It didn’t take long for the new format at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Council member Joe White participated via Teams online as he was out of town for work.
“The city hall flags are done by volunteerism,” said council member Joe White. He apologized that the flags weren’t lowered right away and asked the public to consider volunteering.
Council members also thanked city office staff, Sara Powell and Kirsten Traut, for the work they did while the city was without a city clerk.
Zupancich said she can hear the kids playing in the park now with the new equipment and thanked everyone who helped make the project happen.
The council briefly discussed complaints of people using marijuana in public places.
“It’s illegal,” said city attorney Joel Lewicki.
The council heard an update on the on-call requirement policy for the city’s ambulance department.
White said when the city changed to part-time ALS, the state required that service be required 24 hours per day and must maintain at least two ambulance service personnel on a written on-call schedule.
The policy requires each ambulance employee to complete 36 hours of on-call time a month or face disciplinary action.
The city pays $10 an hour for daytime on-call work and $5 an hour for nights. Finding people to workday shifts has been a problem for the Babbitt ambulance service for some time.
“Sounds like we need more retirees on the ambulance service,” said council member Duane Lossing.
The council approved the policy.
A request from Northwoods Saddle Club to lease land from the city for a horse riding arena was discussed.
The arena would be called the “End of the Trail Riding Arena” and would “provide a structured area for people in and outside the Babbitt community to have an area to safely train, practice events, teach others to ride, and host family-oriented horse shows,” according to a letter.
The club is also negotiating with the Embarrass Region Fair to use the current location.
“It is a little murky,” said council member Jim Lassi.
The council decided to table (Continued from Page One)
Potpourri of issues at meeting
the issue for more clarification.
A problem has cropped up with the city selling land to Green Mining Company.Thesnowmobile/ATV trail runs through the seven lots the company is looking to purchase.
Street supervisor Tony Chamberlin said the trail could be relocated and that Green Mining is not looking to start development until next year.
Richard Stuart of Cultiv8CannabisCo said he spoke with Chris Koivisto on this issue and that there is some confusion. He said there are multiple buyers interested in the land. Stuart clarified after the meeting that is no longer affiliated with Chad Davis or the Green Mining Company.
Powell said the communication needs to be with her, and starting next week, the new city clerk.
Stuart said the south corners aren’t marked on the parcels. He said that still needs to be completed to get the legal descriptions finished.
Powell said the question is whether to make the lots smaller or move the trail.
Zupancich said the trail going through the lots would make the lots undesirable. She questioned what the timeline would be.
Powell said she thinks the snowmobile/ ATV club would need to be consulted before the survey could be completed.
“What the fastest it could be completed? One month? Two months? Speed of government?” asked Zupancich.
Powell said she didn’t know. Chamberlin said the trail is located on the lots but there isn’t a legal easement.
The council passed a motion to make the seven lots one full acre each and move the trail was passed by the council.
There was also discussion on covenants for the lots and the application of the zoning ordinance.
In other business, the council:
• Heard the Babbitt Lions Club is willing to donate toward putting in porta-potties for the park. The council approved moving forward.
• Approved a resolution in support of privatizing federal land for 41 recreational cabins on 160 acres of land on the shore of Birch Lake. The resolution includes language on having property owners be able to connect to city water and sewer.
• Heard the city is invited to make a presentation in Ely on Oct. 8 on a bonding application for $2.5 million for renovating the Municipal Building and the city beach facilities.
• Adopted an amendment to the 2026 budget where there was a $25,000 error in the city facilities budget. The total budget was increased to $2,833,270.
• Waived the senior center rental for the Babbitt Ski Club on Sept. 15.
• After initially resigning and then coming back, Dave and Carol Schinker submitted their resignation as hosts of the City of Babbitt Campground. The Schinkers have managed the facility for the past three years. The council accepted the resignation.
• Approved an employee hiring policy.
• Will send a letter to St. Louis County on mowing county-maintained land along highways in the city. Lossing said this applies to city events like Peter Mitchell Days.
• Approved a letter for the Golf Association explaining the ownership of the buildings and equipment at the golf course in order to spend gambling funds.
