In his “From the Mayor” column last week (Sept. 5), Mayor Ross Petersen made several pejorative statements that reflected half-truths.  For one, he said Sustainable Ely had not contracted with a local contractor for roof work.  False, but we’ll let the Mayor clarify that.

Secondly, he concluded workers were not from here because of their ethnicity. While those on the roof weren’t Elyites, to imply only people of certain skin colors live here is false.

Thirdly, the Mayor denied it could be said our community is vibrant, and he noted “all of the empty store fronts.” Indeed there are empty store fronts, mostly buildings where the investment to rehabilitate them would cost as much or more than a new building that would be more energy efficient. (An argument for a new library building—which has contractors from where?) 

The mayor might take into consideration the number of newer buildings that have been built since the last mine in Ely closed in 1967. A few years later, Zup’s built a larger store with a nice parking lot. Zup’s had been where Rockwood is today.

The Dairy Queen moved to a larger place. In recent years Pamida (Now Shopko) abandoned its downtown location and built a new store on the east end of town. The James Drug business was absorbed into Pamida.  Subway has a new building.  There are any number of new A-frame buildings on Sheridan.  The Boundary Waters Bank annex is a new building.  Miners Drive has new businesses as does elsewhere in town—like Grand Ely Lodge. In fact, there were 27 percent more businesses listed in the 2013 telephone book than in the 1963 book (but as many people point out, fewer bars). 

Rather than insult people of different ethnicities and perspectives, a better leadership strategy would be to encourage the exchange of ideas and perspectives and to include the citizens from the entire area for which Ely serves as a center and who support Ely’s businesses and civic and cultural happenings: Fall Lake Township, Morse Township, Eagles Nest, the unorganized territories.  When viewpoints from the community that make up Ely are incorporated, the perspective is not so monolithic. A collective of perspectives (and ethnicities) can produce creative thinking and forward looking actions—if there is leadership that cultivates the necessary unity.

Anne Stewart Uehling

Ely, Minn.