Meeting Minutes for August 20, 2012
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 20, 2012
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Ed Roskoski, Tony Zupancich, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Clark, Municipal Services Secretary; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; 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 6, 2012, 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, 2012, totaling $156,757.61, (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, 2012, totaling $374,188.01, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; Tuomela, yes; Roskoski, no; and Skalko, yes.
During the public forum, Greg Chad spoke and questioned what the cause of the power outage on August 18, 2012, in West Virginia, was. The City Administrator said that the outage was caused by a failed cutout at the intersection of County Road 7 and Unity Drive. Mr. Chad also questioned if the Bluebell and Daffodil Overlay Project had been completed because there was a pile of blacktop sitting on his property. The City Engineer said that the project has not been completed and there was still a punch list for the contractor to complete.
The Mayor reported on the following:
- Merritt Days Celebration. He thanked Special Events Coordinator Peterangelo, City Staff, and the volunteers working on the Merritt Days Celebration. He thanked Jessica Larsen and Michelle Kaivola for chairing the committee. He said that the celebration was well attended and successful.
- MIB Fall Sports. He noted that the Fall Sports would be starting and wished the participants good luck in their chosen sport.
- Recogitions:
- The Mayor recognized Ryan Buria, 2011 Mountain Iron-Buhl Graduate, for starting as quarterback for the Saint Cloud Huskies Football Team.
- Councilor Prebeg recognized Casey Mattila for his military service with the United States Marines.
- Councilor Roskoski recognized the 2012 Merritt Days Committee: Kathy Witzman, Ryan Anderson, Nicole Pelletier, Michelle Kaivola, Chairperson Jessica Larsen, Marcia Gellerstedt, Jeremy Jesch, Peggy Anderson, Jason Gellerstedt, Jodie Mattila, Steve Morrisette, Corrine Jordan, Dale Irish, Linda Foucault, Mike Richards, Rozella Richards, Ed Roskoski, and Sally Peterangelo (Coordinator).
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to direct City Staff to prepare a thank you letter from the City Council to the Merritt Days Committee and forward the letter to the Chairperson Jessica Larson. The motion carried.
The City Administrator reported on the following:
- IRRRB Rehabilitation Program. They are developing a program to assist homeowners upgrade their homes. The program is coordinated through the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), the Minnesota Housing Financing Agency, and the IRRRB Agency. He advised residents to contact AEOA for additional information. Council Roskoski requested that the Administrator place the contact information on the public access television channel.
- Bond Refinancing. He advised the Council that George Eilertson, Northland Securities, would be at the next regular meeting to answer questions regarding refinancing City bonds.
- Preliminary Levy. He advised the Council that the preliminary levy would be due to Saint Louis County in September, so the preliminary budget and levy would be presented to the Council at the next regular meeting.
During the City Attorney’s report, Councilor Roskoski questioned the Attorney regarding the Handbook from the League of Minnesota Cities that the Council received in their packet. He said that there was a reference to Minnesota Statute 609.72, he requested a copy of the statute.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to approve change order number one for the City Hall and Senior Center Sidewalk and Step Replacement Project increasing the contract amount by $765.50 making the total contract $17,428.00. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize the final payment request, number two, for the City Hall and Senior Center Sidewalk and Step Replacement Project in the amount of $2,664.36 to C & C Winger Incorporated. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, yes; Tuomela, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to award the re-roofing project at the Mountain Iron Senior Citizens Center to J & S Renovations for a cost of $10,950.00. The motion carried unanimously.
During the liaison reports, Councilor Roskoski said that, during an activity associated with the Merritt Days Celebration, there was a request for some electrical service in the Downtown Park. He said that the request would be referred to the Utility Advisory Board for a recommendation.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Roskoski to adopt Resolution Number 17-12, authorizing the City Administrator to make application to and accept funds from the Iron Range Resources Residential Redevelopment Grant Program, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to authorize the 2012 appropriation of $2,500 to the Laurentian Chamber of Commerce for the Scenic Overlook. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
Councilor Roskoski requested that there be citizen participation in the long range plan meetings. The Mayor informed Councilor Roskoski that the City was developing a Strategic Plan and not a Comprehensive Plan and previously there had only been citizen involvement during the Comprehensive Planning process.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to reschedule the next regular meeting to Tuesday, September 4, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. because of the Labor Day holiday. The motion carried.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
At 7:00 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Clark, MMC
Municipal Services Secretary
COMMUNICATIONS
- League of Minnesota Cities, information regarding Community Conversations.
- Iron Range Veterans Memorial, an invitation to a special dedication ceremony on Saturday, August 25, 2012.
