City Council May 5, 2026 – Comp Plan & EEDA

Our main focus = Comp Plan Steering Committee & Ely Economic Development Authority

Here’s the 3-page agenda from 91-page Council packet. Find the packet and last minute changes & additions for at https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings or at https://www.ely.mn.us/government. Last minute items might not be posted, so check on the table right inside the Council Chambers’ door.

Spring Clean Up Days are May 15th & May 16th.

Park & Rec Board: Another resignation submitted. Appointment for previously open seat.

Pages 36-43 are about household and business hazardous waste collections

From Ely City website https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (CPSC)

CPSC is requesting a Study Session with City Council on May 26th There April 27th unapproved minutes are below. It seems CPSC doesn’t have clear objectives/guidance. Here’s 3 alternate suggestions:

(1) City Council should have previously and now should consider using their monthly Study Sessions to go over the Land Use and Comp Plan. They have cancelled most of their Study Sessions for the last few years. Council Members were elected by citizens in Ely to represent them. Commissioners were not elected.

(2) City Council should have the GreenTeam and/or the Ely Climate Change Group facilitate discussions about Land Use andComprehensive Plan. The Ely Climate Change Group members on the GreenTeam understand a Comprehensive Plan should include more than just dead things like infrastructure and buildings. For example: our diverse humans and their different needs; balanced and sustainable environment, including animals habitats; serving the needs of those living here; recycling and repurposing that includes buildings; preparing for climate change; reviewing ordinances, zoning and codes to preserve and protect natural and open areas AND to designate cultural and historical sites of Indigenous Peoples who settled here first. Ely has/had signage for rocks but nothing for the Ojibwe.

(3) Have the CSPC, Climate Change Group, and City Council all meet together at least once monthly during previously scheduled Study Sessions.

From City Council Packet for 5/5/2026 at https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

Ely Economic Development Authority (EEDA)

Read the Ely Economic Development Authority (EEDA) minutes from March 31st posted below.The discussion about updating the EEDA’s website is interesting.

Some of us frequently look at the Date (Data?) and Demographics page for personal research without any interest in developing a business or project. Are those visits counted towards the 120 annual visits? By the way, if you’ve never visited the EEDA website – or if you have – time yourself as to how long it takes you to actually find the Data and Demographics page. Then figure out, based on the data, what percent of the Ely population is 50 years or older.

Look over the last item NEW BUSINESS. The way it’s written up, it’s not clear if $14,000 total was “awarded” or $14K x 3 = $42,000. Or is the “award” 3 x 42K = $126,000. Do each and every one of the Council Members know the actual amount? Do they all know how this was calculated? What the project was? Most importantly, does the public know? The minutes were not written to keep the public informed nor show accountability.

Flashback Council P&Z Study Session 11/28/23

This was originally presented on a “page” instead of an individual “post” on our website back in 2023 when Citizens for Transparency first set up this website. Concerns addressed then still exist.

Note: Further below we have inserted the complete text typed in 2023 that accompanied the YouTube recording of the meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ0rLsKCMrg and the agenda. These were not included on the original page/post.

November 28, 2023 Joint Study Session (Council with P&Z)

This meeting is a casual working study session about (re) zoning and (re) coding parts of Ely. No actions are taken, just open candid discussions among P&Z, Council, City Attorney and City Clerk. The public can observe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ0rLsKCMrg

In 2023, we did not post the agenda or (parts) of the November 28th Joint Study meeting packet. You can find those materials on the Ely City website at https://www.ely.mn.us/2023-meetings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ0rLsKCMrg

