June 1, 2020 City Council Minutes

 MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

June 1, 2020

Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:32p.m. with the following members present via online ZOOM meeting: Councilor Joe Prebeg Jr., Alan Stanaway, Julie Buria, Steve Skogman, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig Wainio, City Administrator; Tim Satrang, Director of Public Works; Amanda Inmon, Municipal Services Secretary; Al Johnson, City Engineer; and SGT John Backman, Sheriff’s Department.

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

1. Add the following items to the agenda:
2. H. Small Business Support
3. Highway 53/13^th Street Project
4. Approve the minutes of the May 18, 2020, regular meeting as submitted.
5. 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.
6. To acknowledge the receipts for the period May 16-31, totaling $238,418.32 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
7. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period May 16-31, totaling $171,566.38 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

The motion carried.

Public Forum:

• No one spoke during the forum

The Mayor reported on the following:

• Condolences to the family and friends of Lloyd Stanaway
• Condolences to the family and friends of Brent Henkel    
• Speaking on the current issues, from my own views, after saying the “Pledge of Allegiance,” the sentence “Liberty and Justice for all,” is spoken. If you look at what happened a week ago in Minneapolis, the killing of an unarmed black man by a white police officer, along with the additional three police officers standing nearby without giving aid. It is not an isolated incident, these kind of incidents have been occurring for way too long. Throughout our nation today, we are fighting two viruses, the Coronavirus, which is a new unknown deadly virus, but through science, it will be defeated. The other virus being racism, which is not new, and has been around for a couple hundred of years, it is not unknown, but it is equally as deadly. Unfortunately, unless major changes are made within communities and ourselves I do not believe we are going to defeat this virus. Peaceful protests and right to assemble are guaranteed to us by the 1^st Amendment, however when peaceful protests turn into riots and mobs, causing violence, looting and the destruction of property, there is no place in our society for those actions, you are losing the overall focus of the protest. There is a simple question that we must ask ourselves, “What is causing or motivating all of the anger and frustration?” From personal experience, the hatred and division in our Country is a lot deeper and stronger than it was in the 1960s. What is worrisome is what kind of Nation are we leaving for our future children, grandchildren and future generations? Quote from President Abraham Lincoln, “America will never be destroyed from outside. If we falter and loose our freedoms, it will be because we have destroyed ourselves.”
• Big Thank you to all the workers that are keeping this Nation going!!

City Administrator:

• West II Rivers Campground – opened today June 1^st
• Summer Recreation Programs – follow CDC and State guidelines
• Sign up for youth baseball or softball prior to June 12^th
• Teams will be determined if there is enough participation
• No fees will be charged
• Practices could begin June 15^th following State guidelines
• Schedule for possible games has yet to be determined
• Mountain Manor was approved for a 0% partially forgivable loan through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, for interior remodeling

Director of Public Works:

• Water-line break on Highway 7, late May
• Met with Engineering company designing new water filters for Water Treatment Plant
• Large Trash POSTPONED until the 2^nd and 3^rd weeks of September

Sheriff’s Department:

• No formal report
• Bear sighted in Parkville area
• Believe it is being hand fed
• Not fearful of people
• Do not feed bears or any wild animals

City Engineer:

• No formal report
• Pre-construction meeting on June 4^th at 9:00am at Benchmark for Mountain Iron Drive

It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Stanaway to explore the options for the City of Mountain Iron and the City’s Legal team to help small Businesses within the Community, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The motion carried.

Councilor Skogman attended a virtual meeting regarding Highway 53/13^th Street Project. He reported that there would be a publication that will be published in the paper, which will show where the construction will be along with a possible timeline. Additionally both intersections involved in this project will not be closed at the same time, and Mountain Iron Drive will not be used a re-route during this project.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria to accept the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board and approve the enclosed agreement, hiring Mrs. Jodi Hammer for the West Two Rivers Campground caretaker for the 2020 season. The motion carrie

At 7:19p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Buria that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.

Submitted by:

Amanda Inmon

Municipal Services Secretary

www.mtniron.com

Communications:

1. Affidavits of Candidacy are available Tuesday, May 19^th until Tuesday, June 2^nd at 5pm

• One Mayor – Two (2) Year Term
• Two City Councilors – Four (4) Year Term

2. Affidavit of Withdrawal from Candidacy for those filing

• Accepted until Thursday, June 4^th at 5pm