ELY— Residents here heard a cautionary tale at last week’s city council meeting, care of Ely Fire Chief David Marshall, who reported that a Chapman St. residence had 150 gallons of fuel oil mistakenly pumped into its basement.
Homeowner James Wicklund had replaced his old fuel oil furnace with a propane unit but had not yet removed the fill pipe from the side of his house. His fuel oil tank had been removed so the delivered fuel oil ended up on the floor of his basement.
According to the Ely Police Department report on the incident, Wicklund was out and returned home before 1 p.m. to find a delivery notice from Edwards Oil and Propane stating they had delivered 150 gallons of fuel oil to his home. The notice included a bill for the fuel and a note stating: “Please check fill pipe and vent pipe connections in basement. They seem to be loose and could cause a leak if not tightened.”
Wicklund reported that most of the fuel had gone down the floor drain but that the house smelled of fuel oil and possessions in the basement were coated with the heavy fuel.
Ely Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski said after the meeting that residents who have converted to propane or heat pumps should be sure to remove their old fuel oil fill pipes or fill them with spray foam to prevent this sort of mishap from happening. “A locking file pipe cap won’t stop a fuel oil delivery person from using a pipe wrench to pop the lock,” Langowski said.
In other business, the council:
• Heard the report from Ely Police Chief Chad Houde that calendar parking was now in effect and advised that residents warn any visitors to park on the correct side of the road when coming to Ely. Calendar parking rules are simple: park on the odd-numbered sides of city streets on odd-numbered days and on even-numbered sides on even-numbered days.
• Heard the report from the Ely Board of Adjustment that it had approved a conditional use permit to Tanner Spicer, representing Voyageur North Outfitting and T-N-S Adventure Properties LLC, for the property at 115 N. 21st Ave. E., to develop it as a resort with four 499-square-foot log cabins, up to three RV sites, green space, and other amenities. The property is zoned as “Residential Transition” which allows resorts with “Conditional Use Permits only.”
• Approved a change to the right-of-way vacation language in city ordinances and the relocation of the related fee to the consolidated fee schedule, directing the city attorney to update the city’s ordinances accordingly. The proposed vacation fee increase from the Oct. 29 city council study session was from $170 established in 2004 to $300.
• Approved a recommendation from the planning and zoning commission for the city council to explore ways to fund a “de-pave initiative” to encourage private landowners to remove pavement and replace it with native flora or permeable pavers.
The motion passed with a 6-1 vote, with city council member Al Forsman opposed.
• Approved a development agreement to renovate the old railroad depot property, formerly used by an outfitter. The agreement sets time limits for the developers to finish work on the property and establishes the city as the fiscal agent for any redevelopment and environmental cleanup grants the project receives.
• Approved a change to the language in city ordinances on secondhand goods to remove mentions of wrecked or dismantled motor vehicles and junk or salvage yards, directing the city attorney to update the city’s ordinances accordingly.
• Approved a change to City Code §11.41(land stability) to read: “In the Shoreland Overlay District, surrounding Miner’s Lake the property owner shall be responsible for ensuring the land is safe to build on at the 75-foot or greater setback. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to consult with a geotechnical engineer if the property owner deems necessary. Properties known to or suspected of having inactive mine shafts, shall contact the St. Louis County Mine Inspectors Office for further guidance and requirements.”
The change was recommended by the planning and zoning commission after the city consulted with the DNR over jurisdiction over the city’s shoreline ordinances. The city council directed the city attorney to update the ordinance language.
• Rejected a motion to include a new dumpster enclosure ordinance in the city code. “There is no reason for this, said Forsman during discussion on the change. “None of the businesses in town would be able to comply with this.”
The failed motion was followed by a successful one to send the proposed ordinance language back to the planning and zoning commission.
• Approved the use of Whiteside Park by the Tour of Minnesota on June 16-June 18, 2025. The tour participants will use facilities at the Ely Public Schools for showers.
• Nominated city council member Angela Campbell to the board of directors of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools.
• Approved the creation of an “Ely Green Team” subcommittee to the Ely Parks and Recreation Board. The new subcommittee would work specifically on advancing Ely’s placement in Minnesota’s Green Steps program. The city is already a Green Steps city and has taken several of the measures to advance in the program but has no current mechanism to file the paperwork to receive recognition for work already done. The new subcommittee would take on that roll as well make recommendations for how the city can make further advancements in the Green Steps program.
The subcommittee will have eight members, seven who would vote and the Ely Planning and the Zoning Administrator, who would have no voting privileges.
• Approved the following claims for payment: $745,053 for the city and Ely Utilities Commission through Nov. 12, and $362,192 for pay estimate No. 5 from Max Gray Construction for the Ely regional trailhead building. The council also tabled a $1,760 invoice from SEH for work on the Prospector ATV trails until the city receives the matching funds for the work.
• Approved the first amendment for the additional architectural and engineering services proposal for the Ely Area Ambulance service garage. The proposed amendment must also receive the approval of the Ely Area Ambulance Joint Powers Board.
• Approved the first reading of Ordinance 382, Chapter 5, Section 5.41, Alcoholic Beverages Licensing and Regulation, which amends the timing of on-sale Sunday liquor sales from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.