Few Ely City Council members were as outspoken as Paul Kess.
But behind the candor was an elected official who cared deeply about his community, according to those who worked with him at City Hall and beyond.
Earlier this week, city council members not only held a moment of silence but then spoke fondly about Kess, who passed away last month after a brief illness.
Kess, 73, served two stints on Ely’s council and in total spent just over 20 years at the council table.
Current council member Al Forsman was among those who served with Kess during his most recent stint, which ended in early-2025.
Forsman said Tuesday that while the two “didn’t always see eye to eye,” he added that he had no doubts that Kess was “a dedicated public servant.”
“There was nobody I respected at this council table more than Paul,” said Forsman. “When we talked we walked away feeling better about the conversation. May God rest his soul.”
An Ely native, Kess spent about 30 years as a teacher at Vermilion Community College and he first joined the city council in the mid-1990s, serving for about 10 years.
He returned to office a decade later and served another 12 years, carving out a reputation as a council member who kept a keen eye on both the city budget and tax levy.
At the council table, Kess often pushed back against proposals to increase city tax levies and pressed for efforts to streamline government.
“I know he will be truly missed in this community,” said mayor Heidi Omerza. “He was articulate and I appreciated many of the things he said and did. I also had the privilege of having him in my classroom when I was teaching. He had a gift in teaching.”
During his second stint on the council, Kess also represented Ely beyond its boundaries, serving as the city’s representative on the board of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools.
“RAMS extends its condolences to the Kess family,” said Paul Peltier, executive director of RAMS. “We are grateful to Paul Kess for his long, dedicated service on the RAMS board. He was generous with his time and advice, including mentoring new board members.”
Kess served on numerous Ely committees, and was a longtime board member of the now-defunct Ely Area Development Association.
He also tried but came up short in a couple tries for higher office - both county commissioner and state representative.
Angela Campbell, a current council member, ran the Kess campaign for county board.
“I spent hours driving the by-ways and highways and really got to know him,” said Campbell. “As a new council member not really schooled in civics, Paul was my mentor, my go-to person.”
Jerome Debeltz spent more time on the council with Kess than any other Ely elected official, and their relationship spanned many decades.
“Paul and I went to school together and we were good friends,” said Debeltz. “We played football and ran track together. He really cared about the city and you could see that when he lost the last election and had tears in his eyes. All I can say is God bless Paul.”
Funeral services were held last weekend for Kess, who is survived by his wife Laurie, three children, eight grandchildren and many others.
