09-28-22 Minutes

Mountain Iron

Public Safety and Health Board Meeting Minutes

Mountain Iron Community Center

September 28, 2022

 

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson  at  10:04 AM.

 

1. Members present: Julie Buria, Margaret Ratai,  Margaret Soyring.  Also present: St. Louis County Sheriff Sgt. Grant Toma, Council Edmund Roskoski, Mesabi Humane Society members: Linda Scott, Board Chairperson, Carly Gobats, Marketing Director, Liz Ward, Animal Control Officer Absent: Mayor Peggy Anderson, Steve Hunter, MIFD Liaison Fire Chief Mark Madden.

 

1. Consent Agenda
2. Consent Agenda approval: Motion by J.Buria and second by M. Ratai to approve Consent Agenda. Motion Carried.
3. Motion by and second by to approve August 24, 2020 minutes. Motion Carried.
4. Communications: MIFD Paid On-Call Fire Department and First Responders September 20, 2022 letter First Responder proposal.

 

 

III.       Public Forum: Councilor Roskoski gave a second presentation on the history of City of                            Mountain Iron Animal Control practices.  He noted that in his opinion the City of                                             Mountain Iron contract with Mesabi Human Society is just fine and should be left alone                             and this is the opinion of others too.   Council Roskoski left the meeting after his                                presentation.

 

1. Committee Staff Reports
2. First Responders: No report. Fire Chief Madden presented the 3^rd Quarter Call for August  to the City Council at the September 7^th Council meeting. There was one (1) response call out of fourteen (14) paged.
3. Fire Department Report:

            Fire Chief Madden presented the 3^rd Quarter Call and Mutual Aid Report and Call                       and Response Reports at the September 7^th Council meeting.  Sixteen (16) total                                fire calls, 10 mutual aid calls, 6 false alarms/cancelled calls, ten 10 working calls.                         Total Call Man Hours 116hrs with  71% mutual aid hours, FF/Working Calls 51,                           FF/False Alarms/Canceled Calls 18 for total of 69 responses, FF per call 4.31, FF                            per working call 5.10 with Member Response at 20%.  Roster total =25                                          Firefighters.  Training participation noted 2 FF in EMT class until May.

            City Council approved 3 Lieutenant positions on September 7^th.

            Community Steps program coordinated with NE MN United Way had three                            groups with 110 pairs of shoes given to children in the area.  There was great                                  support from other fire and police departments.  Shoes were obtained for children                               out of the area by fire departments in their locality.

            Proposed Fire Department officers for the Personal Committee and October 3,                               2022 City Council meeting are: Asst. Chief – Jim Hipple, Director of First                                  Responders – Brian Hoag, Captains – Danny Zupancich, David Felten, Kyle                                  Tomczyk, Curtis Schramm, Community Outreach Coordinator – Laura Anderson.

 

1. Chairperson Soyring presented the First Responder Proposal by Chief Madden and Assistant Chief Hipple for a First Responder mutual aid agreement with adjacent Mountain Iron service area fire departments to include Clinton, Kinney and Virginia with possible increase to other local areas per need. Contract with MJM Medical Direction Services for medical direction services as a non-transporting EMS agency for $750.00 annual free to begin on January 1, 2023.  Contract would include Medical Director services by Dr. Julie Houle, MD. MIFD First Responder training and documentation requirements. Proposed First Responder stipend increase starting January 1, 2023.

                        See attached letter for details and MJM Consortium Application.

                        NOTE: Correction on page 3 for time from 6:59 PM to 6:59 AM.

            Motion by M. Ratai, second by J. Buria to recommend the Mountain Iron Paid                             On-Call Firefighter and First Responder Department First Responder Proposal to                                    the City Council for the next Council meeting agenda on October 3, 2020.                                      Motion Carried.  Chairperson Soyring will send proposal recommendations to the                             Mayor for the October 3^rd City Council agenda.

