Nov 12, 2007

A regular meeting of the Council for the City of Crystal Falls was held in the Council Chambers of the City Hall on Monday, November 12, 2007, at 5:00 P.M. Central Time.

Roll Call: Mayor Hendrickson, Councilors Heikkinen, Bicigo, Valesano, and Smokevitch.

Absent: None

Also Present: City Manager Nordeman, City Attorney Lawrence, and City Clerk/Treasurer Olson.

Visitors in attendance were: Jon Bendick, Jeff Sjoquist, Ron Basso, Robert Sherwin, Larry Bicigo, Mark Simeoni, Bill Sliva, Mike Wheeler, and Char Broswavic.

Mayor Hendrickson led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Councilor Heikkinen seconded by Councilor Bicigo moved that the items on the Consent Agenda be approved as noted below:

The minutes of the meetings of October 8, 2007, October 17, 2007, October 22, 2007, and October 31, 2007 as written.

The following reports for the month of October 2007:
A. Police report, as submitted by Police Chief Sherwin, indicating 214 complaints, of which 7 were closed by arrest, and logging of 2,607 miles on patrol duty.

B. Joint Fire Authority report, as submitted by Fire Chief Ahola, indicating answering one (1) fire call; spending approximately 17.5 man-hours fighting fires; and holding no practice and training sessions.

C. Electric Dept report as submitted by Chief Electrician David Graff.

D. Public Works Dept report as submitted by Foreman Kelly Stankewicz.

E. Treasurer’s Revenue Report as submitted by Clerk/Treasurer Dorothea Olson.

Payrolls and Disbursements in the amount of $619,830.46 and instruct the City Clerk/Treasurer to draw checks on the City Treasury in payment of same.

Ayes: Mayor Hendrickson, Councilors Heikkinen, Smokevitch, Valesano, and Bicigo. Nays: none
Motion carried.
Jon Bendick addressed the Council with a request to consider the sale of 30 acres of the property recently purchased by the City for the TV Tower. Mayor Hendrickson directed the Councilors to consider offering this property for sale with further discussion to take place at the December Council meeting.

Jon Bendick also asked the Council to review the junk car ordinance as he feels it is too restrictive.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Heikkinen moved to appoint Michael Ferguson to another 4 year term on the Downtown Development Authority with said term expiring November 30, 2011.

Motion carried.

Councilor Valesano seconded by Councilor Bicigo moved to appoint Maureen Elson to another 4 year term on the Downtown Development Authority with said term expiring November 30, 2011.

Motion carried.

Jeff Sjoquist of Coleman Engineering updated the City Council on the water project indicating that the City is now receiving water from Crystal Falls Township. He also presented the water meter project pay request from Berger & King, Inc. for the water meters purchased.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Heikkinen moved to approve the Estimate of Funds Needed for the water project in the amount of $457,491.44.

Motion carried.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Heikkinen moved to approve the application and certificate from Berger & King, Inc. for payment for the water meter project in the amount of $119,668.50.

Motion carried.

Councilor Valesano seconded by Mayor Hendrickson to adopt the following revision to the sick leave section of the employee handbook:

SECTION III - PAYMENT

A. Payment for authorized sick leave will be paid the following payroll period from when it was incurred.

50% of unused, accrued sick leave will be paid to the employee upon retirement from the City.

Any deviation from this section must be approved by the City Council.

SECTION IV - TRANSFER OF SICK LEAVE FROM ONE EMPLOYEE TO ANOTHER

Subject to the prior written approval of the City Manager, an employee may donate up to eighty (80) hours of their accumulated sick leave to another employee for use during a catastrophic illness. The City Manager will consider the following factors in determining whether to grant or deny the transfer of sick leave:

The donating employee must retain a minimum of 400 hours of accumulated sick leave after the transfer of the donated time, unless twenty (20) hours or less is donated in any calendar year.

A donating employee may give a maximum of eighty (80) hours of sick leave to other employees during
any calendar year.

Sick leave will be allocated based on a pro-ration of both employees’ hourly rates. For example: if a donating employee paid at a rate of $10/hour donates 20 hours of sick leave to an employee paid at a rate of $20/hour it will result in 10 hours of sick leave credited to the employee receiving the sick leave. Likewise, if an employee paid $20/hour donates 20 hours to an employee paid at $10/hour it will result in 40 hours of sick leave credited to that employee. (in any such pro-ration, time will be rounded to the nearest one half hour)

All sick leave hours donated must be voluntary.

