.jpg)
by Nick Wognum
With a full council in place, there was a definite change regarding a request from the White Iron Chain of Lakes Association to support a grant application.
That change turned out to be a double whammy. The council vote 5-2 to deny the request for a letter supporting a state LCCMR grant and then passed a motion to oppose the project, also 5-2. Voting on the losing end of the motions were Adam Bisbee and Emily Roose.
The meeting was barely started Tuesday night when there was an immediate motion to move the controversial item from old to new business but it failed 5-2 following clarification.
Council members Al Forsman, John Lahtonen, Jerome DeBeltz, Angela Campbell and mayor Heidi Omerza voted no. Roose and Bisbee, who made and seconded the motion voted in favor.
Bisbee questioned how a letter in opposition appeared on the agenda.
Attorney Kelly Klun said much of the agenda is made by the administration and the mayor and that Forsman asked for the opposition letter to appear. Bisbee asked if there was a third option to not send a letter at all. Klun said it is up to the council to make that decision.
Roose made a motion that was supported by Bisbee to send a letter of support for WICOLA’s project. Forsman spoke against the letter and said he has concerns about incorrect information provided and strongly opposes the project.
Debeltz said “If we okay this thing we’re saying we’re against mining,” said Debeltz. “I have a problem with that. We need jobs in Ely.”
Roose said she didn’t hear anything with mining in the proposal. “The more clean water the better,” said Roose.
A letter from WICOLA cited an anti-mining group in why the grant should be supported.
“I’ve attached a flyer from the NLSAP (Northern Lakes Scientific Advisory Panel) and Friends of the Boundary Waters that illustrates their scientific findings of sulfate levels and how sulfate is causal in mercury levels in fish,” wrote Dave Holt of WICOLA.
Lahtonen said the issue was highly irregular and shouldn’t happen again. He called the issue “an attack on mining and an attack on our way of life.” He said the council would need to consider the impact of hundreds of mining jobs and the potential loss of mining tax monies including from the IRRRB.
Roose said the letter doesn’t include any city dollars and that she found out U.S. Steel is putting in a similar project.
Bisbee said providing a better way to handle tailings would provide more opportunity for mining to occur.
Debeltz asked why this was brought to Ely when it isn’t within the city limits.
“Why are they telling us what to do here?” asked Debeltz. “Ely began with mining and timber and if we say we’re against mining and timber what do we have for jobs in Ely? Very few.”
Forsman said in the presentation it was stated Northshore discharges wastewater into the Dunka River. He said that is not true. Forsman also noted that mercury levels are increased from rain, not from what is in the ground.
“I don’t know if they’re trying to tell us the mercury in the fish are unsafe but I don’t think that’s something we want out there to set forth,” said Forsman. “There was a lot put into this presentation that goes down roads based on unproven facts.”
Campbell said she was concerned about the presentation and called the presenter after the last meeting.
“He could not answer my questions,” said Campbell.
“As a council we try to support things that have to do with Ely itself,” said Omerza. “We don’t have control what’s outside of Ely.”
She said the council has written letters supporting LCCMR funds that have been denied “and I don’t want them to go up against this.”
Omerza said it was unfair for the council to be faced with this issue.
“I personally support mining but this isn’t happening in the city limits,” said Omerza.
She said she isn’t a scientist and teaches kindergarten.
“I’m very upset in the way this is happening and we have to make a decision on this,” said Omerza. “I don’t think this is a decision we have to make. We have better things for these funds to go towards.”
The motion failed 5-2 with only Roose and Bisbee voting yes.
A motion to pass a letter against the grant request was made by Forsman and supported by Lahtonen.
Roose then said the council should take no position on the issue.
Forsman said there are other valuable needs for grant funds and “I don’t want this project to be competing against other things that are more valuable.”
Debeltz said he doesn’t think issues should go to where the people live and are directly impacted.
Bisbee said the letter should be removed in its entirety.
Lahtonen said, “I think that ship has sailed. I’m pro-mining, I’m going to vote for this new letter and I’m proud of that.”
Omerza said the requests should be directed to Lake County not to a city in St. Louis County.
The vote to send a letter opposed to the WICOLA proposed project passed 5-2 with the same pattern as the previous motion.
At the end of the meeting during the open forum portion, Riley Reif of 138 East Conan Street spoke on the WICOLA issue. He also questioned a letter from Up North Jobs on the issue. He said he didn’t understand the opposition to a clean water project.
Nora Dubois of 615 E Wilson Street questioned a letter opposing the WICOLA project when statements were made that it was out of the council’s jurisdiction.
The council did approve scheduling a public hearing on a $1 increase in sewer monthly rates. The previous proposal was a $2 increase. The hearing will be held on March 18 at 5 p.m.
In other business the council:
• Approved hiring Cody Lehn for an equipment operator position.
• Approved moving forward with a right-of-way vacation request from Warren Johnson on 10th Street South in the Beacon Hill area.
• Heard a conditional use permit was approved for the Ely Dog Park at the Softball Complex with conditions including fencing, mowing and maintenance and a portable restroom along with insurance and that dogs are vaccinated.
• Denied waiving the $250 conditional use permit fee for the dog park since it is a non-profit. Concerns were raised over precedence. “We worked hard on setting those fees and I think we need to stick with it,” said Forsman. The vote was unanimous to deny the fee except for Campbell who abstained as she is on the Dog Park board.
• Heard from Omerza on a League of Minnesota Cities conference which was also attended by Roose. “I learned a lot and it was great to meet elected people from other cities,” said Roose.
• Will move forward with changing the definition of camping area/RV park and resort.
• Heard Forsman was elected chair of the sanitation committee. He said a proposal to advance a dumpster ordinance on enclosing them was recommended to be denied. The council agreed.
• The city’s spring clean up days will be May 2-3.
• Fire chief Dave Marshall said there were 18 medical calls and one fire call in the last month.
• Librarian Rachel Heinrich updated the council on a take home egg carton project going on now as well as other activities. She said the cartons don’t include the eggs.
• Police chief Chad Houde informed the council that an officer is leaving the department to take another job. “Law enforcement is a very competitive job right now,” said Houde noting that Elyite Nils DeRemee took a job in Red Wing instead of a position with EPD. He said with the latest hiring they will be at six officers.
• Approved a floodplain ordinance following a public hearing prior to the council meeting. Klun said it will be beneficial to people who live within the floodplain.
• Approved a $17,500 loan to Kannas Real Estate for new energy efficient windows.
• Passed the first reading of an ordinance to combine two city lots in East Spaulding for $38,900 or separately for $25,000 each. A public hearing will be held on March 18 at 4:45 p.m.
• Approved appointing Laurie Kess to the Donald G. Gardner Trust Board as a representative from Northern Lakes Arts Association.
• Heard Forsman question whether the city should pay for a change order on the Trailhead Building since it appeared to be the fault of the architect.
• Approved a $6,000 loan to council member Bisbee for a high efficiency propane furnace at 1004 E. Chapman St.
• Approved a request from the Ely Events Group to apply for a raffle permit.
