State Rep. Greg Markkanen today announced the budget approved by the Legislature this week includes funding to help Gogebic County cover retirement legacy costs left over from the Western Upper Peninsula Manpower Consortium.

The Western Upper Peninsula Manpower Consortium was responsible for job training, employment and workforce development services in Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Iron and Ontonagon counties prior to 2015. It then consolidated with the Eastern Upper Peninsula Jobs Consortium and Job Force to form the UPWARD Talent Council.

Markkanen, of Hancock, this week secured a $971,000 Michigan Enhancement Grant in the state’s general government budget to help Gogebic County cover the shortfalls in pension costs left over from the disbanded consortium.

“Gogebic County should not be saddled with debt just because it stepped up to provide administrative services to the Western Upper Peninsula Manpower Consortium,” Markkanen said. “The salaries of the employees who worked for the consortium were paid with state funds, so it ought to be the state’s responsibility to pay for the pensions these public servants were promised.”

In 2018, Chippewa County was awarded $800,000 in state funding to take care of pension debt that remained after the Eastern Upper Peninsula Jobs Consortium disbanded.

“The Western Upper Peninsula has received the short end of the stick for too long,” Markkanen said. “I urge the governor to sign the budget and make this right for the people of Gogebic County.”

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