Meeting Minutes for June 15, 2009
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 15, 2009
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 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; Sam Aluni, City Attorney; John Backman, Sergeant; and Gary Giroux, City Auditor.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
VI. F. Re-bid Downtown Streetscape Project
VI. B. Move to: III. Public Forum
A. Approve the minutes of the June 1, 2009, Regular meeting as submitted.
B. To acknowledge the receipts for the period June 1-15, 2009, totaling $106,902.56, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
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 1-15, 2009, totaling $296,842.21, (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.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution #26-09, approving the transfer of land to the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority with the stipulation that the profit from the property go back to the Parks and Recreation Department to be used for the West Virginia/Ann’s Acres area, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). It was moved by Roskoski to amend the motion as follows: that the whole parcel be transferred, not minus the 60 feet on the East; that two independent appraisals be made as to the land value before the Mountain Iron Economic Development Authority (EDA) sells the land; that if the developer A & L does not complete their clinic project, then the land in question will revert back to the City with a refund in the purchase price minus any expenses incurred by the City and EDA. And further, if the sale price of the land to A & L stays at $75,000 or less, that amount will be put back into the West Virginia recreation facilities; and if the land sale price is over $150,000, then at least 50% of the sale price be put back into the West Virginia area recreation facility. The amendment to the motion failed for lack of a second. The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– County Road 102. The road work has been completed from Mud Lake Road to Highway 7. He thanked the County Board for getting this project completed.
– Highway 7. He said that this project is set to be completed this Summer.
– Proposed Sports Complex. He commented on the editorial that appeared in the Mesabi Daily News. He added that public entities apply for this bonding money because the deadline is June 25, 2009. He requested that City Staff check into the pros and cons of obtaining funding for this project.
– Iron Range Retriever Club. He said that they have a National Amateur Retriever Competition from June 14th through June 21st. He said that the competition has 122 dogs registered and handlers from 33 States and two Canadian Provinces.
– Tritec. He advised the Council that Tritec was getting into the wind energy business by making turbines for the wind towers.
– William Otto. He expressed condolences to the Otto family. He said that our thoughts and prayers were with the family.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway to set the next Labor/Management meeting for Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. with Councilor Stanaway agreeing to attend. The motion carried.
The City Auditor reviewed the 2008 audit with the Council.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to accept the 2008 audit report as submitted. The motion carried.
At 7:13 p.m., the City Auditor left the meeting.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to approve the amendment to the Investment Policy, Policy Number 2007-01, (a copy is approved and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Grants. The City received two separate grants for the investigation and remedial action plans for the Park Ridge and the recycling area dump sites. He thanked Representative Rukavina for all of his assistance.
– Tritec. Gary Cerkvenik, Gary Skalko and Craig Wainio brought Tritec into the Wind Energy Project.
– Coalition of Greater Minnesota. Representatives will be at the Community Center on June 30th at 10:00 a.m. He requested the Council Members to attend.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to authorize the hiring of all of the summer seasonal employees, approve the rates of pay, positions listed, and authorize City Staff to modify the summer seasonal employee list as needed. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize Benchmark Engineering to assemble the water supply model, perform the system analysis and produce the feasibility study for a lump sum price of $11,200.00. After further discussion, Prebeg withdrew his motion and Stanaway withdrew his second.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to table the water supply model issue. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skalko to direct the City Attorney to research the possibility of seeking a non-profit status for the Merritt Days Committee. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to adopt the Accounts Receivable Payment Policy, Policy Number 2009-03, as presented, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Stanaway to remove the last sentence of the policy. The amendment failed with Prebeg, Zupancich, Stanaway and Skalko voting no. The original motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
The following were discussed during the Liaison Reports:
– Personnel Committee. Councilor Prebeg said that there was a meeting held today to discuss labor negotiations and he announced that there would not be a closed session at the end of the City Council meeting.
– Library Board. Councilor Stanaway presented the Library report with a record number of attendees in May.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Ordinance Number 05-09, amending the text of Chapter 55, Section 55.22 of the Mountain Iron City Code, regulation of Individual Sewage Treatment Systems, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Resolution Number 27-09, accepting the bid for the Old Highway 169 and Mill Avenue Projects, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to adopt Resolution Number 28-09, accepting the bid on the Forest Drive Project provided that the Economic Development Authority pays for the Project in full, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to request that Saint Louis County re-bid the Mountain Iron Streetscape Project. The motion carried.
At 8:10 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
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