EMMET COUNTY NEWS

 
COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR EMMET COUNTY
*County's Preparedness and Response Plan Updated May 5, 2021*

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The Emmet County Clerk’s Office recently mailed out juror questionnaires to 3,000 Emmet County residents. (The questionnaire is also available online as a fillable and downloadable PDF file here.) The law requires that the questionnaires be completed and returned within 10 days. Circuit Court Judge Jennifer E. Deegan reminds all citizens that it is your civic duty to participate in this process as our judicial system could not operate without you. By filling out the questionnaire, you will be placed into a pool of potential juror applicants for the coming year. Failure to timely complete and return the form could result in a Show Cause order. If you have any questions or concerns about the form, please contact the Clerk’s Office.

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The Emmet County Board of Commissioners is considering amendments to Ordinance 2012-2, the Pellston Regional Airport Minimum Standards and Operating Procedures. Per the Ordinance, all proposed amendments shall be made available to the general public for review for a period of at least thirty (30) days prior to a regularly-scheduled meeting of the Emmet County Board of Commissioners upon which any comments received regarding the amendments shall be discussed. The proposed amended ordinance as well as a copy of the current ordinance are linked to below. It is expected that the Board of Commissioners will first consider these amendments pursuant to the ordinance at its meeting on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at 6 p.m.

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CURRENT OPEN POSITIONS: Historical Commission, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Jury Commission, Department of Public Works Board, Emmet County Road Commission, Land Bank Authority, Construction Board of Appeals, Construction Resource Committee, and Zoning Board of Appeals.

If you are interested in applying, click here or inquire with the Emmet County Clerk's Office at (231) 348-1744 or 200 Division St., Petoskey, MI 49770.

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Emmet County's Finance Director has provided an update on the county's 2021 revenue and expenditures as of Feb. 28, 2021. The reports, along with pie charts, are available for the public to review here.

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    Burr Mitchell, unit supervisor at Wilderness State Park and administrator of the Paradise Lake Boating Access Site, recently updated local officials on the current situation at that site. Emmet County Board of Commissioner chairperson Toni Drier, who also serves on the Paradise Lake Improvement Board, was informed by Mitchell that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been made aware that winter ice damaged the planking at the Paradise Lake access location.
    According to Mitchell, until the ice melts away, it will be difficult to fully determine how much damage has been done to the planking and what materials will be needed to get the area ready for seasonal use. "I do plan to have the repairs taken care in the spring of 2021 and definitely prior to Memorial Day weekend," reported Mitchell, adding that he would provide another update as soon as the repairs were completed.
    Mitchell has also requested that a ramp closure symbol for the Paradise Lake Boating Access Site be placed on the website for Michigan's Recreational Boating Information System (MRBIS) to alert those wishing to use the boat ramp that it is out of service at this time. Boaters can find more information about boating access sites by visiting the MRBIS website at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mrbis.

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Emmet County employs a sizeable seasonal workforce typically beginning in spring and working through the fall. This workforce is critical to the County being able to deliver outstanding service to both visitors and locals who enjoy the beauty of our remarkable parks system. Going into the 2021 summer season, the County is working with a NEW market-competitive wage structure. Additionally, in the interest of attracting the best of the best, and then retaining these valuable team members from season to season, Emmet County is also implementing an end-of-season bonus incentive program. Click on the button below to view our job openings and begin the online application process.

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FIND YOUR SUMMER JOB AND APPLY TODAY!

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Please visit our COVID-19 webpage for more information about the coronavirus outbreak in Emmet County. The page also includes quick links to all county departments, their contact information and any notices regarding their department's current operational status. As the situation evolves, please refer to the COVID-19 INFORMATION PAGE for the latest news and specific information related to Emmet County government operations and any changes to county services.

Also note that the county is now using Zoom to conduct scheduled public meetings remotely. Check the meeting's entry in the county meeting calendar for instructions on how to join that Zoom meeting. County officials also remind citizens that established rules of conduct for in-person meetings will also apply to the virtual meetings.

Residents are encouraged to take preventative measures and follow guidelines for our state and local health departments to limit exposure to the virus. For residents seeking more information about the virus and the state's efforts to limit the potential spread of the virus, go to Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

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Beginning in early spring 2021, visitors to Camp Petosega will have to travel to the campground ONLY from Pickerel Lake Road while road construction occurs on Banwell Road bridge just north of Camp Petosega Road. The construction is scheduled to be completed in June 2021, though that time frame is dependent upon weather. Emmet County residents visiting Camp Petosega will need to use Pickerel Lake Road as access from the north will be restricted. Please see the map and alternative directions while this road construction is underway. (Click here see more information about this detour, including a larger map and alternate directions)

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The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) awarded Emmet County a $250,000 grant in July 2020 to investigate the presence of PFAS near Pellston Regional Airport following the detection of the substance in a water sample of a private residence in early 2020. A letter from Emmet County Administrator Mike Reaves was mailed out to Pellston area property owners on Dec. 22, 2020, providing an update on that investigation. EGLE has a comprehensive history of the investigation into the Pellston PFAS site available online which can be reviewed here. More information about PFAS can be found on the state attorney general website and also on the website of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan.

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Emmet County government frequently has vehicles, lawn and miscellaneous power equipment, tools, furniture and other items which are no longer in use by county departments, but may still have value. Those items are now being put up for sale and listed at Biddergy.com, a worldwide online auction company based in Michigan. Click here to view items listed by Emmet County.

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