March 1, 2021 City Council Minutes
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
March 1, 2021
Mayor Anderson called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30p.m. with the following members present: Councilor Julie Buria, Steve Skogman, Joe Prebeg Jr., Ed Roskoski, 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, Interim Fire Chief.
It was moved by Buria and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
- Approve the minutes of the February 17, 2021, 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 February 16-28, totaling $135,522.83 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes),
- To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period February 16-28, totaling $450,704.12 (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To amend the February 17, 2021 City Council minutes, to change motion from, “It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by to post twice in the paper, the weekly US Steel/MINTAC blasting schedule in both the Mesabi Tribune and Hometown Focus. The motion failed due to lack of second from fellow Councilor members.” to “It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by, so our citizens in town and those others who use our roads and streets while in town, will know how and where to look for road and street closures for blasting purposes that necessary instructions be posted twice, with two by two or larger sized ad in both the Mesabi Tribune and Hometown Focus. The motion failed due to lack of second from fellow Councilor members.”
It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Prebeg to amend the February 17, 2021 City Council minutes, to include “Councilor Roskoski received a letter from an anonymous Mountain Manor resident with complaints, which was added to the February 1st City Council meeting. This anonymous Mountain Manor letter prompted the reaction and discussion during the February 17th meeting. After the letter was presented, Councilor Skogman stated that Councilor Roskoski wrote the letter to the City Council; an intense argument ensued between the two Councilor members, in which Councilor Roskoski vehemently denied the allegations from Councilor Skogman. During this argument Councilor Roskoski called Councilor Skogman an SOB and gave him the finger while the camera was turned away from him.”
The motion carried with Roskoski abstaining.
Public Forum:
- Kenny Adams addressed the Council regarding the continued issues that have been plaguing her regarding property and construction
- Council members and the Mayor declined to comment on the issues, seeking the City Attorney’s advice on legality of Mrs. Adams’ issues before continuing
- Council Roskoski recommended that information be given to Council members to get them up to speed on Mrs. Adams’ issues from City Attorney
The Mayor reported on the following:
- Condolences to the family and friends of William L. Riccio
City Administrator:
- No formal report
Director of Public Works:
- Multiple waterline breaks recently
- Recent one occurred today, on Daffodil and Unity
- Big thank you to City Crew and Staff members for all their hard work
Library Director/Special Events Coordinator:
- Winter Reading program ended Friday, February 26th
- Over 85,000 minutes read by readers throughout the community
- 35th Easter Egg Hunt (will be socially distanced)
- Hiding eggs throughout the City
- Prizes ranging between $5-50 dollars
Sheriff’s Department:
- No formal report
It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Prebeg to approve the purchase of a new 2021 Charger Police AWD V6 for the State Bid price of $28,116 from Dodge of Burnsville, Burnsville, MN. The motion carried on roll call vote.
City Engineer:
- No formal report
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Prebeg to approve Pay Request No. 1 – for the Proposed Well #3 project in the amount of $89,224, to Peterson Well Drilling, Inc., Mountain Iron, MN. This amount includes a 5% retainage. The motion carried on roll call vote.
Fire Department:
- Training attendance as well as those responding to Fire Calls are up
- Currently working on training, modifying and making changes to it, as well as making it more fluent, and standardizing it for the year, always room for improvement
- Both himself and Assistant Chief Hipple have been focusing on different types of training and responses, as well as adjusting and following up
- ISO rating just completed, would like to thank City Administrator Wainio and Department of Public Works Director Satrang for their help in completing it
Liaison:
- Councilor Skogman reported that the P&Z board met, passing both CUP permit and Ordinance Re-zoning
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skogman to make the Fire Department Report part of the public record. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski asked that a Joint meeting with the Mountain Iron-Buhl School Board be re-introduced to discuss what to do with the old High school in downtown Mountain Iron. To tear down this building and reclaim that site would be pushing roughly a million dollars; the public would then left with a very large vacant lot. Therefore, if money like that is going to be spent, it would be better spent on re-purposing the building, and then there would be something still there. Other buildings were remodeled and are still being used today, such as the Mountain Iron Power Plant, which is now utilized as the Senior Center.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by to be allowed to continue with his presentation regarding the Mountain Iron-Buhl School. The motion failed due to lack of second from fellow Councilor members
It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Buria to approve Ordinance #01-21; Amending the Official Zoning Map in and for the City of Mountain Iron, re-zoning certain parcels from Industrial to Enterprise Commercial (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Skogman and seconded by Buria to accept the recommendation of the Planning & Zoning Committee and approve the Conditional Use permit (CUP) for Daniel Siebert at 9356 Old Highway 169, Mountain Iron, MN; Parcel Code 175-0071-02370. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski spoke regarding the American Legion Liquor License reimbursement/refund, which was given to due to COVID restrictions, thus affecting local businesses. The formal City Council allowed the refunding of the 2020-2021 “On Sale” Liquor License fees to four local businesses, for $1600. Inadvertently the American Legion was overlooked; the “Club On Sale” Liquor License fee for the Legion is $100 a year. To be consistent with the other businesses that received the refund, the American Legion should be refunded $200, for their 2020-2021 license fees.
It was moved Roskoski and seconded Prebeg to be consistent with the other businesses, the City of Mountain Iron refund the American Legion their 2020-2021 “Club On Sale” liquor license fees, due to the COVID restrictions which were in place, for the amount of $200. Amended motion to include that the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority (EDA) refund the money, not the City. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skogman and seconded Prebeg to direct the City of Mountain Iron’s City Administrator and Fire Chief to contact the City of Virginia’s City Administrator and Fire Chief to utilize/contract usage and cost of the Fire Marshall services. The motion carried.
At 7:37p.m., it was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Buria that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Amanda Inmon
Municipal Services Secretary
Communications:
- MN Department of Health has recognized the City of Mountain Iron with a 2019 Water Fluoridation Quality Award for excellence in community water fluoridation.
- Local Board of Appeals and Equalization (LBAE) scheduled for Wednesday, April 21, 2021 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the Mountain Iron City Hall, Iroquois Room.
