For nearly 30 minutes on Wednesday, we spent some time with Harold Langowski, Ely’s clerk-treasurer and operations director, discussing an assortment of city issues and projects for the latest segment of the Ely Echo’s podcast The Pulse of Ely.
When it was over, it was almost hard to figure out how Langowski freed up 30 minutes of time to spend with us.
Ely’s clerk and de facto city administrator is one busy guy.
Not only is he in charge of day-to-day operations at City Hall and making sure the water and electricity stay on and that the streets are plowed, but by default he becomes the city’s point person on any and all projects.
Langowski talked about a few of them during the podcast.
One was the recently-completed trailhead project, which was a top priority of the city council for better than a decade and is now a shining beacon of sorts on Ely’s west entrance.
That project was nurtured and certainly evolved over the course of a decade-plus, and Langowski brought it to completion.
The building is city-owned, but two key milestones have been or are soon to be achieved. It appears the Ely Chamber of Commerce will soon move its headquarters there and provide a key element - staffing - needed to get the most out of this brand-new building.
It’s the city’s obligation to keep the building functional and clean, and Langowski and city officials appear to be in track to get some lodging tax dollars to do just that. That’s a wise investment of those funds.
It took state funding, and a lot of it, to complete the trailhead project, and Langowski spoke to us about ongoing efforts to secure state money for another badly-needed project.
In a matter of weeks, state lawmakers will be in town to hear more about the city’s water line project.
Langowski is working front and center on that, putting together a city application for state bonding funds and having already had discussions with legislators about it.
The water line will be another major endeavor that will take Langowski’s time.
But he’ll have to multitask, as sometime next year construction is expected to begin on a $9 million-plus apartment project.
The market-rate housing, with 39 units, that will be built near the hospital is another project that has been in the works for awhile and another priority for the city.
It will be the city’s first market-rate housing endeavor in half a century and one that is badly needed to help loosen the housing market and provide more options for those looking to live and work in town.
Meanwhile, the city has been involved in two other projects - the plan to turn the Community Center into a boutique hotel and the renovation of the old Depot/Wilderness Outfitters property.
The hotel is a bit further along and could open as soon as next year, but Langowski shared some details about both projects. Check out the podcast to learn more.
The next few weeks will bring the Harvey Street Project to a conclusion. That’s a St. Louis County project with some city work tied in, and the result is about 17 blocks worth of public works renovation this season.
New sidewalks, curb, and pavement, as well as sewer replacement, are all part of what’s been done this summer and have required Langowski’s coordination and management.
Nobody likes road detours, but the finished project, which should be unveiled within weeks, marks another major investment in Ely.
These projects take not only management, but perseverance and a keen eye for getting the most out of an often limited pot of money. The city is fortunate to have Langowski looking out for its best interests.
