ELY – Council members here last week unanimously agreed with Interim Mayor Chuck Novak’s proclamation of again calling for Twin Metals Appreciation Days to run concurrently with the community’s largest festival of the year on July 23-25.
“I’m going to read this because every year we do this for Blueberry Fest,” Novak said.
The annual proclamation by the city’s top elected official does not necessarily speak for all city residents. Nonetheless, local environmental advocates and sulfide mining opponents can do nothing to stop the on-the-record position that represents the entire population of the city of Ely.
The original version of this year’s proclamation, included with the city council agenda released several days head of the July 6 meeting, stated, “Whereas Twin Metals is a ‘significant’ member of the community ….” A revised proclamation presented just minutes before the start of the council meeting instead indicated, “Whereas Twin Metals is ‘an important and valued’ member of the community ….”
No explanation was provided for the last-minute revision
In addition, the original version indicated that Twin Metals had “provided more than $450,000” in financial support to a variety of Ely/Babbitt community organizations and events since 2010. The last-minute revision increased that amount to $550,000 over the same period.
Again, no explanation was provided for the revised figure.
A listing of contributions to local charitable organizations included the Ely Food Shelf, Fourth of July fireworks, Friends of the Trees, Northwood’s Partners, ISD 696, Ely Police Department, the Veterans Memorial and Veterans on the Lake Resort in the original proclamation. The revised proclamation added Ely Community Resource and the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota to the list.
The city’s proclamation also claims that Twin Metals Minnesota has “provided a continuing stream of employment with well-paying jobs which allow families to thrive in our community,” and TMM has “already had a significant impact on job creation and economic development in Minnesota.”
Ely’s city council members, on numerous occasions, have gone on record in support of the proposed Twin Metals and PolyMet mining projects.
Other business
In other business, the council:
• Hired David Huberty as part-time Planning and Zoning Administrator, pending a background check, upon recommendation of the Employee Relations Committee.
• Hired Troy Oelke as Equipment Operator 3, and approved posting the vacant Equipment Operator 2 position internally.
• Scheduled a public hearing for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20 for the proposed zoning amendment ordinance for the Koval development project in the Spaulding neighborhood.
• Approved the purchase of a tandem-axle equipment trailer for $12,559.39 from Pine River Sales with funds from the sale of old equipment from a recent auction.
• Approved a dock lease agreement with Dan Houle to use the city-owned dock located between the Ely U.S. Forest Service Seaplane Base and the boat landing next to the water treatment plant for $200.