APPROVED agenda with additions and deletion

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the agenda with additions and deletion as presented:

• Addition of #6 under New Business: Discuss Agreement with International Falls Recreation Hockey dated June 1, 1998 (Council information)
• Addition of #7 under New Business: Authorize $400 expenditure each for filing Council approved Orders in District Court, Steve Shermoen (Council action)
• Deletion of 1a. under Reports: Police Monthly Report, February 2019 (Council information)

Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously.

APPROVED minutes of the February 19, 2019 regular City Council meeting

MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of February 19, 2019. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 11-19 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable

MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to adopt Resolution No. 11-19 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

A Plus Pest Management LLC

Pest Control 

295.00  

65558 

Ameritas Life Ins Corp 

Dental Insurance Premiums 

2,032.36  

65559 

Andy Kittelson 

Travel Expense 

105.00  

65560 

Arrow International Inc.

Ambulance Supplies 

677.50  

65561 

BCBS of MN

Health Insurance Premiums 

4,248.00

65562 

Border Boxes 

Shipping-Fire Dept.

18.75  

65563 

Borderland Humane Society 

Pound Operation 

2,250.00  

65564 

Bound Tree Medical LLC

Ambulance Supplies 

1,014.96  

65565 

Bremer Bank NA

Safe Deposit Box Rent 

20.00

65566 

BW Distributing

Cleaning Supplies-Ambulance 

219.97  

65567 

Canon Financial Services Inc.

Copier MTC Agreement-LEC

192.74  

65568 

Chocolate Moose Restaurant Co 

Crew Meals 

144.92  

65569 

Chris Raboin 

Police Benefit-Last Draw

150.00  

65570 

City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101

Lodging Tax Transfer 

523.38  

65571 

City Water Department 

City Buildings-Water Usage 

1,759.08  

65572 

Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Lodging Tax 

9,944.16  

65573 

Core & Main 

Trmble Hand & Supp/Meters/RNI Trng

20,204.68  

65574 

Essentia Health  

Oxygen 

141.36  

65575 

Forestland Sales & Service 

Gas-Water Plant/Water Dept.

95.60  

65576 

Goodin Company 

Filters-VNP

598.94  

65577 

Graybar 

Supplies-Street Lighting

299.38  

65578 

Harley Droba 

LMC Legislative/Exper. Off/Tax Hear

1,069.28  

65579 

Innovative Office Solutions LLC

Supplies-Admin/Bldg Off/Police/Fire 

70.84  

65580 

International Code Council  

Membership-Bldg Official 

135.00

65581 

IUOE Local 49

Health Insurance Premiums 

27,604.00  

65582 

J. N. Johnson Fire & Safety 

Annual Fire Extinguisher Servicing 

94.35  

65583 

Joseph R Krause 

Travel Expense 

223.88  

65584 

Josh Mastin 

Travel & Training 

170.08

65585 

Kelly Meyers 

Dues-Arrowhead Chapter Bldg Official

135.00  

65586 

Kjell Fogelberg 

9th Gr Basketball Coach 

1,200.00  

65587 

Kris Engineering Inc.

Supplies-Street 

1,663.34  

65588 

Lacal Equipment Inc.

Parts 

236.98  

65589 

Lawson Products Inc.

Electrical Supplies 

557.79  

65590 

Little Falls Machine 

Parts-Street 

705.47  

65591 

Madden Galanter Hansen LLP

Legal Services 

896.00  

65592 

Marco 

Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange

1,798.06  

65593 

Marco Technologies LLC

Contract/Print Copies – Fire/Admin/PW

1,731.98  

65594 

Mason Buller 

Jr High Basketball Coach 

1,200.00  

65595 

Matt Buller 

Travel Expense 

105.00  

65596 

Melanie Clarity 

Sewing-Sears 

16.00  

65597 

Menards International Falls 

Supp/Tools-Bldg Off/St Lght/Str/Amb

627.47  

65598 

Michael Kostiuk 

Travel Expense 

222.04  

65599 

Midcontinent Communications 

Cable – Fire Hall 

98.89  

65600 

Minnesota Energy Resources 

Utilities 

4,053.68  

65601 

Minnesota Power

Utilities 

14,527.78  

65602 

MN Dept. of Labor & Industry

Inspection-Senior Center 

36.00  

65603 

MN Dept. of Labor & Industry

Boiler Inspection-Water Plant 

50.00  

65604 

MN Power

Repl 4 Opt 2 W/LED St Lights

250.00  

65605

Northern Lumber & Hardware 

Kerry Park-Arena/Hoc Cap Out-Str/Gar  

21,989.75  

65606 

Northwest Tire 

Maint & Repair Equip – VNP

715.96  

65607 

O’Reilly Automotive Inc.

