Meeting Minutes for December 15, 2003
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
DECEMBER 15, 2003
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Allen Nelson, Dale Irish, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Larry Nanti, Director of Parks and Recreation; and Rod Flannigan, City Engineer.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. A. 2. Family Medical Leave Request
3. Resolution Number 44-03
F. 1. Bon Air Issue
V. F. Quad Cities Economic Development Authority
VI. A. 2. RFP Number 8
Approve the minutes of the November 24, 3003, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting as submitted
Approve the minutes of the December 1, 2003, City Council meeting as submitted.
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.
To acknowledge the receipts for the period December 1-15 2003, totaling $532,585.97, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period December 1-15, 2003, totaling $390,651.57, (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.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize a donation to the Mountain Iron Senior Citizen�s Club for their annual Christmas/New Year�s dinner party in the amount of $100. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Nelson, no; Irish, no; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to authorize a two week leave under the Family Medical Leave Act for Mary Jo Glavan-Salo. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 44-03, guaranteeing the local share of construction costs and ongoing maintenance, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to approve the temporary liquor license for the American Legion Post 220 for the New Year�s Eve party at the Community Center for December 31, 2003 and January 1, 2004, pending approval from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize a raffle for the Arrowhead Chapter of Muskies� Incorporated to raise funds to promote the sport of Muskie fishing. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski asked the City Administrator what the status of the special assessment process for the Park Ridge Development area was. The Administrator said that everything had been completed to date and he is now waiting for the project closeout.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and eliminate the Enterprise Zone electric rate from the electric rate schedule. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the Director of Public Works regarding an “onion” that appeared in the Mesabi Daily News for plowing on the Mesabi Trail. The Director of Public Works said that the contractor that is working on the trail swept the trail to keep the snowmobiles off of the trail as to not cause any damage to the trail. The Director of Public Works said that the City does not maintain the trails.
The Director of Parks and Recreation informed the Council that the skating rinks would be open on Thursday, December 18, 2003.
The Director of Parks and Recreation requested permission to have an advertisement for the New Year�s Eve party. It was the consensus of the Council to allow an advertisement for the party.
The Director of Parks and Recreation advised the Council that the Manney Shopper would not publish the skating schedule for free. He advised the Council that the schedule had been in the school newsletter, the web site, and the Mesabi Daily News.
Councilor Irish asked why only half of the Christmas lights were lit on the tree in the Library yard. The Director of Public Works said that there was a problem with the electrical circuits. The Director of Public Works said that the electric problem has been resolved, but the tree needs more bulbs to look better. He said that the Council should consider ordering bulbs in the Spring for the next Christmas.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skalko to accept the recommendation of the Library Board and hire Ron McGriff for the consultant job under Option I. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to authorize the City Attorney to accept the transfer of the ownership of the property from Harry�s Bon Air Incorporated to the City without any additional consideration. After further discussion, Councilor Roskoski withdrew his motion and Mayor Skalko withdrew his support.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize payment request number five to Rajala Construction for work completed on the Mountain Iron Commercial Forty in the amount of $29,521.25. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize the final payment request, number four, to LeadCon Incorporated for work completed on the Water Tank Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $22,056.10. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize the final payment request, number three-R to Leadcon Incorporated for work completed on the water storage reservoir rehabilitation/maintenance in the amount of $26,357.37. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the Engineer regarding the study on the storm drainage estimate in the Heather Avenue area. He asked if the Engineers have calculated how much it would be for the residents with private wells to connect to the public system. The City Administrator stated that someone else at Benchmark Engineering was working on the water connection study on Heather Avenue.
The City Council discussed the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and the Economic Development Authority proposal prepared by the City Attorney. The Mayor thought that a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting should be scheduled to discuss the matter further.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt the 2004-2008 capital improvement plan as submitted. The motion failed with Mayor Skalko and Councilors Irish and Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt the 2004 budgets as submitted, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 40-03, approving the 2003 tax levy, collectable 2004, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 42-03, establishing the fee schedule for 2004, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
At 8:01 p.m., Councilor Roskoski left the meeting.
At 8:03 p.m., Councilor Roskoski returned to the meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to suspend the operations of the Quad Cities Economic Development Authority and reconcile and return the remaining funds to the four Quad Cities, with this motion to supercede the motion made on December 1, 2003. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to allow the five existing members on the Quad City Economic Development Authority (QCEDA) to continue to serve on the QCEDA until the final business is taken care of. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to accept the recommendation of the Architects and approve RFP Number 7 for the Phase II Interior renovation of the Mountain Iron Library in the amount of $4,575.00. The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Skalko to accept the recommendation of the Architects and approve RFP Number 8 for the Phase II Interior renovation of the Mountain Iron Library in the amount of $163.00. The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Prebeg to authorize the payment of the 2004 membership dues for Range Association of Municipalities and Schools in the amount of $700.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to authorize the Personal Accident Policy for the City Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Utility Advisory Board, the Parks and Recreation Board, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and the Library Board in the amount of $408.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution 43-03, Charitable Gambling, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
During the open discussion, Councilor Irish asked the Administrator if there were excess funds in the 2003 budget where would they go. The Administrator stated that the funds would go into the reserve accounts for whatever funds have excess funds.
Councilor Roskoski asked if the Personnel Committee had met with the Union to discuss the early retirement proposal. The Administrator said that they are trying to schedule a meeting.
At 8:25 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
