One Ely business was snared in a sting operation conducted by police and is accused of selling cannabinoid edibles to an underage person.
City council members received word Tuesday from police chief Chad Houde and set up a public hearing for Jan. 6 to give the business Clark-Voyageur Short Stop - a chance to respond.
The business faces a $300 fine as well as a three-day license suspension.
The employee who allegedly sold the edibles to an underage buyer engaged by the Ely Police Department also faces a fine of $500.
Houde briefed council members about the compliance checks, which were conducted Dec. 9.
“We did our local edible cannabinoid compliance checks and unfortunately we had one business fail,” said Houde. “It was not a repeat offender, but it still did kind of upset me. They should be checking (for identification).”
Nine businesses were subject to compliance checks earlier in the month, and the remaining eight all passed, according to police.
In other business, the council:
• Approved payment of $647,651 to Darley for a Mac Tactical Pumper Fire Truck, completing a purchase that was made thanks to a donation made by the estate of the late Louis Gornik.
Fire Chief Dave Marshall told the council that he and other department members would travel this week to Chippewa Falls, WI, to pick up the new piece of fire equipment.
• Accepted a recommendation from the city’s budget committee to approve an overtime/comp time report to be provided at each budget committee meeting for review.
• Agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for a grant application submitted by the Ely School District, to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, for up to $350,000 in funding for the district’s athletic facilities project - specifically a proposed bathroom/concession building between the baseball and softball fields.
• Approved a raffle permit for the Vermilion Campus Foundation for a Feb. 16 raffle.
• Agreed to advertise for open committee seats for terms that will be expiring or coming due on Jan. 31, 2026.
• Passed a resolution increasing the benefit level for firefighters who are vested in a statewide volunteer firefighter plan.
• Accepted a proposal from Walker, Giroux and Hahne for auditing services to be provided for the fiscal year that ends on Dec. 31, 2025.
• Approved a letter of support for St. Louis County, for the county’s top legislative priority - a proposal for an integrated solid waste management campus.
• Put on hold a decision on filling open committee seats on planning and zoning, the housing and redevelopment authority and the heritage preservation commission.
• Approved the second and final readings of amendments to both the noise control and interim use ordinances, and another related to special events.
Council member Adam Bisbee reiterated that the council remains an option for appeals related to those ordinances.
