Ely’s local candidate forums kicked off Thursday night with an amicable but assertive back-andforth between incumbent mayor Heidi Omerza and challenger Emily Roose.
The forum took place in the theater of Minnesota North College’s Vermilion campus, the same location as the prior week’s panels featuring state house and state senate candidates.
Representatives from the Ely Branch of AAUW Minnesota and the Ely Rotary Club moderated the discussion.
Omerza, who has served Ely for 20 years on boards, as an elementary school teacher, on city council and eventually as mayor, did not back down from touting her long experience pushing local projects across the finish line.
“I’ve built relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle. I have a seat at tables where decisions get made. I’ve worked every single day to keep our council focused on what matters: policy, not politics,” Omerza said.
“The work I do is important, and there’s still a lot of work to do,” Omerza said.
When asked about her proudest accomplishments, Omerza launched into a list of funding wins, including financial support for Ely’s ambulance service, the Ely Regional Trailhead Facility and the International Wolf Center.
Roose has served on Ely’s city council for a year and a half, including time as chair for the planning and zoning commission.
Roose also serves as the council of civic engagement within the community and to get to know Ely’s residents, both by welcoming newcomers and meeting those “who have lived here forever.”
“I often joke that my stance is that I’m pro-block party,” Roose said. “That really just means get to know your neighbors in a very genuine way.”
When asked how city officials might help build Ely’s welcoming atmosphere, Omerza said the mayor plays a large role in setting the standard.
“It’s my job to set the tone at every level. That starts at the council level. That starts with saying hi,” Omerza said.
“I think it’s important to own up to your mistakes, and I think it’s also important to be inclusive to everyone,” Omerza said.
Roose said efforts to boost newcomers’ sense of belonging within the community could help increase Ely’s population of younger adults — a group she counts herself among.
“I believe there’s a lot to offer (in Ely), and my peers also believe there’s a lot to offer,” Roose said. “There’s still room for improvement. The first thing we can do is we can make sure that we all are welcoming new people who come to town and making them feel a part of this community.”
Omerza suggested Ely officials should continue promoting the town’s assets in order to attract young people, especially its trail offerings for both motorized and non-motorized use.
Omerza also expressed hopes to retain a greater number of Ely’s graduating high school students.
“There are not a lot of them, but we need to keep them here,” Omerza said.
Both candidates shared ideas on how the city might strengthen its job market and workforce.
Roose suggested an update to city zoning codes to allow for smaller houses on smaller lots, accompanied by a decreased setback requirement.
Omerza said the city’s priorities should include childcare, housing and a diverse array of job offerings.
“No single industry should ever be Ely’s only lifeline,” Omerza said.
Roose emphasized the importance of filling downtown storefronts, building more housing and strengthening educational opportunities for children.
Roose suggested these efforts could immediately representative for the Ely Green Team, which led to a brief clash mid-forum over the environmental committee’s founding date.
Roose said she helped establish the Green Team’s policies, procedures and operations after the team formed in late 2024.
Omerza pushed back on the Green Team’s origins, claiming she was among the committee’s first members when it formed nearly 20 years ago. Omerza said the team disbanded for many years due to budget cuts before it re-formed in 2024.
“We are very budget conscious,” Omerza said later in the forum.
“We are very concerned about raising everybody’s taxes, property taxes, right now. All the time, actually,” Omerza added.
Throughout the forum, governmental transparency emerged as a key priority for Roose as a candidate and an elected official.
“The biggest thing that you’re going to see out of me is really good communication and welcoming you to the table to hear your voice,” Roose said.
Roose said her goal has been to inspire greater levels support the town while also placing Ely in a strong position to support an influx of mining employees.
“If we improve ourselves in preparation for the mine, we would also be improving ourselves if there isn’t a mine,” Roose said. “We can stop letting this conversation be one that is ignored and taboo, and start working to improve our economy in all the ways available to us right now.”
Roose said new residents have brought fresh energy to town as they move in.
“Ely is not dying, it is simply changing,” Roose said. “There are a lot of people who have chosen to move here.”
Omerza also debunked the rumor that Ely is on a downward trend, a saying she said has been around for decades.
“Obviously it’s a headline that needs to be flushed down the toilet,” Omerza said. “It’s evolving. It’s always been evolving, and Ely always finds a great way to reinvent itself.”
City council candidates filed onto the stage following Omerza’s and Roose’s closing statements to begin their own moderated forum.
