ANTHONY EDLEBECK

KINGSFORD — Kingsford City Council members said goodbye and expressed appreciation to City Manager Anthony Edlebeck at Monday’s meeting.

Edlebeck, who has been with the city for 34 years including more than nine as city manager, is retiring Friday.

Assistant City Manager Mike Stelmaszek, who will replace Edlebeck, said they had hoped to have the meeting in person to say goodbye. Edlebeck was presented with an engraved gold pocket watch.

“I wasn’t expecting we would be having my last meeting on Zoom,” Edlebeck said. “I don’t know where the years went.”

“There was so much we accomplished as a team — weather patterns, tornados, methane. The residents should be very proud. Thank you to the council and associates. I couldn’t have done it without the people involved.”

Stelmaszek thanked him for the help in learning the job and said he appreciated his leadership.

“I congratulate Tony. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who served as long and as well. He set a great example,” said Brian Metras, Kingsford Public Safety director.

Edlebeck previously was superintendent of public works and administrative assistant.

In another personnel matter, the council has approved a recommendation to change the deputy clerk/elections position from hourly to salary.

Edlebeck said there have many changes in election laws and Tanya Hiltonen is taking on more duties with human resources, records keeping and freedom of information requests. Some of the city manager work has been moved to the position, which will have a starting wage of $53,025.

In other recent action, the council:

— Approved an amendment to the Accessory Building Zoning ordinance banning the use of shipping containers on residential property. The only change made in the amendment was to allow 120 days to comply instead of 90 days so the property owner would have until May, which council members felt would be better weather.

— Received a memo from Jeff DeMuri, superintendent of public works, outlining the work on the variable frequency drives at Well 6/7 and sewer main lining on M-95. The installation of the drives has been completed and tested by prime contractor Van Ert, GEI Consultants and the city water department.

DeMuri said the VFDs could provide savings in electricity costs, decrease the potential of water hammer problems during the on-off cycle of the pumps, decrease the potential of introducing sand from the wells during the on cycle and decrease the potential of water pressure spikes during the on-off cycle.

— Learned that Great Lakes TV Seal has dealt with a 10-inch sewer main under the intersection of Nelson Drive and East Boulevard. The sanitary sewer main was televised as part of the 2015 Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater Grant Asset Management Study. During this study, it was discovered that a 33-foot length of sewer main was actually a 10-inch corrugated metal culvert pipe installed as a culvert for M-95 road drainage in the early 1900s. The study report recommended the section be replaced at an estimated cost of $45,000. Great Lakes TV Seal provided a proposal to do a cure in place pipe of the sewer main for $9,500, which was completed in three days with no disruption of traffic.

— Selected Dan Freeman to the planning commission. There were two applicants. Last month Gordon Sorenson was selected to the commission.

— Scheduled a public hearing on Feb. 1 for a variance at 204 Wilson St. for a front yard set back for construction of a new porch over an existing porch.

— Learned the city’s archery deer hunt had 17 deer taken in 2020, up from 11 the previous year.

— Approved and placed on file a copy of the audit report. The auditor will be invited to come to the next in-person meeting to give a presentation on the audit to the council.

— Will send a letter congratulating Guy Forstrom, who has retired after 43 years in public works with Breitung Township.

Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.