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Babbitt is in the market for a new ambulance director following the resignation of Matt Littler.
The city council received the resignation at its June 18 meeting.
Mayor Duane Lossing started the meeting by noting the volunteer effort that put on another successful Peter Mitchell Fun Days.
“Just like any club there’s a few people doing a lot of work and I just want to recognize and I want the community to recognize without those people we don’t have a fun weekend like that,” said Lossing.
He encouraged people who aren’t involved currently to volunteer their time as well.
The council voted to accept Littler’s resignation and send a letter of appreciation “for the fine job he’s done.”
Council member Joe White asked if the Safety Committee was aware of the resignation.
“No he was supposed to go in front of the Personnel Committee and he didn’t,” said council member Paul Hoheisel. “So he chose to do this.”
“We need to have a plan moving forward,” said White. “SoaregoingtobumpChristina to director?”
‘I think after accepting the letter it’s my opinion that it should be brought back down to the Safety Committee to go over the applicants after we talk to the ambulance people and see who would like to go ahead and grab the reins and go forward,” said Hoheisel.
White asked if other members were staying on.
City clerk Robecca Jaeger said Littler would still be saying on the department.
The council voted to accept the resignation with a letter of appreciation.
City clerk Robecca Jaeger discussed the heat pumps at the Municipal Center.
She said when there was a power outage due to a storm there were some of the 30 heat pumps that may have been damaged. Jaeger said two of themainpumpsmayneedtobe rebuilt and there is one pump leaking that needs to be fixed.
The council voted to send the issue to a steering committee for further discussion.
Lossing asked that the issue be “hounded” since there is a leaking pump.
Fire Chief Tony Chamberlin told the council they day has come to replace the air packs used by firefighters. He said two packs were sent in for repairs a year ago and have not been returned.
In the last two months four more packs had to be taken out of service.
“We’re down to seven air packs,” said Chamberlin.
He said the proposal is to replace all of the packs.
“This is something that’s been on the radar, we’ve been planning for it,” said Chamberlin. “I didn’t think it was going to be now, but it is.”
He said the city could finance the packs and apply for FEMA funds to help pay for them.
“There is a very good chance we could get a grant to pay off the entire amount this year,” said Chamberlin.
The council approved the $147,992.31 cost for 15 new SCBA systems including 30 cylinders. The cost would be spread out over five years with a yearly payment of $35,123.28.
Chamberlin, who also runs the Street Department, was granted authorization to hire a student for the summer.
The council held a discussion with the Babbitt Senior Citizens group over the condition of the kitchen in the Municipal Building.
Mayor Duane Lossing said there needs to be better accountability for making sure the area remains clean.
Council member Jim Lassi suggested re-keying the locks to limit who has access to that area.
“Then we would decided who gets the keys and that would eliminate any phantoms or any ghosts and we would know who gets the keys,” said Lassi.
Lossing said he didn’t want to see any of the usage eliminated but that there needed to be better management of the space.
Bernice Norregaard spoke on behalf of the Senior Citizens and said the group doesn’t like getting blamed for things they didn’t do.
There was discussion on food being left in the refrigerator and Norregaard said at times people donated food when they are cleaning out their cabin and that they often donate that food since there isn’t a food shelf in Babbitt.
Lossing said there shouldn’t be food left in the refrigerator.
“People come and leave food in there,” said Norregaard. “We have a beautiful coffee maker and I don’t know how it got there.”
Lassi said he’d like to continue the discussion at a future meeting.
“We don’t want to be blamed for things we’re not doing,” said Norregaard.
“All we’re interested in is a solution. If it takes re-keying, getting new locks, let’s look at that possibility,” said Lassi.
Lossing asked that a meeting be set in the near future to discuss the matter further.
In other business the council:
• Appointed Andrea Zupancich and Cathy Hoheisel to the West Babbitt Committee with council member Paul Hoheisel abstaining.
• Appointed Cassandra Leoni to the Recreation Committee.
• Adopted an ordinance that says vehicles at the Babbitt Beach must be parked only in designated park- ing areas except when loading and unloading watercraft. The council discussed not allowing parking in the ditches.
• Discussed a request from someone who wanted to rent a room to practice playing musical instruments.
• Approved renting closet storage space for $60 a year to the Babbitt Golf Association for storing pull tabs.
• Decided not to advertise on a map from a Twin Cities company for the campground. While the discussion was that it was from St. Louis County, it was a private company. The $749 cost was not approved after failing on a 1-3 vote with only Lassi voting in favor.
The next meeting will be held on July 2 at 5 p.m.
• Approved creating a part-time full-time patrolman position in the police department.
• Approved granting Recreation Director Caitlyn Stern approval for temporary hiring for summer help.
• Discussed potential developer Greg Snyder and the West Babbitt housing development. Hoheisel said he would like to see the committee have a meeting to discuss options after talking with Snyder.
