Meeting Minutes for February 02, 2004
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 2, 2004
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 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; and Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works. The following Volunteer Firemen were present: Tom Cvar, Fire Chief; Steve Norvitch, Assistant Fire Chief; Joe Buria; Steve Skogman; Greg Chad; Rory King; and Alan Stanaway.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. A. 2. Mineland Reclamation Division of IRRRB
Move the following item from IV. A. 1. Great River Energy Bicycle Festival To: VI. G.
A. Payment Request for the Mountain Iron Library
Approve the minutes of the January 20, 2004, City Council meeting with the following correction:
Page 1, last paragraph: “It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to appoint Sam Aluni, The Trenti Law Firms, as the City�s primary attorney for everyday types of legal work and appoint Larry C. Minton, Ltd. as the secondary firm to handle personnel and other issues. issues that the primary firm can not handle. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.”
Approve the minutes of the January 13, 2004, Committee-of-the-Whole 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 January 16-31, 2004, totaling $205,586.64, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payment of the bills and payroll for the period January 16-31, 2004, totaling $178,161.69, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Mrs. Dale Petersen, 5482 Heather Avenue, Mountain Iron, asked if the City Council had received a report from the Zoning Administrator regarding the Tim Anderson Conditional Use Permit or what the Planning and Zoning Commission has done regarding the issue. Councilor Irish stated that the Planning and Zoning Commission did review the situation and Mr. Anderson advised them that his Father and Cousin currently work in the Automotive Shop and he sometimes has students from the Mesabi Range College training in the Automotive Shop. He further advised Mrs. Petersen that the Shop closes at 7:00 p.m. Mrs. Peterson also asked about the excavating business being conducted on the Anderson property. The City Council recommended that the Mr. and Mrs. Petersen attend the next regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to authorize a $100 contribution to the Mountain Iron-Buhl High School Student Council to attend the 9th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Festival at Augsburg College in Minneapolis on February 19, 2004. After further discussion, Skalko amend his motion to increase the contribution to $150 with Roskoski supporting the amendment. The amended motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize reimbursement for a Mountain Iron First Responder that attended the Arrowhead EMS Conference in Duluth in January, 2004. After further discussion, Mayor Skalko withdrew his motion and Councilor Prebeg withdrew his support. The Council requested that a more detailed reimbursement request be submitted for consideration at the next regular City Council meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to approve the Quad Cities Proclamation “Range of the Arts 2004”, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
During the Mayor�s report, the Mayor requested the Director of Public Works to express his gratitude and thanks to the City of Mountain Iron Employees for the excellent job with the snow removal and the recent water line breaks.
The Mayor requested that the City Council review the HRA/EDA information and be prepared to discuss the issue at the next regular meeting when the City Attorney would be present.
The Mayor discussed the possibility of Cabela�s locating in the area. The Mayor requested that the City Administrator provide Commissioner Nelson with the plats of land available in the Park Ridge Development.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to waive the fees for the Community Center rooms for June 9-10, 2004 and direct City Staff to provide the barricading in areas of Mountain Iron that are being used for the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to approve the Proclamation endorsing the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
The Mayor advised the Council that there are grants available through the Mineland Reclamation Division of the IRRRA. He further stated that to qualify for grant funding the projects must meet some basic criteria, i.e. projects must be located on lands that were disturbed or impacted by mining and the land must be publicly owned. The grant deadline is February 27, 2004. The Council Members mentioned the following ideas for funding: ATV trail system, Locomotive Park, and the old City dump site cleanup by the City Garage.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to approve the Mesabi Humane Society contract for animal control for the period February 1, 2004 through January 31, 2005, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
Councilor Roskoski questioned whether the Utility Advisory Board had developed a new water rate to incorporate the bond payments for the water storage facilities renovation. The Director of Public Works said that the Utility Advisory Board has met and discussed the water and sewer rates. The Director said that the Utility Advisory Board would be making a recommendation to the City Council on a utility rate increases. The City Council requested that City Staff contact the City Auditors to have the 2003 audit report prepared as soon as possible.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation from the Fire Department and accept the bid from Custom Fire in the amount of $296,555.00 plus an additional $1,646.00 to have the IHC 410 horsepower chassis and to include all of the deductions as listed by the Fire Department. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The City Council requested that the City Administrator research the prepayment interest deduction for the purchase of the fire truck with regard to available funds and legal ramifications.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct the Fire Department Staff to work with City Staff and prepare a bid proposal for the sale of the surplus fire trucks following the City�s standard procedure policy. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize the Fire Department to send a maximum of three volunteer firemen per meeting to the three out of town Arrowhead Regional meetings at a cost of approximately $12-$15 per person. And further, to authorize all of the Mountain Iron Firemen to attend the December Arrowhead Regional meeting that the City of Mountain Iron is hosting at no cost to the City. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to allow Joe Buria to attend the Fire Department training class for the Federal Emergency Management Association grant writing workshop in Anoka with the City reimbursing him for mileage. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to authorize one member of the Mountain Iron Volunteer Fire Department to attend the Arson Investigation Training in March in St. Cloud with the City paying the three nights of hotel, meals and registration with the Fire Chief determining who will attend. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize the Mountain Iron Fire Department to advertise to hire two Volunteer Firemen. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize the final payment request to Mesabi Bituminous, Inc. in the amount of $8,306.22 for the City Hall parking lot paving. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Council reviewed the Mesabi Trail-Mountain Iron Trail Segment. The City Administrator said that another meeting was set with the Trail Authority to discuss trail further.
