Meeting Minutes for April 07, 2008
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
APRIL 7, 2008
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Tony Zupancich, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Absent member included: Alan Stanaway. 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 (entering the meeting at 7:02 p.m.).
The Mayor thanked the City Crew for the excellent job with all of the snow removal completed with the recent snow storm.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the following items be removed from the agenda and forwarded to the appropriate board or commission as follows:
Spruce and Aspen Intersection be forwarded to the Street and Alley Committee
Sump Pump Non-Compliance be forwarded to the Utility Advisory Board
Wind Turbine Farm be forwarded to the Utility Advisory Board
The motion carried with Councilor Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. A. 1. Cable Commission Appointment
2. Labor Management Meeting
VI. I. Resolution Number 17-08, Ordering Bids
VI. E. Donation to the Mesabi Family YMCA
VI. J. Planning and Zoning Building Permit Letter
2. Approve the minutes of the March 17, 2008, City Council meeting as submitted.
3. 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.
4. To acknowledge the receipts for the period March 16-31, 2008, totaling $186,773.49, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period March 16-31, 2008, totaling $269,824.44, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no and Stanaway absent.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following items:
– City Advertising. He said that the letter writing campaign to the Mountain Iron businesses using Mountain Iron in their advertising has been very well received and effective.
– Quad Cities Entrance Sign. The vandalism done to the sign was cleaned up and he thanked City Staff for completing the cleanup.
– Range Recreation Civic Center. He updated the Council on the current status of the building. He said the loan had been paid off on the building and currently the City is contributing $7,560 per year to run the facility. He pointed out that because of the Mighty Ducks Amendment that the building must be open and running until 2017. He said that the Mesaba Curling Organization has been taking care of the operation of the building. He said that the Curling Club would be requesting additional funding in the 2009 budget because of increased energy costs.
– Newspaper Articles. He said that Mountain Iron has gotten some nice publicity with Mountain Timber and the Wind Energy Projects recently.
– Fairview Clinic. He said that the Clinic had approached the Economic Development Authority Board regarding an extension in the development agreement for the proposed expansion of the Clinic. They were supposed to be starting in May of 2008 and were requesting a two year extension.
– Board of Review. He reminded the Council of the meeting set for Tuesday, April 8, 2008 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
– Planning and Zoning Building Permit Letter. He said that this letter was not any ruling from the City, but rather a letter advising the residents of the State regulations.
– Briarwood Estates. He said that he spoke with a official from the City of Virginia and they advised him that the developer of Briarwood Estates had removed some of the trees to put the property up for sale. The trees would have to be removed from the area to be disposed of and not burnt.
– Congratulations. He offered congratulations to the Mountain Iron-Buhl Boys Basketball Team and the Girls Basketball Team for having such a good Season.
– 6th Annual Bush Snowmobile Ride. The Mayor asked Councilor Prebeg to update the Council. Councilor Prebeg said that they had a successful fund raiser on February 16, 2008, with $42,000 contributed to the Virginia Regional Medical Center to the Diabetes Center.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to appoint Allen Nelson to the Mountain Iron Cable Commission with the term expiring on December 31, 2008. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski to set a Labor/Management Meeting for Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. with Councilor Zupancich and Mayor Skalko from the Council attending the meeting. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
The Council discussed the request regarding the Conference attendance for the Municipal Services Secretary. The item was referred to the Personnel Committee for a recommendation.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to authorize the request of the Mountain Iron-Buhl School for the April 19, 2008, Prom Event at the Senior Center to authorize a Saint Louis County Sheriff to attend the event at City expense with approval from the Saint Louis County Sergeant. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Library Pictures. He said that the City is having difficulty retaining a certified appraiser to appraise the pictures at the Mountain Iron Library.
– Library Roof. He said that the City Attorney is contacting the Bonding Company of the business, which went out of business, to get the work completed.
– Personal Request. He said that his son Bryce wanted him to mention his Wii on television.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to accept the City of Mountain Iron Safety Incentive Program Policy, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and authorize the large trash pickup during June of 2008. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and approve the electrical rate increase as presented, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no and Stanaway absent.