Parts-Police Dept.

9.49  

65608 

Petty Cash – Betty Bergstrom 

Sup-Admin/Pol/Fire/Eng Lic-Pol/Fire

493.85  

65609 

PowerPlan

Parts – Unit 043/644J

223.31  

65610 

Premier Specialty Vehicles 

Ambulance Repairs 

1,092.66  

65611 

Rhory Gelo 

Travel Expense 

35.00  

65612 

Samantha Kostiuk 

Utility Bill Overpayment Refund

79.62  

65613 

ServiceMaster of Intl Falls

Cleaning Services-VNP

3,500.00  

65614 

Small Town Tech Inc.

Cable 

18.00  

65615 

Steve Windles 

Jr High Basketball Coach 18-19 

1,200.00  

65616 

Steven M Shermoen 

Legal Fees

8,627.50  

65617 

Streicher’s Inc.

Cloth Allow-J Mastin/G Offerdahl 

632.91  

65618 

Sun Life Financial 

Life Insurance Premiums 

471.53  

65619 

Ted Brokaw 

Travel Expense 

703.42  

65620 

The Nelson Trust 

Health Insurance Premiums

35,145.30  

65621 

Viking Electric Supply Inc.

Supplies-St Lighting 

206.84  

65622 

Volunteer Firefighters 

Firefighters Insurance 

794.00  

65623 

Wagner Construction Inc.

Ready Mix-Dog Pound 

630.00  

65624 

WESCO Distribution

LED Lighting-Firehall

1,950.00  

65625 

WMG Lyfjaberg LLC

Medical Director 

300.00  

65626 

Wyatt Braaten 

Jr High Basketball Coach 

1,200.00  

65627 

Ziegler Inc.

Equipment Lease/Parts Street 

4,155.74  

65628 

The following checks were issued under blanket authorization:

AFLAC 

Supplemental Insurance 

218.61 

100091

AllState – American Heritage  

Supplemental Insurance 

9.64 

100092

Bremer Bank NA 

Federal Withholding 

36,553.46

100093

I.U.O.E. Local Central Pension Fund 

Retirement 

3,040.07

100094

Grant DeBenedet, Sec/Treas 

C.O.P.S. 

120.00 

100095

Intl Falls Ambulance Service 

Dues 

210.00

100096

MN Child Support Pmt Center 

Wage Assignment 

211.34

100097

MN Department of Revenue 

State Withholding 

7,479.62

100098

Empower Retirement 

Deferred Comp

7,167.00

100099

PERA 

Retirement 

29,835.81

100100

Sun Life Financial 

Supplemental Life Insurance 

751.72 

100101 

The Hartford

Voluntary LTD Insurance

483.58 

100102 

AUDIENCE

None.

PUBLIC HEARING 

None.

OPENING BIDS  

None. 

OLD BUSINESS 

None.

CONSENT AGENDA

None.

NEW BUSINESS:

ADOPTED Resolution No. 12-19 approving the Census 2020 Planning Committee

MOTION by Councilor Droba to adopt Resolution No. 12-19 approving the Census 2020 Planning Committee. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 13-19 approving application for exempt permit for MN Deer Hunters Association, Trails End Chapter

MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution

No. 13-19 approving application for exempt permit for MN Deer Hunters Association, Trails End Chapter to conduct a raffle with the drawing to be held on April 5, 2019 at the Backus Community Building, International Falls. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously.

