City Council Minutes 110617

 MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

November 6, 2017

 

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; Rhonda McConnell, Secretary, Sally Yuccas, Librarian Director/Special Events Director; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; and SGT John Backman, Sheriff’s Department.  Absent members: Councilor Joe Prebeg.

 

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

 

1. Approve the minutes of the November 6, 2017, 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 October 16-31, 2017, totaling $235,018.93 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

 

4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period October 16-31, 2017, totaling $778,061.62 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

 

The motion carried 4-0 with one absence.

 

Public Forum:

 

• No one spoke during forum.

 

The Mayor reported on the following:

 

• Happy early 90^th birthday to Louella Anderson.
• Condolences to family of Janice Kinter.
• Condolences to the family of Art Gilbert. .
• It was moved by Tuomela and seconded by Skogman to accept Mr. Stephen Ericson to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a term to expire on December 31, 2019. Motion carried 4-0 with Councilor Prebeg absent. Motion carried 4-0 with Councilor Prebeg absent.

 

The City Administrator reported on the following:

 

• No formal report.

 

Director of Public Works:

 

• No formal report.

After the first snow fall, the gravel roads did not get missed, but the department is waiting for the ground to freeze before plowing the gravel. We have a new plow truck and a new crew plowing, so there is a learning curve. Thank you to the crews who were out there.

• The Nichols Township Lagoons Project has been shut down with the early snow. One of our employees, Brad Bennett gave a presentation to the Minnesota Wastewater Operators on the Nichols Lagoon Decommissioning Project. Thank you to Brad.

 

Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:

• No formal report.
• Friends of the Library is hosting a painting class this Thursday at the Community Center.
• Lorna Landvik, author, will be speaking at the Mt. Iron library on Saturday morning at 10:30.
• Thank you to all of the local groups who helped out at the Halloween Carnival.
• Story time every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
• Book of the day by Mary Higgins Clark Every Breath You Take.

 

Sheriff’s Department:

• No formal report.

 

City Attorney:

• No formal report

 

City Engineer:

• It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Tuomela to approve the pay request No. 1 for the Nichols Wastewater Pond Decommissioning project in the amount of $171,165.92. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

• It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Skogman to accept the Change Order No. 1 which includes placing class-5 for the temporary access road wetland crossing, removal of class-5 restoration. This will be done in place of using swamp mats for the wetland crossing. This Change Order decrease the Contract Amount by $12,116.00. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

• It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Tuomela to approve the pay request No. 7 for Woodland Estates Residential Development Phase 1 project in the amount of $8,075.00 to Mesaba Bituminous. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

 

Public Health and Safety Board:

 

It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Skogman to accept the recommendation of the Public Health and Safety Board that the City Council remove the Interim label form Chief Knapper’s position. The motion carried 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

It was moved by Skogman and supported by Tuomela to approve the recommendation of the Public Health and Safety Board to authorize the purchase of the compressor and fill station from Alex Air Apparatus for the low quote of $29,685 and to also authorize the trade in of the current system to Alex Air Apparatus for $6000. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.       

 

It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Tuomela to approve the recommendation by the Public Health and Safety Board to approve a new three year contract with the Mesabi Humane Society to provide animal control services to the City. The motion carried 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

It was moved by Skogman and supported by Stanaway that we apply for the State Fire Marshal Grant for the Service Planning Grant Program. The motion carried 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

 

 

It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Tuomela to approve the temporary liquor license request to serve alcohol at the Community Center by the Friends of the Mt. Iron Library at their Painting Class on November 9^th, 2017.  The motion carried 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

The council reviewed the list of communications.

 

Katie Hunter, a student in the MIB yearbook class is requesting that the City of Mountain Iron sponsor a page or pages of their yearbook. In the past, the city has sponsored four pages at $120.00. It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skogman to authorize a donation of $120.00 from the Charitable Gambling Fund to sponsor the MIB yearbook. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

The Mountain Iron Senior Citizen’s Club is requesting a donation for their group. In the past the City has donated $100.00 annually. They are requesting that this amount be increased this year to $200.00 due to increased costs to put on special events.  The money will go toward their coming Christmas party and for kitchen supplies. It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Tuomela to authorize a donation of $200.00 from the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

The YMCA is requesting the city waives the usage fee for their Mother- Son Dance Fundraiser which was held on Friday, November 3^rd at the Community Center. It was moved by Skogman and supported by Tuomela to authorize a donation of $150.00 to the YMCA from the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried on a roll call vote 4-0, with Prebeg absent.

 

Announcements:

 

Thank you to all our Veterans for their service.

 

At 7:07 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.

 

Submitted by:

 

 

 

Rhonda McConnell

Secretary

www.mtniron.com

 

Communications:

 

Mary Rausch, Director of Technology at Mountain Iron- Buhl School District sent a notice that the community of Mt. Iron-Buhl (which includes Mt. Iron, Buhl, Kinney, Great Scott Township, Greenwood Township, Lake Leander and Lake 14 area) has received a grant from the Blandin Foundation and the IRRRB to develop and expand the utilization of high speed broadband within our community. A task force has been formed and they were given 50 workstation computers for distribution in the community. If the city is interested in acquiring one or more of these computers, please respond to Mary Rausch.