Meeting Minutes for October 21, 2002
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 21, 2002
Deputy Mayor Prebeg called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. with the following members present: Stephen Skogman, Joe Matanich, Ed Roskoski and Deputy Mayor Joe Prebeg, Jr.,. Absent member included: Mayor Mitchell Brunfelt. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Municipal Services Secretary; Larry Nanti, Recreation Director; Paul Cerkvenik, City Attorney; Joe Stewart, Sergeant; Karen Luoma, Librarian; and Greg French, City Engineer.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Matanich that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Approve the minutes of the October 7, 2002, regular meeting as submitted.
2. That the communications be accepted, placed on file, and those requiring further action by the Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda.
3. Authorize the payment of the bills and payroll for the period October 1-15, 2002, totaling $150,083.35, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
4. Acknowledge the receipts for the period October 1-15, 2002, totaling $107,117.46, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion to adopt the consent agenda carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
At 6:35 p.m., Mayor Brunfelt entered the meeting.
During the public forum, Brian Wilson, 5486 Diamond Lane and Randy Rosandich, 5490 Diamond Lane, inquired if they could purchase the lot in between their houses from Terry Malmstrom and split the lot between them.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to deny the request of Brian Wilson and Randy Rosandich’s to purchase Terry Malmstrom�s lot and split it between them in Unity Addition. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman voting no.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Skogman authorize a payment of $4,201.34 to Kurt and Lisa Schneider as a good faith gesture regarding the soil correction problem at their property on 5484 Diamond Lane. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Prebeg to offer the following proposal to Thomas and Stephanie Nikolanci to settle the Unity Drive right-of-way issue:
Assessment would be capped at 10%.
The Nikolanci�s would retain the mineral rights.
The Nikolanci�s would be paid $1,100 for the shrub and rock garden.
The abstract would be updated, if needed.
The City would appropriately maintain any road.
The City would appropriately maintain the water and sewer mains.
The Nikolanci�s would be paid the appraisal price of $12,525.00.
The Nikolanci�s would be paid an additional $8,000.00.
The motion carried with Councilor Roskoski voting no.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skogman to do the following with regard to the Mashkenode Lake Development:
Follow through with the recommendation of Tom Rukavina and submit an IRRRB grant to complete the infrastructure run to and through the Mashkenode Lake Development.
To direct City Staff including the City Attorney and the City Engineer to meet with the Developer, the Engineering Firms involved with the Development, Saint Louis County, and the Department of Natural Resources.
Have City Staff report to the City Council regarding how to handle the septic system approvals through the City of Mountain Iron.
To have City Staff report back to the City Council on all of the information when they are prepared to do so.
The motion carried.
The City Council reviewed the Sheriff’s Department activity report for the month of September 2002.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Prebeg to approve the amendment to the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association Services Agreement, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Matanich to approve the quote received from Minnesota Power for a 300 KVA transformer at a price of $24,083.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 46-02, Accepting Work, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skogman to adopt Resolution Number 47-02, Accepting Work. It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skogman to amend Resolution Number 47-02 by adding, “with the exception of the portion of bituminous pavement that was not fixed, for which the City will retain $1,469.65, (a copy of the amended motion is attached and made a part of these minutes). The amendment to the motion carried. The amended motion carried.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to have City Staff obtain a release from Jola and Sopp for a claim to the retainage of $1,469.65 on the Kinross Ditch Culvert Replacement Project, so the city can finalize the project. The motion carried.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Prebeg to appoint Mayor Brunfelt to the Quad Cities Joint Powers Recreation Board to serve until the end of his term, December 31, 2002. The motion carried with Councilor Skogman voting no.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Matanich to accept the proposal of the League of Minnesota Cities to recodify the City Code. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Matanich to set a Special City Council meeting to canvass the election results for Wednesday, November 6, 2002 at 5:00 p.m. in the Mountain Iron Room of the Mountain Iron Community Center. The motion carried.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Prebeg to set a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of the City Council to discuss the 2003 budget for Tuesday, November 26, 2002 at 6:00 p.m. in the Mountain Iron Room of the Mountain Iron Community Center. The motion carried.
The Mayor addressed the comments on the AFSCME letter regarding him considering a write-in campaign. He stated that he would not be running as a write-in candidate for Mayor or Councilor.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Skogman to accept the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and approve the following for the contract with AFSCME Local 453:
To create a new administrative position of Assistant Director of Public Works. The Working Foreman would move to this position with a starting pay of $48,000 per year with a management contract similar to the other management personnel.
Change Columbus Day to a workday and add an additional Personnel Day.
Approve a three-year contract with wage increases of 3% as of May 1, 2003, 3% as of May 1, 2004, and 3% as of May 1, 2005.
Create a Journeyman/Lineman Position that would be posted to the AFSCME bargaining unit members as per the required contract procedures with a wage of $22.00 per hour with a six-month probation period of six months receiving 90% of the wage rate during the probation period.
And, also approve the following:
Approve the individual management contracts for the City Administrator, the Director of Public Works, the Library Director, and the Recreation Director renewing them with wage increases of 3% as of June 1, 2003, 3% as of June 1, 2004, and 3% as of June 1, 2005.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, no; Skogman, yes; Matanich, yes; and Brunfelt, yes.
At 8: 30 p.m., it was moved by Skogman and supported by Prebeg to recess the regular meeting and go into a closed session to discuss pending litigation regarding the bids on water treatment plant filter media replacement. The motion carried.
At 8:37 p.m., it was moved by Skogman and supported by Matanich to adjourn the closed session and reconvene the regular meeting. The motion carried.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Prebeg to authorize the City Administrator and the City Attorney to proceed with legal action against the owners of Grove Studio regarding the violation of the City�s land use regulations. The motion carried.
During the open discussion the following items were discussed:
Councilor Prebeg � questioned the status of the Bon Air. The Blight Officer said that he spoke to the owner of the Bon Air and that he expected an answer by November 4, 2002 and if there were no action, the City would clean up the site and put a lien on the property. The City Attorney advised the Council that they would need to follow the procedures outlined in the hazardous building statute.
Councilor Skogman � advised the Council that one post on the Mesabi Trail, off of Mineral Avenue, was missing. The Recreation Director advised the Council that Mr. Manzoline, Regional Rail Authority is aware of the posts missing. He also questioned whether the Regional Rail Authority would be working on the spur in Parkville and Downtown. The City Engineer stated that this would be completed next year.
Councilor Skogman � said that the Unity Drive overlay seemed to have dips.
At 8:50 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skogman that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
