ELY- Three standout items were aired at the April 18 meeting of the Ely City Council: a disturbing trend in fire calls by the Ely Fire Department, Ely spring clean-up days, and water testing.
Ely spring clean-up days will be May 19-20. “This is the time of the year where we tell people if you have junk in your yard, bring it to the park. We’ll take care of it and the city will pay for its disposal. What’s acceptable is aluminum, scrap metal, building materials, appliances, (and) furniture, explained Ely City Clerk and Treasurer Harold Langowski.
Langowski added that household or kitchen trash would not be accepted, nor would tires. “You can get garbage service for that, or you can bring it to the transfer site.” Residents can dispose of up to four tires per day at area transfer sites at no charge.
Hazardous materials, paint or batteries will also not be accepted. St. Louis County holds separate clean-up days for those sorts of hazardous materials.
To take advantage of Ely clean-up days, those leaving off trash must bring some kind of proof of residency, like a utility bill.
Fire call trend
During his first quarter report to the city council, Fire Chief Dave Marshall noted a disturbing trend. “This year, the fire department has responded to more carbon monoxide calls than I can ever recall in my time on the fire department…Many times in the past, carbon monoxide calls have been the result of a faulty detector. Every carbon monoxide call that we have responded to this year has been a legitimate call with excessive levels of carbon monoxide in people’s homes.”
The fire chief said that in the two most recent calls, carbon monoxide detectors “saved the residents’ lives because it woke them up at night and got them out of the house.” Marshall noted that carbon monoxide is an odorless, silent killer.
Marshall said every home with “appliances that burn fossil fuels or wood,” should have a carbon monoxide detector. He also cautioned that if using fans in wet basements, not to point the fans at furnaces or boilers. He said one of the department’s recent calls was for a legitimate carbon monoxide detector alarm in a home where a power fan in the wet basement had blown carbon monoxide from the boiler throughout the home.
Water testing
Due to an error in reporting water testing data between a laboratory and the Department of Health, a city of Ely employee may be knocking at residents’ doors to collect new water samples. Langowski explained that the city collects 20 random samples every three years as required by law. Of the 20 samples collected most recently, one sample report was botched and three others were above Environmental Protection Agency actions levels for either lead or copper.
“We’re in the process of doing 40 additional samples,” Langowski remarked. “One of our concerns with this lab issue concerns reporting. Was there also a lab issue concerning the results? We can’t confirm that without additional testing. So, if folks have Ely utilities staff knock on their door, that’s what we’re doing.”
In other business, the council:
• Heard a presentation by Grant Spickelmier, Executive Director of the International Wolf Center, about the 30th anniversary of the opening of the center on May 24.
• Approved the recommendation from the Police Commission to update the Police Commission Ordinance to change to ordinance to read “employees of the police department except for Chief of Police and Assistant Chief”.
• Received the Ely Public Library Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 from the Library Board.
• Approved changing Park and Recreation Board meeting times to the third Monday of the month at 5 p.m.
• Approved the purchase of baseball field dirt as a donation for the Ely Little League Field for $2,195.
• Approved the recommendation from Projects Committee to direct JPJ Engineering to place a lead service line replacement project on the Department of Health Project Priority List.
• Approved the application to the IRRR Regional Trail Grant Program for the Trailhead Project.
• Approved an increase in the short-term rental license fee from $100 to $200.
• Approved adjusting the parking fee ordinance to remove the parking fee amount and to allow the city council to set the parking fee by resolution.
• Approved the purchase of 17 trees as requested by the tree board. City Clerk and Treasurer Harold Langowski noted that the trees were $123 apiece.
• Authorized the police department to apply for a Cop Grant, which would help fund a student resource officer for the Ely Public School District. “The federal grant is the Community Oriented Policing Services grant—that’s what it stands for … It would cover roughly for three years and three quarters of the cost (of a school resources officer),” explained Ely Police Chief Chad Houde.
• Approved the mortgage satisfaction for a storefront loan from TMC Property, LLC recorded as Document No. 01380360 on May 20, 2020.
• Received the report that the City of Ely Water Supply Improvements Project was submitted by Senators Smith and Klobuchar to the Congressional Appropriations Committee.
• Received the report that the Gawboy mural ribbon cutting is on May 4, at 5p.m. at the Minnesota North–Vermilion Campus, in the Quiet Study Room in the Classroom Building.
• Was informed that the Northwoods Kids Fishing Derby 2023 will be on June 10, 2023. The event is looking for sponsors and volunteers.
• Received a communication from the county that the 2023 household hazardous waste community collection schedule will be June 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ely Joint Public Works Facility; and Aug. 31, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Northwoods Transfer Station.
• Authorized the payment of Ely Utilities Commission claims for $638,963, Short Elliott Hendrickson invoices for $935 and $11,080 for the Prospector ATV Trail, and an AE2S invoice for the Waste Water Treatment Facility Improvements Project for $30,769.95.
• Approved a bid for the 9th Avenue E. Project from low bidder Low Impact Excavating for $229,522. Four firms bid on the project.
• Authorized edible cannabinoid products dealers license fees.
• Authorized the Rotary Club of Ely application for a raffle permit.
• Approved a letter of support for the St. Louis County FY 2023 Cohesive Fire Strategy–Cross Boundary Grant application.
• Approved going forward with an application for a residential rehabilitation loan for David Wade for $10,000 to bring electrical, plumbing and heating systems up to code, pending appropriate fees, permits and paperwork. The council directed the city attorney to work with the applicant on the application paperwork.