Meeting Minutes for August 18, 2003
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 18, 2003
Deputy Mayor Roskoski called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Allen Nelson, Dale Irish, and Deputy Mayor Ed Roskoski. Absent: Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; Karen Luoma, Librarian and Rod Flannigan, City Engineer.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following item to the agenda:
III. A. Mountain Iron Housing and Redevelopment Authority
2. Approve the minutes of the August 18, 2003, City Council meeting with the following corrections:
Page 2, paragraph 1, correct name, William Johnson to Wilbert Johnson.
Page 3, Paragraph 3, add the following: “The Director of Public Works advised Councilor Irish that the ditch south of his culvert would be looked at by the City and cleaned if necessary.”
Page 4, Paragraph 2, add the following: “At 7:58 p.m., Councilor Prebeg returned to the meeting.”
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 August 1-15 2003, totaling $130,262.70, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
5. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period August 1-15, 2003, totaling $214,061.75, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, the following the following people were present: Jason Goehring, Mountain Iron Housing and Redevelopment Authority Member (HRA), Rich Soderberg, HRA Member, John Filander, HRA Member, Larry Johnson, HRA Member, and Carla Schneider, Bowman Properties. The HRA requested that a joint meeting with the HRA and the City Council be set to discuss the future of the Mountain Manor facility.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to set a special meeting of the Mountain Iron City Council to meet jointly with the Mountain Iron Housing and Redevelopment Authority on Monday, August 25, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the Mountain Manor. The motion carried.
Also during the public forum, Steve Jarvi and Jim Johnson, Volunteer Fire Department Members, were present to answer the City Council�s questions regarding the Relief Association Pension Fund.
Also during the public forum, Wilbert Johnson was present and wanted to know what the status of the Nordlund blight violation was. The City Attorney and the Blight Officer were not in attendance at the meeting, so his questions could not be answered.
During the Mayor�s Report, the Deputy Mayor reminded the City Council Members that the Minntac Liaison Committee would be meeting on August 20, 2003 and he was looking for suggestions from the Council for items to discuss. The Deputy Mayor said that he had the following items on his list: potential Reservoir Housing Development, land to exchange with the City, Minntac�s plans for the Wacootah Overlook area (from the Recreation Department), Mesabi Trail route behind Ray Saari�s property, trail plan by the Brunt Dump and Parkville (from Councilor Irish), and building a tire stand for the production truck tire at Locomotive Park. Councilor Prebeg said that he would like to know the future of the West II Campground with regard to the short-term lease. Larry Johnson suggested adding, requesting that Minntac advise the City when they put land for sale and requesting that the City have the right of first refusal.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to approve the Temporary Liquor License Application for the Range Women�s Advocates for October 10, 2003 at the Mountain Iron Community Center. The motion carried.
The City Council discussed the information received from the City Attorney. He said that the City should continue to proceed with assessing the clean up costs against the real estate taxes on the Bon Air property. The City Attorney recommended continuing to streamline the blight enforcement process. The City Attorney said that he would have a summary prepared on the HRA/EDA issue for the September 15, 2003 City Council meeting.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board and approve the Youth Smoking Policy, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to take the blight ordinance draft and refer it back to the City Attorney for additional questions and revamping. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to approve Change Order Number 1-R for the Water Tank Rehabilitation Maintenance Project in the amount of $9,707.37. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Council discussed the painting of the Water Treatment Plant.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to increase the parking ticket fines for the minimum ticket from $5.00 to $8.00 and the maximum ticket from $10.00 to $13.00. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the variance application for Cleone Phillips, 4826 Butler Road, Mountain Iron, to construct a garage closer to the lot line than allowed by the zoning ordinance on parcel 175-0071-01235. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the conditional use permit application for Dale Petersen, 5482 Heather Avenue, Mountain Iron, to construct an accessory building that is 1,152 square feet on parcel 175-0071-01235. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to direct City Staff to contact Damberg, Scott, Gerzina and Wagner Architects and find out the name of the person who inspected the library building, obtain their credentials, get the date when the inspection was completed, and have the report presented to the City Council with regard to the inspection. The motion carried with Deputy Mayor Roskoski voting no.
The Library Board also requested that there be better communications with the City Council with regard to the renovation of the building.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to accept the resignation of Janice Rafferty effective September 1, 2003 and have the City Administrator forward a letter to Mrs. Rafferty thanking her for her years of service to the City of Mountain Iron. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to forward the situation regarding the part-time custodian position at the Library to the Personnel Committee to obtain the documentation regarding the position and make a recommendation to the City Council at their earliest convenience. The motion carried.
The Council discussed the status of the picnic tables in the Downtown Park by the Mountain Iron-Buhl High School. It was the consensus of the Council to have the Parks and Recreation Director check on the matter.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to direct City Staff, as soon as possible, to have the gutters at the library cleaned and inspected. And, if there is a need for repairs, to bring the information back to the City Council for further action. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to table the 2004 Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) Assessment until the next regular meeting. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize payment of $5,000 of the Virginia/Gilbert/Eveleth/Mountain Iron Area Chamber of Commerce for the 2003 allocation. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to reschedule the next regular meeting to Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 6:30 p.m. because of the Labor Day holiday. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Irish to direct City Staff to send a thank you letter from the City Council to the Merritt Days Committee and have the Parks and Recreation Director give it to the Committee. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to direct City Staff to send a thank you letter from the City Council to the City Staff that were involved with the preparation and work on the Merritt Days event. The motion carried with Councilor Irish voting no.
It was moved by Irish that if any of the following public officials are going to be absent from the City Council meeting that the Council be notified in the City Council packet prior to the meeting: City Administrator, Director of Public Works, Sergeant, City Attorney, Director of Parks and Recreation, and City Engineer. And further, if there is a suitable substitute available, that they attend the meeting in their place. After further discussion, Councilor Irish withdrew his motion.
At 8:42 p.m., it was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority, a letter advising the City that Congressman Oberstar will be riding the Mesabi Trail on August 23, 2003.
Mediacom, forwarding information regarding programming choices for the new digital programming customers.
Ehlers Advisor, forwarding the Summer 2003 newsletter.
