A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of International Falls, Minnesota was held in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building and via BlueJeans Conferencing on the 7th day of June, 2021 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Ditsch, Holden, Krause, and Mayor Droba.
Media and public via BlueJeans Conferencing. All members noted they could hear the others and the discussion.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda with deletion | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the agenda with deletion, as presented:
Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the May 17, 2021 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of May 17, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 38-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 38-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| 75F, Inc | Cloud License & Mobile App-Library/Pound | 285.00 | 71096 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Sup – Str/Hous/IT/Admin, Automation – Fire | 972.74 | 71097 |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,837.16 | 71098 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup, Wage Assignment | 963.00 | 71099 |
| Aramark Uniform/Career Apparel | Cleaning Service | 944.50 | 71100 |
| ATCO International | Supplies – Street Garage | 60.60 | 71101 |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Parts – Street | 3.18 | 71102 |
| Ballistic Defense | Firearms Training | 600.00 | 71103 |
| Big Fish Print Solutions | Medical Dispatch Forms | 270.10 | 71104 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Water Plant | 57.00 | 71105 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 71106 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 97.99 | 71107 |
| Brayden Dremmel | 2021 Jr High Baseball Coach | 1,000.00 | 71108 |
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas-Grnds/Pol/Str/Gar/Hous/Amb/Wtr/Strm | 4,846.36 | 71109 |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 188.65 | 71110 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,489.94 | 71111 |
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc | Chemical Assessment Team – Maint | 1,038.43 | 71112 |
| Commercial Refrigeration Sys | Bac Evaporative Condenser & Transport | 5,500.00 | 71113 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 3,584.28 | 71114 |
| Core & Main | Cobblestone/Holiday W/S, Meters, Parts-PI | 12,181.78 | 71115 |
| Crandall’s Septic Pumping | Portable Johns – City Parks | 324.00 | 71116 |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth-Mannausau/ Amb/Scofield/Wherley | 987.04 | 71117 |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing | 332.10 | 71118 |
| Holiday Companies | Gas – Storm Sew/Fire/Street/Ambulance | 1,605.71 | 71119 |
| Hydro Klean | Storm Manhole Rehabilitation | 13,465.00 | 71120 |
| IF Recreation Commission | 2nd Half 2020/2021 Funding | 41,500.00 | 71121 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Administration/Street | 150.42 | 71122 |
| International Code Council | Training Materials – Building Official | 275.90 | 71123 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch County | City Share May 2021 Project Costs | 117,467.62 | 71124 |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 29,554.00 | 71125 |
| Joe Glowack | 2021 Jr High Baseball Coach | 1,000.00 | 71126 |
| Josh Mastin | Travel & Training | 35.00 | 71127 |
| Kooch County Sheriff’s Office | Evidence Room Supplies | 154.35 | 71128 |
| Lawson Products Inc | Electrical Supplies | 1,041.22 | 71129 |
| Locators & Supplies | Marking Paint – Green | 167.37 | 71130 |
| Lynn O’Brien | Overpayment Refund | 6.13 | 71131 |
| Macqueen Equipment Inc | Parts – Sweeper | 3,095.40 | 71132 |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 564.00 | 71133 |
| Marco Griffith | Jr High Boys Track Coach 2021 | 1,000.00 | 71134 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print Copies – Fire/Admin/PW | 1,229.35 | 71135 |
| Medicareblue Rx | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,560.00 | 71136 |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing – Scofield | 30.00 | 71137 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup/Tool-Bldg /Str/Grnd/Wtr/P&R/Fir/Amb | 669.92 | 71138 |
| Midcontinent Communications | Cable – Fire/Amb, Internet-Wtr Plnt/Garage | 524.76 | 71139 |
| Mike Pelland | 2021 Jr High Coach – Girls Softball | 1,000.00 | 71140 |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 30.00 | 71141 |
| Minnesota Dept. of Health | State Test Fee | 6,441.00 | 71142 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 3,827.70 | 71143 |
| Minnesota Industries | Safety Glasses/Supplies – Street | 412.58 | 71144 |
| Minnesota Power | Utilities | 605.25 | 71145 |
| MN Pollution Control Agency | SD Collection System Operator | 110.00 | 71146 |
| Municipal Code Corporation | City Code Update | 1,116.00 | 71148 |
| N Kooch Area Sanitary District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 89,329.48 | 71149 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Maint/Sup-Gar/GGB/Strm&San Sew/Wtr/Str | 4,373.32 | 71150 |
| Northland Securities Inc | Tax Abatement – IF Prop Hotel/Cobblestone | 2,580.00 | 71151 |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | Lube/Tools/Sup-Gar/Str/Wtr/Pol/Amb/Fire | 663.96 | 71152 |
| Pitney Bowes | Qtrly Lease – Inserting & Mailing System | 691.14 | 71153 |
| Precise MRM LLC | Mobile Resource Mgmt. | 3,565.32 | 71154 |
| Rachel Griffith | 2021 Jr High Girls Track Coach | 1,000.00 | 71155 |
| Range Paper Corp | Cleaning Supplies – Str/Bldgs/Amb | 1,508.23 | 71156 |
| Robert Ewald | Account Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 71157 |
| Roche’s Towing | Towing – Police | 85.00 | 71158 |
| Ronning’s | Clothing Allowance – EMS Week | 500.00 | 71159 |
| Safety-Kleen Systems Inc | Hazardous Waste Disposal | 499.62 | 71160 |
| Sammy Butts | Clothing Allowance Reimbursement | 129.99 | 71161 |
| Soundnorth | Printer – Bldg Off, Ink Cartridges, Sup-IT | 1,225.97 | 71162 |
| Steven M Shermoen | Legal Fees | 12,592.00 | 71163 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing Allowance – Bounds/Franko | 840.45 | 71164 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 450.15 | 71165 |
| Taft Stettinius & Hollister | Tax Abatement – Cobblestone/Americinn | 12,750.00 | 71166 |
