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The Babbitt city council approved rehiring the campground hosts for 2025 after being notified they wouldn’t be returning.
Dave and Carol Schinker reconsidered not returning as campground hosts.
CouncilmemberJimLassiasked that those who applied for the position be sent a letter of thanks and that their application will be kept on file for three years.
The council approved rehiring the Schinkers and will allow them to leave three days early on Oct. 28.
The council also:
• Adjusted the winter storage rates at the city-owned campground to $500 for the general public and $300 for seasonal guests.
• Decided not to move forward with spending $32,000 for removing 80 trees at the campground. Council member Paul Hoheisel said three RVs were damaged from trees falling. One quote was received for removing the most dangerous trees up to a cost of $5,000. The council tabled moving ahead.
Under recreation, the council discussed having the arena open on holidays as has been done in the past.
The council approved the arena being open for the clubs on Veteran’s Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, President’s Day and Martin Luther King Day.
The council tabled a $6,400 contract with a firm to do a structural condition assessment of the arena. The issue is a deteriorating exterior wall by the locker rooms and cracks on interior walls. Jason Chopp said SEH would be interested in looking at the project.
In other business the council:
• Held a closed session and returned to pass a motion to have the city clerk do an investigation on items covered in the closed meeting.
• Held a nine-minute meeting of the Economic Development Authority. Hoheisel did suggest contacting Pulsar Helium and New Range Copper Nickel on their future needs. Council member Joe White agreed and suggested a steering committee with citizen representation to help promote economic development. The council formed a steering committee with White and Glenn Anderson from the council and three community members.
• Discussed duplicate surveys sent out on if people would like to see chickens allowed in town. The votes are being tallied at only one per household. The tabulation as of that night was 49 percent yes and 51 percent no.
• Heard from White that he had been asked whether the PUC will be charging the city for water and sewer use at the campground. He said that will occur next spring once the usage is determined.
• Tabled a decision on purchasing docks.
• Approved holding one council meeting in November on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.
• Hired Carter Manning for the Fire Department.
• Granted Rebekah Littler a one-year leave from the ambulance department.
• Hired Terry Kohrt as a casual labor employee for the arena.
• Waived gym, table, and chair rental fees for the Friends of the Library.
• Approved the Babbitt and Ely Blue Line’s arena contracts through November 2024.
