August 2, 2021 City Council Minutes

MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

August 2, 2021

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

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

1. Approve the minutes of the July 19, 2021, 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 July 16-31, totaling $1,086,351.69 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes),
4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period July 16-31, totaling $357,703.13 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

Public Forum:

• No one spoke during the public forum

The Mayor reported on the following:

• Received a thank you from a resident in Kinross, to the Director of Public Works, and his crew for their professional and efficient work

City Administrator:

• No formal report

Director of Public Works:

• Water treatment plant filter – start up occurred recently, small punch list of items to be completed
• Minnesota Power in collaboration with Osmose Utilities Service Inc. are conducting an inspection of power poles throughout the City

Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:

• Summer Reading Program
• Ended Friday, July 30^th
• 2021 National Night Out
• Thursday, August 5^th from 5:00pm-7:00pm
• Mountain Iron Community Center
• Wednesday, August 11^th
• Tie-dye 1:00-3:00pm
• Saturday, August 13^th
• Mountain Iron Library Open House
• 1:00-3:00pm

Sheriff’s Department:

• No formal report
• Participating in National Night on August 5^th with K-9 unit in attendance

City Engineer:

• Peterson Well Drilling completed test well location – more information to come
• Preliminary cost estimates and analysis for the short street by UPS, will be shared with Streets & Alleys for further review

Fire Department:

• Year to date, over 600 hours training logged
• Non-call participation of roughly over 1800 hours
• One hire away from meeting maximum number of 25 hires
• Partnering with United Way and St. Louis County in “Community Steps”
• Participating in Nation Night at on August 5^th

It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by to accept and add the Fire Department report as presented to the minutes. The motion failed due to lack of support.

Liaison:

• Councilor Roskoski recommended that the Street & Alley Committee should have City Engineer look at the Downtown Main Street from Marble Avenue intersection/area west to the alley, the curb/gutter in the area is very bad shape on both sides of the street. It is more worse on the Kujala Apartment side than the other side, both the City Engineer and Director of Public Works should look at this area, to look at what can be done and the cost, possibly phased in with another project being done around town.
• Councilor Roskoski presented a report/drawing regarding safety, accidents and the traffic crossing at the intersection of Highway 169 and Highway 109/Nichols Avenue, after a brief discussion with SGT Friebe

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria to forward the report/drawing presented by Councilor Roskoski to the Public Health and Safety Board for review. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria to approve Resolution #15-21; Accepting Bid for Improvement Number 21-06 slip-lining of sewer to Insituform with add alt., for $307,876.80 (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

It was moved by Buria and seconded by Prebeg to approve the request to block off the following streets in Old Downtown for the Merritt Days Celebration:

• Friday, August 13^th from 7:00am – Sunday, August 15^th 7:00am: Main Street from the intersections of Marble Ave and Mesabi Ave (west alleys); Mountain Ave from the intersections of Locomotive Street and the alley behind the Senior Citizens Center and Benchmark Engineering (garage)
• Saturday, August 14^th 11:30am – 3:30pm: Locomotive Street from the intersection of Marble Ave and Mesabi Ave

The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria to authorize Sundberg Enterprises, LLC dba: The Sawmill Saloon and Restaurant to serve alcohol for Clinton/Butler wedding on September 18, 2021 and the Baumann/Zupanich wedding on September 25, 2021 to be held at the Mountain Iron Community Center. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.  

The MIB Quarterback Club requests contribution for their 2021 Ranger Football Season, for assistance in purchasing safety equipment, other football equipment as well as for defraying traveling expenses. It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to donate $250 to the MIB Quarterback Club for their 2021 Football Season, monies to come out of the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

Announcements:

• Merritt Days Celebration – August 8^th – 14^th
• Mountain Iron / Mountain Iron-Buhl Class Reunions
• Class of 1961 reunion, Friday August 13^th – Mac’s Bar (5pm-8pm)
• Class of 1970 reunion, Friday August 13^th – BG’s Bar & Grill (6pm-10pm) & Saturday August 14^th – BG’s Bar & Grill (11am-3pm)
• Class of 1971 reunion, Friday, August 13^th – Senior Center  
• Class of 1980 reunion, Friday, August 13^th & Saturday, August 14^th – Mountain Iron American Legion

At 7:00p.m., it was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman absent.

Submitted by:

Amanda Inmon

Municipal Services Secretary

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