Meeting Minutes for March 20, 2006
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
MARCH 20, 2006
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; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Larry Nanti, Recreation Director; Wade Rasch, Sergeant, St. Louis County; and Rod Flannigan, City Engineer.
The Mayor welcomed the audience and television viewing audience to the meeting.
The Mayor advised the Council that the City Attorney would not be at the meeting due to a family emergency.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. A. 1. Resolution #08-06, Approving a Development Agreement with Mountain Timber Properties, LLC
IV. I. 2. Planning and Zoning Liaison Report
VII. 1. Roskoski Open Discussion Items
Approve the minutes of the March 6, 2006, 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 March 1-15, 2006, totaling $130,301.86, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period March 1-15, 2006, totaling $151,163.36, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Council discussed procedures for authorizing non-mandatory training. The City Administrator said he would research the motions and supply the information to the Council.
During the public forum, Richard Moore was present and said that he had applied for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator position with the City. He said that the letter from the City of Mountain Iron stating that the City is looking for people with more qualifications. He asked the Council what qualifications he was missing in his resume. Councilor Prebeg said that the Personnel Committee reviewed all of the applications with regard to all of the requirements asked for by the City. Councilor Prebeg stated that the Personnel Committee was interviewing those applications with the necessary licenses. Councilor Nelson outlined the scoring process completed by the Personnel Committee.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Nelson to adopt Resolution #08-06, approving a Development Agreement with Mountain Timber Properties, LLC, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Councilor Irish and Roskoski voting no.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the City Administrator regarding the logging off of the property by the City Garage. The City Administrator said that the City Council and the Economic Development Authority did approve the Development Agreements and that all the activities on the property are outlined in the agreement.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of City Staff and purchase one cab and chassis from Skubic Brothers International at their bid price of $52,522.00 and the chassis equipment from United Truck Body at their bid price of $31,860.21 for a total package price of $84,382.21. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Irish to have the Director of Public Works compile a list of tentative Summer Projects planned for the 2006 work season, with the list being available for the April 3, 2006, City Council meeting packet. The motion carried.
The Council discussed the storm sewer odor information submitted by Councilor Roskoski. The Director of Public Works said that he would follow up on the matter and submit additional information at the next regular meeting.
The Mayor questioned the Director of Public Works regarding a meeting set up with the Virginia Street and Alley Committee meeting and the Mountain Iron Street and Alley Committee to discuss the 16th Avenue Improvement Project. The meeting was set for 3:30 p.m. on March 21, 2006.
Councilor Roskoski asked the Director of Public Works how the Utility Advisory Board (UAB) would be setting up the pallet pickup without the customers being charged. The Director of Public Works said that the UAB reviewed the situation and they decided that as of May 1, 2006, the City would discontinue the pallet pickup from the four businesses involved.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the status of the street lights on Heron Street in the Parkville area. The Director of Public Works said that the UAB discussed the street lighting in Parkville. Councilor Roskoski said that he had heard that a petition was passed around Parkville and residents had signed it and requested that the street lights on corner of Heron and Falcon and the corner of Heron and Eagle remain lit and this was presented to the UAB. The Mayor said that if a petition was submitted, it should go to the Council. Councilor Prebeg said that it was not a petition, but a list of names of people wanting street lights. The UAB said that they saw no safety reasons to continue have all of the lights remaining on due to the vacant properties and the lack of traffic.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Nelson to authorize City Staff to advertise for applications for temporary summer employees. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to approve the contact renewal for Wilbur and Violette Ball for caretakers for the 2006 season at wage of $550 per week. The motion carried.
Councilor Nelson advised the Blight Officer of a blight issue at 5619 Nichols Avenue, Parkville. The Blight Officer said that when he has checked the property, that there were no blight violations. The Sergeant said that he would check the City Ordinance regarding the number of unlicensed vehicles that are allowed to be stored on property.
The Council reviewed the February 2006 Activity Report for the Mountain Iron Sheriff�s Department.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Irish to direct the City Engineer to survey the intersection of Spruce Drive and Aspen Lane and see how much more the sewer manhole needs to be raised up, with the surveying being completed now before the frost is out of the ground. And further, have the City Engineer develop a plan, with cost estimates, to correct the problem and submit the information to the City Council for further consideration. After further discussion, Councilor Roskoski amended his motion to withdraw the survey and engineering costs for the project and have the City Engineer study and review the project. Councilor Irish supported the amendment. The amended motion carried.
