ELY- Will a roundabout replace the traffic light at the intersection of Third Ave. and Sheridan St. in Ely sometime soon? Not if city officials have anything to say about it.
Council members reacted strongly and negatively to the option proposed by MnDOT as a replacement for the existing traffic light.
“We all are supportive of keeping the signal lights … We know how much we rely on them,” said council member Al Forsman.
Ely Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski reported that the city has mailed a postcard to the residents and businesses of the city informing them that MnDOT has a survey on their website regarding the two remaining traffic lights in Ely. Mayor Heidi Omerza urged everyone who lives in the Ely area to take the survey currently posted at mndot.gov/d1/projects/ely_ice. The public has until June 30 to fill out the survey.
Former Ely Mayor Chuck Novak expressed some dismay after the Monday hearing, especially after seeing a proposal for a roundabout at the intersection of Third and Sheridan. “You’d never get a large semi through that intersection with a small roundabout on it. It just wouldn’t be safe, and you can’t reroute large-sized traffic through the city through the residential neighborhoods. Those aren’t truck routes.”
The exploration of options is underway as MnDOT has determined that the traffic lights at the intersections of Third and Central Aves., originally installed in 1942, have reached the end of their useful life. MnDOT is studying the intersections to determine what sort of traffic control should replace them. The two informational hearings were the beginning of MnDOT’s process to investigate the issue.
The city’s projects committee recommended at the end of May that the city council request that the two traffic lights be retained. Traffic lights provide a high level of traffic control compared to stop signs and roundabouts.
The city council and staff present at Tuesday’s city council meeting were strongly and vocally in favor of retaining the two traffic lights at the two intersections. “The police department is 100 percent in favor of keeping both,” remarked Police Chief Chad Houde.
Ely All Class Reunion
The Ely Memorial High School building is 100-years old and the upcoming All Class Reunion, which begins next week, will celebrate the building’s birthday. In advance of the event, the city’s Heritage Preservation Commission engaged in an oral history and videography project capturing the stories of 13 graduates from their time as students at the high school.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the city council heard the report on the completed project, given by Pam Trumbull on behalf of the city’s Heritage Preservation Commission. Trumbull showed a half-minute teaser of the oral history video for the council. The commission will show the video on Wednesday, June 26, at 7 p.m., at Ely’s Historic State Theater, preceded by a meet-and-greet starting at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. The video kicks off the activities for the multi-day reunion event in advance of the official June 29 start.
Other business
In other business, the city council:
• Held a public hearing on the replacement of the city’s water supply line, which included a presentation on the proposed project and its funding by John Jamnick of JPJ Engineering. No members of the public testified either for or against the project. The project will replace the 96-year old water supply line, which runs from Burntside Lake to the city’s water treatment plant.
• Heard the report from the Mayor that the Ely Volunteer of the Year award recipient could not be at Tuesday’s meeting to receive the honor. The recipient was unable to get to downtown from their residence because of the damage done by Tuesday afternoon’s storm. The agenda item was dropped from the agenda by the council, with the expectation that the award will be given at the next council meeting.
• Voted to become the fiscal agent and partner for a grant application to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice by Well Being Development, which runs a variety of mental health services in Ely, including the Northern Lights Clubhouse. The grant is for three years and $1 million. Well Being Development will use the money to support the payroll for staff to run their recovery residence project, currently in development, and other substance abuse recovery activities. The grant program requires that a local government partner with a local agency or nonprofit and act as the fiscal agency for the receipt and dispersal of grant funds.
• Tabled and then approved a one-year moratorium on the issuance of cannabis cultivation only in areas zoned for industrial and commercial uses with an interim use permit.
• Approved an “amended and restated” joint powers agreement for the Ely Area Lodging Tax Board. The new agreement reflects the withdrawal of Stony River Township from the joint powers board.
• Approved providing in-kind services for the Young Life organization to host activities in Whiteside Park on July Fourth.
 Approved a temporary liquor license for Ely Winton Rod and Gun Club for its events on July 1-2 and July 13 at the Miners Dry Building.