Ozzie Reif of Ely addressed the city council Tuesday on the Northwoods chapter of the North Country Trail Association.
He asked for and received a letter of support from the city council for a grant application to help fund a position to help complete the alignment for the hiking trail.
Reif said Ely has the largest gap in the trail in Minnesota and is one of nine groups looking at trail alignments and working with land agencies and owners.
“We’re looking to put together this application, to fund a position that can help with all that process, to move these steps further along as a unit across Minnesota, rather than just individual groups kind of working on the same thing, duplicating efforts, and kind of toiling away at this big bureaucratic machine that exists in our world,” said Reif.
“This is a thing that would help us locally. It will help our small businesses that are currently doing outfitting and lodging, our restaurants and things as the hiker base in our community increases,” said Reif.
City clerk Harold Langowski commended Reif’s group and noted it has taken over 30 years to complete the Mesabi bike trail.
Police chief Chad Houde said he met with city of Babbitt officials over providing police coverage there.
Babbitt is operating with a two-member department and has been unable to hire additional officers. The city has reached out to Ely, East Range and St. Louis County to determine options going forward.
“We just briefly discussed, is something that is doable, and if it’s something that city of Ely is interested in. I said, I can’t speak for my city, but, I’ll take back some information from them, and they did, they are asking for me to talk to you, but also request a proposal. So whether you guys want to bring this to another committee, and we can discuss this further, or just say no is up to you,” said Houde.
The council moved the issue to the budget committee.
In other business the council:
• Removed from the agenda discussion on the Ad Hoc Regional Trailhead Display Committee.
• Heard the Rec Center ice rink is closed for the season due to warm weather.
• Accepted the resignation of Abby Dare from the Park and Rec Committee.
• Approved the listing agreement with Keller Williams for 1600 E Sheridan St.
• Approved the first readings of Ordinances 397, 398, and 399. This includes changing a parcel in the Ely Business Park to commercial zoning; adding an animal rescue and dog/cat boarding to the list of permissible and conditional uses. A public hearing will be held on April 7 at 5:15 p.m.
• Appointed David Beauclair to the Airport Commission.
• Heard from fire chief Dave Marshall that the fire lanes by the school are to be considered active at all times, not sure when school is in session.
