Meeting Minutes for November 05, 2007
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
NOVEMBER 5, 2007
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Absent member included: Joe Prebeg, Jr. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; and John Backman, Sergeant.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to refer the following agenda items to the following Boards/Commission as follows:
VI. D. Seasonal Resident Fees: referred to the Utility Advisory Board
E. South Grove Neighborhood Meeting: referred to Street and Alley Committee
F. West Virginia/Westgate Neighborhood Meeting: referred to Street and Alley Committee
The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Stanaway that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following items to the agenda:
VI. I. Fire Department and Laurentian Energy Authority
Remove the following item from the agenda:
VI. G. Administration Negotiations
2. Approve the minutes of the October 15, 2007, City Council meeting as submitted.
3. Approve the minutes of the October 29, 2007, Special Joint City Council meeting with the following corrections:
Remove “Gene Matthew, City Councilor, City of Buhl” from attendance list.
Page 2, last paragraph, last sentence: “and work on a potential update the current grant application to fund the development of this.”
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 October 16-31, 2007, totaling $167,042.50, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski requested that the bills and payroll be voted on separately.
It was moved by Zupanich and seconded by Stanaway that the following item be approved:
6. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period October 16-31, 2007, totaling $456,793.05, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, yes; Stanaway; yes; Roskoski, no; and Skalko, yes.
During the public forum, Deb Kaivola was present and informed the Council that her daughter would be adopting two children from Ethiopia and she is holding a rummage sale at Nichols Hall on December 1st and 2nd for a fund raiser to assist her daughter with the expenses and she requested that the Council waived the rental fees for the building.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to waive the rental fees for the Nichols Hall on December 1st and 2nd for a rummage sale to be held by Deb Kaivola for a fund raiser for her daughter. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski informed the Council that Gus Kimpling would not be able to attend the meeting. The Council suggested that Mr. Kimpling appear before the Utility Advisory Board regarding his issue about utility fees.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– Street and Alley Committee Meeting. They met about three weeks ago with Ron Garden and Bob Lloyd, from Saint Louis County, regarding a possible takeover of Old Highway 169 in Kinross. He said that the St. Louis County Officials said they would not takeover any additional roads, but they would consider a road exchange.
– Saint Louis County Highway 7. The Saint Louis County Officials said that in 2008, the Council would be blacktopping from Highway 37 north to Highway 101. And, in 2010, they will be blacktopping from Highway 101 to Highway 169.
– Voss Road. There was a request to the County to work on the road. The Saint Louis County Officials said there was not enough traffic on this road to warrant any improvements.
– County Road 102/Mineral Avenue. The County Officials advised the Committee that Mineral Avenue, heading south from Mud Lake Road to County Road 7 is not on the five year plan, but the plan could change in the future.
– County Road 761/Campground Road. Advised the Saint Louis Officials that there is a need for more signage by the boat landing.
– Joint Meeting. Commented that the Joint Meeting with the Mountain Iron-Buhl School Board, City of Buhl, City of Kinney, and Great Scott Township. He said that this was a productive meeting and would be conducted at least two times per year.
– Street Overlay Projects. Due to the wet Fall weather, Ulland Brothers did not get all the road overlays completed as anticipated.
– Onions in Mesabi Daily News. The Mayor addressed recent “Onions” given in the Mesabi Daily News regarding the Unity Drive extension to South Grove. He said that this road project has been in the works for over 30 years. He also said that a thank you plaque was placed in the Downtown Park and everything was done appropriately with regard to the placement of the plaque. He requested that Bill Hanna and the Staff at the Mesabi Daily News really look at their policy regarding unsigned literature because this offers no accountability.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway to set a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting for Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 6:30 to discuss the 2008 budget. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to authorize the purchase of a new prefabricated pavilion for the South Grove Park at a cost of $9,609.76 and authorize the installation of the pavilion at a cost of $3,400, with the funds being expended from the reallocated Saint Louis County Land Grant. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, yes; Zupancich, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to authorize the sale of the following equipment as listed:
1997 Plow Truck VIN #1GCGK24R3VZ112775 Daniel Yernatich $1,000
1998 Ford 4W EPT VIN #1FMRU18W4WLB48861 Scot Christenson $ 500
1997 Chev PK GM4 VIN #1GCGK24R5VZ113149 Scot Christenson $1,400
The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
The City Administrator reported on the following:
– Financial Review. The Administrator said that the 2008 budget should be good. The 2007 General Fund finances look good. The Enterprise Funds look good except for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Fund, which has a projected loss.
