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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

New Ely police officer takes oath of office

Community Center goes back on the market

Keith Vandervort
Posted 10/29/20

ELY – Ely’s new police chief introduced a new tradition last week by presenting the city’s newest law enforcement officer to the city council.“As we hire new officers we are …

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New Ely police officer takes oath of office

Community Center goes back on the market

Posted

ELY – Ely’s new police chief introduced a new tradition last week by presenting the city’s newest law enforcement officer to the city council.
“As we hire new officers we are going to conduct a swearing-in ceremony to administer the oath of office,” said Police Chief Chad Houde. “And I would like to introduce Officer Maxwell Brewer.”
The newest recruit to join the Ely Police Department comes from Morristown in southern Minnesota and graduated from Waterville Senior High School (a class of 60 graduates). Brewer attended Riverland Community College in Austin where he majored in law enforcement and corrections. He completed law enforcement skills training at Rochester Community College, graduating last spring.
“Max stood out over 20 other applicants in our competitive hiring process,” Houde said. “Max was a candidate for other agencies and he told me Ely was his first choice because of the location and strong outdoor recreation opportunities. He is very active in the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, and said he looks forward to our small-town atmosphere. He will be a great addition to our department.”
Brewer, 22, was sworn in to his first law enforcement job by Mayor Chuck Novak. Brewer’s mother, Shannon, pinned the badge on her son’s uniform during the ceremony at the beginning of the city council meeting.
Community Center
Council members approved an asking price of $79,000 for the former Community Center building, an Ely landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building is back on the market following a failed attempt by the K America Foundation to develop a Korean cultural center at the facility. The Twin Cities-based group bought the building for just $30,000 in 2018, and said they planned to raise funds for a $3 million renovation to the building.
The new asking price for the vacant building was recommended by the Heritage Preservation Commission. Council member Angela Campbell, who had previously developed her own plan to purchase and reuse the building, made the motion for the council to set the asking price, but she abstained from voting on the measure after the city attorney suggested that it would be inappropriate for any council members who may be interested in purchasing the building to be on record as supporting the action.
When pressed by Mayor Novak on how the asking price was arrived at, Campbell responded, “It was a fair decision between those who voted.”
Council member Al Forsman, who supported the motion, noted that the original asking price for the building was $79,000. “It was for economic development and we reduced the cost. We could certainly consider something like that in the future.”
Novak added, “That’s consistency from the past. It depends on who the purchaser is and what their plan is for what the ultimate price will be.”
Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langoswki said a recent appraisal valued the building at close to the proposed asking price.
“We have started to advertise it locally and with trade organizations,” he said.
Campbell’s first offer to buy the building two years ago included a plan for a convention center and hotel.
Later in the meeting, Langoswki updated the council on the need for soil testing around the Community Center building.
“With the building being 80 years old and numerous buried tanks for that building and other businesses in the area, like the service station across the road, there was some contamination found, not surprisingly, and there is some additional work required,” he said.
The cost of any necessary work would be 90-percent reimbursed by the state, according to Langowski
“We do have an obligation to clean this up or at least monitor it,” he said. The council approved the soil testing work.
Other business
In other business, the council:
• Rescheduled the first council meeting in November from Nov. 3, Election Day, to Tuesday, Nov. 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
• Was reminded by Police Chief Houde that winter calendar parking restrictions go into effect on Sunday, Nov. 1, and warning tickets will be issued temporarily while residents get used to the restrictions.
• Approved a note and mortgage for a residential rehab loan for Dean Hanninen for 417 E. Pattison St. for $6,000 for a new propane furnace.
• Approved a note and mortgage for a commercial renovation loan for East Chapman Properties LLC for $17,500 for work on the new city pocket park project.