From Ely City website www.ely.mn.us/2023-meetings

This video is a benchmark educational tool for Tuesday’s participants: Ely City Council, the Planning & Zoning Commissioners, and City Hall…as well as the residents of Ely, MN. Listen to great questions and comments. I was personally impressed with the candor. Candor lets us truthfully identify problems and then agree on the best strategies to resolve issues. These casual Study Sessions are a unique opportunity for us to observe elected officials, appointees and City Hall voicing residents’ and local business’ needs and concerns. Spoiler alert: the Chair of P&Z is not a resident of Ely. Tonight’s (Nov. 28, 2023) Study Session is an informal discussion about current and future zoning, coding, permissible and CPUs (conditional use permits) which will lead to ordinance changes. The current list (those HUGE pages you see the Mayor holding) can be found in Sec. 11.40 of Ely’s City Code https://www.ely.mn.us/ordinances Our list is not completely accurate — listen to conversations. The City knows properties are not zoned/coded correctly. Tonight’s meeting was not for Council to make motions or vote. Candor was expected in their back-and-forth sharing. This is a benchmark video, so you are not aware of individuals from Ely’s Open Communications group attempting to work and meet with P&Z and the City on housing issues (housing options, reasonable costs, locations, zoning, and research findings including but not limited to The Amenity Trap, a report published by Headwaters Economics ). Red lights are not green lights. This is a benchmark video, so think about how the P&Z, the City, and Council Members deal with complicated issues. What are the strategies of the past, present and, more importantly, the future? Is the spinning-wheels (AKA shuffling-papers) pattern working? With limited staff, why are we constantly reinventing the wheel? Will big decisions and smaller ones be based on short-term or long-term effects? Little picture vs. big picture vision? At other City meetings, residents have shared examples of coding/zoning info and maps from other cities – are they discussed tonight? Example: Other cities’ choice of colors for zoning maps. This is a benchmark video, so observe how citizens in attendance are or might be more fully engaged, meaning better comprehend what’s being discussed. The Study Session tonight is intended for open casual discussions among P&Z, Council Members and City Hall. The public may observe. No problem. However, without wasting trees, which and what appropriate materials (could be) provided and/or projected on screens – or in hallway – so all (including citizens in attendance) can visualize concepts, etc.? Yes, we don’t need to waste paper. Only 2 items were projected on the overhead screen for the audience in attendance and at home: the agenda and a section of the permissible and CPU list. The one huge map seen in the front corner was behind Ely’s Planning Administrator. Citizens wanting a more transparent and accountable representative government are now recording Ely’s public meetings. There will be benchmarks as study guides. There will be follow-up videos marking progress. We are also setting up an accessible website for the public where we will discuss Ely Politics. The goal is to migrate forward together. Don’t kill the messengers or fight the messages. Humans are not perfect. Our governments are not perfect. Re(read) the messages, focus on We The People, think smart, fix the problems, and stay transparent. Our Preamble : “We the People…, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” Other Ely benchmarks: Open Public Hearing (meeting was opened and immediately “deleted” by the Chair of BOA) = • Ely MN Open Hearing BOA (P&Z) Nov 15 2023 … Includes citizens comments before and after cancellation. The hearing started at 5:30 pm, October 18th. P&Z mtg started at 6:30 pm. The official City calendar recently removed its posting of the Hearing. The P&Z meeting on Oct. 18th started at 6:30 pm, not 5:30-6:30 pm per recently revised official City calendar. The recording is split into 3 parts. A and B are each approx 30 minutes, Part C approx 8 mins. Part A = • Ely MN Planning & Zoning Nov 15 2023 Part A Includes motions to update Public Hearing procedures and training Commissioners on Robert’s Rules of Order Part B = • Ely MN Planning & Zoning Nov15 2023 Part B Includes discussion on Planning Unit Development (PUD) for next shoreline/campground development requests Part C = • Ely MN Planning & Zoning Part C Nov 15 2023 C Includes discussions after P&Z meeting was adjourned

Flashback Council mtg Nov 21, 2023 – Tourism

This was originally presented on a “page” instead of a “post” on our website back in 2023 when Citizens for Transparency first set up this website. Concerns addressed then still exist.

Note: Further below we have inserted the complete text typed in 2023 that accompanied the YouTube recording and the agenda. These were not included on the original page/post.

Awareness Tools

Citizens for transparency have started recording City Council and Commission meetings. We are using the first recordings as benchmarks, multi-educational tools to observe, review and evaluate our City government. Subsequent recordings will be reviewed for progress towards the goal of a citizen-focused and citizen-based government. Each of these YouTube videos have “study guides” or commentaries below the video.

November 21, 2023 City Council meeting

Cindy Smyka’s presentation on Ely’s Tourism Bureau is outstanding. Time marker 8:15.

Note: Further below we have inserted the complete text typed in 2023 that accompanied the YouTube recording https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfYbCvF0HU&t=924s and the revised agenda for the 11/21/2023. These were not included on the original page/post. See www.ely.mn.us/2023-meetings for agenda and packet.

Cindy Smyka , Ely Tourism Bureau, from the YouTube recording. This was not posted on page/post in 2023.

