IRON MOUNTAIN — Kwik Trip Inc. plans to buy a city-owned parcel on North Stephenson Avenue just north of Dollar General to open a fuel/convenience store.

The Iron Mountain City Council on Tuesday approved drafting a deal after City Attorney Gerald Pirkola said the company was agreeable to the asking price of $350,000 for a 4-acre lot.

A purchase agreement will be prepared, along with a development agreement, Pirkola said.

“All of their new buildings are brick,” said City Manager Jordan Stanchina, noting the chain is expanding its presence in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula.

Based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Kwik Trip/Kwik Star has about 700 stores throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The closest to Iron Mountain are in Eagle River and Marinette, Wisconsin. Another is under construction in Crivitz, Wisconsin, and a U.P. site has been approved in Ironwood, Stanchina said.

The parcel is part of a 10.7-acre former Khoury Inc. furniture plant site that was sold to the Tax Increment Finance Authority for $875,000 in 2007. The city took ownership in 2012 when TIFA was dissolved.

Dollar General developers paid $175,000 for 1.5 acres of the site in 2018. The Kwik Trip purchase would take up the rest of the highway frontage.

Mayor Dale Alessandrini said Kwik Trip is considering a second store in the Dickinson County area.

In addition to hot and fresh food offerings, Kwik Trip last year launched take-home meals companywide.

In other action Tuesday, the council:

≤ Approved three-year tentative agreements with unions representing the city’s three police lieutenants and 10 patrol officers. The lieutenants would receive wage increases of 2.75% retroactive to July 1, with increases of 2.75% on July 1, 2022, and 2.25% on July 1, 2023. Increases for the patrol officers are 2.5% retroactive to July 1, and 2.75% on July 1 in 2022 and 2023. The agreements include minor adjustments in policies for leave time. Negotiations are continuing with unions representing firefighters and public works employees.

≤ Will seek bids to replace 12 of the 15 bunks and face panel cabinetry at the fire department. The bunks have lasted more than 25 years with constant repairs the past few years, said Ed Mattson, director of police and fire services. The anticipated cost is about $50,000.

≤ Agreed to close City Park, except by paying an admission fee, for the Saturday in the Park fundraiser from 2 p.m. Friday, July 16, through all of Saturday, July 17. This year’s bracelet fees are $12 at the gate; $10 for Gus Macker players; and $5 for those 62 and older. The park fundraiser will coincide with the downtown Gus Macker basketball tournament July 17 and 18.

≤ Learned from Stanchina that landline fire alarm dialers at City Hall, the Department of Public Works and the Police and Fire Building are being replaced with cellular service at a substantial savings through Superiorland Electronics of Escanaba. The current cost of $120 per month for each of the three lines will fall to $15 after a total installation cost of about $2,000.

≤ Reappointed Dean Petschar to a three-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals.

≤ Approved street closures for the Iron Mountain Road & Trail Half Marathon on Saturday, Sept. 25. The closures will be the same as in past years, including the outer east lane of Stephenson Avenue from A Street to Third Street between 8:45 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.