.jpg)
The Babbitt City Council met Tuesday evening with a dozen people in the audience and Duane Lossing absent.
Council member Joe White asked librarian Lisa Pennala to come up and talk about library finances.
She said there was a carryover from 2024 to 2025 of around $8,000 with $5,223.91 requested to be transferred to an equipment fund so the library could look at buying three computers.
City clerk-treasurer Robecca Jaeger said the auditors would have to do this since they were undistributed funds.
“Since when?” asked Mayor Andrea Zupancich. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”
Jaeger said the leftover funds are not included in the budget and would have to be done by the auditors. She said the $5,000 is still in there. White questioned where the monies was. Jaeger said she would have to go to the clerk’s office.
White said the $5,000 is missing from the paperwork the library receives.
“It shows it missing on her paperwork,” said White. “If it’s not it needs to be put back on there.”
Jaeger said no money was taken out of the library and put somewhere else.
“We’ll have to sit down tomorrow and look at that,” said Jaeger.
“We’ve never had to do this before,” said Zupancich.
“You would have to have them explain it to you,” said Jaeger.
Zupancich said she would talk to the auditor.
“We will try to get you an answer,” White told Pennala.
Zupancich also questioned Jaeger why she is attending public safety meetings in relation to overtime.
“It’s in my job description,” said Jaeger.
“I know Cathy never did,” said Zupancich.
Zupancich then voted against the consent agenda which included bills and payroll reports.
Expanding the fitness center into the loading dock area was given a green light.
“I still think the loading dock is the best area for the amount of space we need,” said recreation director Caitlin Stern. “If we leave at least one loading (Continued from Page One)
Chickens are still not allowed
dock area in we could still use it in the future.”
Zupancich said there are grants for fitness equipment the city could apply for in the future.
“If we’re able to get some funds for this and do the work that would be great,” said Zupancich.
Stern asked for approval to move forward. White requested that one of the loading dock doors be kept intact.
The council granted approval. The January 2025 summary of funds was back on the agenda.
“I’m not sure what happened there but I updated it,” said Jaeger.
Zupancich noted the year was still listed incorrectly (2024 instead of 2025) and the numbers had changed by $300,000. Jaeger insisted the current numbers were correct.
Zupancich said there are still differences from the end-of-year balance in 2024 to the Jan. 1, 2025 balance.
“There’s something going on and don’t have a report of what had changed,” said Zupancich.
“The only thing that was different was I didn’t update the balance, the first column had the 2023 balance instead of 2024,” said Jaeger.
“I would say I’m a little bit lost on it,” said council member Jim Lassi.
Jaeger said she would bring a different report to the next meeting.
The council decided to table the issue again until the mistakes could be corrected.
The council discussed a letter from the ambulance service concerning the $180,000 in unpaid bills written off in 2024.
Sarah Powell said there is a recapture program where the Department of Revenue can assist in collecting unpaid bills by taking funds from individual tax refunds. She said this will create more paperwork for her since the city’s third-party billing company can’t do this.
“It will add something to my plate and I wanted to make sure the council knew about this,” said Powell.
While the city’s collection company would keep 50% of the monies collected, the state only retains a $15 fee per claim.
The city will move forward with the collection program through the state.
Lassi said St. Pius X Catholic Church is planning to sell the rectory and this would require a zoning change. The council approved the ordinance that rezones the property.
Zoning for 6.45 acres by Cherry Circle and a 40-acre tract by the sewage plant was discussed as well.
Lassi said the recommendation is to change the zoning to light industrial business for the land by Cherry Circle. He said this would require a conditional use permit to make sure the business fits in with the surrounding area.
The council approved a motion to rezone the area. The 40 acre parcel may be considered for biosolid application by the PUC in the next three years.
Chickens in residential areas was back to the council for discussion. Lassi said the planning commission voted to not allow chickens in town.
“Every member of the planning commission was not in favor of allowing chickens to be raised in Babbitt,” said Lassi.
White noted four of the five council members would need to vote in favor.
“We don’t have the votes,” said White.
The issue was tabled until there was a full council. Lassi said there is a 60-day rule to make a decision but “we’re still within that time period.” Lassi voted against the motion to table.
The council did move ahead with spending the $1.5 million in state funding to make repairs at the Ron Castellano Ice Arena including replacing the compressor system.
Stern said the current Red Pine Disc Golf Course will be impacted by the proposed West Development Housing Project.
She said a 38.55 acre parcel is being looked at for a long-term solution. Plans for the project and
(Continued on Page 3) funding options will be brought forward.
When to hold a city-wide cleanup day was on the agenda as well. This is traditionally done on a Saturday but the city’s garbage collection company doesn’t do rolloffs anymore.
Lassi asked why the clean-up would be held in the spring instead of the fall. Jaeger said she thought it would work better in the spring. Powell said there is a concern to leave the dumpsters out for three days over a weekend but only doing it on a weekday wouldn’t be as conducive. Powell said the dumpsters were filled in 90 minutes last fall.
The council asked that the city look for additional options to be able to hold the event on a Saturday.
Since 1976 the city has leased land from Northshore but that will end in the next three years. Powell said this has created a problem where the PUC needs to find suitable land to spread biosolids.
There is 60 acres of city-owned land south of the wastewater treatment plant that may be a suitable area. Powell said the request is to work with SEH to explore the area further. She said there is some funds left over from the recently completed $17 million sewer plant project.
The city campground could be running in the red in 2025. Expected expenditures are $226,330.32 and revenues are only estimated at $206,748.97.
Administrative Assistant Kirsten Traut said the occupancy rate would need to be 86% to break even, last year the rate was about 80%.
“I’ve been an advocate for more seasonal because it’s guaranteed money,” said Lassi.
Zupancich said the non-seasonals have only been running at 40% and that those are mainly on weekends.
The council approved starting a wait list for available sites in the campground.
Lassi spoke on his opposition to a resolution passed this year regulating when committees can meet. He said there are ordinances that conflict with the resolution. Lassi has objected to a requirement that all committee, commission and board meetings can not be held earlier than 3:30 p.m.
“It wasn’t until you guys ticked me off on here that I did some research,” said Lassi.
A motion to change the resolution to remove library, planning and public utilities committees from the resolution and the requirement of meeting prior to 3:30 p.m. was approved on a 3-1 vote.
White said he would like the 3:30 p.m. requirement to remain in place and voted against the change.
He also asked that Jaeger show the council at the next meeting that she repaid the amount she overpaid herself previously.
White addressed the steering committee formed to look at the Municipal Center. “We kind of get slammed by the front office,” said White. “If I want to go call somebody and get some information I can do that. Each individual has the authority to do that.”
He said he is also planning to get rid of some aluminum and old light bulbs.
Traut said there is an issue with committee members who are non-employees of the city if there is a claim the city may be liable. She said doors were being left unlocked as well.
White suggested the city hire committee members for a dollar to avoid the liability issue.
The council passed a motion allowing committee members to be able to request information.
In other business the council:
• Accepted a resignation letter from Troy Bissonette from the ambulance service. Bissonette was on the department before he became the chief of police. “Time constraints prevent me from effectively continuing both positions concurrently,” wrote Bissonette.
• Approved a bid from JB Doors to replace the garage door for the police department at a cost of $2,468.33.
• Voted to hire Courtney Olson as a firefighter. She is an officer with the Ely Police Department who lives in Babbitt.
• Waived gym rental fees for the Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt on April 19.
• A motion to deny the grievance for a $20 per month phone stipend passed as well.
• Will apply for funds from IRRRB for the Hideaway annexation project for water and sewer connections.