| Ted Brokaw | Travel Expense – Demo | 125.44 | 71167 |
| Teleflex Medical | Ambulance Supplies | 677.50 | 71168 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 37,696.00 | 71169 |
| The Tessman Company | Fertilizer/Grass Seed | 982.32 | 71170 |
| Todd Ojala | IT Mileage Expense | 65.46 | 71171 |
| Travis Thompson | House Demo – 900 11th Street | 5,435.00 | 71172 |
| Verizon Wireless | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,230.69 | 71173 |
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Maint & Repairs – St Lighting/San Sewer | 344.51 | 71174 |
| WEX Bank | Gas-Fire/House/Str/Amb/Wtr Plnt/Wtr/San | 3,310.67 | 71175 |
| Widseth | Engineering Services | 93,656.21 | 71176 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 100983 |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 100984 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 39,526.02 | 100985 |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,184.10 | 100986 |
| IF Fire Dept. Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 336.00 | 100987 |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 147.00 | 100988 |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 100989 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 100990 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,174.64 | 100991 |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 8,518.00 | 100992 |
| PERA | Retirement | 31,916.10 | 100993 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 695.12 | 100994 |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 653.12 | 100995 |
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 100996 |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 100997 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 38,150.40 | 100998 |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,224.30 | 100999 |
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 546.00 | 101000 |
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 404.00 | 101001 |
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,744.50 | 101002 |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 168.00 | 101003 |
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 875.00 | 101004 |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101005 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101006 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,290.92 | 101007 |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 8,618.00 | 101008 |
| PERA | Life Insurance | 128.00 | 101009 |
| North Kooch Area Sanitary Dist | Health Insurance | 425.00 | 101010 |
| PERA | Retirement | 32,470.51 | 101011 |
| AUDIENCE | Curt Wagner, 340 15th Street East, expressed his concerns to the Council about the 15th Street road improvements that began in 2020, but were not completed, including cleanup, ditching, and landscaping. Mr. Wagner stated that he has spoken with both Widseth and Engineer Joe Sutherland about the matter and feels the issues are not being addressed with the contractor that was assigned to the project. Director of Public Works Brokaw stated he is working with Widseth on punch lists for 15th Street, as well as other 2020 road improvement projects, and hopes to have these issues Mr. Wagner brought up addressed by the next Council meeting. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS: | |
| APPROVED low quotes for fire department extrication equipment | |
| a. Extrication tools – Grand Forks Fire Equipment in the amount of $32,865 | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the low quote and purchase of extrication tools from the Grand Forks Fire Equipment in the amount of $32,865, payable from Fire Department Capital Outlay line item 101-41200-5600. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| b. Rescue Struts – Grand Forks Fire Equipment in the amount of $3,880 | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the low quote and purchase of rescue struts from the Grand Forks Fire Equipment in the amount of $3,880, payable from Fire Department Capital Outlay line item 101-41200-5600. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| c. Lifting Bags, 5 Bag Set with Controls – Alex Air Apparatus in the amount of $6,695 | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the low quote and purchase of a set of five (5) lifting bags with controls from Alex Air Apparatus in the amount of $6,695, payable from Fire Department Capital Outlay line item 101-41200-5600. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVED as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:
a) Approve hiring of 2021 Public Works summer part-time employees as follows: Connor Sutherland, Melody Ruelle, Lucie Kennedy Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED the Great Up North Triathlon and 5K to be held at City Beach on August 21, 2021 | A written request was provided by Erin and Ashley Hall of Evolve U Fitness & Wellness, LLC for use of City Beach to hold the Great Up North Triathlon & 5K on August 21, 2021. In the request, it asks for lifeguards to assist in event setup, but it was noted that the lifeguards are Recreation Commission employees not City employees and their assistance would have to be coordinated through the Recreation Commission; therefore, its mention will be struck from the request. MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the amended request for the Great Up North Triathlon and 5K to be held at City Beach on August 21, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Mayor Droba’s appointment of Michael Kostiuk to the position of Police Chief | Mayor Droba introduced his appointment of Michael Kostiuk as Police Chief effective July 6, 2021 and requested Council confirmation. The Mayor recited the exhaustive process used to evaluate the three candidates and hire the new Chief. He explained the Police Chief interview panel conducted an oral interview with each of the three candidates, upon which a ranking was decided. A final interview of each of the three candidates was conducted by the Mayor. Mayor Droba made special note that he did not know of the interview panel’s rankings until after he conducted his interviews and selected his top candidate. Mayor Droba noted that both he and the interview panel felt Captain Kostiuk would be the best person to fill the role of Police Chief.
