Meeting Minutes for July 21, 2003
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
JULY 21, 2003
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; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Larry Nanti, Director of Parks and Recreation; Joe Stewart, Sergeant; 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 item to the agenda:
A. Wacootah Overlook, Tourism
Approve the minutes of the July 7, 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 July 1-15 2003, totaling $728,735.13, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period July 1-15, 2003, totaling $222,152.68, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; Roskoski, no; and Skalko, yes.
At 6:35 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to recess the regular meeting and open the public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant application. The motion carried.
The City Administrator stated that the public hearing is for a grant application for the ADA compliance at the Mountain Iron Library in the amount of $50,000 from the Community Development Block Grant Program through Saint Louis County.
The Mayor stated that he would like to have the grant application changed to have the grant use listed for the elevator only.
During the public hearing, Alan Stanaway, Library Board Member, spoke and asked if the Council has a problem with communicating with the Library Board. He asked why the Board was not informed of what the Council is doing with the renovations to the Library. The Mayor stated that he would contact Danielle Baudhuin, Chairperson of the Library Board, or the Librarian to keep the Library Board updated.
At 6:47 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to close the public hearing and reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
No one spoke during the public forum.
During the Mayor�s report, the Mayor presented the Council with an unofficial 2003 total budget savings.
It was moved by Roskoski to have the Mayor�s unofficial 2003 total budget savings report made a part of the minutes. The motion failed for lack of support.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to accept the recommendation of the Mayor and appoint Jennifer Overbye to the Parks and Recreation Board to fill the remaining term of Allen Nelson with the term expiring on December 31, 2004. The motion carried.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Mayor and appoint John Filander to the Mountain Iron Housing and Redevelopment Authority to fill the remaining term of Allen Nelson with the term expiring on December 31, 2004. The motion carried.
The Council discussed the funding for the Quad Cities Economic Development Authority (QCEDA). Councilor Prebeg said that Jeff Lackner would be attending one of the Council meetings in August to answer any questions that the Council may have concerning the QCEDA.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to approve Special Event Permit for the Mesabi Family YMCA for the Black Cat Run set for October 25, 2003. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Prebeg to designate Councilor Irish to be the contact person seeking information on ATV/Snowmobile Project that the City Council is pursuing in Mountain Iron. The motion carried.
The Mayor asked the City Administrator if there was any additional information from the Mountain Iron Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting regarding the Park Ridge Development. The Administrator said that there was no formal action taken at the meeting.
Councilor Roskoski questioned whether Butler Road was going to be overlayed this year. The Director of Public Works said that he would call Saint Louis County to see what the status of Butler Road was.
Councilor Irish asked the Director of Public Works why the gate for the Class 5 pile has been open for over the past two months. The Director of Public Works said that the gate should be locked all of the time and he would check on the matter.
Councilor Roskoski questioned why the contractors were digging by the water storage tank. The Director of Public Works said that a subcontractor is installing a maintenance hydrant.
Councilor Irish said that he has received many complaints regarding the maintenance of Mineral Avenue. He suggested giving some of the City�s mining effect tax to the County to help repair the roads.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to have the Director of Public Works send a letter to Saint Louis County and request that they repave Old Highway 169 between Virginia and Downtown Mountain Iron and Mineral Avenue (County Road 102). The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of City Staff and accept the quote from McBroom Construction to surface the tennis courts and to add center straps and new winches at a total cost of $7,729.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize up to $500 in funding for Merritt Days to have a children�s parade during the celebration with the funding to come from the Charitable Gambling Fund. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to approve change order number one to LeadCon, Inc. in the amount of $4,100.20 for the Water Tank Rehabilitation Project to add antenna brackets; and further, approve change order number two to LeadCon, Inc. in the amount of $2,035.90 for the Water Tank Rehabilitation Project for additional work for the pitting repairs. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The City Attorney advised the Council that the status of the litigation for the Bon Air cleanup costs are being pursued as a civil judgment as well as an assessment on the property. The City Attorney also advised the Council that the Nordlund blight matter is now in litigation and a court date is pending.
The Council reviewed the Sheriff�s Department report for the month of June. The Sergeant advised the Council that he had received a letter from the Administrator of the Courts indicating that the State passed a new law stating that they are going to levy $3 on every parking ticket violation that is sent through the court systems. The Council requested that the City Attorney provide a list of options for the Council to deal with the new administrative fees.
At 7:50 p.m., Councilor Prebeg left the meeting.
At 7:51 p.m., Councilor Prebeg returned to the meeting.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the variance application for Jeff Eichorn on parcel 175-0064-00050 allowing a storage facility to be construction closer to the lot line than allowed by the Zoning Ordinance. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Roskoski to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the conditional use permit application for Michael and Kristin Holmes on parcel 175-0051-00510 to construction a garage that is 1,008 square feet. The motion carried.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to withdraw the City�s proposal for annexation in the Matter of Petition for Municipal Boundary Adjustments of Mountain Iron and the Unorganized Territory identified as A-6741 and referred to by the Office of Administrative Hearing a Docket #6-2900-15192-2. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; and Skalko, no.
The Council discussed the Wacootah Overlook Grant. It was the consensus of the Council have the Parks and Recreation Board have this item placed on their next meeting agenda to discuss.
The Council discussed the crosswalk marking and painting. It was the consensus of the Council to have the Street and Alley Committee review the list prepared by Councilor Roskoski.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to add the following parcels on to the grant application for the State Tax Free Zones/JOBZ area by Merritt Industrial Park, land by Erickson Truax on Slate Street, and the Old Roundhouse area in Downtown Mountain Iron (across from Wayne Motors). The motion carried.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to adopt Resolution 24-03, Community Development Block Grant application, revising the application to indicated all of the funding use of $50,000 for the elevator, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to table the request from U. S. Steel to call for a hearing for the vacation of streets and direct the City Administrator to set up a meeting with U. S. Steel to discuss areas of mutual concerns. And further, that the City Administrator, Councilor Prebeg and Councilor Roskoski be on the Committee to meet with U. S. Steel and to designate the Mayor as the alternate Committee member. The motion carried.
The Council discussed Ordinance 02-03, amending city code. No formal action was taken.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to direct the City Administrator to contact two appraisal firms to determine a value for the 20 acres of land south of South Grove for the proposed Town House Development. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to direct the City Attorney to look into the State Statutes for setting up a Housing and Redevelopment Authority/Economic Development Authority and report back to the City Council. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to submit the Nordlund home business matter in Parkville to the Zoning Administrator and request that he make a recommendation to the City Council. The motion carried.
During the open discussion, Councilor Irish asked if the City could have movies in the park like the neighboring communities have been doing. The Recreation Director said that he look into having the movies for next year, he said the cost is $200 for the movie and $200 for the screen.
Also during the open discussion, Councilor Roskoski pointed out to the Council that the Locomotive Park is listed in several books as a historic site.
Also during the open discussion, the Mayor requested that a rack for holding plans be put in the Council Chambers. The City Administrator said that he would take care of the matter.
At 9:19 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
