Spring has been slow to arrive - and Ely’s calendar parking rules thus may be slow to depart.
Given a winter that won’t seem to quit, and snow that still covers much of Ely, it may be several weeks before the city lifts the parking rules that aid in snow removal.
Ely Mayor Heidi Omerza warned this week that calendar parking could extend all the way until May 31.
During her mayor’s report at the start of Tuesday’s regular council meeting, Omerza said she had heard from several people questioning if calendar parking is still in effect and she noted that it most certainly is.
“It is still in effect,” said Omerza. “It happens every year. As you can see by the weather we still get snow and after the snow we need to clean the streets. So we have calendar parking a little bit longer. Just so everybody’s aware. Just a friendly reminder.”
In place during the winter season, the calendar parking law requires motorists to park their vehicles on opposite sides of the street on alternating nights.
The rules assist city public works crews in their efforts to keep streets and avenues free from snow, and winter has retained its hold on the area, including a storm this week that closed schools on Wednesday.
Even after the snow melts, the city generally keeps the restrictions in place for a short time.
City ordinance calls for calendar parking to begin Nov. 1 and continue through May, but council members generally lift it earlier.
A series of April snowstorms in 2022 helped keep the rules in place last year until mid-May.
Ely could be on track for something similar this year.
Also Tuesday, the council agreed to block off a portion of First Avenue East on June 27 for a Ferrari Car Show lunch stop at the Boathouse Brewpub.
Council members said they wanted to make sure that customers of Canadian Waters had access to the alley during the closure, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and they rebuffed a suggestion from member Adam Bisbee that the Ferraris instead be parked in the lot adjacent to the Ely Bowling Center.
The motion passed with Bisbee and Emily Roose in opposition.
In other business, the council:
• Approved pursuing the copyrighting of Prusheck painting hanging in City Hall for $85, and directed the clerk’s office to work with the city attorney and the Heritage Preservation Commission to begin the copyright process for the painting. The council also directed the clerk’s office to work with the city attorney and HPC on options for and possible fundraising, selling of merchandise and services to help pay costs of HPC projects.
• Approved on a 4-2 vote, with members Bisbee and Jerome Debeltz opposed, a motion to raise the contracted hourly rate from $16 an hour to $32 an hour for airport contracts with J & A Enterprises.
• Agreed to solicit bids on 1988 and 1994 graders with minimum bids of $25,000 and $35,000, respectively.
• Approved the purchase of six election poll pads for $12,750.
• Heard that the joint powers lodging tax board would hold a meeting on Friday, April 17, at 9 a.m., at the Morse Town Hall.
• Scheduled a board of equalization meeting for April 23, starting at 5 p.m., at City Hall,
• Appointed Scott James King to a three-year term on the Gardner Humanities Trust Board.
• Approved a permit application for various events to be held at the Ely Dog Park.
• Approved a resolution to seek Gardner Trust funds for the Gawboy Mural Trailhead Project at the trailhead building.
• Held a closed session to discuss negotiation strategy for contract talks with the supervisors of essential employees.
