ELY- The city council here, on Tuesday, approved a proposal from ZEF Energy to install a type-three fast-charging hub for electric vehicles at the Ely trailhead facility currently under construction. Type-three chargers are the fastest chargers for EVs, taking less than 30 minutes to charge a vehicle, and this will be the first one of its kind north of the Virginia area.
The company won’t install the charging hub, which will include two fast-charging stations and two slower-charging connections, until May at the earliest. The city is currently pursuing federal grants to cover the $55,500 cost to install the hub.
“If this project is approved now, it will be installed in May. That’s about as fast as we can make it happen,” said Ely Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski. “What we’re seeing in the summer is there has been a considerable increase in EVs. We will make money back on the usage (of the charging hub),” which users will pay to use.
Farewells
The city council and Mayor Heidi Omerza made note of the fact that Tuesday’s meeting was the final one for council members Paul Kess and Ryan Callen, both of whom received a plaque in honor of their service.
Omerza praised Callen’s eight-year performance on the council, saying: “Although quiet, when Ryan has something to say, it’s very important to listen because we all know that he has powerful insights.”
As for Kess, who has served on the city council for 22 years, Omerza praised his leadership. “What are we going to do without Paul? There’s probably no one tougher on the budget committee but he always has a gentle grace about him. He always has the perfect line to say and the right questions to ask. We are going to miss you.”
In other business, the council:
• Approved the proposal from Ely Custom Theaters for surveillance, security, and access controls for the Ely trailhead facility, but not without a question from Kess on the lack of competing bids. Langowski replied that the project was bid locally because of service issues. “On projects like this,” he explained, “we prefer to hire locally because when we have a vendor coming out of Minneapolis providing this, it doesn’t work for us when it comes to service.” Langowski also mentioned that the systems the firm would provide would be the same as the other security and surveillance systems the city already uses.
The vote to approve the bid from Ely Custom Theaters passed 5-1, with Kess voting against it. “I’m not against the proposal. I’m voting against it for the sake of financial due process,” Kess explained. Councilman Al Forsman was absent.
• Approved sending the newly elected city council members to attend the League of Minnesota Cities Elected Leaders Institute Foundation program and incumbent city council members to attend the Elected Leaders Institute Advanced program.
• Approved nominating Ely to the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission to pursue funding of phase one and two environmental reviews at the old city garage.
• Approved reserving the $1,500 received as donations in 2024 for work on the Workman paintings at Ely Memorial High School for use in 2025.
• Approved entering into an agreement with the Minnesota Digital Library to add online digital access to Ely’s oral histories projects including the recently completed graduates’ oral histories video.
• Approved the second reading of the two ordinances on regulating cannabis businesses in Ely with the changes approved at the Dec. 3 city council meeting.
• Approved a first reading of a new cannabis and cannabinoid ordinance prohibiting the use of these products in public places and on public property within the city. The city scheduled a public hearing on the proposed ordinance for Jan. 7 at 5:15 p.m.
• Accepted the resignation of Morgan Sauls from the park and recreation board.
• Received the report that Abby Dare is the new chair of the park and recreation board.