This is a benchmark recording by citizen volunteers who are seeking a more transparent, accountable, and accessible city government in Ely, MN. This meeting on November 21, 2023 is multi-purpose educational tool for residents to observe City Council in action. It’s also intended to be used as a mirror for City Hall, City Council Members, and appointed Commissioners to objectively observe and reflect on their own behaviors and beliefs. Are they really for, by and of The People? What does that look like? What could it look like? We have been recording other City and Commission meetings with the same goal. We start with a benchmark and follow up with more recordings. We started documenting City meetings after there were huge protests against the City and “our” Planning & Zoning pushing development of a huge RV Park Campground in a residential neighborhood on Miners Lake. At the Council meeting on Nov. 7th, there was a very candid and upsetting disclosure about what occurred at the Oct. 18th P&Z meeting. On Nov. 7th, Council was requested to adopt codes of ethics, standards of conduct, conflict of interest and opening meeting policies. We are developing a new website, Ely Politics ,to educate residents, local businesses and organizations, City Council, Commissioners, and City Hall on important issues and how politics works (the good and the bad). Humans are not perfect. Governments are not perfect. We want to migrate forward and create a more perfect local government that reflects all the people and our environment. Ely is The Gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. We believe in our Preamble: “We the People…, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” This recording is a benchmark on how City Council operates. What tools in Council Chambers, especially visual ones, are used to help the audience in Council Chambers and at home better follow along and thusly better understand complicated issues throughout the meeting? And also appreciate awesome people, events and businesses here in NE MN. What (non)technical tools are being used — or not — in this benchmark? What is being projected on front and back walls? What is posted inside or outside the Council Chamber, especially maps and charts, for the public to consult (without wastefully printing so many pages)? After watching this recording, maybe Council will repurpose that huge movable chalkboard that has had the same drawing visible to to the public for months (a year now)? This recording is also a benchmark to observe how Council and City Hall welcome, encourage and process input from the residents in the Ely area. Does Council then use this input for deep discussion and actions to fix problems? What happened since the last Council and P&Z Commission meetings? Will controversial issues like the need for codes of ethics, standards of conduct, conflict of interest, open meetings laws, etc., be addressed — skipped over or ignored? Note: Cindy Smyka’s presentation on Ely’s Tourism Bureau was outstanding, informative and full of visuals projected on screen and with printed materials. Listen to questions, comments and motions from Council: Can you tell who they talk to? What new or old issues do they bring up for discussion? When they talk about development in the area, do they start with citizen input (beyond just those appointed people they know), fiscal responsibility, appropriateness of location(s), activities, needs and interests of all citizens? What kind of openness and outreach to citizens does Council make and sincerely want? Talking is not the same as doing. Forward thinking doesn’t just mean having plans for more housing and more tourists. What discussions, steps ordinances, etc. does Council need to consider for “our Posterity,” as mentioned in the Preamble?

From Ely City website https://www.ely.mn.us/2023-meetings

Flashback to Park & Rec mt Nov 20, 2023 Bill Tefft

Note: We have inserted the complete text typed in 2023 that accompanied theYouTube recording of the meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5rZ1nC0qg . This text was not included on the original page/post.

William Tefft identified natural and open spaces in Ely. He compared Two Harbors zoning maps and coding with Ely’s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5rZ1nC0qg

This benchmark recording of Ely’s Park & Recreation Commission meeting on November 20, 2023 is a multi-purpose educational tool. It is an accessible window into Ely’s Park & Rec discussions, work and contributions to our community. Ely is The Gateway into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). This recording is a benchmark on how Park & Rec operates. Is the Commission living up to its full potential? Does the Commission realize it is a powerful voice of the community to maintain, preserve, protect and even expand open natural spaces for Nature and for passive as well as active enjoyment? Do they want to stand up (pass motions) or stand back (letting others represent the citizens and Mother Nature)? Listen to each of the Commissioners speaking tonight. This recording is also a benchmark for how Park & Rec welcomes input from the residents and volunteers in the Ely area. Is there sincere, respectful and valued dialogue with the presenters tonight? Does the Commission use this input in their subsequent discussions and actions? Hint: yes, yes, yes. Presenters: (1) Bill Teft – identifying natural and open spaces in Ely; comparing Two Harbors zoning maps and coding with Ely’s. (2) Kathryn Farion – giving Garden Club updates. As with other Ely Commissions, Boards and Committees, … are the attendees (audience in room) able to fully follow along and understand the discussions? What materials were provided? What could be provided or projected on the screens? What maps and documents could be posted inside the City Chambers or in the hallway before/during the meeting, so the attendees could visually see items discussed. Could the agenda and packets be posted online? Where there is a will, there is a way. Finally, Park & Rec Commission meetings are not recorded by the City. There is nothing to (re)broadcast or stream. This recording is the only real public window brought to you by citizens wanting transparency and accountability in government, where the voices of all citizens are heard and respected. This benchmark video will be followed up with more videos marking progress. We are also setting up a website for the public where we will discuss Ely Politics. The goal is to migrate forward. Don’t kill the messengers or fight the messages. Humans are not perfect. Governments are not perfect. Re(read) the messages, focus on We the People, think smart, fix the problems, and stay transparent. Our Preamble: “We the People…, in Order to form a more perfect Union…”

Here’s what was on the original page back in 2023:

Awareness Tools

November 20, 2023 Park & Recreation Commission

About 7 minutes into the meeting, Bill Tefft talks about zoning & coding for natural spaces and open spaces for Park & Rec activities. He speaks later on too. Maybe Park & Rec can get Planning & Zoning via City Council to act, plus maybe expand natural spaces? Kathryn Farion gives Garden Club updates and their future needs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5rZ1nC0qg

Flashback to P&Z mtg Nov 15, 2023

Awareness Tools

November 15, 2023 Planning & Zoning Commission

The P&Z meeting is posted in 3 parts. A and B are each approx 30 minutes, Part C approx 8 mins.

