ELY- A pilot project to reduce sulfate concentrations in the Dunka River, downstream of the North Shore Mine, got a vote of support from the Ely City Council on Tuesday, over the objections of council member Al Forsman.
The White Iron Chain of Lakes Association (WICOLA), is working with the Friends of the Boundary Waters, the Northern Lakes Scientific Advisory Board, and environmental engineering firms Bay West and Clearwater Biologic to build the project to address a known source of sulfate contamination.
“The technology being tested uses a natural process, sulfate-absorbing microbes to cleanse the water,” Holt stated. “It’s exciting because it’s much more cost effective than prior methods.”
WICOLA is applying for a grant from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, and acting president Dave Holt asked the council for a letter of support, for which he provided a template.
Forsman had multiple concerns with the request, including one of the project’s partners.
“We typically write our own letters,” Forsman said. He added, “I will point out that one of your co-sponsors is the Friends of the Boundary Waters, who I’ve learned over the years that we cannot trust and has a tendency to put forth information that’s unreliable and unworthy of support from this council. What you’re proposing has no direct effect on Ely. You’re asking for support for something that doesn’t directly affect us and potentially could harm us if we do support it.”
The council approved drafting its own letter of support, which will be voted on at the March 4 council. The vote on the motion was 5-1 with Forsman voting nay and John Lahtonen absent.
WICOLA is also asking for letters of support of its grant application from Babbitt, Fall Lake, Fond du Lac, Band Forte, and Grand Portage.
Values statement
The council approved publishing the following values statement as a press release twice a year:
“The city of Ely is committed to be a community that welcomes and values diversity. We will work to be a place where all people, citizens and visitors alike, will feel safe and confident that the city of Ely respects the rights and dignity of all people. Please read the full mission, vision and values statement on the city of Ely website.”
The vote to approve the measure was 5-1, with Forsman dissenting.
“This is a waste of city tax dollars to publish what we already know and believe,” Forsman argued.
Emily Roose countered, stating, “Statistics show you don’t hear things if you hear it just once. This would put our value statement on the forefront of people’s minds, helps them know that we are here, that we care, and that we do see them.”
Council member Jerome Debeltz noted that publishing the values statement on a schedule could help in bring more visitors to Ely.
“They would see this when considering coming up here and would feel welcome and invited to our city,” he said.
In other business, the council:
• Directed city staff to pursue grants from the Housing Trust Fund and Small Cities Housing Aid Programs and the Federal Recreational Trails Program.
• Approved a grant application to the Federal Recreational Trail Program to purchase trail maintenance equipment for the Prospectors Loop Trail.
• Approved the purchase of used hockey boards for the city’s outdoor rink to replace the current boards, pending funding sources and Ely Pickleball Club commitment. The club is considering a partnership with the city to build pickleball courts for fair weather use at the rink and the installation of replacement boards affects the pouring of a surface for the new courts.
• Approved the hire of Nils DeRemee as a full-time police officer, pending background investigation, psychological exam, and medical examination, and contingent on the resignation of another officer who has a conditional job offer from another department.
• Approved the second and final reading of the ordinance revision for secondhand goods dealers, which fixes misleading language in the city’s code. The council also approved the second and final reading amending the city’s code to allow the revision of land use permit and platting fees by simple resolution. All three changes were covered in detail in the Feb. 7 edition of the Timberjay.
• Approved the attendance of city personnel at the Iron Range Brownfields and Land Redevelopment Conference on April 3 at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center. Langowski is one of the speakers at the conference.
• Approved claims for payment for the city and Ely Utilities Commission of $199,538, and for a pay estimate from Max Gray Construction for $153,199 for work on the Ely Regional Trailhead Building, currently under construction.
• Approved the appointment of Gillian Fitzgerald to a resident seat and Molly Roske to a non-resident seat on the tree board. The council also approved the appointment of Nathan Baseman to the airport commission.
• Approved a $17,500 commercial renovation loan for Andrea Kannas at Kannas Real Estate LLC at 224 E. Harvey St. to install new energy efficient windows, pending proper paperwork and fees. City council member Emily Roose abstained from the vote.
• Ely Clerk-Treasuser Harold Langowski shared a reminder that though warmer weather is coming next week, if tap temperatures are 41 degrees or lower, residents should still drip their faucets with a stream about a pencil lead thick. Langowski explained that the city’s public works staff has seen frost penetration down to six feet, which won’t thaw immediately even if the air temperatures are warmer, and that can still freeze the supply lines into buildings.