The Council discussed the “Early Retirement Proposal” submitted by AFSCME Local 453. The Personnel Committee recommended that the “Early Retirement Proposal” be dropped. The Mayor requested that the City Administrator set up a meeting with the AFSCME Local 453 Employee that initially requested the “Early Retirement Proposal”, the Union Representative, and the Personnel Committee.
At 8:35 p.m., Councilor Roskoski left the meeting.
At 8:38 p.m., Councilor Roskoski returned to the meeting.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Skalko to authorize payment request number two to Lenci Enterprises in the amount of $42,786.10 for the Phase II, Interior Renovations for the Mountain Iron Library. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Nelson to allow the Municipal Services Secretary to attend the 2004 Minnesota Clerks and Finance Officers Association Annual Conference in Alexandria from March 16-19, 2004, with the City paying the registration fee and mileage. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct the City Engineer to:
Study the Ann�s Acres street light layout and develop a map where the present lights are officially located and where additional street lights may be needed;
That cost estimates showing the following be compiled:
a. the additional streets lights, whether they are steel/aluminum poles with lights installed with an underground conductor, and leave the wood poles as is.
b. all new steel/aluminum poles with lights installed with underground conductors throughout the whole Ann�s Acres neighborhood.
The deadline for this project would be March 31, 2004 or sooner.
The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg and Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to reschedule the February 16, 2004 meeting to Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. because of the President�s Day holiday. The motion carried.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to direct the City Engineer to contact John Thomas, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, to develop plans and specifications to solve the noise and odor problems at the Mountain Iron Wastewater Treatment Plant. After some discussion, Councilor Irish amended his motion to have the City Engineer look into and study the noise and odor problems at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, provide remedies, and develop cost estimates; and further, to not develop plans and specifications with Councilor Roskoski supporting the amendment. The motion carried.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Prebeg to direct the City Engineer to prepare a cost estimate and general layout of the map for information for the ATV Trail System Grant application. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to set the Local Board of Review meeting for Tuesday, April 20, 2004 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The motion carried.
During the open discussion, Councilor Prebeg asked if anyone attended the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools meeting on January 30, 2004. No one on the Council had attended the meeting.
Also during the open discussion, Councilor Irish commented that there were several items that were not on the agenda, i.e. some of the training requests. Councilor Irish also said that there were several City Staff members that were not present to offer input on items on the agenda. He said that he was going to make a motion at the next regular meeting regarding if a City Staff member would be attending the City Council meeting or not, and items would not be discussed until the next regular City Council meeting.
At 9:16 p.m., it was moved by Nelson and supported by Irish that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
Lana Anderson, County Assessor�s Office, a letter tentatively scheduling the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization for 2004.
Minnesota Association of Small Cities Small Cities Update of January 25, 2004.
Kathy Sibbel, Minnesota Secretary of State, an email confirming the receipt of a grant application.
Minnesota Rural Partners, Inc. and True North, announcement of the 7th Annual Minnesota Rural Summit to be held on August 18-20, 2004 at the Hibbing Community College.
Lolita M. Schnitzius, Northeastern MN LMC Ambassador, a letter concerning topics the League will be working, legislatively, on for the City.