The Council reviewed the draft Purchase Agreement for the land purchase between the City of Mountain Iron and the Mountain Iron-Buhl School District.
It was moved by Irish and seconded by Skalko to adopt Ordinance Number 01-06, amending the official zoning map in and for the City of Mountain Iron, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski advised the Council that the Library Board�s top priority right now is the selection of the Library Director. Councilor Roskoski requested that the City Council review the cupola over the library upper-level internal door for discussion at a future meeting. Councilor Prebeg said that the Library Board Members that he spoke with thought that once the cupola was stained it would look appropriate. The Director of Public Works said that he spoke with the Architect and was advised that the cupola was necessary, it is a smoke canopy and is required by the fire code, and extends out in front of the elevator. Councilor Prebeg said that there are a large number of change orders on the Library Project and he did not feel that this was questionable. The Mayor said that they are working on a 90 year old Library building with no blue prints and change orders were anticipated.
Councilor Roskoski spoke regarding a concern from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) regarding a proposed building permit for a Walgreen Store at the intersection of Highway 53 and Mountain Iron Drive. The P & Z Commission felt that this project should have been reviewed by them first. Commission Skogman said that he thought the P & Z Commission questioned whether the bank would still be going in the Walgreen building and the setbacks requirements.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Nelson to adopt Resolution Number 06-06, application for permit for construction and acceptance of right-of-way revision, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and seconded by Skalko to adopt Resolution Number 07-06, supporting the Mountain Iron DARE fundraiser, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). After further discussion, Councilor Nelson amended his motion to direct the City Attorney to review if the resolution is legal for the City to authorize. Mayor Skalko supported the amendment. The amended motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg to allow Five Star Living of Virginia/Mountain Iron to construct an access road/driveway off of Unity Drive directly across from Coral Lane. The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Nelson and seconded by Prebeg to direct the Planning and Zoning Commission to research and come up with a recommendation on the possibility of requiring proof of property lines prior to the issuance of a building permit for any permanent structure or fence. After further discussion, Councilor Nelson amended his motion by adding having the easements listed on the building permit application. Councilor Prebeg supported the amendment. The amended motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski asked questions regarding the new construction in the 13th Street/Mountain Iron Drive corner area. He was advised that City Staff had already contacted the developers regarding this issue.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Irish that, with regard to the February 27, 2006 letter received from Canadian National (CN), that a letter from the City of Mountain Iron be sent to Terry D. Lee, the manager of public works for CN, stating that the City of Mountain Iron is not interested in closing the Unity Drive crossing because it would impede normal daily traffic patterns and substantially affect the businesses that are in that area. The motion failed with Councilor Prebeg, Councilor Nelson, and Mayor Skalko voting no.
During the open discussion, Councilor Irish commented on the list of carryover projects presented at the last Council meeting.
It was moved by Roskoski to direct the City Administrator to follow-up on the City Council meeting tapes to see why they were not being played back in their entirety on the television. After further discussion, Councilor Roskoski withdrew his motion. City Staff said that they would check on the broadcast with the television staff.
Also during the open discussion, Councilor Roskoski discussed the expenditures made for the purchase of City vehicles and the amount of taxes being paid by City residents and businesses in Mountain Iron compared to surrounding cities. The Mayor stated that this Council has been the most frugal group of Council members in many years. The Mayor also stated that changes in legislation have affected the taxes in Mountain Iron. The Council also discussed economic development in the City of Mountain Iron.
At 8:35 p.m., it was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
League of Minnesota Cities, the Friday Fax for March 10, 2006.
League of Minnesota Cities, memo from Gary Carlson, Director of Intergovernmental Relations on 2006 City Policies.
Mountain Iron Planning & Zoning Commission, a Notice of Public Hearing set for March 27, 2006 for a variance request.
Canadian National, a letter concerning the proposed quiet zone for Virginia/Mountain Iron, including updated FRA Inventory Forms for Unity Drive, Southern Drive and Co. Road 102.