1. Sheriff’s Office Report: St. Louis County Sheriff Department officers and      deputies are now wearing body cameras.
2. Other – Mesabi Humane Society: January 1, 2022 to present – May: 3 cats that were present that resulted in 12 kittens  

 

1. Unfinished Business
2. Members of Mesabi Humane Society

                        Discussion held about the Mesabi Humane Society Contract with the City of             Mountain Iron for 2021, 2022 and 2023.   Past practice had the City of Mountain        Iron Pubic Safety and Health Board review the upcoming contract proposals and            recommend the contract to the City Council.  The Board was not provided with the current contract prior to 2021-2023 contract approval. City of         Mountain Iron             compensation in the current contract is: $21,500.00 for 2021, $23,000.00 for 2022          and $24,500.00 for 2023.  2021 compensation is the same as 2020 due to COVID-        19 patrolling reduction.

                        The Mesabi Humane Society currently has contracts with the  Cities of Biwabik,         Gilbert, Mountain Iron, and Virginia  Information how the             original contract costs             were determined are not available to the current  Mesabi Humane Society Board.       The Board establishes contract fees based  on cost of living, city population,  city            area. The Cities of Biwabik and Gilbert only have animal pick-up without any    patrolling. Mountain Iron has patrolling and pick-up in residential areas.  The Sheriff’s Department patrol will pick up animals after patrolling hours to bring to           the Shelter.

                        The Humane Society also has a contract with St. Louis County Sheriff’s                                     Department for animals picked up outside city limits and the 5 day animal hold fee.  The base fee is $8000 with a cap around $17,000.

                        The Mesabi Humane Society provides each municipality shelter care, retrieval           and transportation to animals detained or taken possession in the city limits.       Animal Control Officer (AFO)  patrols the municipality during the week at      random times checking for and picking up roaming animals with the city limits.             The AFO is available daily and after hours for emergencies.

                        The Mesabi Humane Society runs a “no kill” animal shelter limited to 100      animals. Foster care is arranged when the animal limit is exceeded. Neutering fees             and vaccinations average $200 per cat and $275 for dogs with no veterinarian    discounts available plus boarding for an estimated total of $400 prior to pet         adoption. Spraying is an additional $75 per animal. Adoption costs average$40    per animal stated today.  The Shelter averages 500-700 animals per year

                        City contracts cover one-third (1/3) of the Shelter operating costs.  The Mesabi            Humane Society funds the remaining budget with donations and fund raisers.

 

                        Request by Chairperson Soyring for Mesabi Humane Society to recalculate the             City of Mountain Iron costs based on the low number of animals the City has   historically had at the Shelter and patrolling costs in the populated areas of       Mountain Iron due to the City’s large rural size. Mesabi Humane Society Board           Chairperson will bring this request back and contact Chairperson Soyring about    future City contract costs.                    

 

1. Open Discussion
2. City Ordinance updates for Chapter 31 Departments, Boards, Commissions and                   Authorities: Fire Department  § 31.001 to 30.014, Chapter 93: Animals, Chapter                        96: Nuisances  were forwarded to the Mayor and City Administrator after the   October 30, 2019 Public Safety and Board meeting for City Council readings and            action.  Chairperson Al Stanaway was to request City Administrator Wainio to        have the Ordinances  put on the November Council Agenda.  The first reading of             these ordinances was held on           December 21,2020 with prior review by City             Attorney Bryan Lindsay.  The Council minutes do not reflect the ordinance        names.

 

                           The January 19, 2021 minutes : It was moved by Skogman and seconded by        Roskoski to adopt the changes to the ordinances presented by the Public Health and       Safety Board at the December meeting. The motion carried.

 

                           Effective November 15, 2021 the City Council  repealed and amended Chapter                                   31 Fire Department § 31.001 to 30.014, for Sections§ 31.001, 31.008, 31.011.   

 

                           City Administrator Wainio now states  that the § 31.013 Firefighter Special Fund                           should not be in the ordinance.

 

                           The City Council’s second reading of the Chapter 93: Animals will be on October                       3, 2022 and the second reading of Chapter 96: Nuisances will be on October 17,                                        2022. Copies of the proposed updated Ordinances were sent to City Administrator                  Wainio and Mayor Anderson last week.  

                           A second reading to update the Fire Department Ordinance  second reading on                               January 19, 2021 and to delete § 31.013  has not been established as of this Board                            meeting.

 

 

VII.         Motion by  M. Ratai and second by  J. Buria to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at  11:28 AM .

 

Respectfully submitted by:

 

Margaret Ratai

Secretary