Babbitt, Ely leaders talk cooperation

Ely area leaders have extended the invitation and now it’s up to the Babbitt City Council to decide whether the city will join a regional joint powers group.Council members mulled the invitation - which carries an annual membership fee of about $15,000 for community and economic development services - during a Dec. 15 meeting at the Babbitt City Hall.Outgoing mayor Don Negley and mayor-elect Bernice Norregaard are both behind the push to join an alliance that includes Ely, Winton, Morse Township and the Ely School District, but city officials say that formal action will wait until early next year, when the new city council is seated and after opportunities for public education and input.But several Babbitt representatives said Wednesday - while meeting with three Ely area Joint Powers members - that the city would benefit from the deal.Negley has called on the area to take a regional approach to economic development while Norregaard said Babbitt would benefit from the services of the Ely Area Development Association, which contracts with the Joint Powers group to provide economic development services and is slated to hire an economic developer next month.“We have suffered immensely because we haven’t made that investment,” said Norregaard.Working together, the Joint Powers group has focused on economic development in the Ely area and has also cooperated on share services such as Ely’s public library and recycling operations.The group has obtained grant funding for community planning and housing studies, and they are exploring further partnerships, particularly in the area of public safety services such as fire, ambulance and perhaps police protection.That’s one area that council member Ray Denny would like to pursue, should Babbitt come on board.“I’m fascinated with the pairing and sharing aspects,” said Denny. “We aren’t that far from Ely with today’s method of communication. I see no reason why there couldn’t be a central police set-up.”Babbitt officials have had informal talks about joining the organization, and city resident Steve Peterson has attended several Joint Powers meetings this year.According to Negley, it’s time for Babbitt to take the next step and become a full-fledged member of the organization.Negley said that the city has sought economic development services from the Babbitt-Embarrass Area Development Association, but that organization is focusing primarily on snowmobile and ATV trail development in the area.“We have offered our Babbitt-Embarrass group to come in with a proposal,” said Negley.Since its inception in 1996, the Joint Powers has sent payments to the EADA to help coordinate and facilitate meetings, and to assist the group in paying for the services of an economic developer and an assistant.Voting members pay an annual $1,000 membership fee, in addition to a prorated formula based on population. The total budget for 2005 is estimated at approximately $80,000, and that number is likely to grow in 2006 if Babbitt comes on board.Ely leaders say that Babbitt’s involvement would likely allow the EADA to expand the developer’s position from half-time to perhaps 30 hours a week.“If you guys come in, we’re going to have to ramp up the hours,” said Jack Willis, Morse Township’s representative on the board.Willis told Babbitt leaders that the Joint Powers alliance has helped foster cooperation between Ely area governments.“We’re much better at working together than we were nine years ago,” said Willis. “And for Babbitt to join us, that would be a very significant addition.”Willis said that Babbitt may opt out of funding specific projects, such as funding for the Ely library, and said the alliance would help both communities on the economic development front.“There may be certain types of projects that are actually better suited in Babbitt than Ely, and vice-versa,” said Willis. Babbitt and Ely leaders both said that the areas are already well-connected, with many residents who live in one community and work in the other.According to Negley, that’s helped dilute parochialism.“The tide has changed,” said Negley. “I really sense that people want to work together for common goals. I don’t think we’d have been ready for this six years ago.”Negley said he didn’t feel a name change to the EADA was needed.“It’s taken Ely many years to build the recognition it has across the country,” said Negley.Norregaard said that Babbitt council members would begin talks on Joint Powers membership, and the associated costs and benefits, early next year.City administrator Pete Pastika said that public education would be key to landing support.“People need to understand the advantages of Joint Powers-type arrangements,” said Pastika. “There are things a Joint Powers can do better than a city can do, with economic development being a prime example. We need to show that the investment will bring back these returns and come up with a good definition of what’s in it for Babbitt.”Issues that have been addressed by the Joint Powers in recent months include:• Development of a technology center, under the direction of Vermilion Community College, in the Ely area;• Funding for a small business counselor, under contract with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, to work with existing business owners and potential entrepreneurs;• The Community Advantage Leadership Program, conducted by the Blandin Foundation;• Area-wide issues such as funding for ambulance service, medical and hospital concerns, utilities and communication infrastructure, and highway improvements;• A public safety plan that would address police and fire protection as well as ambulance service;• A strategy to develop e-commerce and technology-based jobs in the region.Babbitt’s entry could give the group stronger leverage for grant monies, and boosters say cooperation could open up a wealth of possibilities in the areas of shared services and joint budgeting.