Meeting Minutes for July 02, 2012

MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

JULY 2, 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. Anderson, Municipal Services Secretary; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; Michael Downs, Interim Public Works Director; Sally Peterangelo, Librarian; and John Backman, Sergeant.

 

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomela that the consent agenda be approved as follows:

 

1. Approve the minutes of the June 18, 2012, regular meeting as submitted.

 

2. 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.

 

3. To acknowledge the receipts for the period June 16-30, 2012, totaling $245,334.65, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

 

4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period June 16-30, 2012, totaling $378,719.18, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

 

The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

 

During the public forum, Jamie Ebert, representing Minnesotans United, spoke to the Council requesting that they pass the resolution proposed by Councilor Zupancich opposing the proposed marriage amendment to the Minnesota Constitution.  She said that ten Minnesota cities have passed the resolution to date, with Duluth, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul included in those ten.

The Mayor reported on the following:

• Condolences.  He offered condolences to the family of Irene Levasseur who recently passed away.  He said that she was Mountain Iron’s oldest resident reaching the age of 103. 
• Congratulations.  He congratulated Matt Niskanen, a 2005 Mountain Iron-Buhl graduate, for signing his third NHL contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The City Administrator reported on the following:

• County Road 7 Water Utility Project.  He advised the Council that a pre-construction meeting would be held to review the project next week.  He said that the meeting date had not been determined yet.
• Equipment Bids.  He said that bids were due next Tuesday on the two pianos and an antique water fountain for sale.  Councilor Roskoski questioned the policy on disposing of City equipment.

 

 

The Library Director/Special Events Coordinator reported on the following:

• Summer Reading Program.  She said that they had just completed the first month of the Summer Reading Program and that she had 100 children registered in the program.
• Thank you.  She thanked the two girls working through the SWOP program and the volunteers assisting at the Mountain Iron Library, along with the current Library Staff for all of their help to make the Summer Reading Program such a success.
• 4^th of July Celebration.  She advised the Council that William Buria would be serving as the Grand Marshall of the 4^th of July parade in Downtown Mountain Iron.  She gave an overview of the planned celebration in Downtown Mountain Iron in the morning and at the West Two Rivers Campground in the afternoon.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize payment request number two to Mesabi Bituminous in the amount of $84,561.25.  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 accept the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board for Phase II of the Locomotive Park upgrades and to authorize City Staff to seek bids or quotes on the project.  The motion carried on the following roll call vote:  Tuomela, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; and Skalko, yes.

During the Liaison reports the following report was given:

• Buildings and Ground Committee.  Councilor Tuomela updated the Council on the June 21, 2012 meeting.  She said that the Committee discussed the Community Center chairs and Mr. Rosier was present and advised the Committee on the status of the American Legion sign for the Library Yard.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to adopt Resolution Number 16-12, expressing opposition to the proposed marriage amendment, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). 

At 7:00 p.m., Roskoski left the meeting.

The motion carried on the following roll call vote:  Roskoski, absent; Prebeg, no; Zupancich, yes; Tuomela, yes; and Skalko, yes.

At 7:17 p.m., Roskoski returned to the meeting.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to authorize a $250 contribution to the Old Time Fiddle Championship to be held on August 4, 2012, at the Merritt Elementary School, with the funds being expended from the Charitable Gambling Fund.  The motion carried unanimously.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to authorize Sundberg Enterprises, LLC, dba:  Sawmill Saloon & Restaurant, to serve alcohol at a wedding reception on Saturday, August 25, 2012, at the Mountain Iron Community Center.  The motion carried.

During the announcements, Councilor Tuomela informed the Council that the “Angel of Hope” statue had been delivered to the Virginia City Hall.  The statue would be on display in the Virginia City Hall until it is placed in the Children’s Memorial Park and dedicated in September or October of this year.

At 7:20 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the meeting be adjourned.  The motion carried.

Submitted by:

 

 

Jill M. Anderson, MMC

Municipal Services Secretary

 

www.mtniron.com

 

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

1.         Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, a letter of congratulations for becoming the 44^th    GreenStep City in the State of Minnesota.