Part A = https://youtu.be/xhphp1iSHoo Includes motions to update Public Hearing procedures and training Commissioners on Robert’s Rules of Order

Part B = https://youtu.be/dn3Z5JCFpcU Includes discussion on Planning Unit Development (PUD) for next shoreline/campground development requests

Part C = https://youtu.be/bZLWQTG4xA4 Includes discussions after P&Z meeting was adjourned

Flashback to Open Hearing Nov 15, 2023

This was originally presented on a “page” instead of an individual “post” on our website back in 2023 when Citizens for Transparency first set up website. Concerns addressed then still exist. Agenda & packets for this Open Hearing are apparently no longer available via City website.

Board of Adjustment (BOA) members = Planning & Zoning Commissioners. Photo from the 11/15/23 YouTube recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2eL3P3G7Ks

Awareness Tools

November 15, 2023 Open Hearing (canceled)

https://youtu.be/l2eL3P3G7Ks – Development/expansion of huge RV campground in residential area on Miners Lake, Ely, MN. Includes citizens comments before and after cancellation

Flashback to City Council mtgs Dec 5, 2023

This was originally presented as a “page” instead of a “post” on our website back in 2023 when Citizens for Transparency first set up this website. Concerns addressed then about notices for open seats on commissions and ethics still exist.

This is a snapshot. Scroll down for working links.

Go See Speak Now!

Why attend ? Know before you go . . .

We try to highlight topics of “unusual” interest, point out documents posted, what questions folks should bring to meetings or events, etc.

City Council, Tues., Dec 5, 5:30 pm – Truth in Taxation 6 pm

Hopefully you’ll be able to attend these meetings in City Hall, or watch from home. (Midco 11 and 98.) Counc Link: Council packet . Check the City website again late Tues. for additions. There will also be a separate Truth in Taxation meeting. Link: Truth in Taxation packet. Council will probably convene its meeting, pause for Truth in Taxation, and then continue with the regular Council meeting.

Most important: Posting of openings for Commissioners whose terms expire the end of January

This is Item #13, New Business C: Advertise for Open Committee Seats that the term limits will be expiring or coming due in January 31, 2024. 1) Did you know there were term limits? Do people continually stay on the Commission(s) until some maximum limit? Where is that posted on the official Commission websites, ordinances, or City Charter? 2) Why didn’t City Hall provide a list of those upcoming open (?) positions, sorted by Commission, Committee or Board? Why does Council – or the public – have to search page-by-page, print or write out and then figure who reached their term limit, etc.? 3) Will Council request, indeed demand, an open and fair process to fill those open (??) positions? What are the qualifications, the real ones and not the political ones? Do we really need “experts” and lobbyists or people who think systemically and in the interest of Us the People?4) Will Council address City Hall’s proactive (politely phrased) seeking of a replacement of Commissioner Caruso on Planning and Zoning? Review Part C of the citizens’ recording of P&Z meeting on Nov. 15th. Part C = https://youtu.be/bZLWQTG4xA4 Includes discussions after P&Z meeting was adjourned

P&Z Nov. 15 minutes – Is all this – more length and details – essential? If you have time, compare pages 16-19 in the packet with YouTube recordings listed below. Especially look at 5:23+ time marker on Part A when Council Member Angela Campbell reports. What did she say the citizen requested from Council on Nov 7th? Codes of ethics, standards of conduct, conflict of interest and (finally) open meeting policies. The P&Z meetings only mention open meeting laws. Why didn’t ethics, standards and conflicts make it to the minutes? Why filter or cleanse from the record? This is why meetings need to be recorded and made public. Some individuals within City Hall, Council and Commissions want discussions about ethics, standards of behavior to go away.

Well Being Development is presenting on Tuesday – see pages 3-15 in the Council packet for their power point presentation in the Council packet.

Minutes – Telecommunications Advisory Board (RAB) vs Park & Rec See TAB minutes for Nov 30th (page 22 in the packet). It would be nice if Park & Recreation minutes could be typed up, reviewed and approved by the Park & Rec Commissioners so expeditiously (one day turnaround). As it is now, it takes about 2 months for Park & Rec’s official minutes to get posted publicly in the Council Packet. Is this a scheduling or processing issue? What can be changed?

