April 4, 2022 City Council Minutes

 MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

April 4, 2022

Mayor Anderson called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30p.m. with the following members present: Councilor Ed Roskoski, Julie Buria, and Mayor Peggy Anderson. Also present were: Tim Satrang, Director of Public Works; Anna Amundson, Library Director/Special Events Coordinator; Amanda Inmon, Municipal Services Secretary; Al Johnson, City Engineer; Jim Hipple, Fire Department; and Grant Toma, Sheriff’s Department. Absent members: Councilor Joe Prebeg Jr.

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Roskoski that the consent agenda be approved as follows:

 

1. Approve the minutes of the March 21, 2022 regular meeting as submitted.

 

2. That the communications be accepted and placed on file and those requiring further action by the City Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda.

 

3. To acknowledge the receipts for the period March 16-31, totaling $229,224.98 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes),

 

4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period March 16-31, totaling $406,807.11 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

 

The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

Public Forum:

• No one spoke during the public forum

The Mayor reported on the following:

• Sexual Assault Awareness month is intended to bring awareness to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and is a public health concern for individuals, families, community members and communities as a whole.
  • Child sexual abuse/exploitation, rape and sexual harassment impact all communities as seen by the national statistics
  • Within the fiscal year of 2020 and 2021, our local Sexual Assault Program has worked with 850 primary and secondary crime victims of sexual violence who reside in our communities. The Program has provided more than 37,000 documented trauma and victim-focused advocacy services with these crime victims
  • The Sexual Assault Program of Northern St. Louis County encourages every person to speak out when witnessing acts of violence, however small; and to help survivors connect with community allies

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Anderson to proclaim April 2022 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and publish proclamation in the Hometown Focus and post on social media. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Anderson and seconded by Roskoski to declare a vacancy on the City Council, and that the public will fill this vacancy during the November 2022 General Election. The motion carried (2:1) with Councilor Prebeg absent.

Director or Public Works:

• Minnesota Power crew members working on raising power lines near YMCA area, which will be a connection between the North and South side of the highway, part of the process to upgrade Mountain Iron’s power system
• Continue to remove tree limbs and branches hanging on or over power lines

Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:

• 37^th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
• Saturday, April 16^th starts at NOON
• 50 eggs hidden throughout the City
• Eggs also scattered at South Grove Rec Complex, West II Rivers & YMCA Fields

Sheriff’s Department:

• No formal report

City Engineer:

• No formal report

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Roskoski to approve Pay Request No. 2 – for the Proposed Well #3 project in the amount of $11,400, Pay Request No. 3 in the amount of $4,750 and Pay Request No. 4 in the amount of $11,439.90, to TNT Construction Group, LLC, Grand Rapids, MN. This amount includes a 5% retainage. The motion carried on roll call vote (3:0) with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Anderson to approve Change Order No. 2 – for the Proposed Well #3 project, with an increase of $50,865 and extend the completion date to July 1, 2022 for Peterson Well Drilling, Mountain Iron, MN. The motion carried on roll call vote (3:0) with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Anderson and seconded by Buria to approve Change Order #1 – for the Downtown Sanitary Sewer Slip-lining Improvement Project to extend the completion date to Friday, July 15^th, for Insituform Technologies USA, Inc. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by to accept the Fire Department report as presented. The motion failed due to lack of support with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Anderson and seconded by Buria to authorize City Staff to advertise for temporary seasonal employees for the 2022 summer months. Once a list of potential employees is developed, it will be forwarded to City Council for final approval. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Buria to accept the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board and approve the enclosed agreement, hiring Mrs. Donna Johnson for the West Two Rivers Campground caretaker for the 2022 season. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Roskoski to accept the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and extend an offer the Laborer position pending physical, drug/alcohol test and background check to the following individuals:

• Garrett Lenzen
• Keith Zorman

The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent and Councilor Roskoski abstaining.

Announcement:

• Merritt Days Committee planning meeting Tuesday, April 12^th at 6:00pm at the High school Commons area (use door #4)

At 7:09p.m., it was moved by Buria and seconded by Roskoski that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.

Submitted by:

Amanda Inmon

Municipal Services Secretary

www.mtniron.com

Communications:

1. Big Thank you from Quad City Food Shelf for the donation to the Food Shelf Project.