Meeting Minutes for October 06, 2003
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 6, 2003
Mayor Skalko called the meeting to order at 6:31 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; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; and Larry Nanti, Director of Parks and Recreation.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following item to the agenda:
VI. I. Historic Information
Approve the minutes of the September 15, 2003, City Council meeting as submitted.
Approve the minutes of the September 29, 2003, Special 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, 2003, totaling $93,181.67, (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, 2003, totaling $343,390.00, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Pentti Mahonen, 4929 Spirit Lake Road, was present and questioned whether the City Council has looked any further into the City providing a public septic system for the Spirit Lake area. The Director of Public Works stated that the City looked into developing a central mound system for the Spirit Lake area. The Director stated that the City developed cost estimates on constructing the mound system and look into grant funding for the project, but there were no grant funds available for the project. The Council requested City Staff to look for the proposed plans for the Spirit Lake area and review them at the next regular meeting.
Also during the public forum, Doris Majetich, 8609 Mud Lake Road, was present and asked if the City had regulations regarding cars that do not run and buildings that are not being used on property. The Recreation Director stated that there are blight regulations and residents must come in and sign a complaint on property they feel are in violation.
During the Mayor�s report, the Mayor stated that he and Councilor Irish went to Duluth to a Minnesota Department of Transportation informational meeting for TEA-21 grant funds. He said it is a federal grant administered by MN/DoT and they have $1.5 million of available funds. He said the applications are due November 3rd and they were seeking funding for vintage street lighting for the Downtown area.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Irish to direct City Staff to prepare a resolution and seek TEA-21 grant money for vintage lighting for the Downtown area and Locomotive Park with the pre-application due on November 3, 2003 with Mayor Skalko and Councilor Irish being listed as the contact persons for the City. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski that effective November 1, 2003 that there will be only one person designated to the use of the pager for off work hours, this being on weekdays and weekends. This person shall either be a union person or a salary person, with every week the pager duty be given to a different individual who chooses to be on the pager duty rotation. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Irish to have individual compensation reports prepared for management and union employees indicating when they worked, how long they worked, and what they were doing to earned the compensation time or overtime and have an Office Personnel designated to keep the reports on file. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
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 application for Jason Goehring, 5472 Park Drive, to construct an accessory building that is 2,025 square feet on Parcel 175-0055-02705. The motion carried.
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 application for Jesse Richter, 8421 Dottie Lane, to add a 336 square foot addition to an existing 672 square feet accessory building on Parcel 175-0061-00160. The motion carried.
At 7:29 p.m., Roskoski left the meeting.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize the payment of the League of Minnesota Cities Membership dues in the amount of $2,219.00. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
At 7:30 p.m., Roskoski returned to the meeting.
The City Administrator updated the City Council on the JOBZ Program.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Irish to authorize a half page advertisement in the 2004 Mountain Iron-Buhl Yearbook at a cost of $120. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Director of Public Works said that he looked at the striping on Mineral Avenue by the Catholic Church. He said that there was no reason why it was striped like that and it would be changed.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Nelson to direct City Staff to mail out the rate increase informational letter to the electric utility customers as composed, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the Director of Public Works regarding the December 31, 2003 deadline for painting the angle parking lines on Mountain Avenue. The Director of Public Works stated that the Council did not authorize the sidewalk work and the ramp to be completed at this time. He said he would review the situation further and coordinate the project with the Architect.
Councilor Roskoski asked the City Administrator if the appraisal was completed on the forty acre parcel in South Grove for possible sale to White Pine Builders. The City Administrator said that one appraisal was completed and he was waiting on the other appraisal.
The Director of Parks and Recreation said that the Parks and Recreation Board would like to meet with the Downtown Revitalization Committee to coordinate projects and have some questions answered.
The Recreation Director advised the Council that the Cement Masons, Plasterers, and Shop Hand Local #633 would not be able to volunteer to do the cement work on the pavilion at the West II Rivers Campground until the Spring of 2004.
The Recreation Director advised the Council that a meeting had not yet been coordinated regarding the Mesabi Trail Project with Bob Manzoline. He will notify the Council when a meeting is schedule.
