Support the Timberjay by making a donation.

Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Ely needs a new location for recycled materials bins

Keith Vandervort
Posted 3/21/19

ELY – As winter turns to spring, the relocation of the city’s recycling center is taking center stage here. The Sanitation Committee met this week to discuss the topic and Council member Albert …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Ely needs a new location for recycled materials bins

Posted

ELY – As winter turns to spring, the relocation of the city’s recycling center is taking center stage here. The Sanitation Committee met this week to discuss the topic and Council member Albert Forsman stressed the importance of the issue at a brief city council meeting on Tuesday.

The planned west end development project, to build a trailhead and visitor center complex, parking areas, and extend Fifth Avenue West from Sheridan Street to Chapman Street behind the hospital, will require the relocation of the St. Louis County recycled material collection area.

Forsman said the Sanitation Committee is proposing to only relocate the recycling canisters to city-owned property elsewhere in town. “There will be no brush dump (for city residents) in areas where we are looking,” he said. “This is based partially on the potential sites we’re looking at, but also the cost of transporting the (brush) materials.”

Forsman stressed the importance of getting the conversation moving on the issue. “We need a public property, or it could possibly be a township property next to us, for the county to park their waste bins on.”

He said he likes the fact that the current recycling collection point is somewhat hidden from view as one enters town. “A couple of the proposed sites would be right along- side our entry ways into the city, and that kind of reflects poorly on our city, but that may be our only option,” he said.

He asked the community to think about the upcoming changes to the recycling center relocation. “Before we make a decision, maybe someone can give us some good ideas on this,” Forsman added.

He also noted that the city’s annual cleanup days will be held Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, at Whiteside Park. City residents have the opportunity to bring unwanted items, but not recyclables, to the dumpsters available for those two days.

Other business

In other business, the council:

Approved paying the city attorney for nearly 40 hours of investigation time, at $110 per hour, requested by council member Angela Campbell, pertaining to the legal publishing issue that resulted in the Ely Timberjay retaining the official newspaper status for the city of Ely for 2019.

Agreed with the Planning and Zoning Committee that the public hearing process for vacating or rezoning public land will now involve a joint hearing process with the council.

Authorized the Projects Committee to complete the proper paperwork required for a land swap of forfeited land with St. Louis County.

Approved the hiring of Richard Posey for the Water/Wastewater Operator position, and Roger Nyquist for the Infrastructure Maintenance Worker position.

Approved Ely Police Department Sgt. George Burger to attend the Leadership Academy at Fort Ripley May 7-10.

Requested more information from the Projects Committee on a potential property sale to Chip Hansen.

Approved a purchase agreement for the sale of a lot in the Spaulding development area to Andrew and Paula Hill.

Approved a request from Cody Perkins to tap maple trees near his house on the 300 block of James Street.

Approved a raffle permit for Special Olympics Minnesota for the Northland 300 event in January 2020.