BIWABIK CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012
The Biwabik City Council met for their Regular Meeting on Monday, September 10, 2012 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers.
Roll call Mayor Weikum, Councilors Licari, Jackson, Swearingen, Sutich
Present:
Absent:
Others Present: Administrator J. Jacobson, Deputy City Clerk S. Jacobson, City Engineer Jim Johnson, City Attorney Larry Minton, Chief Techar, Officer Chelsea Trucano
Audience: Darlene Jackson, Garrison Hale, John Plesha, Jim Makowski, Clay Jackson
Mayor Weikum brought up adding item 7F, the liability waiver to the agenda. Moved by Councilor Licari, supported by Councilor Sutich to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried on 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote.
Moved by Councilor Jackson, supported by Councilor Swearingen to approve the consent agenda; A) City Council Minutes – special meeting – 7-30-2012 Regular meeting 8-13-2012 B) Biwabik Public Utilities Commission Minutes – Regular Meetings 8-9-2012 NA; C) Biwabik Board of Recreation Minutes – Regular Meeting no meeting; D) Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes – Regular Meeting no meeting; E) City of Biwabik & Utility Combined Financial Statement – July 2012; F) Bills and Payroll Approval – 08-10-2012 check numbers 11324-11341 & 117865 - 117914, $52,452.86; Bills and Payroll Approval – 8-21-2012 check numbers 117915 - $4,204.86; Bills and Payroll Approval – 8-24-2012 check numbers 11342 - 11380, 117916 – 117970 (Check #117925 VOID, issued #117971 as replacement) $110,232.62 G) Monthly Building Inspections Report – NA H) Parks Committee Minutes – Regular Meetings - NA; I) Charter Commission Minutes – no meeting. I) Monthly Campground Report – August 2012 Motion carried on a 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote. J) Daily Projects Report – Alley Reconstruction
Moved by Councilor Swearingen, supported by Councilor Jackson expressing support for City Council to form committee to look at how the 3% lodging tax, that is currently sent to the Iron Range Tourism Bureau, can best be utilized on this side of the Iron Range. The committee should be made up of a member from the City Council, Residence Club, Villa’s, the Lodge, Voyageurs Retreat, Council from Hoyt Lakes and Aurora. Will also need to look into how much administrative costs will be. Committee will do research and come back with some sort of proposal. Discussion on how well this money can be utilized once the administrative costs are paid, what is left over from this, and time involved. Mayor Weikum brought up that the Council should really be the ones that look into this since the Council is really the ones that have control over the money itself. Council has expressed interest to form committee and to extend invitation to Hoyt Lakes and Aurora. Motion carried on 5- ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent votes. Iron Range Tourism Bureau asked the City Council if they could have someone be involved in the committee also. Motion amended to include the tourism bureau as part of the committee.
Moved by Councilor Jackson, supported by Councilor Swearingen to approve Resolution 2012-11 Certifying Preliminary Budget for 2013. Administrator Jacobson spoke about the 2013 preliminary budget, he did state that the expenditures and certain line items will look different. For example, since the Council has to approve/sign some contracts such as I.T. and engineering that item was moved from administrator to council. The percentage increases aren’t accurate either right now. September budget is done conservatively to leave room for some changes to be able to happen between September and December. Roll call with 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote. Resolution adopted on 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote.
Moved by Councilor Sutich, supported by Councilor Licari to set the date for the public hearing on the 2013 budget for December 10th at 6:00 PM. Motion carried on 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent votes.
Moved by Councilor Licari, supported by Councilor Jackson to set the October council meeting for October 9th and the November meeting for November 13th.
Moved by Councilor Jackson, supported by Councilor Sutich to approve pay estimate #2 for Wagner Construction on the Alley Reconstruction project. Discussed the portion of property’s that could possibly have drainage problems. Motion carried on 5- ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent votes.
Moved by Councilor Swearingen, supported by Councilor Jackson to approve the liability waiver form from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. Motion carried on 5- ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent votes.
Communications:
There will be a League of Minnesota Cities Community Conversation held in Eveleth on August 23rd. A League of Minnesota Cities Regional Meeting in Grand Rapids on October 10th. Veterans Memorial Ceremony will be held on August 25th in the veterans memorial park located near Virginia Lake.
Information on the water source from citizen; shows studies on pits and wells. Just wanted people to have some background information on everything involved with water sources.
Department Reports:
Administrator Jacobson said that the public works guys are looking for a backhoe, looking into different sources for this.
Administrator Jacobson reported that the city is still on a temporary substation for the time being, no change in electrical outage. Have had a few temporary “unscheduled” outages. There will be another scheduled outage when we are switched to the new (permanent) substation. There will also be a contractor coming in to trim trees back from the power lines to cut back on the unplanned outages that have occurred.
Darlene reported for the Parks Committee that the Open Air Market will end on Saturday, September 15th. Sign at the park was donated by Laurentian Monument and Stone and Mark and Kandi Sutich. Park plans were submitted by JBN and Sheila Rothman, Darlene thanked Jim Swearingen and Craig Johnson for helping with all of this. September 18th will be the next Parks Committee meeting at 5:30.
Strategic Planning Meeting will be on September 17th at 5:00 PM in the council chambers.
City Engineer Jim Johnson reported that they have been trying to get some testing done at the Residence Club; scheduled for Wednesday morning for some of it.
Councilor Sutich stated that it’s a good thing the alley project will be completed soon.
Councilor Licari brought up a house on 6th Ave N. that something needs to happen to the yard. Stated that by the trailer is very bad too. City has cut the grass before and has charged the person for it. Trailer sold and to be taken away by end of this month. Lot has already been sold to someone.
Councilor Swearingen brought up that at the meeting he was at last Thursday Lykken and Plummer assured that the Residence Club would be black topped. Thinks that someone should be appointed to follow up on the IRTB committee. Councilor Sutich has indicated that he would be interested.
Moved by Councilor Jackson, supported by Councilor Swearingen to appoint Councilor Sutich as council member for IRTB committee. Motion carried on 5- ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent votes.
Mayor Weikum reminded everyone of the Strategic Planning Review on September 17th at 5:00 PM, the public is invited.
Moved by Councilor Licari, supported by Councilor Sutich, to enter into closed session at 7:14 p.m. Motion carried on 5 – ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote.
Recessed into closed session at 7:20 PM.
Reconvened at 8:14 PM.
Moved by Councilor Jackson, supported by Councilor Licari to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 PM. Motion carried on 5 - ayes, 0 – nays, 0 – absent vote.
Mayor Jim Weikum
Attest:
City Administrator, Jeff Jacobson