The Sergeant reported that at 3:00 p.m. today they took an individual into custody for the robbery that was committed at the Mountain Iron Short Stop on April 5, 2008.
The Sergeant advised the Council that he would have some information available for the next regular meeting regarding the vehicle forfeitures.
Councilor Roskoski questioned why the City Council received the Proposed Comprehensive Plan for the City. The Administrator said that this would be discussed at the next regular City Council meeting. He requested that the Council members bring the plan with them to the next meeting.
The Council had several questions for the City Engineer as follows:
– Road Construction Projects. They would begin once the road restrictions were removed.
– Crack Sealing Program. The program could only be completed with warm weather.
– Sump Pump Ordinance. Valvoline elected to be fined in the winter months rather than connecting to the City’s storm sewer.
– Football Practice Field by Merritt. The grass could be ready for the Fall practice time, but it is not guaranteed. The Director of Public Works said that he had contacted the school regarding the issue.
– Tennis Courts. The scope of the project is to reconstruct, initially looked at the project as a rehab project, but when soil borings were completed it has now been confirmed that it would need to be reconstructed. The fencing must come down for the project and the fencing would be salvaged.
– Unity Drive. He would review the large parallel crack in the road by Mud Lake Road. This would be covered under the one year warranty on workmanship.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and the Public Health and Safety Board and approve the First Responders Selection Policy, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to accept the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and the Public Health and Safety Board and approve the Policy for Appointment of First Responders Officers, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and the Public Health and Safety Board and approve position analysis for the following positions: First Responders Director, First Responder Assistance Director, and the First Responder, (copies are attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Prebeg to direct City Staff, who are responsible for Board and Commission meeting schedules, do the best they can to stagger meetings so they do not overlap. The motion failed with Prebeg, Zupancich, and Skalko voting no and Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Resolution Number 15-08, Declaring Adequacy of Petition and Ordering Preparation of Report to improve a portion of Unity Drive, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski abstaining and Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 16-08, Charitable Gambling, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to authorize B.G.’s to set up a bar at the Community Center on April 26, 2008 for the Larry Wiitala Benefit. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to authorize a contribution $2,500 to the Calvary Cemetery Association. The motion carried on a roll call vote with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to waive the building rental fee for the Mesabi Family YMCA Annual Strong Kids’ Auction to be held in April of 2008. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to authorize City Staff to donate a two (2) night campground stay at the West II Rivers Campground for the Mesabi Family YMCA Annual Strong Kids’ Auction. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
The Council reviewed the communication from IRRR for the Infrastructure Grant Program. This would be on the April 21, 2008, City Council agenda. Councilor Roskoski said that the following should be on the list for a grant applications: 1) Spring Park Road; 2) Browns Road; 3) Streetcar Road; and 4) Giorgi’s Road to have them upgraded from gravel roads to paved roads.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 17-08, approving plans and specifications and ordering advertisement for bids for the Old Highway 169 Project, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich that a revised building permit letter be drafted by City Staff, with more complete information, for review by the City Council at a future meeting, for a possible second mailing. The motion failed with Prebeg, Zupancich, and Skalko voting no and Stanaway absent.
During the open discussion the following items were discussed:
– Foreman Position. Councilor Prebeg advised the Council that a closed meeting would be scheduled for April 21, 2008, to discuss contract negotiations.
– Wind Turbine Farm. The Fire Chief reported that the Wind Turbine Farm are located in the Mountain Iron fire call area. He said that he spoke with the Minntac Fire Officials and they said they would not respond to a fire at the Wind Turbine Farm. The Mayor said that this should go back to the Public Safety and Health Board to discuss further.
– Sump Pump Compliance. Councilor Roskoski stated that there are 56 residents on the list that should be contacted. The Mayor said that the issue was referred to the Utility Advisory Board.
At 8:14 p.m., it was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried with Stanaway absent.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Iron Range Resources, a letter requesting pre-applications for the Public Works Infrastructure grants with a deadline of April 30, 2008.