ACCEPTED resignation of Captain Eric Norstad due to relocation and APPROVED appointment of Jesse Besch to Captain

MOTION by Councilor Droba to accept the resignation of Eric Norstad from the International Falls Fire Department and approve the Fire Civil Service Commission appointment of Jesse Besch to Captain. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

APPROVED placement of Daniel Sweney, Rhory Gelo, Riley Hogan, and Wyatt Boyum to the International Falls Fire Department

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve placement of Daniel Sweney, Rhory Gelo, Riley Hogan, and Wyatt Boyum to the International Falls Fire Department based on the Fire Civil Service Commission eligibility roster, contingent on background checks and meeting residency requirements. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

Information on Minnesota House – Property and Local Tax Division legislative hearing of February 25, 2019 on H.F. 0144, Sales and Use Tax for International Falls

Mayor Anderson explained that Councilor Droba, City Administrator Anderson, and he were present for the Minnesota House Property and Local Tax Division legislative hearing of February 25, 2019 on House File 0144, Sales and Use Tax for International Falls. State Representative Rob Ecklund presented his bill, House File 0144, before the committee followed by Mayor Anderson’s testimony about the City and the need for the Sales and Use Tax for infrastructure improvements. An eleven-page packet on the City, engineering studies conducted, and how the tax would be used for infrastructure improvements was distributed to committee members prior to the hearing for review. Nine cities in addition to International Falls were heard at the hearing. Mayor Anderson stated that approval by the House of Representatives seems promising; however, the Senate has not yet set any hearings on this subject and seems more uncertain.

Agreement with International Falls Recreation Hockey dated June 1, 1998 – APPROVED scheduling Town Hall Meeting for March 25, 2019 at 6:30 P.M. to discuss community’s input on Recreation

Councilor Droba stated that he would like to further discuss with the different parties involved the Recreation Hockey Association Agreement and their roles and responsibilities. Droba felt there should be an open discussion about the community’s perception and thoughts on recreation programs, services, and facilities in International Falls.

MOTION by Councilor Droba to schedule a Town Hall Meeting for March 25, 2019 at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers to include the City Council, Recreation Commission, School Board, and community members to seek input about overall recreation in the community. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. Mayor Anderson requested that the topic of the Recreation Hockey agreement be put back on the agenda for the April 1, 2019 City Council meeting.

APPROVED $400.00 expenditure for filing each of the Council approved Orders in District Court

City Attorney Shermoen indicated that there is a $400 fee for filing each of the Council approved Orders in District Court, of which $300.00 is the filing fee and $100.00 is the motion fee. Currently, the hearings are scheduled to be heard in District Court before Judge LeDuc on April 3, 2019. There is a waiting period to allow for appeals by the property owners, after which time the properties can be demolished by the City. MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the $400.00 expenditure for filing each of the Council approved Orders in District Court. Motion seconded by Councilor Droba and carried unanimously.

REPORTS:

Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads 

City Administrator Anderson reminded everyone that a Legislation and Land Use Committee meeting has been scheduled for 5:00 P.M. on March 13, 2019 in the Council Chambers.

City Attorney Shermoen presented a handout with blight protocol that he would like to have the City Council adopt. It would allow for criminal prosecution against blight violators, ($1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail) which would cost less than the civil process does to process Court Orders for demolition. MOTION by Councilor Droba to refer the blight protocol to the Legislation and Land Use Committee meeting on March 13, 2019 for further review. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller. Councilor Ditsch expressed his desire to see this blight protocol passed immediately, without delay. Motion passed 4-1 with Councilors Buller, Droba, Krause, and Mayor Anderson voting “yea,” and Councilor Ditsch voting “nay”.

City Attorney Shermoen also explained that he spoke with the Sentence-to-Serve Supervisor Keith Knaeble about the possibility of Sentence-to-Serve taking on the project of planting the flower gardens in the spring around town. Shermoen said at this time Sentence-to-Serve is not going to be able to take on this project and the City will have to look at other alternatives for getting the flowers planted.

Fire Chief Mannausau gave a brief report for February 2019. Chief Mannausau pointed out that the Fire personnel are scheduled to receive beneficial Journeyman Fire Fighter Skills Lab training fully funded through the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE).

Reports of Mayor and Council Committees 

Mayor Anderson handed out a written Mayor’s Report dated March 4, 2019.

AUDIENCE 

Duane Etienne, 1521 Main Avenue, complimented Public Works staff that worked to replace his water meter last week. He stated that they were great to work with, professional, and extremely helpful in their suggestions to make his plumbing better in case of an emergency.

ADJOURNMENT 

Mayor Anderson reminded everyone that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 18, 2019 at 4:30 P.M and adjourned the meeting at 5:24 P.M.