MN Dept of Health Water Testing Results Item #10 Communications (pages 35-37 in the Council packet).

Item 9, Dept Reports, City Attorney. There’s no documentation, of course, for a closed meeting per MN Statute 13D for Strategy for Ely Supervisors of Other than Essential Employees

City Council 04/21/26 – Drafts – $$ – 4 day sch wk

To see full agenda and Council 108-page packet posted on City website, go to https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings . If you want to comment on something before Council discusses or votes, it is too late. You can still request to appear during Open Forum at the end of the meeting. Check the Council Meetings website just before 5:30 pm on Tuesday for changes or additions. Not all last minute changes and additions are posted online in time for public or Council review. Check the table inside the Council Chambers for printed copies.

The public can email or call ALL of the Council Members and Mayor individually to voice their concerns and suggestions. Contact info is available via the City website https://www.ely.mn.us/council. Unfortunately, printing a one-page list of contact info from this Council + Mayor is not possible for many, most or all of us (?). Also, for some reason, the list is not alphabetical.

In this post, we will focus on 3 things: (1) Drafts of minutes and last week’s April 15th P&Z meeting, (2) Huge City Hall spending and funding requests for financially well connected businesses, and (3) the $$ impact on Ely after our School Board’s vote to go to a 4-day school week. Look for colors.

Glance through the entire 108-page Council packet posted online and then the last-minute changes and additions just before City Council meets at 5:30 pm in Tuesday, April 21st. The minutes and documents contain interesting tidbits. https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

From April 21, 2026 Council packet https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

Meeting Drafts and Minutes

The Council packet posted a few days ago does NOT include draft/unapproved minutes of the last City Council meeting on April 7, 2026. This makes it hard for the public, Council, Mayor, City staff and speakers to review what happened 2 weeks ago should there be corrections. Not having the draft/unapproved minutes, means most of the public won’t know what actually happened on April 7th prior to the start of the April 21st Council meeting. The official Ely city newspaper, The Ely Echo, does not publish Council minutes until they are approved. Not everyone can afford or wants to pay Midco cable franchise fees to watch City Council meetings that are accessible 24/7/365.

Why aren’t the draft/unapproved minutes from the April 7th Council Meeting available in the packet? They are called “draft” or “unapproved” for good reasons. What is different this time?

Not all City commissions, boards, committees or authorities review and approve their minutes before submitting to Council and becoming public record. Not all type “draft” or “unapproved” at the top of their submissions. Check Tuesday’s packet and previous packets for minutes from the various committees. Supposedly, any revisions of minutes after approval are re-resubmitted with corrections. Has anyone ever seen that happen, seen the revisions posted?

There was an embarrassing (to some anyway) vote by Council on a recommendation from a commission that was not really recommended by that commission. If you view the recordings and documents posted on this website, it’s entertaining to see how nobody would directly admit any mistakes were done.

We all know it is too expensive for the City to pay for professionals to transcribe meetings or type up minutes from a recording. Volunteers are understandably welcome to be secretaries for the commissions they serve on. Typing detailed minutes is time consuming and difficult. Often the recorder doesn’t understand the other’s paradigm or philosophy or belief system, especially when they are not mutually shared. There are times, especially on controversial topics, that those writing minutes need to have a special sense of the English language to catch people’s use of nuances, subtleties and disclaimers. Another problem is Ely City Hall wants commission meeting minutes to be simple and short – few details – for a variety of reasons. There are problems with simple and short minutes. There’s a range between too much and too little. Commissions NEED TO review, discuss and correct as necessary their minutes BEFORE submitting to City Council and BEFORE becoming public documents.

Minutes filter info – Public needs 24/7/365 access to recordings

The public needs to understand and witness what happens in all City meetings. So does the Council, the Mayor, and City Hall. Here’s an example in Tuesday’s Council packet. Planning & Zoning submitted unapproved minutes from its April 15th meeting.

Compare what the speaker actually said with the minutes

Important points about what is done or not done in various committee meetings is missing. How can the City of Ely, Planning & Zoning, Park & Recreation, Land Use and Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, etc. revisit, revise or improve if NOBODY says what’s wrong, what’s INTENTIONALLY excluded? Minutes should pass on useful comments, not filter them out. Some disclaimers and qualifiers are missing from the minutes. The speaker was given a generous 3 minutes. Not all last-minute speakers have hours to prepare crafted and typed out speeches to address ongoing systemic disregard of natural habitats and indigenous land acknowledgments as well as question some of the (missing) details in a shoreline excavation permit. Watch the unfiltered YouTube video and comments about P&Z posted on our website https://elyminnesota.com/blog/youtube-4-15-26-pz-private-beach-club-permit/ and compare with what was reported.

