ELY- Navigating Ely’s local government isn’t anyone’s idea of a sexy topic, but Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski packed the city council chambers here last month when he spoke on the subject as part of the Ely for Ely program.
Langowski’s foremost advice for interacting with city hall was simple: “Number one, if you have an issue or a concern, reach out.”
He encouraged residents to speak with city council members. If a councilor can’t help or provide an answer, “Reach out directly to me, Casey (Velcheff, assistant clerk), or any other city staff. I would say 99 times out of 100, we can resolve concerns or questions folks have right then and there.”
Langowski also said one of the city’s committees, boards, or commissions may already be set up to handle certain concerns. “If you have a grievance, inquiry, or general comment, consider whether there is an official committee or commission pertaining to the topic. Then contact representatives on the committee or attend their public meeting.”
Langowski explained the confusing minefield of Ely’s numerous committees, commissions, and boards. “A committee is typically a group within an organization that provides or makes recommendations. A commission is a group entrusted by the governing authority to carry out a specific task or function. And a board is a body with authority to make decisions and oversee operations in the city of Ely. The city council has the ultimate say over all committees and boards and commissions.”
Where to find information
Langowski pointed to the ely.mn.us website as a place to find information about the city, including:
• Minutes and agendas for the city council at ely.mn.us/council-meetings/.
• The role and composition of Ely’s committees, commissions, and boards at ely.mn.us/boards/.
• City ordinances at ely.mn.us/ordinances/.
• The city’s schedule for meetings at ely.mn.us/meetings-calendar/ and ely.mn.us/boards/.
Addressing the council
Langowski had advice for those who wanted to address the city council, explaining the council has two opportunities at each regular meeting for the public: during the “requests to appear” portion of the agenda and at the end of the meeting during the public forum.
He explained that requests to appear “are meant for local organizations and businesses … to give the public an update as to what they’re doing and what their tasks are moving forward.” He cited the Ely Community Resource and League of Minnesota Cities as examples of groups with requests to appear.
Requests to appear need to be submitted to the clerk’s office by noon on the Friday before a city council meeting. Langowski remarked that it wasn’t the role of the clerk’s office to censor what individuals or groups wanted to present during a request to appear. However, he did state that any topic brought to the council should be “something that’s going to directly impact the citizens of the city of Ely.” Presenters have 15 minutes to speak to the city council.
“Bringing a contentious political issue or grievance up during a request to appear is probably not your most productive use of time,” Langowski added. “The open forum at city council meetings is a better fit for individual remarks and commentary.” Before resorting to the open forum, Langowski advised: “First, email the city clerk’s office or the city councilors with grievances. The open forum should not be the first place to express concerns.” Presenters during the open forum portion of a city council meeting have three minutes to speak to the council.
“Don’t expect the council to make a decision or to comment on what your three-minute presentation was,” Langowski cautioned, “because that is not how it works.”
Citizens wishing to speak during the open forum should give the request-to-speak form — available in the council chambers before each meeting — to the staff member recording the minutes.
Ely for Ely
Langowski’s talk on navigating Ely’s city government is available to watch at youtube.com/@BoundaryWatersConnect/videos. His presentation was part of the Ely for Ely program, a monthly networking and professional development program for Ely-area entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and interested community members.
Ely for Ely meetings start at 7:30 a.m. with facilitated networking and community followed by the educational program for the month. Consult boundarywatersconnect.com/elyforely for the topics and locations of upcoming meetings. Ely for Ely events are free and do not require pre-registration to attend.