Meeting Minutes for October 02, 2006
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 2, 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; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; Larry Nanti, Recreation Director; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; and Wade Rasch, Sergeant.
The Mayor welcomed the audience and the television viewing audience to the meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Irish that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
V. A. Street and Alley Committee Items
VI. B. Highway 53 Consultant/Lobbyist
Approve the minutes of the September 18, 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 September 16-30, 2006, totaling $519, 015.18, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period September 16-30, 2006, totaling $314,433.87, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Dennis Jorgensen, representing Curl Mesabi, thanked the Council for the initial assistance in 1995-1996 in facilitating the Joint Powers Board for the construction of the Range Recreation Civic Center in Eveleth. Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Virginia, and Gilbert are the owners of the facility. He said that he was appearing the Council to formally announce that Curl Mesabi would be hosting the World Junior Championships next March 3-11, 2007. Mr. Jorgensen said that he is trying to get the announcements that the Championship were going to be held through out the four City Council meetings because they are well attended by the viewing audience. They felt that the estimated financial impact to the area would be estimated at $963,440.
Also during the public forum, Marian Chase, District Coordinator AARP Tax, North Saint Louis County, was present and requested the Council to waive the fees for the building usage to train volunteers to prepare income taxes free of charge for low and moderate income taxpayers of all ages. Last year they assisted over 3,400 people. Their group does not have any funds to pay rent for facility usage.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to allow AARP to use the Community Center facility from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from January 8-12, 2007 at no charge. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the Mayor�s report, he said there was a concern with Locomotive Park regarding the train no longer being structurally sound any longer as per the letter received from the contactors that painted the locomotive. The City will hopefully be awarded a grant in the amount of $25,000 for Locomotive Park. He said that if there would be funding awarded, a canopy and/or fence could be constructed over and around the locomotive. The Mayor also stated that there is a problem with vandalism with the antique lights being broken at Locomotive Park. The Mayor requested the residents to watch to see if they notice any vandalism and to call the Sheriff�s Department. The Mayor also stated that the locomotive may have to be fenced off for safety reasons. Councilor Roskoski felt that the condition of the locomotive had not changed since the City received the locomotive.
It was move by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to seek quotes for a pickup truck for use in the Water and Wastewater Departments. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; and Skalko, yes.
The Blight Officer reported that he and the Sergeant were currently working on four blight issues.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to have the Recreation Director work on estimates for a 10 foot by 14 foot pavilion on a concrete slab for the South Grove Central Park and get an estimate for graveling for the expansion of the parking areas for both fields in South Grove and bring the information to the next Park and Recreation Board meeting to get it budgeted for. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; and Skalko, no.
The City Engineer provided the Council with the sound monitoring report regarding the P & H MinePro site. Councilor Roskoski commented he thought the consensus of the City Council was to have the sound monitors placed by the houses when the residents were complaining about the noise. Councilor Roskoski felt that there was no validity to the test completed. The Mayor said that the sound levels collected fell well below the accepted noise level regulations as administered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The Mayor also stated that P & H MinePro is located in an industrial zoned area. The Mayor said that the complaints against P & H MinePro are a dead issue. He said that enough City funds have been expended to explore this complaint. The Mayor suggested that if Councilor Roskoski wants to pursue the matter further that he hire his own attorney and spend his own money. Councilor Irish said according to the City Policy, there is no set limit to noise issues. Councilor Irish said that eight different families attended the public hearing and it should be looked into further. Councilor Irish felt that the City should look into seeking grant funding to have a noise wall constructed similar to what is done in the Minneapolis area. The Mayor said that P & H is looking for another site, so there is no point in looking at constructing a sound wall.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Skalko to the accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Conditional Use Permit for Paul Terch, 5414 Mineral Avenue, Mountain Iron to add a 8 foot by 24 foot addition to his accessory building on his property on parcel 175-0055-00780. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Conditional Use Permit for Arvid Powilat, 8490 Mud Lake Road, Mountain Iron to construct a 5,000 square foot accessory building on his property on parcel 175-0071-01332. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the liaison reports, Councilor Roskoski stated that the Library Board said that the deficiencies are being taken care of and they are now waiting for the state inspector to come back to see that everything had been completed. Councilor Roskoski said that there was a doorway at the Library that they were concerned with being to narrow, but the Architect said that it is well within specifications for handicapped accessibility. Councilor Roskoski said that the lights in the front of the building are being researched to see what happened, the terra cotta on the front and south side of the building is presently being worked on, and the air condition may be installed by October 4, 2006.
Also during the liaison reports, Council Nelson advised the Council that the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Conditional Use Permits and they advised the Zoning Administrator to review the ordinance regarding fabric structures on several properties.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to have the following items be taken up by the Street and Alley Committee as soon as possible:
1. Request to Saint Louis County for possible north and south bound right turn lanes off of County Road 7 on to east and west bound Unity Drive in the West Virginia area.
2. Locomotive Street sidewalk rehabilitation and mine fence relocation up by Locomotive Park, which is being funded by an IRRR grant.
3. The Walgreen driveway issues.
The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; and Skalko, no.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to have the following items be taken up by the Street and Alley Committee as soon as possible:
Request to Saint Louis County for possible north and south bound right turn lanes off of County Road 7 on to east and west bound Unity Drive in the West Virginia area.
Locomotive Street sidewalk rehabilitation and mine fence relocation up by Locomotive Park, which is being funded by an IRRR grant.
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct the City Administrator to contact Virginia Officials to clarify if the City needs to contribute to the Lobbyist for the Highway 53 Corridor and the request an estimated contribution. After further discussion, Councilor Irish withdrew his support for the motion. The motion died for lack of support.
The City Administrator advised the Council that there was a page missing from the communications from Saint Louis County regarding the funding for the 2007 CDBG projects, he said that Mountain Manor Playground Project was included in the recommendation for approval in the amount of $20,000.
The following items were discussed during the open discussion period:
Councilor Roskoski said that regarding the Mashkenode Lake area earlier discussions with the Council regarding the information regarding what the Council could and could not do on their property. He said that the Mashkenode Lake area is being developed and increasing our tax base.
Councilor Roskoski clarified that he did not type out a letter on City stationery, but that he copied a correspondence that was sent to him that was not marked confidential, wrote a note on the bottom of the notice, and distributed it to area residents. Councilor Roskoski commented regarding the comment made by the Mayor regarding that he could not do whatever he wants. The Mayor said that the City Attorney is reviewing the matter and will be reporting on the issue at the next regular meeting.
Councilor Irish said that any motion should be supported so that it can be discussed between the Council members.
Councilor Roskoski said that regarding the 13th Street crossing that he contacted a High MN/DoT official who specifically told him that the City of Mountain Iron does not legally have jurisdiction regarding the project, but morally the City does. The Mayor said that this is a MN/DoT highway issue.
At 8:10 p.m., it was moved by Nelson and supported by Skalko that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously.
COMMUNICATIONS
Nancy Larson, Manager, Community Development Division, Saint Louis County, forwarding the recommendations regarding the 2007 CDBG projects.
Minnesota Association of Small Cities, a letter from Nancy Larson stating that she would be resigning as Executive Director.
