Meeting Minutes for March 03, 2003
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
MARCH 3, 2003
Mayor Skalko called the meeting to order at 6:33 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, Recreation Director; Greg French, City Engineer; Tom Cvar, Fire Chief; and Karen Luoma, Librarian.
The Mayor added the following items to the agenda:
Unfinished Business
E. Move Renovation of Public Library to A. Architectural Request for Proposals
New Business
G. Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and Minnesota Association of Small Cities
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to approve the minutes of the February 18, 2003, City Council meeting with the following correction:
Page 3, Last paragraph, “Councilor Roskoski questioned City Staff regarding an advertisement for an electrical employee posted on the Internet local radio station.
The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize the payment of the bills and payroll for the period February 16-28, 2003, totaling $232,524.55, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
The City Administrator said that he would provide Councilor Roskoski with a copy of the H. R. Graphic advertisement for the school.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to acknowledge the receipts for the period February 16-28, 2003, totaling $427,883.85, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Irish that the communications be accepted, placed on file, and those requiring further action by the Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda. The motion carried.
At 6:41 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Prebeg to recess the regular meeting and open the public hearing on the DRCC Bond Issue. The motion carried.
At 6:44 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to adjourn the public hearing and reopen the regular meeting. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize a rental fee of $450 for the Festival of Trees to rent the Community Center for a six-day consecutive period in 2003. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Joan Marolt representing PARTNERS, Iron Range Youth in Action, was present and reviewed with the Council the purpose of their group. She stated that the organization connects youth with local government.
At 7:00 p.m., Councilor Roskoski left the meeting.
At 7:02 p.m., Councilor Roskoski returned to the meeting.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and authorize a variance from the setback requirement for David King, 5431 Carnation Avenue, Mountain Iron for a detached garage constructed on parcel 175-0069-00215. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to accept the recommendation of the Mountain Iron Volunteer Fire Department and hire the following as Mountain Iron Volunteer Fire Fighters:
Jeremy Schackman effective April 1, 2003
Gerald Knapper effective July 1, 2003
The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize two Mountain Iron Volunteer Fire Department Members to attend the Arson Training Conference in St. Cloud at City expense. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Nelson to authorize the grant contract with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for a matching grant for equipment in the amount of $3,000. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Roskoski to authorize two Mountain Iron Volunteer Fire Department Members to attend a class on air pack maintenance in Duluth at City expense. After further discussion, Councilor Prebeg withdrew his motion and Councilor Roskoski withdrew his support. The Mayor requested that the Fire Chief bring addition information to the Council for reconsideration at the next regular meeting.
The Council discussed the clear water/sump pump letter. Staff requested specific City Council direction as to what to include in the next mass mailing to the property owners on the City�s sewer system.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct City Staff to contact Damberg, Scott, Gerzina, and Wagner Architects to obtain a current rate schedule from them and ask what it would cost to obtain a new cost summary for the Mountain Iron Public Library. The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
The Council reviewed the 2002 Revenue Bond information.
The Councilor Irish and the City Administrator updated the Council on the public hearing that was held for the proposed annexation.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct the City Administrator to contact Brian Anderson to find out when the ISTEA 21 workshop would be held and to advise the Mayor when it is. And further, the Mayor would attend the workshop at his own expense. The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 08-03, approving plans and specifications and ordering advertisement for bids for the improvement of the proposed commercial development, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Irish and Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to authorize payment to the Range Recreation Civic Center for the 2003 yearly support in the amount of $8,400 and the revolving line of credit payback in the amount of $12,264.00. The motion carried on the following on a roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
The Council reviewed “The Secretary of the Interior�s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings”. The Mayor said that this was the information he received from Harry Lampa and he felt the Council should have a copy.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 09-03, granting preliminary approval to a project under Minnesota Statutes, Sections 469.12 through 469.165, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to adopt Resolution Number 10-03, approving the issuance and sale of health care facilities revenue notes, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Irish to authorize the Municipal Services Secretary to apply for the Treasurer position for the Municipal Clerks and Finance Officers Association and to allow her to attend meetings on city time. And further, if there are any registration fees and travel expenses that they would be paid for by the Municipal Services Secretary. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to direct City Staff to provide the City Council members with a copy of the Local Improvement Guide so that the Council can consider the request of Mr. Tom Schlotec. The motion carried.
The Council directed the City Administrator to check on membership fee schedules for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities and have the Council reconsider the memberships at a future meeting.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
The Mayor reported that he attended a meeting in Virginia last month regarding the budget issues for the cities. He stated that it was a real plus to have the area Administrator�s and City Council�s communicating. He said that the City Council would need to look at what the City could save by sharing services.
During the open discussion, Councilor Roskoski questioned what the utility charges were for the area that the City recently took over from the Virginia Public Utilities. The Director of Public Works stated that the new utility customers are being charged the same utility rates as other residents of Mountain Iron and those rates are less than the rates they were charged from the Virginia Public Utilities.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct City Staff to program the computer to have the parking lot lights programmed, for non City Hall/Community Center usage nights, to have only one light on each standard or one standard to remain on from dawn to dusk. The motion failed with Councilor Prebeg, Councilor Nelson and Mayor Skalko voting no.
The Mayor asked City Staff whether the Mineland Reclamation grant application had been submitted. The Recreation Director advised the Council that it has been submitted.
The Mayor asked City Staff if a meeting had been set up with the Mountain Iron-Buhl School Board to discuss the land issues. The City Administrator said that Mr. Techar would be contacting him with available dates for a meeting.
The Mayor informed the City Council that the Chamber of Commerce has arranged for a bus to go to St. Paul on March 13th to meet with legislature, sit in on sessions and tour the capitol with a cost of $20 per person.
Councilor Irish read a prepared statement addressing comments made by Councilor Nelson at the last meeting.
The Mayor stated that he would not micromanage City Staff, but he would keep asking questionings to learn more about the City.
At 9:09 p.m., it was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