Left-side column above are “minutes” of speaker and P&Z discussion that can be compared with 16:08 – 22:11 time markers on the YouTube recording.

Among other things, notice the P&Z minutes do NOT include the words indigenous, Native American, or First Americans. P&Z and recorder apparently didn’t hear the speaker use these words, didn’t listen. They didn’t repeat any of those words in their discussion. If you can NOT hear, you can NOT claim you listened. Think about how Trump had “Climate Change” and other words deleted from government websites, etc.

The speaker gave more details about how natural spaces and indigenous history, culture and presence have been ignored by Ely. Not mentioned: Neither the Ely Chamber of Commerce nor The Tourism Bureau provide specific info or map about birding places in Ely. Listen to more specific comments about commissions and Comp Plan not recognizing nature, natural habitats for balanced development.

Right-side column above are “minutes” of P&Z discussion that can be compared with 45:45 – 1:26:00 time markers on the YouTube recording.

See Tefft’s 10 favorite birding sites at https://elyfieldnaturalists.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ely-birding-brochure-6-25-15.pdf

Upcoming $$ impact on Ely with 4-day school week

Both Local papers The Ely Echo www.elyecho.com/ and The Timberjay www.timberjay.com cover the ongoing financial problems of our ISD #696 Ely Public School District.

ISD #696 posts agendas and minutes online at https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/1352. On Monday, April 13th, ISD #696 voted unanimously to move to a 4-school week starting this coming fall. You’ll notice as of April 20th, the minutes for their April 13th meeting have not been posted, just the agenda. Many people are upset about that decision.

Ely businesses, organizations and social services are now scrambling to help students and families

From the April 21st Ely City Council packet at website. www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

The Library minutes (draft?) from their April 8th meeting gives an insight into how much the whole community needs to step up, examine options, and do something to help the kids, their parents, and parents. 500 students. Imagine the scramble. What will parents do? Send their kids to other private or charter schools? Home school?

Concerned and caring Library staff and the Ely Community Resource Center (ECR) want to step up. They do not have extra staffing, space or money. Same with other social service organizations and businesses.

There is no recommendation/motion posted on the current Council April 21st agenda for the City to help out with finances for staffing, space or educational materials. Chances are Council would vote no anyway. Somehow there has to be a way to indirectly support families and kids. Council won’t ask the ISD #696 to take back their vote and thus keep a 5-day school week? Why not?

https://sites.google.com/elycommunityresource.org/ecr

There are restrictions to the mixing of City budgets and School District budgets. There are things they can do, things they can’t. Council needs to do some brainstorming Tuesday night. Residents, parents and teachers need to send GOOD DOABLE suggestions to all of City Council, not just to their favorites. Check out www.ely.mn.us/council for Ely City Council contact info. Call or send a mass email.

ISD #696 School Board Information

If you are looking for information about running for the next School Board elections, this is the weblink: https://www.ely.k12.mn.us/school-board-election-information. The webpage needs to be updated. Three current Board Members are up for re-election. See column of the left.

Council will vote to spend 1/3 million $$ on City Hall windows

Except for a few rich and/or well invested individuals, everyone is worried about the direction of our economy. Most people are re-examining their expenses and plans. Most people are reviewing what is essential and what is non-essential. What about City Hall and City Council?

On April 21st, hopefully the tax-paying public and those facing higher costs, higher fees, fewer benefits, and more expenses will hear and be satisfied with explanations for 1/3 million $$ proposed cost for windows in City Hall. How many? Why do they need to be replaced now? Do all of them in RFP need to be replaced now? Notice the memo from the Ely Clerk/Treasurer doesn’t give details about the urgency to replace x number of windows.

For such an expensive project, why would only 2 companies submit bids? Was the RFP (Request for Proposal) written and posted in such a way, so that only a few companies would submit bids? Notice the memo from the Ely Clerk/Treasurer doesn’t give details about due diligence, i.e., why only 2 and not more bids were received.

In the memo from the Ely Clerk/Treasurer, there is no background information which committees or when Council (recently?) recommended this expensive project. These windows apparently were not in bad shape back in 2014.

Memo and bid tabulation came from the April 21st Council packet https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings The AI Overview of US economy in 2014 was from a Goggle search on April 20, 2026.

City voting to lobby for funding business with $$ connections

As people throughout the region are discussing federal and state cut-backs and insufficient funding for essential services, including but not limited to public schools, they are questioning what expenditures are essential or nonessential. Funding for infrastructure will be reduced.

