June 4, 2018 City Council Minutes
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
June 4, 2018
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:33p.m. with the following members present: Councilor Joe Prebeg, Jr., Alan Stanaway, Steve Skogman, Susan Tuomela, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Tim Satrang, Director of Public Works; Sally Yuccas, Library Director/Special Events Coordinator; Amanda Inmon, Municipal Services Secretary; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; SGT John Backman, Sheriff’s Department and Victor Lund, St. Louis County Traffic Engineer
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
- Approve the minutes of the May 21, 2018, regular meeting as submitted.
- 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.
- To acknowledge the receipts for the period May 16-31, totaling $244,960.11 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
- To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period May 16-31, totaling $330,588.65 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on roll call vote.
Public Forum:
- No one spoke during the public forum
The Mayor reported on the following:
- Condolences to the family and friends of Gloria Mattila
- Condolences to the family and friends of Steve Kerzie
- Good luck to the Washington Capitals and Matt Niskanen on Game #4, playing later tonight
- Congratulations to the 2018 Graduating class of Mountain Iron-Buhl and to those individuals who graduated with Honors
The City Administrator reported on the following:
- Part of the Blandin Broadband grant the City received will help provide free internet access to the public, equipment installed will provide public Wi-Fi and access to computer terminals at the Senior Center, completely paid for via the grant
- June 18th meeting, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District public hearing for new Daycare in Mountain Iron, located near Lake Country Power
- Proposal to ratify Tax Increment plan and development agreement in order for the Daycare to proceed with the next step
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Skogman to award the quote to CW Tech in the amount of $6,002 to install equipment to provide public Wi-Fi and access to computer terminals at the Senior Center, paid for through a broadband grant received from the Blanding Foundation. The motion carried on roll call vote.
Director of Public Works:
- Large trash pickup started June 4th for certain areas of Mountain Iron with other areas scheduled for the following week
- Fire hydrant flushing postponed to due to previous issue with the wells
- Postponed to following week, discolored water due to hydrant flushing
- Grader training session with City Operators by Detroit Community College, John Kolterman Jr. who works with them, was able to train
- Wind storm recently caused power outage in Mud Lake area as tree fell on lines
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to approve the authorization for the City to purchase 200 tons of road salt for the 2018-2019 winter season, at the State bid price of $63.34 per ton to be delivered to the City’s salt pile. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Tuomela to approve the purchase of one roll of 15KV underground Aluminum wire, as primary wire from United Electric/WESCO at the low quote of $5,582.50, this wire would be used on project to bring in higher voltage at new Substation. The motion carried on roll call vote.
Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:
- Monday, June 4- Summer Reading program registration starts, will be from June 4-June 8, theme this year is “Reading takes you Everywhere”
- Wednesday, June 6 at 10:30am “Writing Memoir, Writing Life,” with Kate St. Vincent Vogl
- Summer hours
- Closed Saturday and Sunday
- 4th of July Parade plans are underway
Sheriff’s Department:
- No formal report
- Any garbage dumped please report to Sherriff’s department, seen an increase lately
City Engineer:
- No formal report
- Change order amount to Veit Company is due to additional seeding which is needed
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Skogman to approve Change Order No. 2 for the Nichols Pond Decommissioning project, with an increase in the contract amount of $3,512.25 to the Viet Company, the change order includes the cost increase for the wetland seed to be place. The motion carried on roll call vote.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to approve Pay Request No. 3 for the Nichols Wastewater Pond Decommissioning Project in the amount of $67,581.62, to the Veit Company, Duluth, MN. This amount includes withholding of 5% retainage on work completed to date. The motion carried on roll call vote.
Victor Lund, St. Louis County Traffic Engineer discussed St. Louis County findings in regards to the STOP signs which are located on Mineral Avenue at the intersections of Mud Lake Road and Greenwood Lane. The recommendation of St. Louis County based upon the traffic volumes, observed traffic behavior and estimated traffic operations, and guidance in the Minnesota MUTCD, is that the STOP signs be removed on Mineral Avenue at the intersections of Mud Lake Road and Greenwood Lane. The STOP signs should remain in place for the side streets, with the also recommendation that a plaque with the legend “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop,” be installed temporarily under the STOP signs at Mud Lake Road and Greenwood Lane.
Discussion ensued regarding STOP signs and their removal verse the signs remaining in their current positions to help speed control for those that live in the area due to it being a residential area, by Council members, Mayor Skalko, Mr. Lund and attending residents which live in the area.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to not remove the STOP signs which are located on Mineral Avenue at the intersections of Mud Lake Road and Greenwood Lane, was recommended by St. Louis County and the Street Committee. The motion carried on roll call vote; 4:1.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to approve Resolution #16-18; Reaffirming Membership in the Northeastern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
The council reviewed the list of communications.
At 8:09p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Skogman that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Amanda Inmon
Municipal Services Secretary
Communications:
- League of Minnesota Cities Board of Directors voted at its May meeting to set a preliminary maximum member dues schedule increase to zero percent (or, no dues increase).
