THE FORMER COOKS RUN fish hatchery in Iron County’s Stambaugh Township was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. (National Register of Historic Places files)

CRYSTAL FALLS — The Iron County Forest Management plan will be updated to reflect several parcels of land totaling about 400 acres that the county was unaware it owned.

Brock VanOss reported to the board Tuesday that, thanks to working with Colligo GIS, more accurate information was produced about various parcels of land throughout the county, valued at nearly $600,000, that were not known.

While VanOss said he worked off deeds when locating the parcels, Attorney Steve Tinti said the deeds should be thoroughly reviewed to assure the county is the sole owner of all the parcels. Tinti added that a new forest management plan was not really needed, as the plan already calls for management of all county lands.

VanOss reported the county has done five timber sales in the past eight years that brought the county more than $660,000.

One site in particular that needs to be addressed is the old Cooks Run Fish Hatchery. VanOss said if the timber there is not harvested, much of it will die off and be lost.

VanOss said he had previously marked timber on the property but canceled the sale due to public backlash and concerns about the cabin.

Tinti said the board should set limits on harvesting around the cabin itself and any logging on the property should be done in the winter. VanOss agreed, saying any harvest would be done with the utmost sensitivity and best forestry practices.

In other business, the board:

— Heard a presentation from the Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency, or DICSA, Executive Director Kristin Sommerfeld, on the private non-profit organization. DICSA is not affiliated with any government entity and operates 14 programs that serve low-income persons and seniors in Dickinson and Iron counties. Some of the programs include Meals on Wheels, Congregate Meal Program, Family Ties Adult Center, in-home services and the weatherization program.

Sommerfeld reported that DICSA supplied 130 Iron County residents with 780 cases of diapers, weatherized nine homes at an investment of $73,499 and assisted 41 people with $6,680 in water bill payments.

DICSA has 61 full- and part-time employees. Its primary source of funding is federal, although in Iron County they receive millage funds for the Meal on Wheels program. Sommerfeld added that 92 cents of every dollar received goes directly to services. Dickinson County also allocates a portion of its senior millage funds to DICSA.

— Learned from Iron County Sheriff Ryan Boehmke that the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority will be reimbursing the sheriff’s department $47,500 for its recently purchased body scanner for the jail. MMRMA is the sheriff’s department’s insurance provider.

— Voted to increase the amount of the remonumentation grant for 2025 by $16,195, to $85,790. Remonumentation involves surveying to re-establish survey markers.

— Passed a budget amendment to allow the construction code office’s accounting clerk to work two additional hours daily April through October.

— Issued a letter of support to Bates Township for its efforts pursuing a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant to replace the boat launch at Sunset Lake.

— Approved letters of support for local municipalities applying for grants. Iron River is seeking grants for a water main project and plow truck, Iron River Township is trying for a mini-excavator and trailer, Caspian a front end loader and backhoe and Crystal Falls for a plow truck.