Dolan’s final payment request of $35,582.71 for work on the Business & Technology Park. Approval of that payment will allow the city to apply for a reimbursement grant, Babcock said.
• Police Chief Tami Sleeman learned the department has hired Ben Galetto as a full-time officer. Galetto is also a member of the fire department. The department is also looking for another full-time officer after Scott Wuebben accepted a position with the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office.
“He is not leaving because he is unhappy,” she said. “He loves it here, the people he works with, but they can offer him more opportunities and a car to take with him. They can simply offer more than we can.”
Interested parties can contact Sleeman at 906-482-3102.
• Heard a public comment from Mike Lahti regarding Hancock’s desire to have the Parade of Nations held entirely in Houghton this year. Lahti offered to help, including financial help, so the city would have the means to host it next year.
• Heard an election update from Election Commissioner Linda Kalinec. 648 people voted in August, 348 by mail and 15 by early voting. One overseas vote was received after the election and counted.
Several people have registered to run in the November council election. Councilman Ron Blau is running in District I. Councilman Ryan Tanner is running against Laura Givens in District III. Rickard and Councilman Amanda Lounibos are running for non-voting seats. No candidate has registered for District II, but one person has received paperwork to register as a non-voting candidate, Kalinec said.
• Jonathan Nagel was appointed to the Downtown Development Authority with a term ending January 31, 2027.
• Appointment of Rick Freeman Jr. to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a term ending January 31, 2027.
• Approved payment of $408,580.27 to B&B Contracting for Minnesota Street. Underground utilities in the street are completed and will be paved in the next two weeks, Babcock said.
• Approved payment of $429,442.04 to FA Industrial Services for North and Prospect streets. The majority of the project is complete; the asphalt pavement will be laid when Payne & Dolan returns. The work, which includes planned handicapped parking near the fairgrounds, will not be completed before the fair. However, Babcock said the surface is already in better condition than before. Infrastructure under the street has been completed, which Babcock said will help prevent sewage backups in surrounding homes.
• Approved a sewer repair change order in the amount of $42.54 and a payment request in the amount of $253,351.18 for MJO Contracting.
