Meeting Minutes for August 18, 2014
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 18, 2014
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Clark, Municipal Services Secretary; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; John Backman, Sergeant; and Brian Lindsay, City Attorney.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
- Approve the minutes of the August 4, 2014, 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 August 1-15, 2014, totaling $229.949.46, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
- To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period August 1-15, 2014, totaling $826,019.57, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
No one spoke during the public forum.
The Mayor reported on the following:
- Condolences. To the family of Jeanette Peterson of Parkville, Minnesota.
- Wal-Mart. Opened on August 13, 2014. He explained to the public that a gas station would not be opening at the present time. He said that in the past four to five years there had not been a gas station open with any newly constructed Wal-Mart. He further stated that Wal-Mart does not own the gas stations, they lease to oil companies to have gas services.
- Mesabi Daily News Editorial. He said that a letter was written to the Editor of the Mesabi Daily News by the residents of South Court in Ann’s Acres regarding their proposed assessments. He said that this letter was outdated because the Council acted on the adjustment to the Local Improvement Guide at their meeting on August 4, 2014.
- Unsigned Onions in the Mesabi Daily News. Old County Road 102 from Main Street Mountain Iron to Highway 53 through Parkville is a County Road and the City is not in control of what happens to this road because it is a County Road.
- Happy Birthday. Birthday wishes to the City Administrator Craig Wainio.
- Recognition. Councilor Prebeg said that the City Engineer, Rod Flannigan, competed at the 2014 MBHA Barrel Race Championship in Winona. He won first place in the MBHA Senior 3D Barrel Racing Championship.
The City Administrator reported that the insurance rates for health care on January 1, 2015 would increase by .7%.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to authorize payment request number six for the County Road 102 Utility Extension Project in the amount of $63,929.40 to Ulland Brothers Incorporated. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to authorize payment request number one for the 2014 Street Improvement Project in the amount of $228,849.77 to Mesabi Bituminous. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Variance for Lee Aultman at 816 16th Avenue South, Mountain Iron, to place a storage container 17 feet from the property line on parcel 175-0071-01163. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skalko to accept the recommendation of the Public Health and Safety Board authorizing the increase in the Fire Department Members to increase from 20 to 22. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Tuomela to authorize the Fire Department to advertise for two additional fire department positions. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela to have the Local Improvement Policy amendment with the $5,000 cap to go back to include the property owners on Heather Avenue. After further discussion, it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the motion be amended to include a review of the legality of the motion by the City Attorney. The amended motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
Councilor Stanaway asked that a Committee of the Whole meeting be set at the next regular meeting to discuss the Local Improvement Policy.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to approve the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program Agreement, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize City Staff to seek bids for City Garage Roof Repair Project. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to authorize S & F Bar Inc., dba: Sports Page Bar, to serve alcohol at the Mountain Iron Community Center on September 6, 2014 for a wedding reception. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to re-schedule the next regular meeting to Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. due to the holiday. The motion carried.
At 7:04 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to recess the regular city Council meeting and go into a closed session for a personnel issue under Minnesota Statute 13.05D, subdivision 2 (b), following a short recess. The motion carried.
At 7:13 p.m. the Mayor called the closed session to order with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; John Backman, Sergeant; and Brian Lindsay, City Attorney.
The Council discussed pending arbitration.
At 7:28 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela that the closed meeting be adjourned and reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
At 7:30 p.m., the regular meeting was reconvened with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; John Backman, Sergeant; and Brian Lindsay, City Attorney.
At 7:31 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Clark, MMC
Municipal Services Secretary
