Meeting Minutes for September 15, 2008
MINUTES
MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 15, 2008
Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. with the following members present: Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, Ed Roskoski, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Absent member included: Joe Prebeg, Jr. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Anderson, Municipal Services Secretary; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Sam Aluni, City Attorney; John Backman, Sergeant; and Rod Flannigan, City Engineer (entering at 6:38 p.m.)
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Add the following items to the agenda:
IV. A. Labor/Management Meeting
V. A. Culture and Tourism Grant
Delete the following item from the agenda:
VI. F. Payment Adjustments for Salary Employees
2. Approve the minutes of the September 2, 2008, City Council meeting as submitted.
3. 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.
4. To acknowledge the receipts for the period September 1-15, 2008, totaling $146.217.95, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
5. To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period September 1-15, 2008, totaling $318,489.96, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion carried on the following roll call vote: Prebeg, absent; Zupancich, yes; Roskoski, yes; Stanaway, yes; and Skalko, yes.
During the public forum, Gordy Hoelscher, CEO from Range Mental Health Center, was present and requested the Council’s assistance by waiving the rental fees for the use of the Community Center for a Christmas Party for low income and deserving area children. All the funds that are collected for the event go directly to area children. He explained that they hold two parties on December 3rd and 4th and they are preparing food and setting up on December 2nd.
It was moved by Zupancich and supported by Skalko to waive the building rental fees for the Range Mental Health three-day event on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2008. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
The Mayor updated the Council on the following:
– Mountain Iron-Buhl Hall of Fame. He commented that this was a nice new event. He said that they inducted 15 member from both Buhl and Mountain Iron and they will be inducting five members each year.
– D. G. Winfield. MIB Graduate that is now playing with the University of Minnesota Duluth team and doing very well.
– Matt Niskanen. MIB Graduate that is now at training camp with the Dallas Stars. He wished him well in his 2nd year with the Dallas Stars.
– Archery Range. He said that the Range area is available for use.
– Renewable Energy Tax Credit. He encouraged area residents to contact their legislators to get the legislation passed.
– P & H MinePro. He said that the announcement was in the Mesabi Daily News that P & H MinePro would be moving to Virginia. He advised the residents of Mountain Iron that the City tried hard to keep P & H in Mountain Iron. He said that this will be a big loss for Mountain Iron. He wished them well.
– Canadian National Railroad. He said that the work on the railroad tracks on Unity Drive would be completed this Fall.
– Public Access Television. He advised the Council that this will be the final City Council broadcast on Channel 12 and the next broadcast would be on Channel 7.
– Labor/Management meeting. A meeting was set for Wednesday, September 24, 2008, at 2:00 p.m.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Zupancich to approve the requests for extensions from Michael Ann/Ronald Mortaloni and Brian Persons for the one year extension for the lots that they purchased in Unity Second Addition. The motion carried.
The City Administrator updated the Council on the following:
– Unity Second Addition Utility Extensions. He said that he has been contacted by several property owners in Unity Second Addition regarding the gas and phone services. The Council suggested that the City Administrator contact the property owners to see how many may possibly utilize the gas and phone services. The Administrator said that both the phone and gas services would cost approximately $13,400 each to install.
– Mineland Reclamation Grant. He said that he received a letter declining funding for the Locomotive Canopy.
– CDBG. He said that he received a letter stating that the grant application for the storm sewer replacement would be moving to the next step towards approval.
– Joint Meeting. A meeting has been set for Monday, September 29, 2008, at 5:30 p.m. at the Buhl City Hall with the following entities: City of Mountain Iron, City of Buhl, City of Kinney, Great Scott Township, and the Mountain Iron-Buhl School.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to award the South Grove Park sidewalk installation quote to C & C Winger at their low quote of $11,781.00. The motion carried on a roll call vote with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize payment request number three to Mesabi Bituminous for the South Grove Tennis Courts Reconstruction Project in the amount of $10,138.40. The motion carried on a roll call vote with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko that the Mountain Iron City Council authorize a matching $10,000 contribution towards the Culture and Tourism Grant being proposed by the Mountain Iron Civic Association. The official resolution would be voted on at the October 6, 2008, City Council meeting. The grant would be applied for this Fall, with the deadline being October 17, 2008, with any grants being awarded in 2008 for projects to be started in 2009. Benchmark Engineering would provide the necessary construction plans based on the design approved by the Parks and Recreation Board. Civic Association members will work with City Staff to prepare the grant. The Civic Association will do any follow-up work necessary. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 42-08, declaring cost to be assessed, and ordering preparation of proposed assessment on Park Ridge Drive from Nichols Avenue to the east edge of Park Ridge Plat, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski voting no and Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Resolution Number 43-08, declaring costs to be assessed, and ordering preparation of proposed assessment for declaring costs for Unity Drive from Mud Lake Road to Diamond Lane, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 44-08, accepting work on the improvement of Unity Drive between the northwest corner of Section 14 to approximately 250 feet east, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Roskoski abstaining and Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to table awarding the Mountain Manor Remodeling bid and direct the City Administrator to work with people involved to get this to a more favorable number. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Zupancich to approve the Mountain Iron Organizational Flow Chart, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes) as recommended for approval at the September 12, 2008, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. The motion carried with Roskoski voted no and Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to authorize the temporary liquor license for the October 11, 2008 Asuma/Smith Wedding Reception with the Boondock’s of Forbes operating the on-sale bar. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Roskoski and seconded by Skalko to have the Unity Drive and Aster Avenue crosswalk reviewed by the Street and Alley Committee. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Roskoski to authorize the 2008 allocation to the Greenwood Cemetery in the amount of $3,000. The motion carried on a roll call vote with Prebeg absent.
At 7:35 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Stanaway that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried with Prebeg absent.
Submitted by:
Jill M. Anderson, CMC/MMCA
Municipal Services Secretary
www.mtniron.com
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Biosolids Disposal Site Authority, forwarding the 2009 budget.
2. Tri-Cities Biosolids Disposal Authority, forward the 2009 budget.
3. Iron Range Resources, forwarding information regarding the Culture and Tourism Grant applications.
4. Minnesota Power, a public hearing notice for permission to increase its electric rates.
