A potential $1,700 expenditure in next year’s city budget drew council scrutiny Tuesday, and ultimately opposition.
Council members voted 5-2 to reject a request by the city’s heritage preservation commission to utilize city funds in 2027 to update a brochure for the group’s walking tour of Ely.
The move was recommended by the city’s budget committee but prompted debate at the council table during a brief meeting earlier this week.
“These are not normal city expenses, I think is the term,” said council member Al Forsman. “This is a tourism- related expense and I think we need to be looking at other options.”
Forsman and fellow council members John Lahtonen, Jerome Debeltz and Adam Bisbee, along with mayor Heidi Omerza formed the council majority.
Both Emily Roose and Angela Campbell voted against the motion to reject the request.
“I feel they will leverage these dollars very well,” said Roose. “I’m personally in favor of giving them the money.”
The decision came as work continues on a roughly $4.6 million city general fund budget for 2027.
The funding for the HPC’s brochure represents a minuscule portion of the budget, but several council members were wary of additional expenditures given current projections that show plans for a nearly seven percent city property tax levy increase next year.
Lahtonen argued that the HPC request fell outside the city’s realm of providing for core services such as police and snow plowing.
Omerza voiced similar concerns and expressed wariness about the impact on city taxpayers.
“Me personally, I’m looking at what’s happening in the city and hearing what the experts told us,” said Omerza, citing a wildfire report earlier in the meeting. “I’m looking at the numbers given to us yesterday with an increase of our budget of 6.81 percent, which doesn’t sound like a lot of money but that stresses me out. And I think how is the levy going to increase and what is the cost going to be to taxpayers. I don’t know what the election results will be or what will come down from the federal government on down and that’s concerning to me.”
Campbell pointed to the work of the HPC and said “I’d like to say the HPC has worked hard on this. The HPC is interested in the cultural and architectural significance of tourism and also the HPC is a city commission.”
“I don’t think anybody is denying that or saying that they’re not working hard,” Omerza responded.
Lahtonen said he believed the expenditure for the brochure would be better taken on by an entity such as VisitEly, also known as the Ely Tourism Bureau.
Other suggestions included the formation of a nonprofit that could raise money for expenditures such as these.
“The library has the Friends of the Library and the tree board has the Friends of Ely Trees, which has been able to raise a significant amount of money,” said Harold Langowski, the city’s clerk-treasurer and operations director.
In other business, the council:
• Voted to form an ad hoc committee, with at least two council members, to look at a proposed outdoor wood boiler ordinance.
Lahtonen voiced concerns to an initial draft advanced by the city’s planning and zoning commission, contending that setback requirements could make existing wood boilers in violation of the law.
• Supported an application to the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board for $50,000 in grant funds to support the outdoor hockey rink project at the city’s recreation center.
Funds are being sought for new boards.
• Approved a letter of support to the Ely Pickleball Club for funding applications to various entities.
• Accepted the resignation of Catherine Helm-Clark from the Donald G. Gardner Humanities Trust Board.
• Approved temporary liquor licenses for the Ely Winton Rod and Gun Club for various upcoming events at the Miners Dry.
• Approved a special event permit application for Northern Lights Clubhouse/ Well Being Development for the Sept. 25 Glow Run.
