Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

IRON MOUNTAIN -- Financial troubles have forced the city of Iron Mountain to make some tough decisions regarding the 2009-2010 budget.  One of those decisions is the elimination of two city positions.  At Tuesday's budget meeting and public hearing, the city council voted to no longer have a community development planner or a director for the public works department.

Though the cuts will save money for the city, reactions about the decision were mixed.

The city's deficit, however, was the bottom line for the decision.

"We need to come up with three to $400,000 in the next few years to right the ship here," said city manager Jordan Stanchina.

After much discussion, the council voted five to one to approve the new budget, which means the elimination of the two city positions.  It's a move that will save the city $150,000 a year.

Members of the public, however, weren't happy with the decision to get rid of the community development director.

"This is a necessary position and eliminating it is a giant step backward," said local business owner, Linnea Marchetti.

The director's duties involve permit applications, as well as developing downtown business opportunities.  However, council members feel that those tasks can be split up efficiently between other city officials.

"These duties are being absorbed and we're actually going to try to be more aggressive in community development," said council member Tina Peterson.

Some of those duties would fall on Stanchina's shoulders and there are those that feel that city development could suffer.

"I wonder if he has the time to do things quite as completely," said Toni Strutz, coordinator for Vision 20/20.

The other eliminated position, that of the DPW director, would be taken over primarily by private contracts.

But they're only half-way to solving their financial problems.

"We've taken care of half of the deficit, but the $150,000 is still a concern," said council member Bruce Rosen.

Council members are hoping that improvements to roads and parking lots that will be taking place this summer will encourage new business to move in.  That, in turn, will provide more money for the city.