Meeting Minutes for October 20, 2008
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 20, 2008
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:34 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; Sam Aluni, City Attorney; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Tom Cvar, Fire Chief; and John Backman, Sergeant.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Approve the minutes of the October 6, 2008, City Council 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 October 1-15, 2008, totaling $373,766.24, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
4. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period October 1-15, 2008, totaling $414,764.29, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes). NOTE: Removing the Colosimo, Patchin, Kearney & Brunfelt bill for $136.00.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, yes; Zupancich, yes; Stanaway, yes; Roskoski, abstain; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Conditional Use Permit for Keith Altobelli, 8366 Marigold Street, Mountain Iron, to construct an addition onto an accessory building that would exceed the 900 square feet allowed, on parcel 175-0069-000590. The motion carried.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Conditional Use Permit for Douglas and Jenny Blake, 5727 Mesabi Avenue, Mountain Iron, to construct an accessory building that would exceed the 900 square feet allowed, on parcel 175-0010-001820. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to accept the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the Variance for Douglas and Jenny Blake, 5727 Mesabi Avenue, Mountain Iron, to construct an accessory building five feet from the south and west sides of the lot lines on parcel 175-0010-001820. The motion carried.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– Public Television. Advised the residents of Mountain Iron that the City Council meetings will now be on Channel 7 instead of Channel 12.
– County Road 7. Informed the Council that he met with Commissioner Nelson and was informed that Saint Louis County would be resurfacing County Road 7 from Highway 101 south to Highway 169 in 2009. Also, County Road 102 would be completed from County Road 7 to Mud Lake Road in South Grove in 2009.
– Mesabi Daily News Article. Updated the Council on the wind mills not working properly. He spoke with Representatives of Minnesota Power and they told him that the blades were faulty and the issue would be rectified soon.
– Federal Government Questions. Suggested that people contact Senator Klobuchar’s office in Virginia.
– Election. Encouraged the residents to get out and vote for their candidates.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Holiday Inn Express. He met with the developer and that everything is being constructed according to schedule and it is set to be open in June of 2009. The developer stated that he was pleased with the building site.
– Unity Second Addition Sign. The sign is scheduled to be installed on October 23, 2008 at the southeast corner of Emerald Avenue and Highway 169.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to authorize the purchase of one electric transformer from WESCO at the low quoted price of $12,146.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Prebeg to adopt the Identity Theft Prevention Program, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to approve the amendment to the services agreement with the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association for the Safety Management Program at an annual cost of $8,150.00, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
Councilor Roskoski asked the Director of Public Works when the next Utility Advisory Board meeting was scheduled. He stated that the meeting was set for the 4th Tuesday in November. He said that the Board would be reviewing the 2009 budgets. Councilor Roskoski asked if the Board would be reviewing the County solid waste fee. The Director of Public Works said that he did not think the Board would be making any changes, but he would put the item on the next agenda.
Councilor Roskoski asked the Director of Public Works about the Park and Recreation Board status on the rink closures and the handicapped swings. The Director of Public Works said that the Board is still reviewing the status of the rinks and the handicapped swings are in the 2009 budgets.
The Sergeant reported that there have been several break-ins recently in several Commercial Businesses in the Plaza 53 area and on Enterprise Drive North and South.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Skalko to authorize payment request number nine to Utility Systems of America Incorporated for the Unity Addition Phase II Residential Development in the amount of $85,993.83. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Stanaway and supported by Zupancich to authorize payment request number four to Ulland Brothers Incorporated for the 2007 Street Improvements in the amount of $33,840.53. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Roskoski to authorize the hiring of the following four firefighters contingent upon them passing a background check, a physical examination, and a drug and alcohol test:
Erik Jonassen
James Kochevar
David Felton
Daniel Ronchetti
The motion carried.
The Council discussed the assessments for Park Ridge Drive. The City Attorney said that it is the option of the City whether they want to assess for the entire project or the City could remove the amount paid for by grant funding, it is a City policy issue. The Attorney recommended that the City assess for the entire project amount to improve the ability of the City to obtain future grant funding.
During the Liaison reports, Councilor Roskoski reported that the Culture and Tourism Grant application for the Locomotive Canopy, as prepared by Benchmark Engineering, for the Civic Association, had been submitted to IRRRA.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to direct City Staff to place five advertisements in the Mesabi Daily News, 2 columns wide by 4 column inches long, stating Mountain Iron’s Calendar Parking regulations and dates of the ordinance being in force, November 1st through April 1st. And further, to place the notice on the Public Television Channel 7 announcements. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, no; Zupancich, no; Stanaway, no; Roskoski, yes; and Skalko, no.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Stanaway to direct City Staff to place appropriate advertisements in the Mesabi Daily News notifying the public on the Winter Calendar Parking regulations in the City. The motion carried.
During the open discussion, Councilor Prebeg said that the Park and Recreation Board had been accused of closing rinks and it bothers him that there are accusations that they are taking something away from the Mountain Iron children. The Board looks at all of the statistics for usage, and that they are accountable to the taxpayers for what activities that are being provided and that the resources are being utilized by the children in Mountain Iron.
At 7:18 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
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. League of Minnesota Cities, forwarding information regarding the 2009 Draft Legislative Policies.
2. Mediacom, forwarding price change information and additional channels.
