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ELY- An Ely City Council vote at its May 16 meeting is sure to cause rejoicing with city residents. With the blessing of Police Chief Chad Houde, the council voted to lift winter-season calendar …
ELY – The Ely Fire Department is in the midst of a renovation, of sorts, as new fire chief David Marshall has implemented many new procedures and policies in his first several weeks on the …
David Marshall is a 17-year veteran of the volunteer force Posted Keith Vandervort ELY – New Ely Fire Chief David Marshall took the oath of office this week, administered by Interim Mayor Chuck Novak Tuesday night at the City Council meeting, and began his duties as both department leader and secretary. The council’s negotiating committee met with Marshall late last month to review the position’s pay and job description. As recommended, the council agreed to pay Marshall a flat $700 biweekly with no hourly pay for calls and training. “The former chief got paid a salary plus got paid to be on fire calls and training,” Novak said. “This (new pay agreement) ends up being a wash for us if not actually a budget plus, so we thank Mr. Marshall for his offer.”
Keith Vandervort ELY – Travelers entering Ely on Highway 169 this fall could be able to stop into a brand new visitor center in the shadow of a freshly-painted water tower emblazoned with the city’s new logo. Council members Tuesday authorized soliciting construction bids for the centerpiece of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment project for the city’s west end, and gave the go ahead for the water tower repainting project despite exorbitant cost estimates. As much as $3 million, in two separate state bonding allocations, aisallocated for what has been dubbed the “west end trailhead project.” The first phase, at $1.3 million, was completed last year and included infrastructure and road construction at the city’s west entrance.
Keith Vandervort ELY – Chuck Novak returned to the Ely mayor’s seat Jan. 5 after accepting the city council’s 5-1 vote to appoint him as the interim mayor. Novak was defeated in the general election last fall by Eric Urbas, although Urbas had pulled out of the race last summer due to health concerns. His name remained on the Nov. 3 ballot, and Urbas was elected mayor by a 925-800 margin. Urbas declined to accept the will of Ely voters, setting up a potential temporary vacuum of leadership. In their first meeting of the new year on Jan. 5, under the leadership of Acting Mayor Jerome Debeltz, council members approved resolutions declaring a vacancy in the office of mayor, ordering a special election for the office, and appointing an interim mayor.