The Council reviewed the list of services provided by the Arrowhead Library System.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize the Librarian to apply for a grant for a building consultant for the Library Building with the City matching the grant award for up to $1,500. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Skalko to have the City Council reconsider the application for a grant for hiring a library building consultant. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to authorize the Librarian to apply for a grant for a building consultant for the Library Building with the City matching the grant award for up to $1,500.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to direct the City Administrator to immediately begin the application process for the library grant to be used for the Phase III elevator requirements of the ADA compliance of the Library. And further, request the City Administrator to contact and work with the following people to meet the requirements of the application process: Library Director, Library Board, Arrowhead Library System, DSGW Architects, Mountain Iron Commercial Building Inspector, the Center for Independent Living, Councilor Irish, Mayor Skalko, Bruce Pomarantz, the Library Consultant, the Fire Marshall, and any other people to meet the November 7th deadline. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; and Skalko, yes.
At 8:31 p.m., Councilor Prebeg left the meeting.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Skalko to authorize payment request number four to Rajala Construction for the Mountain Iron Commercial Forty Project in the amount of $58,969.22.
At 8:33 p.m., the Mayor recessed the meeting.
At 8:34 p.m., Councilor Prebeg returned to the meeting.
At 8:36 p.m. the Mayor reconvened the meeting.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; and Skalko, yes.
The Council discussed the proposed agreement between the City and Independent School District 712. It was the consensus of the Council to review the proposed agreement further and bring questions to the next regular City Council meeting to discuss the issue further.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to direct City Staff, which includes, the City Administrator, the Director of Public Works, the City Engineer, and the City Attorney, if necessary, to begin the process, under the proper statutes, for special assessments on the completed street, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water, and electrical in and for the Park Ridge Development parcels. And further, all assessment work will follow current city policies as close as possible and this project will be completed by December 31, 2003 unless circumstances prevent such. After further discussion, Councilor Roskoski withdrew his motion because the City Administrator had already started the process and Councilor Irish withdrew his support.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to approve the design, cost, and construction to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the following signs along Highway 169 for a total cost of $8,841.64: West II Rivers Reservoir Recreation sign, going both east and west directions; Mountain Iron Recreation Complex, at the interchange going east and west including both ramp signs; and Mountain Iron Community Center and City Offices, going both east and west directions. And further, that the information and application be forwarded to the City Administrator, if accepted. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution 33-03, hearing on proposed assessments, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution 34-03, charitable gambling, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to authorize the fourth quarter 2003 appropriation to the Tri-Cities Biosolids Disposal Authority in the amount of $4,840.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to have all building reservations to be “penciled in” for one week and within that week they must fill an application out and pay a deposit for the building reservation. If the reservation is cancel within 30 day of the reservation, they lose their deposit. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish to authorize the Mayor to hire and confer with outside legal counsel, as he deems necessary, in regards to personnel and contract issues on behalf of the City of Mountain Iron. And further, said outside legal counsel will be used when and where it is needed. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to require City Staff and Management to provide monthly reports stating the reason, time, and date of any correspondence with the City Attorney and to include this report in the Council agenda packet. The motion carried with Councilor Prebeg and Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to have the article in the Duluth News Tribune dated October 5, 2003 to become a part of the Council minutes in its entirety to preserve part of our community�s heritage and history. This is in regards to a happening that occurred, according to research, on May 5, 1893. This will be made part of the local public record until proven otherwise. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to direct the City Administrator to compose and mail a thank you to the County Road Engineer for a fine job resurfacing Southern Drive (County Road 657), Butler Road (County 955), and Campground Road (County Road 761). The motion carried.
At 9:36 p.m., it was moved by Nelson and supported by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
DSGW, a letter regarding the fees for architectural serves for the library renovation.
Biosolids Disposal Site Authority, forwarding the 2004 budget information.
St Louis County, announcing a Hazard Mitigation Planning meeting on October 9th in Duluth.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, information regarding the Phase II Subsurface Investigation Report completed in Mountain Iron, with attachment A and B.
