Meeting Minutes for December 01, 2014
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
DECEMBER 1, 2014
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:36 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Alan Stanaway, Tony Zupancich, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Jill M. Clark, Municipal Services Secretary; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; Mike Downs, Director of Public Works; and Sally Yuccas, Librarian/Special Events Coordinator.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
- Add the following item to the agenda:
IV. A. 2. Advertise for Board and Commission openings
- Approve the minutes of the November 17, 2014, regular meeting as submitted.
- Approve the minutes of the November 17, 2014, committee-of-the-whole 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 November 16-30, 2014, totaling $154,157.61, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
- To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period November 16-30, 2014, totaling $224,917.54, (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.
At 6:39 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to recess the regular meeting and open the public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant application for assistance with a storm sewer project in the Downtown Mountain Iron area. The motion carried.
The Mayor reported on the following:
- Announcement. Informed the Council that the 2015 Governor’s Deer Opener will be held in Mountain Iron.
- Laurentian Chamber of Commerce. He advised the Council that he had submitted a letter to the Chamber to correct an advertisement in the Hometown Focus showing the location of nine businesses that were located in Mountain Iron, as they were listed in the City of Virginia.
- Condolences. To the Family of Peter Lanari.
- Thank you. He said that Sergeant Backman had informed him of a resident, Mike Shaleen, who assists Terry Knuti to trap, hunt, and attend conventions for trapping and hunting.
- Thank you. Councilor Zupancich thanked the voters for re-electing him as Councilor for the next four years.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to authorize a contribution of $100 for the Senior Citizens Annual Christmas party, with the funds being expended from the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway to direct City Staff to advertise for open positions on the Library Board and the Public Health and Safety Board with a deadline to apply as December 31, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. The motion carried.
The Director of Public Works reported on the following:
- Water Line Breaks. He informed the Council that they have had several water line breaks already. He advised the public to notify the City if they notice a lot of water in an area.
- City Garage Roof Project. The project was almost completed; still have some fascia work to complete.
- Nichols Town Hall Project. The project has been completed.
- Planned Power Outage. Advised the Council that a planned power outage would occur on December 11, 2014 from 11:45 p.m. until approximately 4:00 a.m. on December 12, 2014, to allow Minnesota Power to change out lines for their substation on County Road 102.
The Librarian/Special Events Coordinator reported on the following:
- 2015 Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener. She will serve on the Planning Committee for this event.
- Tea on Tuesday. Vern Lind would be at the Library on December 2nd.
- Library Report. Reviewed the November 2014 report.
- Mountain Iron-Buhl High School Choir. Will perform two times, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., on December 9th at the Library.
- Medical Workshop. Anne Flaim will present a workshop on blood pressure, chronic disease, and cholesterol management at 6:00 p.m. on December 3rd.
- Merritt Days Committee Meetings. She announced that the Committee meets every 3rd Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at the Library and new members are welcome.
At 6:53 p.m., Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator, entered the meeting.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize change order number two to Hibbing Excavating for the Unity Drive Improvement Project to increase the contract price by $969.29, for a total contract of $600,414.79. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to authorize payment request number six for the Unity Drive Improvement Project to Hibbing Excavating Incorporated in the amount of $20,388.94. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and approve the Agreement for Collection of Residential and Commercial Recyclable Materials between the City of Mountain Iron and Saint Louis County, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and approve the Agreement for Program Administration Services between the City of Mountain Iron and Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and approve the Sewer Maintenance Policy Number 2014-03, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt the 2015 budget as presented, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 23-14, approving the 2014 Tax Levy, Collectable 2015, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution Number 24-14, approving the 2015 Market Rate Based Referendum Levy for the General Obligation Community Center Bonds and Interest, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution Number 25-14, concerning the 2015 Economic Development Authority Tax Levy, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 26-14, approving the Community Development Block Grant Application, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to allow Jeff and Greg Properties, Inc., dba: B.G.’s Saloon, to serve alcohol at the Mountain Iron Community Center on December 12, 2014, for the Brandon White Benefit. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to authorize a contribution of $300 to the Mesabi Family YMCA for their Annual Dinner and Auction Fundraiser on March 26, 2015. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
At 7:14 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela that the regular meeting be recessed and enter into a closed meeting under MN Statute 13.05D, Subdivision 3(a) for performance evaluations concerning Management Employees subject to the public body’s authority, following a recess. The motion carried.
At 7:30 p.m., Mayor Skalko called the closed City Council meeting to order with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Alan Stanaway, Tony Zupancich, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present was: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator.
The Mayor stated that the purpose of the closed meeting was to conduct performance evaluations of the City Administrator, the Director of Public Works, and the Librarian/Special Events Coordinator. The City Administrator left the closed meeting during his evaluation.
At 8:58 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela that the closed meeting be adjourned and to reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
At 8:59 p.m., Mayor Skalko called the regular City Council meeting to order with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Alan Stanaway, Tony Zupancich, and Mayor Gary Skalko.
At 9:00 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Clark, MMC
Municipal Services Secretary
COMMUNICATIONS
- Saint Louis County, Environmental Services Department, a letter informing the City of an increase in the solid waste tipping fees for 2015.
- Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an announcement regarding flood insurance in the City of Mountain Iron.
- League of Minnesota Cities, forwarding the 2014-15 coverage changes, rates, and dividends.
- Mesabi Family YMCA, a letter announcing their annual dinner and auction fundraiser and asking for support.
- Mediacom, forwarding information about changes to the channel lineup.
- City of Mountain Iron, a notice of a planned power outage on December 11-12, 2014.
