Meeting Minutes for September 05, 2006
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 5, 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; Wade Rasch, Sergeant; Sally Peterangelo, Librarian, (entered at 7:06 p.m.); and Steve Norvitch, Assistant Fire Chief (entered at 7:08 p.m.).
The Mayor welcomed the audience and the television viewing audience to the meeting. The Mayor also requested that all votes be roll call votes beginning with this meeting.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Nelson that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
Add the following to the agenda:
IV. A. 1. Review ordinance banning fabric structures
Approve the minutes of the August 7, 2006, City Council meeting as submitted.
Approve the minutes of the August 21, 2006, City Council meeting with the following correction:
Page 1, paragraph 9, “The Mayor thanked the Recreation Director, and City Staff, and Volunteers that worked during the Merritt Days Celebration”.
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 August 16-31, 2006, totaling $529,216.51, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period August 16-31. 2006, totaling $260,716.77, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
During the Mayor�s report, the Mayor stated that he had contacted Terry Leoni regarding the truck transportation route for the Biomass Project. Mr. Leoni said that he would talk to Mesabi Bituminous and request that they change their route. The Mayor stated that the City can request to have them go on different road, but can not order them to do so.
The Mayor said that he met with several people regarding the motor vehicle sales tax amendment. He said that it does not guarantee any funds for roads and the bill is worded very tricky. The Mayor said that the money could actually just go to transit in the metro area.
The Mayor said that on Monday, August 28th, he met with the City Attorney regarding the cleanup of the City Dump Site. The City Attorney advised the Mayor that whoever created the dump site is responsible for cleaning the area. The Attorney said that it is better for the City to own it because the City would qualify for grants for the cleanup of the property.
The Mayor also advised the Council that he met with the Fire Department regarding the Mountain Iron First Responders. He said that the Mountain Iron First Responders are looking for interest for people to serve as first responders, which is a much needed service to the residents of Mountain Iron.
The Mayor advised the Council and the Public that through the Economic Development Authority (EDA) the Fairview Clinic has signed a development agreement for an expansion that would be approximately a $3 million dollar expansion with construction scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2008.
The Mayor said that at the last meeting there was some misinformation given regarding the Park Ridge Development and he wanted to correct that information. He said that Park Ridge Development Project is a 40 acres site developed in 2003 on the north side of Highway 169 across from the City hall. He said that the City Council voted on the project in May of 2003. The Mayor said that in March of 2006 the Park Ridge Development area was sold to a Development Firm from Eau Claire for $412,000. The Mayor said that there was $300,000 of City bonded funds and a $300,000 IRRRA grant for the project. The Development Firm has committed to developing a motel, a restaurant, and a big box. The Mayor said that the key to the agreement is that if the Development Firm does not have $7.5 million of property tax value, according to the Saint Louis County Assessor, by March of 2008, the EDA will receive another $412,000. If they don�t reach that same goal by March of 2010 they will have to pay an additional $412,000 to the EDA. The Mayor stated that he checked the official minutes of the May 5, 2003 to clarify that Councilor Irish and Roskoski voted no on the project.
The Mayor announced that the next Labor/Management meeting was set for Tuesday, September 12th, at 2:00 p.m. The Mayor said that it is Councilor Roskoski�s turn to represent the Council on the rotation basis.
Councilor Irish said that he would be addressing the Park Ridge Development Project regarding the Mayor grandstanding about the project. The Mayor stated that he researched and presented factual information to the Council. Councilor Irish stated that he supported the sale of the Park Ridge Development area to the Development Firm through the EDA recently. Councilor Irish stated that he was looking for a way of saving the City money in the first place if the City did not initially upgrade that property because the Development Firm that just bought the property would be redoing the area for their construction needs.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to direct the Planning and Zoning to review our City�s 1998 Ordinance that bans fabric structures in certain areas of our City. Items to be reviewed and a recommendation made to the Council would include: 1) Acreage of the owner�s property (one acre minimum suggested); 2) fabric structure�s size (width and height) and location of the structure on the property; and 3) other areas the Planning and Zoning Commission deems necessary. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Director of Public Works advised the Council that the City Engineer was working on the plans and specification on the Unity Drive area and it should be on the next City Council agenda to call for bids on the project and the project should begin in the Spring of 2007.
