Meeting Minutes for October 18, 2004
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 18, 2004
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, Director of Parks and Recreation; Karen Luoma, Librarian; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; and Sam Aluni, City Attorney.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. D. 3. Drainage problem-Diamond Lane Cul-de-sac.
Approve the minutes of the October 4, 2004, 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 October 1-15, 2004, totaling $125,697.81, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period October 1-15, 2004, totaling $249,933.64, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the public forum, Ron McGriff, Consulting Librarian, was present and reviewed his Preliminary Space Needs Assessment report with the City Council.
The Council discussed the Business Subsidy Agreement for Precision Testing.
Also during the public forum, Councilor Roskoski questioned whether the variance request from Becky Wilkins could be reconsidered.
At 7:29 p.m., the Mayor recessed the meeting.
At 7:31 p.m., the Mayor reconvened the meeting.
Councilor Roskoski requested that Councilors Nelson and Prebeg make a motion to reconsider the Wilkin�s variance. Councilor Nelson said that he would not make a motion to reconsider because he was following the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator.
During the Mayor�s report, the Mayor stated that he would like the Council to start thinking about submitting ideas to the City Administrator for the 2005 budget for the second City Council meeting in November.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skalko to proceed with the metal columns and approve the brown powder coat for the support columns for the West Two Rivers Pavilion. After further discussion, Councilor Prebeg withdrew his motion and Mayor Skalko withdrew his support.
The Recreation Director advised the Council that the Halloween Carnival would be held on October 31, 2004, at the Community Center. He also advised the Council that the Community Center would probably be the new home for the Carnival because the school did not want the Carnival in the school gymnasium anymore. The Recreation Director said that the American Legion contributed $1,000 and D.A.R.E. contributed $150 toward the purchase of new Carnival games and the Recreation Director requested authorization to expend $1,500 from the Charitable Gambling Fund.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skalko to authorize the Recreation Director to use $1,500 from the Charitable Gambling Fund towards the purchase of new games for the Halloween Carnival. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Nelson, no; Irish, no; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, yes and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skalko to authorize the Recreation Director to advertise for Winter Day Workers, 16 years or older, and Maintenance Workers, 18 years or older, to apply for a position with the City of Mountain Iron. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski to direct the Blight Officer to have City Staff collect the garbage behind the Parkville School. After further discussion, Councilor Roskoski withdrew his motion.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Nelson to accept the recommendation of the City Engineer and authorize pay request number two for the Water Treatment Plant Backwash Tank in the amount of $1,181.80. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Council discussed the Railroad Quiet Zone. The City Engineer advised the Council that the Minnesota Department of Transportation�s web site to calculate the procedure to begin the Quiet Zone applications would be online on October 26, 2004. The City Engineer stated that he contacted Canadian National and they were very disinterested in the project. Paul Fischer was present and stated that he previously worked for the railroad and he reviewed the whistle blowing procedures with the City Council.
Councilor Roskoski asked the City Engineer how the Heather Avenue Graveling Project was proceeding. The Engineer stated that the project should be completed by next week.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to direct Benchmark Engineering to review the Diamond Lane cul-de-sac and survey the curb as far as pitch and slope and bring a recommendation back to the City Council. The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski asked the City Attorney if he had any information on the Mountain Iron Foundation. The City Attorney stated that he was still working on it.
The City Council reviewed the Sheriff Department September 2004 Activity Report. The Sergeant advised the Council that there are currently three new Sheriffs patrolling in Mountain Iron. The new sheriffs are Brian Paulson, Chad Larson, and Matt Thornwall.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson to adopt Resolution Number 30-04, authorizing the acceptance of certain property, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). And further, that the City accept the Department of Employment and Economic Development Grant for the cleanup of the property. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, no; and Skalko, yes.
The Council discussed the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and Economic Development Authority (EDA) situation. The City Attorney stated that the EDA would have the adoption of the by-laws presented at the October 20, 2004, meeting.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to direct the City Administrator and the City Attorney to work closely together on the proposed schedule, on page 52 of the October 18, 2004, City Council packet, are taken care of in their entirety to completion. The motion carried with Councilor Nelson voting no.
Councilor Roskoski stated that he heard “through the grape vine” that at the last HRA/EDA meeting that all kinds of promises were made to build streets and roads in the City of Mountain Iron. He said that he thought the City Council were the only ones that could have roads built in Mountain Iron. The City Administrator advised the Council that the HRA will be putting in a 200 foot graveled service road on HRA property.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to direct the City Administrator to establish a list of costs for additional services for utilities and streets to go into the existing project zones and what projects would be included in the zones and forward the information to the City Council. The motion carried with Councilors Prebeg and Nelson voting no.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Roskoski to direct City Staff to continue to work on the TEA-21 grant application and focus the grant application on the Original Townsite Streetscape Project. The motion carried with Councilor Irish voting no.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Nelson to set a Special City Council Meeting to canvass the general election votes for Thursday, November 4th at 5:00 p.m. The motion carried.
During the open discussion, Councilor Roskoski asked Councilor Prebeg if the Utility Advisory Board (UAB) had discussed the future use of the Ann Acre�s Water Company pump house building, he said that the building is in poor condition. Councilor Prebeg said that he thought the UAB had discussed removing the building and sealing the wells. The UAB had not received any estimates for the project.
Also during the open discussion, Councilor Roskoski advised the City Administrator to direct City Staff to remove the extra dirt that was spread when the utilities were put in for the control building at Locomotive Park. Councilor Roskoski also said that the sidewalk clean up project by the corner of Main Street and the Mineral Avenue alley turned out very well.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Skalko to direct the City Administrator to obtain a current updated map of the land acquired through Resolution Number 30-04 from U. S. Steel Corporation and a map of the property between Parkville and Downtown Mountain Iron showing property ownership for use for the ATV Project. The motion carried.
At 9:01 p.m., it was moved by Prebeg and supported by Nelson that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
