Meeting Minutes for July 06, 2009
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
JULY 6, 2009
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:32 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; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; and John Backman, Sergeant.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
A. Approve the minutes of the June 15, 2009, regular meeting as submitted.
B. To acknowledge the receipts for the period June 15-30, 2009, totaling $184,862.23, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
C. 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.
The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg that the following consent agenda item be approved as follows:
C. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period June 15-30, 2009, totaling $325,709.28, (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.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– Councilor Stanaway. He said that it was his birthday today!
– County Road 7. He said that he had met with Commissioner Nelson and was informed that the County Road 7 project will be completed this Summer or Fall.
– Downtown Streetscape. The Project would be re-bid through Saint Louis County with a bid opening on July 27, 2009.
– Forest Grove Housing Development. He said that the project work has begun and the contractors are clearing and beginning the installation of the infrastructure. This project should be completed by Fall 2009. He said that 70% of the project will be paid for through an IRRRA grant.
– Local Government Aid Reductions. He said that the final reductions would be $62,000 for 2009 and $155,000 for 2010, which is less than anticipated.
– Economic Development. The City has been increasing their tax base by $12 million dollars with the development of the Holiday Inn Express, the Northern Communities Credit Union, and the Saint Lukes Clinic. He also mentioned that all of these businesses came to the City, there was not any recruiting. There were also no incentives given to these businesses, but the City did welcome them in our City.
– State Allotment. The Mayor commented that he felt that the Governor had too much power to cut aid to Cities, Counties, Public Schools, and to Public Healthcare, he felt that a compromise should have been worked out.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to work with all parties to complete a feasibility study on the proposed City owned Sports Complex. This study would compare similar type facilities through out the nation; concentrating on those in smaller population (non-metro) regions. It would not only include such information as revenues generated by the facility to the region’s economy, but additional costs incurred by the City for utilities, maintenance, and personnel adjustments. This study will be completed no later than January 1, 2010. The motion carried with Prebeg voting no.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway that the liquor license applications for the period July 6, 2009 through December 31, 2009, be approved and issued to the following individual and business establishment pursuant to the approval, where necessary, of the Liquor Control Commission and pursuant to the payment of all outstanding license fees and utility charges:
WJ Holdings, Inc. 3.2 Beer License
DBA: AmericInn Lodge & Suites Wine License
5480 Mountain Iron Drive
Virginia, MN 55792
The motion carried.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– A & L Properties. They will be starting site work on the new clinic shortly. The final construction plans have been submitted to the Building Inspector.
– ARDC. Received notification that the City received an In-kind Transportation Planning Grant to look at a long term plan for the trail systems in the City.
– Mill Avenue and Old Highway 169 Project. Construction should be starting soon.
– Forest Grove Housing. Construction has started.
– Twitter. You can now follow us on twitter.com @cityofmtniron
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to authorize the purchase of six 25 KVA Transformers and six 10 KVA transformers from Border States Electric with their low quote of $16,020.00 with the funds being expended from the Electric Fund. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize Change Order number one for the South Grove Tennis Court Reconstruction increasing the amount of the contract by $2,792.50. The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to authorize payment request number four, the final payment to Mesabi Bituminous in the amount of $5,075.50. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to accept the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board and adopt the Long Range Plan for Locomotive Park as presented. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
The following were discussed during the Liaison Reports:
– Public Health and Safety Board. Councilor Stanaway reported that he had attended the meeting held in Virginia regarding the area ambulance service. He said that the meeting was not very well attended and they are scheduling another meeting.
– Personnel Committee. Councilor Prebeg said that there would not be a closed meeting at the end of the Council meeting.
– Library Board. Councilor Stanaway updated the Council on the Library statistics.
– Economic Development Authority. Councilor Zupancich reported that the YMCA had signed the right of first refusal on the Clinic property and transferred 60 feet of the property. He said that the remaining property would be sold to A & L Development for the construction of a clinic.
– Special Events. Councilor Stanaway updated the Council on the July 4th Celebration.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 30-09, accepting bid for the installation of water and wastewater mains for the Energy Park, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize City Staff to advertisement for bids for the concrete inspection for the Mountain Iron Waste Treatment Digester Building. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Roskoski to waive the building rental fees for the rental of the Nichols Town Hall on July 17, 2009, for a fund raiser for the Sand Lake Shuffle. The motion carried.
The Council set a meeting for July 15, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. for the Street and Alley Committee to meet.
At 7:48 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. St. Lukes, a letter of thanks for supporting their new clinic.
2. Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, a memo concerning the Governor’s unallotment.
