The Babbitt city council made several decisions last Tuesday in a meeting that lasted a little under two hours.
City Clerk Nancy Sanford was not present. Regarding the Kurpius/Lane land purchase agreement, city attorney Joel Lewicki sent in his write-up of a purchase agreement, despite recommending the council not sell the land due to the existence of a public roadway adjacent. The road is technically still, “a dedicated right of way for the public.”
After discussion in closed session, council member Joseph White rescinded his previous motion to go forward with the sale.
Mayor Andrea Zupancich explained to David Lane, “that land needs to be vacated first, and once it’s vacated, it goes to both property owners. We have already spent $75; to go through the process of vacating the land would cost more than what we would be selling it to you for, and we can’t make that decision in the best interest of the taxpayers.”
The compromise the council offered was to sell the land parcel for the cost of vacating the land, and stressed that it was purely a financially motivated decision. Zupancich apologized for the decision taking so long. Lane quipped in response, “We’ll just keep mowing it.”
A unit that controls heating and cooling in the Recreation Department’s office had failed. The council approved a full replacement from Northern Air and Plumbing totaling $10,794.50. Council member-Duane Lossing added that, “if there’s any discussion on salvaging HP20’s parts; it just got a new compressor, a new blower… we can catalogue it, tag it, and have (the contractors) go and say, you know we have this part.”
There was substantial discussion on a rezoning ordinance . The parcel in question was discussed at a Planning Commission meeting on March 30, and has been slated for rezoning as a single-family residential district.
The council tabled adopting Ordinance 284 pending another planning and zoning meeting on May 7 at 4 p.m.
Zupancich brought up the enforcement of permits for chicken ownership within city limits.
Zupancich pointed out “we had a fire a couple months ago, and the cause was from a heat lamp in a chicken coop?” to which Fire Chief Tony Chamberlin replied “it was the power supply to the heat lamp.”
Zupancich reiterated that unpermitted chickens within city limits accrues a fine of $300. The council approved a motion to remind the citation enforcement officer to redouble efforts ensuring there are no unauthorized chickens or chicken coops within the city.
In other business the council:
• Heard that the arena compressor project is still in negotiation by the city clerk.
• Approved the city debt management policy.
• Approved changing term commitments from two years to one year for the Recreation Committee.
• Approved setting the logo fees for the ice arena to $1,200 for small logos and $2,500 for large logos.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 285 Amending Ordinance No. 263 regarding tetahydrocannabinol products.
• Approved Carefree Assisted Living Center to receive a key to the Babbitt School Gym for use as an emergency shelter.
• Appointed Chamberlin as the after hours point of contact for Carefree Assisted Living Center.
• Approved the 2026 gambling license for Peter Mitchell days.
• Approved the 2026 gambling license for the Babbitt Friends of the Library.
• Tabled the bond resolution regarding the West Babbitt Development.
• Approved the Birch Lake Beach to be closed for Walleye Whamma on June 11.
• Approved requests from the Peter Mitchell Fun Days Committee for June 19-21.
• Approved a new three-year garbage contract.
• Approved a purchase order for the fire department for a new fire boat motor.
• Approved April to be proclaimed as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
• Approved EMT students to ride along with the ambulance department in a student capacity.
• Accepted Norma Cersine’s resignation from the Library Board.
• Approved to post the Library Board vacancy contingent upon Beth Morgan’s acceptance of the position.
