Meeting Minutes for November 16, 2009
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
NOVEMBER 16, 2009
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; Sam Aluni, City Attorney; and John Backman, Sergeant.
The Mayor requested that if any Council member or audience member had anything to distribute to the Council that it be given to the Municipal Services Secretary to distribute to the Council. The Mayor also requested that Council members refrain from tapping on the microphone to get the attention of the Mayor and verbally address him.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Approve the minutes of the November 2, 2009, regular meeting as submitted.
2. 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.
3. To acknowledge the receipts for the period November 1-15, 2009, totaling $366,082.51, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period November 1-15, 2009, totaling $626,629.22, (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, abstain; and Skalko, yes.
No one spoke during the public forum.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– Assessments for corner lots. The corner lot issues have been resolved. He reviewed the current Assessment Policy, adopted on December 15, 1997, with the Council.
– Preliminary Tax Statements. He advised the Council that some of the preliminary tax statements have gone out to the residents. The Council will be voting on the final levy amount in December.
– Downtown Lighting Project. The light standards have been delivered and are currently being installed.
– Perkins Family Restaurant. The construction plans have been submitted to the City and a ground breaking ceremony is scheduled for Monday, December 23, 2009. He also stated that there would be no public money spent on the project.
– General Electric Industrial. Have announced an official closing date of September 1, 2010.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to adopt the Staff/Liaison Report Policy as follows:
In order for Staff (City Administrator, Director of Public Works/Park & Recreation, City Engineer, and Saint Louis County Sergeant) to be prepared to respond to Councilor’s questions; and, in order to give a complete and accurate response to Councilor’s questions; it is required that all questions, directed to said Staff Members be submitted in writing in the same manner and at the same time as items are submitted by Councilors for the agenda. The Mayor will have the authority to pre-approve all questions for City Staff, as he currently does for items to be included on the agenda. This procedure would not apply to questions by Councilors which are by way of clarification on existing issues approved for the agenda and discussed at the Council meeting.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Stanaway that the liquor and cigarette license applications for the period January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, be approved and issued to the following individuals and business establishments pursuant to the approval, where necessary, of the Liquor Control Commission and pursuant to the payment of all outstanding license fees and utility charges:
Jeff & Greg Properties, Inc. On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
DBA: B. G.’s Saloon Sunday On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
5494 Highway 7 Off-Sale 3.2 Liquor
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792
Silver Creek Liquor Company, Inc. Off-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
DBA: Silver Creek Liquor Cigarette
5489 Highway 7
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792
Commander Club On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
American Legion Post #220 Off-Sale 3.2 Malt Liquor
5748 Mountain Avenue, PO Box 361
Mountain Iron, MN 55768
Mac’s Bar, Inc. Off-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
DBA: Mac’s Bar On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
8881 Main Street, PO Box 313 Sunday On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
Mountain Iron, MN 55768 Cigarette
F. P. Troutwine, C & B Warehouse Distr. Cigarette
Mountain Iron Short Stop
5537 Nichols Avenue
Mountain Iron, MN 55768
Sundberg Enterprises, LLC Off-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
DBA: Sawmill Saloon & Restaurant On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
5478 Mountain Iron Drive Sunday On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792 Cigarette
Adventures, Virginia, Inc. Off-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
Greg Hartnett On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
5475 Mountain Iron Drive Sunday On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792
Walgreen Company Cigarette
5474 Mountain Iron Drive
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55792
May December Endeavors Inc. On-Sale Intoxicating
dba: Country Kitchens Off-Sale Intoxicating
5470 Mountain Iron Drive Sunday On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor
Virginia (Mountain Iron), MN 55768
Home on the Range LLC On-Sale 3.2 Beer License
DBA: Holiday Inn Express & Suites On-Sale Wine License
8570 Rock Ridge Drive
Mountain Iron, MN 55768
WJ Holdings, Inc. On-Sale 3.2 Beer License
DBA: AmericInn Lodge & Suites On-Sale Wine License
5480 Mountain Iron Drive
Virginia, MN 55792
The motion carried unanimously.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Truth in Taxation. A hearing will be held at the December 7, 2009 meeting.
During the City Attorney’s report the following questions were asked:
– City policies. Councilor Roskoski questioned whether the City could have policies that are not in writing. The City Attorney stated that policies should be in writing, but there are some situations where a policy would not be in writing. The Attorney stated that with regard to assessment projects paid for by grant funding can be determined on a case by case situation at the Council’s discretion.
– Distribution of public information. Councilor Roskoski asked if the Mayor or City Council members can distribute council information to the public. The City Attorney stated that the pure public record can be distributed, but editorializing the information can cause ethical and/or legal problems.
– Vacating the council seat. Councilor Roskoski questioned whether a Council member can vacate their seat and speak at the podium as a private citizen. The City Attorney stated that there are several items to deal with, i.e. what the issue is, whether there is a conflict of interest in discussing or participating in the issue. The attorney said that you can not separate between a private citizen and a councilor in the city council meeting situation, the primary duty at the council meeting is a councilor.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to authorize payment request number three to Mesabi Bituminous Incorporated for the Forest Drive Project in the amount of $160,128.82. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Stanaway to authorize payment request number two to Magney Construction Incorporated for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements in the amount of $85,769.80. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
Liaison Reports:
– Civic Association. Councilor Roskoski reported that the Civic Association was awarded a $9,500 grant from the IRRR for the construction of a canopy over the locomotive in Downtown Mountain Iron. He also advised the Council that the Civic Association would be contributing $1,000 towards this project. He advised the Council that a resolution would need to be adopted at the next regular meeting for the project.
– Library Board. Councilor Stanaway said that the Board was preparing to advertise for a part-time temporary library aid. He thanked Karen Luoma for assisting the City by working at the Mountain Iron Library during this unexpected vacancy at the Library. The Mayor expressed a special thank you to the Librarian for assisting patrons beyond the call of duty.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to accept the adoption of the January 1, 2009 Actuarial Valuation of Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) report and direct City Staff to develop strategies to meet the obligation of the City. The motion carried unanimously.
Councilor Prebeg announced that the Festival of Trees fundraiser would be November 18th through 22nd for the Virginia Regional Medical Center Foundation and he urged residents to attend.
At 7:07 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Roskoski to recess the regular meeting and enter into a closed meeting to discuss contract negotiations strategies with AFSCME Local Union #453. The motion carried.
Mayor Skalko called the closed meeting to order at 7:25 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; and Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Work.
The purpose of the closed meeting was to have the Personnel Committee update the Council on the contract negotiations with AFSCME Local Union #453.
At 7:48 p.m., it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adjourn the closed meeting and reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
At 7:49 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
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