Meeting Minutes for January 05, 2009
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
JANUARY 5, 2009
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Anderson, Municipal Services Secretary; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; and Rod Flannigan, City Engineer.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Delete the following item from the agenda:
VI. E. Downtown and Ann’s Acres Rinks
2. Approve the minutes of the December 15, 2008, regular meeting as submitted.
3. 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.
4. To acknowledge the receipts for the period December 16-31, 2008, totaling $516,006.91, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to approve the following consent agenda item:
5. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period December 16-31, 2008, totaling $491,659.61, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Stanaway to appoint Tony Zupancich as Deputy Mayor for 2009. The motion carried with Zupancich abstaining.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to appoint Sam Aluni, the Trenti Law Firm, as the City Attorney for 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to appoint Rod Flannigan, Benchmark Engineering, as the City Engineer for 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to appoint the Mesabi Daily News as the official newspaper for the City of Mountain Iron for 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to set the regular meetings for the first and third Mondays at 6:30 p.m. for 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to designate the City’s official depositories as the American Bank, Queen City Federal, Wells Fargo Bank, US Bank, Twin City Federal, League of Minnesota Cities 4M Fund, Miller Johnson Steichen Kinnard, Inc., Smith Barney, Inc., Northland Securities, First National Bank of Buhl, and Federal Home Loan Bank, for 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski to re-appoint Ray Saari, Joe Piersig and Margaret Soyring to serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission with their terms expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to re-appoint Joe Matanich and Sue Tuomela to the Utility Advisory Board with their terms expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to re-appoint Jerry Kujala and Dennis Benz to the Park and Recreation Board with their terms expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to re-appoint Alan Stanaway to the Economic Development Authority with his term expiring on December 31, 2014. The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no and Stanaway abstaining.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to re-appoint Alan Stanaway to the Library Board with his term expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried with Stanaway abstaining.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway to re-appoint Gary Skalko and Holly Holmes to the Public Safety and Health Board with their terms expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried with Skalko abstaining.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to re-appoint Gary Skalko and Allen Nelson to the Cable Commission with their terms expiring on December 31, 2011. The motion carried with Skalko abstaining.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– City Employees. Complimented the City Crew for a job well done with the snow removal again from the snow storm.
– State of the City. He informed the Council that he would address the Council and Audience on the “State of the City” at the next regular meeting.
– Local Government Aid. He reassured the residents of Mountain Iron that the City’s finances are sufficient to carry through with the recent reductions made by the State of Minnesota.
– Mesabi Daily News. The Mayor said that he received three “Onions” in the Orchid/Onions column in the newspaper. He corrected the information that was provided in the newspaper.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to approve the amendment to Surface Lease 13304 for a one year extension for the property that the rock sign is located on at the Northwest corner of Highway 53 and Old Highway 169 with an annual rental fee of $165. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Iron Range Resources Mining Reclamation and Restoration funding. He requested that the Council suggests projects that would qualify for the grant funding. He said that the deadline for submission is February 27, 2009.
– Voice Mail System. He said that City Staff had tested out the voice mail system and it has been working fine.
– Mountain Manor Project. He said that the renovation project began and they came across some deteriorating floors in the building that would require additional work. He said that a change order would be prepared.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to award the quote for the painting of the City Hall/Community Center building to Swanson & Youngdale in the amount of $14,870.00. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize change order number two for Unity Addition Phase II Residential Development to decrease the project costs by $11,862.56 for a final contract price of $927,085.04. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to authorize final payment request number ten to Utility Systems of America in the amount of $27,871.75 for Unity Addition Phase II Residential Development. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to authorize final pay request to Lanyk Electric in the amount of $3,516.08 for the West Two Rivers Electrical Improvement Project. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to direct City Staff to seek a financing plan utilizing grant funding or bonding for improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the City Garage. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 01-09, Bank Authorization, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to authorize the professional services agreement for the update and maintenance of the Geographical Information System with Arrowhead Regional Development Commission at a cost of $1,000 for one year. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize the application and permit for a temporary on-sale liquor license for the Virginia Regional Medical Center for November 18-20, 2009, at the Mountain Iron Community Center for the Festival of Trees Event. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich that the particulars of the Iron Range Resources Community Business Partnership Grant Program be forwarded to the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority for possible implementation and administration, noting the deadline for this program being February 1, 2009. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to have the fire hydrant upgrade project forwarded to the Public Health and Safety Board and the Utility Advisory Board for study and possible implementation. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to re-schedule the next regular meeting to Wednesday, January 21, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The motion carried.
During the open discussion the following item was discussed:
– West II Rivers Campground. Councilor Roskoski pointed out that the campground expenses were approximately $30,000 more than the revenues in 2007.
At 7:41 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Mountain Iron Senior Citizens, a thank you for the contribution to their Christmas party.
2. Notice of Public Hearing for a variance request made by Regal Properties.
3. Notice of Public Hearing for a variance request made by Regal Properties.
4. Tri-Cities Biosolids Disposal Authority, a request for payment of the first quarter 2009 appropriation.
5. Biosolids Disposal Site Authority, a request for payment of the 2009 appropriation.
6. Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, a thank you for past assistance and an informational update for 2009.
7. Minnesota Department of Revenue, forwarding an information worksheet outlining the local government aid cuts affecting the City.
8. Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, a request to remain members of the coalition and outlining 2009 priorities.
