HOUGHTON — Houghton County departments are submitting lists of critical needs for possible funding through the county’s COVID-19 stimulus money.

Houghton County was allocated $6.93 million in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. recipients of the can use them to replace lost public sector revenue, respond to public health and economic impacts of the pandemic, provide premium pay for essential workers and investing in infrastructure for water, sewer and broadband.

One prominent topic Tuesday was increasing security at district court. Judge Nicholas Daavettila noted that the prosecutor’s office, probate court and friend of the court all have some level of security in place. He asked for an opportunity to consult with a security expert to see what could be done to improve safety.

“The district court sees all criminal defendants,” he said. “Everyone that comes through the court for a criminal matter cycles through the district court at one point or another.”

He also asked the county to consider stationing an armed bailiff at the district court during the three days a week it is in session. Deputies are present at some, but not all, sessions currently.

Sheriff Joshua Saaranen said he would like to have a serious discussion about full-time security at the courthouse.

“You have a lot of different people coming and going,” he said. “It’d be a wise decision to take a look at that.”

Commissioner Roy Britz suggested having a meeting with the law enforcement committee to discuss issues such as manpower.

Daavetila also suggested a committee to consider premium pay for county employees who performed essential work during the pandemic.

“I went and filled my gas tank today,” he said. “It was $99.82. I’m thinking about the employees of the courts and county offices that had to bear that expense. In my lifetime, I can’t think of a better opportunity for the county government to create goodwill among their employees.”

The board also discussed other budget priorities from department heads, which they had presented at a Meeting of the Whole in March.

Britz said Road Commission Engineer Kevin Harju sent a letter to townships asking for a list of priorities, which was due by April 7.

The board voted to direct the transfer station superintendent to follow up on his list of requests and get firm estimates. Ideas included a new semi and trailer for an estimated $250,000 for the county transfer station, which makes up the bulk of its $323,000 in project requests. A concrete pad behind the station for staging containers would cost an estimated $17,000; that may be eligible for a Rural Development grant, Vice Chairman Tom Tikkanen said. An $11,000 waste oil furnace would allow the transfer to dispose of the oil.

“Considering the fact that they’re moving tons and tons of material all the way to Greenland on a daily basis, I think we need to expedite that,” Tikkanen said.

Administrator Elizabeth Bjorn discussed a wage study of its employees, which Treasurer Lisa Mattila had brought up at the Meeting of the Whole. The county would use U.S. Department of Labor statistics comparing average salaries by occupational codes for the Upper Peninsula. Bjorn said the statistics do not factor in health care costs.

Britz said any salary comparison should take into account that many country employees perform multiple roles.

“It’s important to the morale of the staff here, and for our own information, what people do in this structure,” he said.

Bjorn said the county will need to update its job descriptions. She had reached out to a municipal consulting firm for an estimate on performing the work.

County department heads will be asked to submit final requests by the April board meeting. The board will hear comments at the April meeting and then schedule a work session a couple of weeks later to discuss budget priorities.