UP Gazette

Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) and Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Houghton) have issued statements regarding their disapproval of the recent actions by the state Department of Corrections to remove the sewer system from the property formerly known as the Ojibway Correctional Facility. 

The former facility in Marinesco has been a source of conversation for many years. Local officials have been looking into alternative uses for the facility, but the Department of Corrections turned down those ideas in 2018. Now that the sewer system has been removed, discussions have sparked again.

McBroom said that the department moved forward with its plan without considering changes that could have addressed concerns. 

Sen. Ed McBroom

“As far as the facility’s ability to be re-purposed goes, I feel strongly that the best opportunity to really get our value from that facility is to have as large an entity go in there as possible,” McBroom told the UP Gazette. “Not having a sewer system there that can handle filling that building up with many people just sets the value of that property back for whoever we can bring in eventually.”

Local lawmakers believe the Michigan Department of Corrections’ decision to rid a large property of one of its assets was a huge mistake in finding the Ojibway Correctional Facility’s replacement.

“One of the other things that I found very troubling about it is this was a public asset,” said McBroom. “This is something the taxpayers of Michigan paid for, and by destroying it, the opportunity to recoup that investment to the state is diminished.”

McBroom and Markkanen are now meeting with local leaders to see what is needed in the local communities. Since the decision has been made, the next steps are finding what could be placed on the property. 

“We’re still interested in seeing what could be done as far as what ideas local leaders have,” McBroom said. 

Some have brought up the idea of creating a local authority to manage the property and try to market it to potential tenants. 

“There’s been some calls from folks who want to turn it into some sort of marijuana growing facility," he said. "There’s been opportunities to have some sort of training center there for law enforcement. So, Rep. Markkanen and I are trying our best to keep these issues before the state, before our colleagues ... and get them to help us drive this forward.”

Markkanen stated in a press release that shuttering the facility affected the county's economy.

“Gogebic County is still feeling the negative effects of the prison closure,” Markkanen in the release. “The state should be taking all steps necessary to help this region rebuild and explore opportunities for replacement. Instead, the department is taking steps that will make the facility more difficult to repurpose.”