Meeting Minutes for May 05, 2008
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
MAY 5, 2008
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 (entering on 6:38 p.m.); and John Backman, Sergeant (entering at 6:47 p.m.).
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the following consent agenda items be approved as follows:
1. Add the following items to the agenda:
VI. I. Unity Second Addition Sign
J. Park & Recreation Board Authorization for West Two Caretaker
K. Special Meeting of the Public Safety and Health Board
2. Approve the minutes of the April 21, 2008, Board of Review meeting as submitted.
4. 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.
5. To acknowledge the receipts for the period April 16-30, 2008, totaling $255,346.79, (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 items be approved as follows:
3. Approve the minutes of the April 21, 2008, City Council meeting as submitted.
6. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period April 16-30, 2008, totaling $231,726.41, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; and Skalko, yes.
At 6:41 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to recess the regular meeting and open the public hearing on improvements to a portion of Unity Drive. The motion carried.
Len Roskoski, Unity Drive, South Grove end, was present and said he planned to build a house in the area and wanted road access constructed by the City.
At 6:43 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to close the public hearing and reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 23-08, authorizing plans, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski abstaining.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following items:
– Street and Alley Committee meeting. He thanked City Staff for participating in the meeting. He said that the Downtown TEA21 Grant for the vintage lighting would be funded in part through Federal funding. He said that the project would be pushed back until October 2008 and completed by October of 2009.
– Street Overlay Projects. Ulland Brothers will be working on Unity Drive, Enterprise Drive North, Heather Avenue, Tamarack Drive, Coral Street and Granite Streets in Downtown Mountain Iron.
– Unity Second Addition. USA Contractors will be completing the blacktop and curb work in the Addition.
– Old Highway 169. The bids requests are out and Phase I would be completed in 2008.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– CDBG Priorities. The deadline is May 15th for the pre-applications. The City Council needs to consider projects in the Downtown area of Mountain Iron because this is the only area with low to moderate income families.
– West II Rivers Campground. The Campground would be open on May 9, 2008.
– League of Minnesota Cities. A workers compensation specialist met with City Staff reviewing the claims history and she advised Staff that the prices have come down for the Cities workers compensation package.
– Foreman Position. Michael Downs has accepted the Employment Agreement effective May 1, 2008.
– Locomotive Park. The fencing quotes have been received, but there is a problem with the legal description of the property that has to be resolved.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to prepare a CDBG application for the Agate Street Storm Sewer Project. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize $100 toward the purchase of an advertisement for the West II Rivers Campground on the Mesabi Trail for the 2008-2009 season. The motion carried on a roll call vote.
Councilor Roskoski said that the Connector publication put out by the Electrical Department was a good publication. The Director of Public Works said that this is a quarterly publication that the Electrical Department mails to the electric customers.
The Mayor announced that the large trash notices had been mailed to the residents and the pickup is scheduled for the beginning of June.
The Sergeant reported that the individual that robbed the Short Stop station about a month ago, plead guilty yesterday in court. He thanked Dennis Benz, Virginia Police Department, and Saint Louis County Investigator Skelton from the Virginia office.
Councilor Roskoski asked the City Engineer about the flooding problem on 16th Avenue. The City Engineer said that he would contact the Minnesota Department of Transportation to check on this.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to direct the City Engineer to complete a hydrology study on the Unity Drive corridor between Unity Second Addition and South Grove. The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize the City Engineer and the City Attorney to explore the ownership and the right-of-way situations along Giorgi’s Road in Kinross. The motion carried.
The following reports were made during the Liaison Reports:
– Economic Development Authority. Councilor Zupancich said that the EDA is working with a business to build a satellite office and they would be located to the north of United Electric. He also advised the Council that the EDA would be working on an Economic Development Comprehensive Plan to compliment the City Comprehensive Plan.
– Planning and Zoning Commission. Councilor Zupancich reported that the Commission is holding a Public Hearing on May 12, 2008, for Ordinance Revisions.
– Economic Development Authority. The Mayor commented on the establishment of the EDA. He said that this is an all volunteer board and they do an excellent job with economic development in the City.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 20-08, authorizing a Grant Application to the Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Contamination Investigation and RAP Development Grant Program to be used for the further investigation of the dump site adjacent to the City sub-station, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 21-08, authorizing a Feasibility Report to explore the possible options in dealing with deteriorated storm sewer situation along Agate Street, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Skalko to adopt Resolution Number 22-08, ordering bids for the City to advertise and received bids for infrastructure for the Morgan Park housing development, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to waive the building rental fee for the Care Partners for their May 16, 2008, fundraiser. The motion carried with Roskoski abstaining.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to have the Public Safety and Health Board review the Peddler’s license criteria. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to have the Cable Commission inquire whether the City Council meeting agendas could be posted on Public Access Television Channel (PACT). The motion carried.
The Council reviewed the list of communications. Councilor Roskoski noted that the Minnesota Department of Transportation had not funded the grant application for the trail.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to prepare a plan/design for advertising Unity Second Addition on a billboard sign to be placed on Highway 53 and 169 and bring the information back to the City Council to review. The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to authorize the Parks and Recreation Board to hire a Caretaker for the West II Rivers Campground to begin work on May 9th, 2008. The motion carried.
Councilor Stanaway announced that there will be a Special Meeting of the Public Safety and Health Board meeting because there will be a Saint Louis County Representative discussing “Planning for Pandemics” on May 14th, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.
During the open discussion the following items were discussed:
– SWOP Meeting. Councilor Prebeg advised the Council that he had originally volunteered to attend the meeting on May 6th, but because of the interviews for the West II Rivers Campground Caretaker, he would no longer be able to attend the SWOP Meeting. No one else was available to attend the SWOP meeting either.
– Building Permit Requirements. Councilor Roskoski announced that there is a public hearing on May 12, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. regarding the amendments to the Zoning Ordinance.
– Building Permits. Councilor Roskoski asked what the current building permit fees were. The City Administrator said that he would make a copy of the rates for Councilor Roskoski.
At 7:59 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Minnesota Department of Transportation, a letter advising the City that the grant application for the Mountain Iron-Buhl High School to Merritt Elementary School Trails has not been funded.
2. Silver Creek Liquor Company, a letter thanking the Sheriffs Department for an arrest that was made.
