Meeting Minutes for April 05, 2010

MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
APRIL 5, 2010

Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Anderson, Municipal Services Secretary; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; and John Backman, Sergeant.

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

1. Add the following item to the agenda:

IV. F. 2. Assistant Fire Chief/First Responder Director

2. Approve the minutes of the March 10, 2010, special meeting as submitted.

3. Approve the minutes of the March 15, 2010, regular meeting as submitted.

4. Approve the minutes of the March 17, 2010, special meeting as submitted.

5. Approve the minutes of the March 26, 2010, special meeting as submitted.

6. That the communications be accepted, placed on file, and those requiring further action by the City Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda.

7. To acknowledge the receipts for the period March 16-31, 2010, totaling $224,612.76, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

8. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period March 16-31, 2010, totaling $369,954.62, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

During the public forum, Keith Altobelli, 8366 Marigold Street, spoke regarding an article in the March 24, 2010, Mesabi Daily News about the City receiving two grants, one for Park Ridge and another for the Renewable Energy Park. He questioned the Council regarding a request to apply for a grant for the West Virginia Storm Sewer Project. The City Administrator stated that the grant listed for Park Ridge is actually for the Nichol Industrial Park to move the storm water pond. The Mayor stressed that the Renewable Energy Park grant was applied for through the Economic Development Authority and not the City. Mr. Altobelli asked if the Council was still looking at the West Virginia Storm Sewer Project. The Director of Public Works said that a feasibility study had been completed on the West Virginia Storm Sewer Project and it was currently with the Street and Alley Committee. 

The Mayor updated the Council on the following:

 Lakehead Construction. He said that an Open House was held at Lakehead Construction on April 1, 2010. He said that they advised City Staff that they would have 12 full-time jobs in their Mountain Iron office.
 Laurentian Clinic. He announced that a Grand Opening would be held at the Laurentian Clinic on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
 Perkins Restaurant. He advised the Council that they are tentatively planning to opening the restaurant on May 8, 2010.
 Convention Center. He had spoken with the developer and he stated that they were currently meeting with the contractors on the project.
 Mountain Iron Fire Department. He advised the Council that the Fire Department is moving forward in a positive manner. He said that there have been five more applicants that have applied to be on the department and three are women. He said that of the five applicants, three have already been trained and ready to go if they pass their background checks and physical. He said that this would bring the total to on the Department to 19, which is one more than the City previously had.
 Eagle Scout. He said that he attended the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Ben Curry on March 20, 2010.

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to publish a full page advertisement in the Mesabi Daily News for Unity Second and South Forest Grove housing additions. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Roskoski to adopt the general authorization release form for the City of Mountain Iron, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.

The Director of Public Works updated the Council on the repaving of County Road 7 by Saint Louis County, with the project set for 2013.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to direct City Staff to call for quotes on interpretative signage at Locomotive Park as required by the grant. It was moved by Roskoski to amendment the motion to include, that a Locomotive Park Sign Subcommittee be formed, possibly composed of Harry Lampa, Marvin Lampa, Ray Saari, Tom Nikolanci, Mark Kailanen, Ted Newberg, Bill Buria, Bill Riccio, Roger Koski, Marvin Saari, Cary Satrang, Cary Johnson, and others, if needed, to review the text of all Locomotive Park signs for historic accuracy before the signs are ordered and made. The amendment to the motion failed for lack of a second. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to advertise for bids for the Mountain Iron Energy Park Utility Extension and Site Grading Project (Phase Two). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skalko to accept the recommendation of the Public Health and Safety Board and appoint the following as Mountain Iron First Responders:

Anthony Yeley
Keith Nyman

Contingent on passing back ground checks and proof of certification. The motion carried. 

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to post for the Assistant Emergency Medical Services Director position until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 16, 2010. The motion carried.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt the position analysis for the Fire Chief and Assistant Emergency Medical Services Director. After further discussion, it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to amended the motion to include a minimum of four years minimum fire fighting experience and two years prior experience as an officer within a Fire Department for the Fire Chief position; and, a minimum of two years prior work experience in Emergency Medical Service for the Assistant Emergency Medical Services Director, (copies are attached and made a part of these minutes). The amended motion carried unanimously.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to accept the recommendation of the Personal Committee and appoint Joseph Buria as the Mountain Iron Fire Chief. The motion carried.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to accept the recommendation of the Personal Committee and appoint Robert Brown as the Commercial Building Inspector. The motion carried.

The Council took no action on the Assistant Librarian position, the Personal Committee will have a recommendation for the April 19, 2010, City Council meeting.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Building and Grounds Committee and approve the updated Hold Harmless Agreement for the City Buildings (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to seek information from the Marquette Catholic School regarding their status as a non-profit, for consideration regarding their request for the building rental fees being waived. The motion carried.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Personal Committee and adopt the Labor Agreement between the City of Mountain Iron and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, Local Union Number 453, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes), contingent on the Union signing the agreement. It was moved by Roskoski to amend the motion and that this proposed contract not be approved, as is, and that negotiations continue to remove the following information from the contract: Page 3, remove the Assistant Administrator and the Assistant Director of Public Works titles be removed; Page 19, the Library Substitute/ Cleaner, Job Class 4, be removed; Page 20, the Library Sub/Cleaner and salary reference be removed. The amendment to the motion failed for lack of a second. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize B.G.’s Bar and Grill to serve alcohol at the Community Center on April 29, 2010, for the United Way and on April 30, 2010, for the Marquette Catholic School to hold their events. The motion carried.

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to waive the building rental fees for the Summer Work Outreach Project Fundraiser Dinner on Thursday, April 15, 2010. The motion carried.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to waive the building rental fees for the Iron Range Earth Fest on April 17, 2010. The motion carried.

The Council reviewed the list of communications. Councilor Roskoski commented on the communication received from the Virginia Public Access Studios regarding the broadcast of City Council meetings. Mr. Darwin Alar, Mountain Iron City Council meeting cameraman, addressed Councilor Roskoski’s concerns. 

The Mayor thanked the volunteers that assisted with the Mountain Iron Easter Egg Hunt.

At 7:49 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.

Submitted by:

Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary

www.mtniron.com

COMMUNICATIONS

1. Mediacom, forwarding rate information.

2. Terry Hartikka, Station Manager, Virginia Public Access Studios, information regarding the taping and broadcast of meetings.

3. Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, forwarding the Legislative Update.

4. Paul Lee, Coordinator, Saint Louis County Emergency Management Division, forwarding information regarding Severe Weather Awareness Week.