Council Proceedings

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

CITY OF VIRGINIA, MINNESOTA, JUNE 28, 2011

Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Virginia, Minnesota, was called to order by Mayor Peterson at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers, City Hall.

Roll Call:

Present: Councillors Cuffe, Littlewolf, Ralston, Baribeau, Sipola, Russo, Mayor Peterson - 7

Absent: None

Mayor Peterson led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moved by Russo and supported to approve the Consent Agenda, as follows:

1. Approval/correction of minutes of Regular Meeting held June 14, 2011.

2. Adoption of Finance Resolution No. 11-012 – Schedule of Bills.

Motion carried and Resolution adopted unanimously.

Councillor Sipola reviewed the request to transfer a five acre tax forfeited parcel of land to the Eveleth-Virginia Airport Authority, which requires approval from the cities of Eveleth and

Virginia as owners of the airport. The Eveleth-Virginia Airport Authority will pay all costs associated with the transfer of the property.

Moved by Sipola and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11112, conveying State tax forfeited land to the Eveleth-Virginia Airport Authority to meet buffer zone requirements. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Russo and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11113, approving the hiring of

David Hartman as a Firefighter/Paramedic, contingent upon passing a background check, pre-

1 employment physical and occupational therapy assessment, with a starting date on or after July 22,

2011. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Russo and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11114, approving the hiring of

Adam Metsa as a Firefighter/Paramedic, contingent upon passing a background check, pre- employment physical and occupational therapy assessment, with a starting date on or after July 29,

2011. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Mayor Peterson reported on the Finance Committee meeting held as a Committee-of- the-Whole on June 21, 2011.

Moved by Ralston and supported to refer the Phase III renovations of the Miners

Memorial Building to the Buildings/Grounds Committee for review in January of 2012. Motion carried.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to begin the tax abatement process of the St. Louis

County portion of taxes for the P & H Minepro Project. Motion carried.

Moved by Russo and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11115, entering into a renewal contract with the Mesabi Humane Society for animal control services, in the amount of $15,900 for the period July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011, and, in the amount of $31,800 for the year 2012.

Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to deputize the Animal Control Officer to issue administrative citations for violations of the animal ordinance. Motion carried.

Moved by Littlewolf and supported to authorize the Teen Center to purchase the dual zone air conditioner, at a cost of $4,304.94, and a new front door, at a cost of $2,000, contingent upon meeting with the City Operations Director to determine possible grant funding and to verify that the historical district requirements are met for the door. City Operations Director Tourville asked that the 2 requests from the Teen Center be put on hold until it can be determined if the existing front door can be repainted and if the current air conditioning unit can be repaired. Councillor Littlewolf withdrew her motion.

Moved by Ralston and supported to request the City’s Building Inspector to review the property at 813 16th Street North and to move forward with the condemnation proceedings, if necessary, with the City Council updated weekly on the issue. Motion carried.

Moved by Russo and supported to authorize the Housing and Redevelopment Authority to accept the quote from Range Carpet, to purchase the “Bigalow” carpet, Option B, in the amount of

$15,306.25, to replace the first floor hallway carpeting at the Washington Manor. Motion carried.

Moved by Littlewolf and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11116, accepting the proposal from DSGW Architects, Inc., in the amount of $29,500.00, for additional services for mechanical and electrical design and additional structural work required to remove and replace the existing slabs for the Olcott Park Greenhouse renovation project. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11117, accepting the proposal from MTI Distributing for a 2011 Toro Groundsmaster 4000-D Mower, to be paid through the five year lease/purchase option, with an annual payment of $11,697.53. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Ralston and supported to authorize the Park/Recreation Director to work with the Mayor to determine the type of replacement windows for the Golf Course Clubhouse and bring a recommendation to the Finance Committee. Motion carried.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to receive and file the communication from the

Mesabi Elm Utilization Authority regarding the joint purchase of equipment by eleven communities.

Motion carried.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to approve the travel request for Cheryl Weappa,

Deputy Assessor, to attend the Ethics Course, sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Assessing 3 Officers & Minnesota Department of Revenue, to be held on November 1, 2011, in Bemidji,

Minnesota. Motion carried.

Moved by Russo and supported to authorize City staff to move forward with generating a new eligibility list for firefighter/paramedics. Motion carried.

Moved by Baribeau and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11118, accepting the proposal from Wipfli for Phase 3 of the Merger/Acquisition Specialist services for the Virginia

Regional Medical Center, at a total cost not to exceed $30,000, with the City paying one-half of the total fees. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Moved by Cuffe and supported to authorize the Finance Director to serve on the

Minnesota Housing Partnership Board. Motion carried.

Moved to Cuffe and supported to send a letter to the St. Louis County Veterans Service

Division requesting that they submit a request for the City to sponsor a special golf event for disabled veterans. Motion carried.

Councillor Sipola stated the Silver Lake beach opened at noon on Saturday, July 25,

2011, and will be open daily from sunrise to sunset during the summer.

Councillor Baribeau stated the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools will be working with the Iron Range Resources to assist cities with sharing equipment to save costs and asked that ideas be submitted to him, Ron Dicklich, RASM Executive Director, Tony Sertich, IRRB

Commissioner.

City Operations Director Tourville reviewed the proposed schedule to award the bids for the natural gas distribution, electrical distribution and site rough grading for the P & H Minepro project and requested permission to call for bids. 4 Moved by Russo and supported to authorize calling for bids for the natural gas distribution, electrical distribution and site rough grading for the P & H Minepro project, based on the schedule that was submitted by SEH Engineering. Motion carried.

City Operations Director Tourville requested permission to submit an application for $5 million in funding through the 2012 capital budget bonding bill for the Wastewater Treatment Facility

Renovation Project.

Moved by Ralston and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11119, in support of funding for the Virginia Wastewater Treatment Facility Renovation Project. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Finance Director Erickson reviewed the resolution to designate the General Fund balances as of December 31, 2010.

Moved by Littlewolf and supported to adopt Resolution No. 11120, designating the City of Virginia’s December 31, 2010, General Fund Balances. Resolution adopted unanimously.

Mayor Peterson stated he will be attending Congressman Craavack’s round table discussions with the Mayors at 11:30 A.M. on June 30th in Eveleth.

See 2011 Resolution Book for Resolution Nos. 11112 – 11120 and Finance Resolution No. 11012.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:05 P.M., with the next regular City Council meeting to be held at 6:30 P.M. on Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

STEVE PETERSON Mayor (CORPORATE SEAL) LOIS ROSKOSKI City Clerk