Why is the City of Ely lobbying for IRRB funds to be used for the Old Train Depot development project? Why is the City of Ely lobbying for businesses that have good credit and (in)direct access to financing? They are “spin-offs” or closely connected with rich real estate investors and/or developers, including those who own other developed and non-developed or neglected properties and buildings in Ely. Setting up LLC’s are safe protections for them. This website has questioned the Old Train Depot development while Chapman and Sheridan are neglected.

Why isn’t the City focused on helping established small businesses and apartment owners in the City who have leaking roofs and other construction issues? Some are located next to vacant, neglected and possibly unsafe structures. The street-facing fronts don’t look the same as the alley-facing backs.

From the April 21st Council packet https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings

Below is the Projects Committee webpage which is accessible via https://www.ely.mn.us/boards Projects recommended the City of Ely lobby for funding for the OldTrain Depot/Bearhead Development. The Committee shall make recommendations to the Council of all matters dealing with community projects… Wouldn’t a massive revitalization/renovation of established current SMALL businesses be a “community project”?

There are homes in town frequently flooded by runoff from other homes or streets or underground streams. Their homes were deemed safe to occupy when they bought them. Now they have to come up with their own money to pay for (resolving) problems that originate off their property. Wouldn’t these be essential “community projects”? Why aren’t these types of projects on the Projects agenda and list of priorities? Aren’t Project Committee members aware of these problems in the community?

Are only large projects promoted and sponsored by lobbists, rich real estate investors and developers the only ones that are considered community-based? Projects is to serve as a forum for others to express their views on subjects relating to community projects . . . When was the last time Projects pro-actively announced an open forum for all small business and apartment owners to help create a community-wide revitalization/renovation project?? It is easier for Projects to passively sit and have rich developers and real estate investors come to them for funding they could secure on their own. Who decided the Trailhead Building was something the Ely community REALLY needed? Or the luxury hotel? Or the cannabis dispensary?

The economy is not on an upswing. Regular people are suffering. The City of Ely should refocus its energies, tax-payer dollars, funding sources, and community projects to serve the essential needs of its real community.

YouTube 4/15/26 P&Z Private Beach Club Permit

This post is the recording of the actual Planning and Zoning meeting on April 15, 2026 discussing the KK & PI, LLC’s request to excavate their property to build a PRIVATE BEACH CLUB on 755 N Pioneer Road, Ely, MN. The property is on Sandy Point on Lake Shagawa. For background details, go to our website post https://elyminnesota.com/blog/shagawa-beach-club-planned-nothing-for-birds/

Disclaimer: The viewpoints and opinions in this post do not represent the opinions of the non-political Ely Field Naturalists (EFN) organization or its members. The viewpoints and opinions in this post do not represent or claim to represent any Indigenous Peoples or their organizations.

Scroll down to bottom of this post to view the actual 85 minute YouTube video.

The parking lot below parcel 030-0240-00010 (755 N Puioneer Rd) belongs to the DNR. This is where humans gather to enjoy viewing birds in the water, bushes and trees. Birders don’t come to see birds hanging around in the parking lot itself. Mostly because the birds are not attracted to the asphalt. As with many viewing sites, birds come and go depending upon time of day, seasons, weather, availability of food, human activity, nesting, etc. Climate change, pollution, and reduction of and changes to their natural habitats have negatively impacted their survival. If you check the whole shoreline of any lake or natural area, not every inch is attractive to birds or conducive to their survival. Humans need to understand, respect and view natural habitat areas and ecosystems from the bird’s perspective.

Synopisis above is from 4/14/26 memo from Scott Kochendorfer, Ely City Planning & Zoning Administrator to P&Z Committee.

To the left is directly from the work permit request submitted to City of Ely. Note “private beach club” was in their permit.

Tefft’s 10 favorite birding sites in an around Ely

(William) Tefft’s 10 favorite birding sites in an around Ely, printed in 2015, is available from the Ely Field Naturalists (EFN), 111 South 4th Avenue East (above the NAPA Store). https://elyfieldnaturalists.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ely-birding-brochure-6-25-15.pdf. EFN is accessible via Facebook and Google Groups.

During P&Z discussion of the permit (time markers 45:45 – 1:26:00), cutting of trees and other changes to the private parcel were described. See actual permit at https://elyminnesota.com/blog/shagawa-beach-club-planned-nothing-for-birds/ or in P&Z meeting package at https://www.ely.mn.us/government None of the P&Z Commissioners voiced concern about destroying or messing with actual natural birding areas, probably because this would be on private property? Sand erosion was mentioned. Good points. Sand erosion is more valuable than preserving habitat that attract birds? Humans need to view and appreciate natural areas from birds’ perspectives.

It appears none of the P&Z Commissioners expressed interest in Sandy Point being somehow designated as an important birding site worthy of protection.

