ELY- The Ely City Council scheduled a study session for Aug. 27 to discuss the SafeTech Solutions ambulance study and its proposal for a regionalized ambulance service.
“Since the presentation came out, (the issue) has just kind of stalled,” said city council member Al Forsman. “It would be nice to get together and get some people on record as to where they stand on this, and I’d really like the council to have an opportunity to voice their opinions on the matter, too,” he said.
The study, commissioned by the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, was designed to assess the financial and organizational viability of the area’s ambulance services. SafeTech presented its findings at a public meeting on June 13, recommending a three-way merger of the Babbitt, Ely, and Tower services to achieve long-term financial and organizational stability. Local reactions to the proposal have been mixed and it has generated little official discussion in Ely to date— a fact that Forsman is hoping to change.
“We’ll send out an invitation to all parties involved (on the ambulance issue) so we can get their take,” he said. Forsman is Ely’s representative on the Ely Area Ambulance Joint Powers Board.
Railroad depot
In other matters, the city council approved a $186,870 sealed bid from Low Impact Excavators for the excavation and disposal of the contaminated soil at the railroad depot site. The site is being cleaned up in preparation for redevelopment.
Soliciting bids for this work was approved at the July 16 city council meeting. Though the cost of the work is the responsibility of the site owner, the cleanup work may be eligible for a reimbursement grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and for additional funding from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. To be eligible for these moneys, the city must be the applicant and fiscal agent for work paid for by these potential grants.
Ely Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski reported that the commissioners of both DEED and IRRR will be in Ely next Wednesday to tour the newly opened Community Hub, followed by a site visit to the depot site. “The hope is to garner some support for additional DEED assistance and cleaning up the contaminated material,” Langowski said about the visit. “If you’ve been by the site lately, you’ll see there’s a lot of activity. They are actually raising the building in preparation of coming in and excavating the (contaminated) material and putting in a new footing.”
Other business
In other business, the city council:
• Heard from Ely Library Director Rachel Heinrich that a new stained-glass window, depicting a wolf, was installed on Tuesday morning at the library. It was crafted by stained-glass artist John Weidemann who donated it to the library. The new window in is the meeting area in the southwest corner of the library building.
• Approved new language regarding the 355 and 357 W. Harvey St. subdivisions. The new language will read: “The existing lots need to remain as they are, moving forward, no additional structures. If the primary structures are removed, they must be rebuilt to current zoning code standards.” According to Langowski, the change is the last piece in a long and complicated process that gave the city an easement while allowing the owner to subdivide the current property into two lots.
• Approved a study session on Oct. 29 “to discuss civil citation fees.”
• Approved the reclassification of a police officer position to a police sergeant position into the 2025 Budget.
• Approved a 10 percent increase to Ely Community Resource funding in the 2025 Budget.
• Approved a $7,500 contribution for the Ely Senior Center in the 2025 Budget.
• Approved maintaining the ambulance service donation in 2025 at the $15.15 per capita level plus building expenses.
• Approved making the Planning and Zoning Administrator position 32 hours a week.
• Approved the purchase of a 2010 Ford F-150 from St. Louis County for $3,600 and the disposal of the City’s 2003 Ford F-150 by posting bids.
• Approved the installation of fixed-base wireless in Whiteside Park by Treehouse Broadband for $2,320 and for a service fee of $160 per month.
• Approved a fee of $400 for this summer’s festivals that utilize wifi and a $7 fee per vendor per event for events planned in 2025.
• Approved the purchase of Wi-Fi equipment not to exceed $1,000. The equipment is to complete the conversion of the city’s broadcast capability to high definition.
• Approved $250 to pay Ely Area Television for additional filming in May.
• Approved the hire of Troy Oelke as public works foreman and to step up Neil Lepisto and Eric Mattila to Equipment Operator Two.
• Approved the commercial electric rate classification policy. The recent electricity rate study done for the city noted that some inconsistencies exist in how commercial customers are charged. Langowski noted that the classification policy aims to remove those inconsistencies with an annual review of each customer’s electricity use.
“This does not affect our existing rates,” Langowski noted. “It’s just a matter of how commercial customers are classified for demand billing or a general commercial rate.”
• Approved the attendance of the city’s wastewater operators at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Operators School on Oct. 8-10 in Minneapolis.
• Approved the internal posting for a police sergeant position.
• Heard the report that Barbara Jones wrote on behalf of the Ely Climate Group about getting the city to be active as a Minnesota Green Step City again. Omerza remarked that it took a lot of paperwork to achieve new steps. Langowki commented, “That’s my point for putting on the agenda. If there is somebody interested in participating or assisting in this endeavor, let me know.”
• Approved four claims for payment: $78,567 for the city of Ely and the Ely Utilities Commission; $44,137 to Mesabi Bituminous for the Trailhead Site Re-bid project; $23,760 to S.E.H for work on the Prospector ATV Project; and $94,330 to Max Gray Construction for the Ely Regional Trailhead Building.
• Approved a motion by council member Adam Bisbee to interview the two applicants for the open position on the parks and recreation board. The two applicants are non-resident Steven Toddle and resident Kristen Anthony. The current vacant seat on the board is open to either residents or non-residents.
• Approved three temporary liquor licenses: for the Ely Rotary on Aug. 16 and the Ely Winton Rod and Gun Club on Aug. 31, both at the Miner’s Dry Building, and for the Dorothy Molter Museum on Sept. 20-21 at Whiteside Park.
• Approved the Ely Homecoming Parade for Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. Police Chief Chad Houde said he would consult with the parade organizers to see if the event would need a formal permit or some other arrangement.