– 16th Avenue. The Project was delayed because the City of Virginia did not award the bid in a timely manner. The Contractors are trying to get the wear coarse down before winter.
– Mott Pit Access. He said that some research was completed and the access is owned by DNR and was built by the IRR with Mineland Reclamation funding. He said that the brushing project could be completed by the Sentence to Serve Program. He said that the barbecues could change the use of the site and the City would have to enter into a lease with the DNR if they were installed. It was the consensus of the Council to not install barbecues at the access.
During the Sheriff’s Department report, the Sergeant advised the Council that Deputy Yarich was recognized by Saint Louis County for her actions at the fire at Mountain Manor.
The Council reviewed the Tennis Court estimate as prepared by the City Engineer.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize Payment Request Number Three to Utility Systems of America in the amount of $71,337.23 for the Unity Addition Phase II Residential Development. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, yes; Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Skalko, yes, and Prebeg, absent.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to authorize Payment Request Number Four to Hibbing Excavating Incorporated in the amount of $2,671.70 for the Mountain Iron Drive Storm Drainage Improvement Project. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; Skalko, yes; and Prebeg, absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize Change Order Number One for the Mountain Iron Drive Storm Drainage Improvement Project to decrease the project amount by $8,588.00. The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
Councilor Roskoski requested that the City Administrator speak to the City Engineer regarding the second resurfacing of the Nichols Hall parking lot still having a bird bath measuring approximately 20 feet by 30 feet.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Stanaway to authorize the request of the Mountain Iron Fire Department and authorize expenditures up to $1,500 from Charitable Gambling funds for use for National Fire Prevention Week supplies to be used at the Merritt Elementary School and the Mountain Iron Halloween Carnival. The motion carried.
The following items were discussed during the Liaison Reports:
– Parks and Recreation. Councilor Roskoski said that he had contacted a Representative from the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) and asked him what kind of guidelines that the LMC follows for playground equipment. The Representative advised him that the LMC follows the Federal Standards for playground equipment.
– Library Board. Councilor Stanaway advised the Council that the Librarian was working tonight and would not be available to give a report, so she wrote a brief report and Councilor Stanaway read it to the Council. Librarian Patrons: August, 1,506; September, 904 (Library was closed for one week do to the reconstruction project); and October 1,569. The Council commended the past and current Library Staff.
– Economic Development Authority. Councilor Zupancich updated the Council stating that the EDA was hopeful that a development agreement would be executed for the housing development south of South Grove.
At 7:22 p.m., Councilor Roskoski left the meeting.
At 7:24 p.m., Councilor Roskoski returned to the meeting.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 49-07, Charitable Gambling at the Sawmill Saloon, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Skalko to adopt Resolution Number 50-07, Charitable Gambling at the Mountain Iron Senior Center, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to adopt the Building Use Policy as presented, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Roskoski to direct City Staff to meet with the Laurentian Energy Authority Representatives and look into the issues with regard to the fire department costs for fire calls. The motion carried.
At 7:33 p.m., it was moved Skalko and seconded by Roskoski that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Forseen, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Bakke Family, a thank you for the flowers for the funeral for Maggie Bakke.
2. Father John Doyle, a thank you for the two family swings recently installed at the Downtown Park.
3. Merritt Elementary PTA, a thank you for assisting with the installation of the two new tetherball games at Merritt Elementary and also for the use of the equipment to unload the new playground equipment.
4. League of Minnesota Cities, forwarding the 2008 draft legislative policies.