Donations may be from any city department.

The receiving employee must have worked for the City at lease one (1) year.

The employee shall not have been disciplined for sick leave abuse.

The receiving employee must have exhausted all comp, sick, and vacation leave that he/she has accumulated.

No more than 320 hours may be received by any one (1) employee for any single catastrophic leave.

Both employees will sign a memorandum of understanding which explains the transfer of sick leave time from one employee to another before the donated time is approved. (In the event that the receiving employee is unable to sign, a spouse or family member may sign for him/her.)

Motion carried.

Councilor Valesano seconded by Mayor Hendrickson moved to approve the Cell Phone Reimbursement Agreement, with the determination of which employees will receive the reimbursements left to the City Manager and the Department Heads.

Motion carried.

Mayor Hendrickson temporarily adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m. to conduct a public hearing on the Facility Program Grant for the Purchase of a Police Patrol Vehicle.

PUBLIC HEARING:

Manager Nordeman advised the Council and visitors that the City has been invited to apply for a grant through Rural Development for 55% of the cost of a new police patrol vehicle. The maximum that Rural Development will contribute is $20,000 with the City’s obligation then being a maximum of $16,842. He noted that this vehicle will replace the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria currently used in the police department.

There were no comments from the public regarding this grant application.

Councilor Valesano commented that it was a good program for the City to take advantage of. Police Chief Sherwin agreed with Valesano. It was the consensus of the City Council that participation in this program was a good thing for the City.

Public Hearing Closed.

Meeting reconvened at 5:44 p.m.

Councilor Heikkinen seconded by Mayor Hendrickson moved to purchase new lights for the Community Christmas tree on the Iron County Court House lawn at a price not to exceed $1,300.

Ayes: Mayor Hendrickson, Councilors Heikkinen, Smokevitch, and Valesano. Nays: Councilor Bicigo.

Motion carried.

Action on the service plan for the Rain Bird irrigation computer equipment used at the golf course was postponed.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Valesano moved to support the MDOT Enhancement Project for the West U.S. 2 corridor in 2010 with the design cost yet to be determined.

Motion carried.

Councilor Bicigo seconded by Councilor Valesano moved to reject a proposal from Gary Friestrom for the replacement of a maple tree in his yard at the corner of N. 6^th and Harrison Avenue.

Motion carried.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Valesano moved to approve a proposal from Ponchaud Contracting & Excavating, Inc. for an addition to the golf course club house for a bathroom in the amount of $14,400.00.

Motion carried.

Councilor Bicigo seconded by Councilor Heikkinen moved to sell the Caterpillar snow blower attachment with the minimum bid set at $3,000 and the bid opening date set for Monday, December 10, 2007 at the next regular meeting of the City Council.

Motion carried.

Mayor Hendrickson set the date for a Special Meeting of the City Council for Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. to conduct a discussion regarding the City electric rates.

Bill Sliva and Mike Wheeler, each being owners of car repair services located in the City’s industrial park, addressed the Council regarding the junk car ordinance. Each has been warned to remove unregistered vehicles from their properties in the industrial park or be found in violation of the ordinance. Mayor Hendrickson directed Attorney Lawrence, Manager Nordeman, and Police Chief Sherwin to look into the matter and report back to the Council at a future meeting with no tickets to be issued during the interim for violations in the industrial park.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Valesano approved the appointment of Ruth Warmanen as a member of the Crystal Theater Board.

Motion carried.

Mayor Hendrickson seconded by Councilor Bicigo moved to meet in closed session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act P. A. 1976, No. 267, Section 15.268 (c) for a strategy session regarding the IBEW collective bargaining agreement.

Meeting temporarily adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

Meeting reconvened at 6:44 p.m.

Councilor Valesano seconded by Councilor Heikkinen moved t accept the draft agreement between the City of Crystal Falls and Local Union #219 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers covering the Employees of the City of Crystal Falls Electrical Department effective October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008.

Ayes: Mayor Hendrickson, Councilors Heikkinen, Smokevitch, Valesano, and Bicigo. Nays: None

Motion carried.

Said draft agreement will become effective upon ratification of the Electrical Department employees.

Councilor Heikkinen seconded by Mayor Hendrickson moved to adjourn this meeting of the City Council.

Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.