Mayor outlines Ely infrastructure, fire safety and park upgrades

Mayor Nathan Robertson reported that the fire department is doing well after the Ward Mountain Fire. The city is ordering a new fire engine. The engine was ordered a few years ago, but communities face a nationwide shortage of fire apparatus, with production backlogs of years. “A lot of communities have to plan down the road. But we’re making do with what we have at the moment.”

The city tries to keep all the bays at the station full; it also tries to cycle out older equipment before it becomes dilapidated. With the Ely fire department being the main station within 20,000 square miles, the trucks get more wear and tear than the average vehicle, requiring earlier service and replacement.

The Park and Cemetery Departments are reported as doing well. They have worked hard to complete several projects this summer. Some of the parks have been upgraded with new lights and fencing, while the dog park at Broadbent officially has a fence and is in the process of getting a concrete slab.

The city has also been working on the Orson Sidewalk Project. This project would add sidewalks all the way down Campton Street, making it safer for residents who frequently walk along the road. This includes the middle schoolers who walk to and from school along this road. The project will also place sidewalks around the cemetery. Adding sidewalks also helps with drainage on the terrace.

The Road Department has been working tirelessly to resurface the roads.

The Water and Sewer Departments have been working to complete various leak projects throughout the city. They are gearing up to start a project on Morley Avenue, up above Dale’s Crossing. “It’s hard for them to run the kitchen sink and the shower at the same time. So making sure that their pressure is within standard specifications is what this project is.” This grant-funded project has been on the docket for many years.

The city has been working to ensure the neighborhoods are safer and cleaner. It has issued several notices to various residences to clean up their properties. This will improve the community’s health and fire safety. When properties have trash or other flammables, they create a hazard for neighboring houses as well. Another issue is houses with several cars parked on the street. “Some people will park a lot of their cars or trailers or things out in front of their house. I don’t think they necessarily realize that that would impede how the fire department is able to get to their house if they have a problem or how fire equipment or emergency equipment can get down the street if it’s clogged with too many vehicles.” Some roads in Ely are very narrow, and houses can be tightly packed because they are older.

These notices are report-based; sometimes Fire or EMS respond to a call and note issues they run into, but most are reported by a neighbor or other community member. The city will then inspect the property and see if action needs to be taken.

The water-per-gallon fee has been increased in Ely from two cents per gallon to five cents. This will not affect any community members directly. This is strictly for the water trucks and contractors that use fire hydrants around town to fill up. The city’s scale had an oversight in how it charged people based on where they filled up. This was increased to create a standard that applies to all users.