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Two-year contract worth $96,000 OK’d by city council
The city of Ely has renewed the contract of its longtime economic developer.
John Fedo will continue in that role for the next two years after council members, acting as the Ely Economic Development Authority, approved without dissent Tuesday to extend Fedo’s contract for another two years.
Both in 2025 and 2026, Fedo will be paid $4,000 a month to coordinate the city’s economic development efforts under the direction of the EEDA. The deal calls for him to work at least 35 hours per month.
Terms of the contract remain the same as they have been for several years, and council members voted 5-0 to approve the deal, with both Heidi Omerza and Angela Campbell.
Council member Al Forsman endorsed the arrangement and hailed Fedo’s work for the city.
“It’s a very beneficial contract for the EDA,” said Forsman. “John represents us well and does a lot of legwork.”
Outgoing council member Paul Kess agreed, citing Fedo’s work on a variety of local projects and his representation of Ely’s interests beyond the city limits, including on various trails-related committee.
“No other (local) community I think has that representation on trails,” said Kess. “Other communities spend on lobbyists, and that’s not necessarily bad, but John works productively for us on a local level.”
Fedo, who has worked for the city for more than a decade, regularly briefs council member at EDA sessions and has taken on an assortment of tasks related to economic development and the pursuit of funding for various projects and economic development initiatives.
He thanked council members for their continued support.
“I appreciate the opportunity,” he said. “I enjoy it. I enjoy working with you folks. I think it’s been a good relationship and I look forward to the next two years.”
Earlier in the brief, roughly 30-minute meeting, Fedo provided a monthly report and outlined progress on several fronts, including recent IRRRB funding for both the proposed hotel project in the former Community Center building, and the redevelopment of the old “Depot”/Wilderness Outfitters property, where a brewery and events center is proposed.
Fedo indicated that he will be taking part in a Dec. 2 meeting regarding a proposed workforce housing project in Ely.
Those plans were stalled this fall when an application for state funding was unsuccessful.
Fedo said the developer remains interested in proceeding with a project in Ely, and the Dec. 2 session will “look at the possibility” of an additional application for state funding.
Before hiring Fedo, the city joined neighboring entities in funding an area economic developer position through the Ely Area Development Association.
In addition to lobbying on Ely’s behalf, Fedo also is the first point of contact for those looking to bring businesses or expand their business in Ely, and he has assisted on an array of projects ranging from a series of downtown renovation initiatives led by developers John and Tanner Ott to representing the city with agencies such as the IRRRB. He also has helped city officials develop annual priority lists for tackling economic development projects.
Fedo served three terms as mayor of Duluth from the late-1970s to the early-1990s.
