City Council Minutes 031918

MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

March 19, 2018

Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:32p.m. with the following members present: Alan Stanaway, Steve Skogman, Susan Tuomela, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Tim Satrang, Director of Public Works; Amanda Inmon, Municipal Services Secretary; Sally Yuccas, Library Director/Special Events Coordinator; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; Bryan Lindsay, City Attorney. Absent: Councilor Joe Prebeg, Jr. and SGT John Backman, Sheriff’s Department.

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Skogman that the consent agenda be approved as follows:

1. Approve the minutes of the March 5, 2018, 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 1-15, totaling $337,862.90(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 1-15, totaling $557,297.90 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

Public Forum:

• Ed Roskoski spoke in regards to the intersection of Aspen Lane and Spruce Drive located in Ann’s Acre
  • Stated that this intersection has no crown thus the water has nowhere to go, it either goes down the sanitary sewer or it just sits in the area, evaporating over time
  • Recommends that City Staff and Engineers check on the area, additionally stating that a 6-8 inch crown is needed to help with water flow
  • Suggested that perhaps if monies are received from IRRRB to overlay Mountain Iron Drive it could also be used to add crown to this particular intersection or monies that are used overlay/fix County 7 and Highway 169
• Mayor Skalko stated that the overlay/fixing of County Road 7 and Highway 169 is being done by the County as it is a County road

The Mayor reported on the following:

• Condolences to the family and friends of Melissa Norvitch Zahn
• Happy belated birthday to Marion Sutich, turned 92 in January
• Road/Street Projects schedule
  • 2018-Completion/finalization of intersection of County Road 7, Highway 169 and Enterprise Drive North
  • 2019-St. Louis County will overlay County Road 103 (Mud Lake Road)
  • 2020-State will be redoing intersection of Highway 53 and Mountain Iron Drive (Old Country Kitchen area)
• Congratulations to the Mountain Iron-Buhl Girls basketball team, great season 29-4, 8^th straight time at state, received 4^th place
• Congratulations to Mesabi East girls basketball team
• Congratulations to Northwoods boys basketball
• 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 past year, our local Sexual Assault Program has worked with 563 primary and secondary crime victims of sexual violence who reside in our communities. The Program has provided more than 19,100 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 Skogman and seconded by Tuomela to proclaim April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and publish proclamation in the Hometown Focus and post on social media. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

The City Administrator reported on the following:

• New cameras installed within the City, other areas identified for potential cameras
• Businesses looking to upgrade lighting, heating or cooling the City has a number of energy improvement programs that offer funding through IRRRB and AEOA, contact City for information and contact numbers regarding possible money back for improvements
  • Conservation Improvements Program
  • Property Assessed Clean Energy Program

Director of Public Works:

• No formal report
• Transition from cleaning, clearing and hauling snow to fixing potholes

Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:

• Easter Egg hunt, Saturday, March 31^st at noon at the Merritt Elementary
• Spring storytime session, Tuesdays at 10:00am
• Percussion group, Tuesday, March 27^th at 10:30am
• National Library Week, April 8-14
  • Activities throughout the week

City Engineer:

• No formal report

City Attorney:

• No formal report

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skogman to adopt Resolution #04-18; approving “Dig Once Policy,” calling all local and county government units to sincerely consider development and adaption of this policy, enabling local, county or state governments to control and require the installation of multi-use conduits.  When an excavation is to occur thereby significantly reducing the cost of installation for broadband at later dates, providing a collaboration between utility providers and the potential growth of broadband within the region (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution #05-18; approving the authorization of the City of Mountain Iron to make an application to and accept funds from the IRRRB for the reconstruction of Mountain Iron Drive (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution #06-18; approving the authorization of the City of Mountain Iron to make an application to and accept funds from the IRRRB for the drilling of a new municipal well (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution #07-18; approving the authorization of the City of Mountain Iron to make an application to and accept funds from the IRRRB for upgrades to the South Grove Recreation Complex (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution #08-18; approving the authorization of the City of Mountain Iron to make an application to and accept funds from the IRRRB for rehabilitation to the City’s water tower (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Stanaway to approve the recommendation of the Joint Committee for the shared services study and award the proposal to the McGrath Consulting Group. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.

It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Stanaway to donate $225 to the Mesabi Family YMCA, for their Dinner & Auction held on Thursday, March 15^th, monies to out of the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried on roll call vote with Councilor Prebeg absent.

At 7:01p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg absent.  

Submitted by:

Amanda Inmon

Municipal Services Secretary

www.mtniron.com

Communications:

1. 2018 Local Board of Appeal and Equalization is scheduled for April 19, 2018 from 5:00-6:00pm at the Mountain Iron Community Center.