There are ways P&Z could issue a permit that would preserve and protect habitat. However, the NOISY and RAMBUNCTIOUS nature of a private beach club do not seem compatible with any type of birding habitat, much less established birding viewing site.

There are loons on Lake Shagawa. There could be more . . .

Increased human activity makes life and survival difficult for loons. https://loon.org/about-the-common-loon/threats-to-loons/

Planning & Zoning tabled a vote on the excavation permit from LL & PI, LLC until their next meeting in May 2026. Perhaps — hopefully –they will figure out — with input from other commissions? — on how they can encourage recognition and preservation of Indigenous history and culture on Sandy Point and other areas where we live. Some concerned citizens are trying to find more information about Indigenous history and culture around Sandy Point. This is what they sent us so far:

Website = https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/

Full disclosure please. Who are KK & PI?

Questions about permit details and disclosure of KK in KK & PI, LLC were also voiced by one citizen who requested to speak. KK = our Ely City Atty Kelly Klun. PI = Paul Ivancich, Kelly Klun’s late husband. Listen to why the permit was brought to P&Z, even though City Hall supposedly did not need P&Z approval. Scott Kochendorfer did not mention the permit being about rental property owned by the Ely City Attorney. A vague pronoun reference “they are requesting . . .” was constantly used instead of saying KK & PI, LLC or the full names of owners/partners.

To listen to citizen presentation, go to time markers 16:08-22:11 on the YouTube recording. Shoreline Excavation permit discussion by P&Z starts at 45:45 and ends at 1:26:00 time markers.

City: reach out more Public: be more present when you can

As you listen to the YouTube recording of tonight’s meeting, keep track on how many times the City Planning & Zoning Administrator Scott Kochendorfer and the Commissioners kept saying they wanted individuals to come to their meetings and speak directly to them. They didn’t want “hearsay.” They wanted “facts.”

These are very valid points. And anyone reading this who has opinions or questions (both of which are not necessarily “facts”), should go to meetings and speak for themselves when they can.

To be fair, however, City Hall, Commissioners, Council, and the Mayor should recognize:

1) The public tends to hear about agendas and action items by accident. The public does not schedule their lives, block out their calendars, just in case they might want to appear to speak at a City meeting. Sometimes, many times, we the public ask others to relay information.

(2) You were elected, appointed or hired to serve and/or represent us. Actively and constantly seek out what we might think about “simple and easy” things like the excavation permit on the agenda tonight. If you cannot seek physically reach out to others, practice thinking and questioning from others’ perspectives, especially those who have different about government’s role and how a few rich and powerful individuals control development in Ely.

(3) (Some of) you might have already excluded – sent us message you excluded – consideration of community’s concerns presented. Review the recording. What did you say or ignore? What’s obviously important to you (or not) and what you want Ely to become? What balanced development do you desire?

Most people moved to and live in Ely because of

Quiet

Nature

Safety

How does a PRIVATE BEACH CLUB align with those 3 things?

This is what was posted under description for the YouTube recording of tonight’s P&Z meeting

Regular scheduled P&Z meeting on April 15, 2026. The whole meeting is interesting, but was specifically recorded for public to hear discussion and P&Z action on permit for excavation, etc. on mixed use shoreline designated property. The owners wanted to build a PRIVATE BEACH CLUB on Sandy Point, Shagawa Lake.
See https://elyminnesota.com/blog/shagawa-beach-club-planned-nothing-for-birds/ for background information and maps.
See https://elyminnesota.com/blog/youtube-4-15-26-pz-private-beach-club-permit/ for more information about the meeting after it happened.
This was expected to be a quick approval of the permit. Permit was property posted online within P&Z packet, but background details about adjacent area being a birding site and of potential historical significance were missing. The citizen who requested to speak asked for “Tefft’s 10 favorite birding sites in and around Ely” be included in the record. Both Sandy Point and Miner’s Lake are recognized birding sites. Note: the birds do not use the DNR parking lot. The birds use the natural areas next to the parking lot. The general public was/is not aware a PRIVATE BEACH CLUB will be built here.

The general public was/is not aware a PRIVATE BEACH CLUB will be built here. Questions about permit details and disclosure of KK in KK & PI, LLC (KK = City Atty Kelly Klun who owns many rental units in Ely) were also voiced by one citizen (time markers 16:08-22:11). Shoreline Excavation permit discussion starts at 45:45 and ends at 1:26:00 time markers. Listen to why the permit was brought to P&Z. City Hall did not need P&Z approval. A vague pronoun reference “they are requesting . . .” was used instead of KK & PI, LLC or full names of owners/partners. P&Z voted to table the permit until next meeting in May 2026.

See P&Z agenda and packet for other interesting discussions https://www.ely.mn.us/pzmeetings. For example, discussion about planned housing unit development.