The Ely School District will continue its relationship with a lobbying firm that has helped the school gain millions of dollars in outside funding.
But the district’s costs for services provided by the Costin Group will be cut in half in 2026-27.
As part of a series of budget cuts approved earlier by the school board, the district will pay the firm $12,000 over the next 12 months.
That’s a change from the annual contract for $24,000 that has been in place for several years.
Hired in 2019, the Costin Group has lobbied for the district in St. Paul and worked to secure funding that led to a better than $20 million project to improve school buildings, as well as additional funds for the same project when it was hit by cost overruns.
More recently, the group also worked on behalf of the district on a project that resulted in $5.25 million in state money to improve district athletic facilities.
According to the contractual agreement, the firm will represent the district at the Minnesota Legislature and before its committees, represent the district before administration of state government, promote the mission of the Ely schools in northeastern Minnesota and provide assistance with the school’s construction project.
Led by longtime Range political operative Gary Cerkvenik and Ely graduate Jeff Anderson, the Costin Group also has worked for numerous other area entities and units of government.
Anderson is a former Congressional aide and a Duluth business owner while Cerkvenik’s lobbying background is extensive and included decades of history in public a ffairs. T hat encompasses work for the late Jim Oberstar, Rudy Perpich and Paul Wellstone and work for the presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Michael Dukakis.
In other business at a brief monthly meeting Monday, the board:
• Approved a new oneyear contract for superintendent Anne Oelke, including pay of $43,730 for part-time superintendent duties. Oelke is also employed as the district’s full-time K-12 principal. Her total wages are $152,699.
• Approved a two-year contract with a bargaining unit that includes facilities/ transportation director Tim Leeson, finance manager Jordan Huntbatch and superintendent’s assistant Lori Westrick.
There is no change this year to the salaries for each, although the district will provide a $500 stipend.
• Hired Peter Thein for a 0.8 FTE social studies position at the high school.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the principals’ association regarding work week given the change to a four-day school week.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the AFSCME bargaining unit related to work hours given the change to a fourday school week.
• Approved the purchase of new math curriculum and materials totaling $60,302.
