Supplemental budget also includes funds for Gogebic County, job training

State Rep. Greg Markkanen today announced a supplemental budget plan approved by the Legislature this week includes disaster relief funding for Houghton County.

Markkanen, of Hancock, said the plan includes $1.4 million to help the Houghton County Road Commission repair roads that were damaged during the monumental rainstorm and flooding in June 2018.

“More than 150 roads were damaged as flash flooding spawned sinkholes and destroyed concrete and asphalt – causing an estimated $30 million in damages to the county road system,” Markkanen said. “Our community has done our best to recover and rebuild, but some of the roads are still impassable. These funds will go a long way as we continue working together to rebuild Copper Country.”

The supplemental budget measure – approved by the House on Tuesday and the Senate on Thursday – also includes emergency funding to fight the spread of the coronavirus in Michigan. A total of $25 million will assist in virus monitoring, testing, infection control, and continuation of critical state government functions.

In addition, the measure partially restores funding Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed or redirected by her use of the State Administrative Board, including $971,000 to cover the shortfalls in pension costs in Gogebic County that were left over from the disbanded Western Upper Peninsula Manpower Consortium.

Senate Bill 151 will soon be presented to the governor for her possible signature.

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