Meeting Minutes for June 16, 2008
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 16, 2008
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; Sam Aluni, City Attorney; Gary Giroux, City Auditor; and Jill Yarick, Deputy.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following items to the agenda:
VI. J. Canadian National Railroad Request
Table the following item:
VI. C. Resolution Number 29-08, Awarding Bids
2. Approve the minutes of the June 2, 2008, City Council 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 June 1-15, 2008, totaling $122,999.37, (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:
5. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period June 1-15, 2008, totaling $885,716.97, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Gary Fields, representing the Iron Range Community FiberNet made a presentation to the City Council.
At 7:06 p.m., Councilor Roskoski left the meeting.
At 7:08 p.m., Councilor Roskoski returned to the meeting.
The Mayor reported on the following items:
– Mesabi Daily News Article. He thanked Chuck Ramsay from the Mesabi Daily News for the article that he wrote regarding the Mountain Iron Fire Department and how he mentioned the City was looking for more volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians to work in Mountain Iron.
– Planning and Zoning Commission Correspondence. He thanked the Zoning Administrator for preparing and sending the second mass mailing of the building permit requirements to the residents of Mountain Iron. He thanked the Planning and Zoning Commission members and the City Councilors who supported the change.
– Mesabi Daily News Onion. He said that there was an “Onion” in the newspaper that was listing incorrect information with regard to the building permit requirements. He said that the City did not change the requirements for building permits, the City is only following the State guidelines.
– Lake Country Power. The Mayor informed the Council that a ground breaking ceremony was scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th at 2:30 p.m. at the building site.
– Wind Energy Dedication. The Mayor advised the Council that he, Barb Fivecoate, and Craig Wainio attended the dedication for the Taconite Ridge Wind Energy Project last June 11th.
– Eagle Scout. The Mayor advised the Council that Jonathan Wilkin-Phaneuf had been awarded an Eagle Scout designation.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Park Ridge Development. The Planning and Zoning Commission will be reviewing the preliminary plat at the June 23rd meeting.
– Mountain Manor Improvement. The plans for Mountain Manor would be submitted shortly. Authorization for the bids should be on the next meeting agenda.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to have a “Portable John” located, as in previous years, in the Downtown Park in the Mountain Iron-Buhl School yard. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, no; Stanaway, no, Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, no; and Skalko, yes.
Councilor Stanaway questioned why the AmericInn garbage cans were still located on the sidewalk. The City Administrator said that the Foreman had looked into the location of the canisters and the Director of Public Works said that he would follow up on the situation.
During the Sheriff’s Department report, the Mayor publicly thanked Deputy Yarick for the recent arrests that she had made.
The City Auditor reviewed the 2007 City audit with City Council.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to accept the 2007 City of Mountain Iron audit, as presented, and to have City Staff do their best to implement the stated business practices as suggested by the City Auditor. The motion carried.
The City Attorney updated the Council on the following:
– Library Roofing Claim. He advised the Council of the status of the performance bond claim with regard to the roofing. He said that City Staff put together the necessary documents requested for the claim. He said that the City was still holding a retainage on the Project, but there still was about a $4,000 difference in the expenses.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Roskoski to authorize payment request number one for the City of Mountain Iron 2008 Bituminous Overlay Project to Ulland Brothers in the amount of $82,706.90. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize payment request number two for the City of Mountain Iron 2007 Bituminous Overlay Project to Ulland Brothers in the amount of $179,079.99. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to authorize payment request number six for the City of Mountain Iron Unity Addition Phase II Residential Development Project in the amount of $116,806.76. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the Liaison Reports the following reports were made:
– Thank you. Councilor Roskoski publicly thanked Cub Scout Den 126 for cleaning up the Downtown Park and Locomotive Park areas.
– Personal Committee. Councilor Prebeg said he had the performance appraisals to distribute to City Staff and the Council Members at the end of the meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to adopt Ordinance Number 02-08, providing for the salaries of the Mayor and Council Members of the City of Mountain Iron, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 27-08, authorizing the City Administrator to make application to the Iron Range Resources Public Works Infrastructure Grant Program for the Mountain Iron Energy Park, (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 28-08, authorizing the City Administrator to make application to the Iron Range Resources Public Works Infrastructure Grant Program for Morgan Park Estates, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Resolution Number 30-08, accepting the quote on the improvement of Unity Drive, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, abstain; Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway to award the quotes on the library front entry door to Industrial Door Company in the amount of $8,590.00. The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skalko that the liquor license applications for the period August 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008, 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:
Keny J. Adams Off-Sale Non-Intoxicating Liquor
May December Endeavors Inc. On-Sale Non-Intoxicating Liquor
DBA: Country Kitchen
5470 Mountain Iron Drive
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792
The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to approve the hiring of the part-time summer employees at the stated rates of pay, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes). After some discussion, Roskoski amended the motion to include updates of the list periodically. Zupancich seconded the amendment. The amended motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded Zupancich to direct City Staff to work with the Laurentian Energy Authority to find out what can be put in place so large amounts of biomass materials that are available in the City are transported to the facility and burnt. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to direct City Staff to research whether the City would quality for a grant and, if appropriate, prepare an application for a grant to the Culture and Tourism Grant Program for the maximum amount of $10,000 for a canopy over Locomotive 806. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski to direct City Staff to contact Canadian National Railroad and request that they upgrade the surface crossing on Unity Drive in conjunction with the street improvement project. The motion carried.
During the open discussion, Councilor Prebeg asked if the City Administrator had obtain information on the Unity Second Addition lot sale sign. The City Administrator inquired as to the size of the sign.
The Mayor reminded the Council of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2008 in Kinney.
The Mayor announced that the filings for the Mayor and two Councilor positions would be open from July 1-15, 2008.
At 8:43 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
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Culture and Tourism Grants, guidelines.
2. Department of Employment and Economic Development, forwarding their response to the grant application submitted by the City of Mountain Iron for the Contamination Cleanup/Investigation Grant Program.
