For the Gazette
ONTONAGON Â While the actors have changed over the years, the movie is the same. The Ontonagon Village Council has had different council presidents, and trustees since Aspirus took over the management of Ontonagon Memorial Hospital.
However when Aspirus became the owner of the hospital, the responsibility of the Municipal Employment Retirement System (MERS) financial obligation to past and some current employees remained the responsibility of the village of Ontonagon.
The amount of the MERS debt changes with whomever one talks too, but it is safe to say the debt is around $1,000,000. The total debt is not the only issue that is challenged from meeting to meeting, month after month. The other issue is whether it is solely the MERS responsibility for the village’s financial problem, or as one village taxpayer questioned, “is whether the village council and village manager spending more than the village has?’