It was moved by Irish and supported by Roskoski to have the Director of Public Works contact the Contractor who completed the 2006 cracking sealing project and seek quotes to have him complete the crack sealing for the remaining roads. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, yes; Roskoski, yes; Prebeg, no; Nelson, no; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Irish to authorize the Director of Parks and Recreation to purchase the 2007 advertisement for the Iron Trail Getaway Guide at a cost of $1,685.00. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The City Engineer updated the Council on the Walgreen project. He stated that Benchmark Engineering completed the preliminary layout for Walgreen, but they were not completing the final site plan.
Councilor Roskoski questioned the City Engineer regarding the sidewalks and lighting in the Walgreen area. The City Engineer stated that he had not heard of any city participation/costs to the City. The Mayor said that the Walgreen Developers have not asked the City for any TIF designation, tax abatements, or any other contributions. The Director of Public Works said that the City would be looping a water line by the curbed area to make a connection between the Ann�s Acres water system and the City water system.
It was moved by Nelson and supported by Roskoski to authorize the Fire Department to donate the following equipment to the City of St. Augusta Fire Department:
22 Minitor II Motorola Pages
7 HT 1000 Motorola portable radios, 16 channel
4 MT 1000 Motorola portable radions, 16 channel
1 GE 16 channel mobile radio
2 Motorola Mostar mobile radios, 16 channel
1 Motorola Matrac mobile radio, 16 channel
The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Irish to adopt Resolution Number 22-06, opposing the motor vehicle sales tax constitutional amendment, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was move by Skalko and supported by Nelson to authorize the agreement for the sale and purchase of real estate from United States Steel Real Estate, Section 10, Township 58, Range 18 West, part of the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, City of Mountain Iron, Saint Louis County, for the purchase price of $18,000. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Irish, no; Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 26-06, requesting access, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 25-06, acceptance of right-of-way revision, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to adopt Resolution Number 27-06, authorizing receipt of funds and authorizing signatures, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to adopt Resolution Number 28-06, authorizing receipt of funds and authorizing signatures, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skalko and supported by Nelson to place Laura Neiters on permanent status and her hire date for seniority purposes would be July 20, 2006. The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Roskoski, no; Prebeg, yes; Nelson, yes; Irish, yes; and Skalko, yes.
It was moved by Prebeg and supported by Skalko to waive the rental fee for the Senior Citizens� Center for September 10, 2006 for the Ace Club Fundraiser. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Roskoski and supported by Skalko to approve of the 2007 budget for the Biosolids Disposal Site Authority and the Tri-Cities Biosolids Disposal Authority. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
At 8:00 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to recess the regular meeting and open the closed meeting to discuss contract negotiations strategies concerning the contracts with certain management personnel. The motion carried unanimously.
The Council recessed until 8:16 p.m.
At 8:46 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and supported by Prebeg to adjourn the closed meeting and reopen the regular meeting. The motion carried.
At 8:47 p.m., it was moved by Roskoski and supported by Irish that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
Sally Peterangelo, Librarian, forwarding the new Fall schedule for operating hours for the Library beginning September 5th.
League of Minnesota Cities, forwarding a DVD copy of “Great Waters Gone Bad”, a 30-minute television documentary.
Daniel Jordan, Mining and Mineral Program Supervisor, Iron Range Resources, advising the City that there were no grant funds awarded for the Locomotive Park and the ATV Trail Improvements.
Biosolids Disposal Site Authority, forwarding the 2007 budget.
Tri-Cities Biosolids Disposal Authority, forwarding the 2007 budget.