The Home Rule Charter in Section 28 states that the Mayor shall make the appointment of the Police Chief subject to the majority vote of the City Council. MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Mayor’s appointment of Michael Kostiuk as Police Chief effective July 6, 2021, allowing the Mayor, City Administrator, and City Attorney to negotiate salary and benefits in accordance with the set parameters. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| AUTHORIZED advertising to fill the Police Captain position | MOTION by Councilor Buller to authorize advertising for the vacant Police Captain position due to the appointment of Captain Michael Kostiuk to the position of Police Chief effective July 6, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| AUTHORIZED Second Request for Reconsideration of Pay Equity Non-Compliance | MOTION by Councilor Krause to authorize signatures on the second request for reconsideration of pay equity noncompliance to Minnesota Management and Budget through December 31, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 39-2021 approving Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP) | MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 39-2021 approving the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP) and authorizing signatures. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 40-2021 approving the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP) Concessions Addendum | MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 40-2021 approving the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP) Concessions Addendum and authorizing signatures. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| Human Resource Committee recommendations: | |
| a. APPROVED Memorandum of Understanding between the City of International Falls and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49 | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of International Falls and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49 to combine the “Dozer” and “Single Axle Plow Truck” equipment together as one (1) equipment operator posting. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| b. APPROVED hiring temporary summer employee for the Administration Department | City Administrator Bergstrom explained that while the Administration Department had not originally budgeted for a summer employee, it is short staffed due to the reorganization of the Administration Department and would benefit from a part-time summer employee. It was noted that the Administration Department will still remain under budget overall. MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve hiring Charli Mann as a part-time temporary summer employee in the Administration Department. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| Public Works Committee recommendations: | |
| a) APPROVED purchase of new play structure from Midwest Playscapes for City Beach | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the purchase of a new play structure from Midwest Playscapes for City Beach, with funding from grants to the City Beach Citizen advisory committee and budgeted park and recreation funds. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| b) APPROVED sending request to the Ranier Recreation Club to remove the piano from under the pavilion at City Beach due to its poor condition | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve sending a letter requesting the Ranier Recreation Club remove the piano from under the pavilion at City Beach due to its poor condition. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| c) APPROVED the low quote and purchase of a unit heater for the street garage from Complete Comfort Systems | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the low quote and purchase of a unit heater for the street garage from Complete Comfort Systems, as budgeted. Motion second by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| d) APPROVED the low quote from Adam McIntyre Painting for painting of 50 street light poles and repairs/painting of Smokey Bear statue | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the low quote from Adam McIntyre Painting for painting fifty (50) street light poles and repairs/painting of the Smokey Bear statue, as budgeted. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Administrator Bergstrom noted that with the news of The Journal closing at the end of June, there will be discussion at the June 14th Committee-of-the-Whole meeting regarding publication requirements for the City.
City Attorney Shermoen provided an updated criminal blight listing. Director of Public Works Brokaw stated he understands the public’s frustrations about road improvements, but clarified that the City has not paid in advance for any work not yet completed. Director Brokaw noted that he is working with Widseth on punch lists for 2020 local road improvement projects, as those projects were all started late in 2020 and weather did not allow them to be fully completed. Director Brokaw noted that he has an employee out watering roads for dust control purposes and is awaiting the arrival of the contractor hired to spray the roads for dust. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba noted that the July 4th Celebration planning has commenced.
It was noted that there are no lifeguards at City Beach during the month of June due to a shortage of certified lifeguards willing to work; therefore, it will be “swim at your own risk” for the month of June. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 21, 2021 at 5:30 P.M. and adjourned the meeting at 6:22 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
ATTEST:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
