Meeting Minutes for March 19, 2001
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Deputy Mayor Skogman called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Joe Matanich, Ed Roskoski, and Deputy Mayor Stephen Skogman. Absent member: Mayor Mitchell Brunfelt. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; Larry Nanti, Recreation Director; Karen Luoma, Librarian; Joe Stewart, Sheriff’s Sergeant; and Greg French, City Engineer.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following item to the agenda:
VI E. Temporary On-Sale Liquor License
2. Approve the minutes of the March 5, 2001, regular meeting as submitted.
3. Approve the minutes of the March 6, 2001, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting as submitted.
4. 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.
5. Authorize the payment of the bills and payroll for the period March 1-15. 2001, totaling $140,166.00, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
6. Acknowledge the receipts for the period March 1-15, 2001, totaling $774,300.32, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion to adopt the consent agenda carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, William Buria was present and thanked the city crew for plowing the roads for the Greenwood and Calvary Cemetery Associations. Mr. Buria also expressed concern with the City Council keeping the library in the downtown area.
Also during the public forum, Dale Irish requested that the City Council have a sidewalk installed on the west side of the Mountain Iron-Buhl High School Football Field on the east side of the street.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Prebeg to have Staff look at the feasibility and cost of adding a sidewalk, by the High School Football Field, to the Marble Avenue Improvement Project. The motion carried.
Also during the public forum, Burrell Kubacki spoke regarding keeping the Mountain Iron Public Library in the Downtown Mountain Iron area. She said that she would like to see the library placed on the National Registry and have an elevator installed to make the building handicapped accessible. She said that most of the children that use the Library live downtown and probably wouldn�t use the new library because their parents would have to drive them there. Dale Irish also agreed with what Mrs. Kubacki said regarding keeping the library downtown.
Also during the public forum, Trina Niska was present and said that she drives her children to the library and it is not true that only the children in the downtown area that can walk to the library go to the library.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to accept the letter of resignation from Michael Lambert from the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and directed Staff to send the appropriated letter of recognition and purchase a plaque thanking him for his years of service. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Matanich to authorize Staff to seek quotes to seal the manholes in the Downtown Mountain Iron area up to the grant amount of $2,300. The motion carried.
The City Engineer updated the Council on the maintenance of Silver Creek. He said that he spoke with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DoT) Maintenance Foreman and he said that if there was some work that needed to be completed in the MN/DoT right-of-way to have City Staff contact him.
The Council reviewed the Sheriff�s Department Activity Report for the month of February.
The Council discussed the request of the Library Board to hold another Town Meeting regarding public input for the future of the Mountain Iron Public Library. Deputy Mayor Skogman said that the following options should be considered at that meeting:
1) Minimum upgrade-installation of an elevator
2) Complete overhaul of the present building
3) Working with Arrowhead Library System for Joint Building
4) New stand alone Library building
5) Addition of Library to Community Center/City Hall Building
Councilor Matanich requested that the Library Board be available at the Town Meeting and be prepared to make a recommendation on the future of the Library Building. The Librarian said that the Library Board wants to hear what the Mountain Iron Residents have to say about the future of the Library.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Prebeg to set a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting with the City Council and the Library Board for Wednesday, April 18, 2001 at 6:30 p.m. and direct City Staff to advertise this meeting at their discretion. The motion carried.
The Council discussed the Schlodek proposal. It was the consensus of the Council to have Staff advise Mr. Schlodek that they were not interested in purchasing his land at this time.
The Council discussed the development of Historic Old Town. It was the consensus of the Council to have Staff look into who would be available to work on a design plan for the Historic Old Town and look into applying for a Community Development Block Grant for upgrading the area.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to authorize Staff to hire Summer Youth Workers for the Parks and Recreation Department, the Street Department and the Library. The motion carried.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Prebeg to set the following IRRRB Project Priorities:
1) Enterprise Drive Northeast
2) Wetlands Mitigation
3) Eighth Street Extension
The motion carried.
The Council reviewed the communications.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to approve the temporary on-sale liquor license for the April 26, 2001 Volunteer Banquet. The motion carried.
At 7:35 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
