A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of International Falls, Minnesota was held in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building on the 2nd day of August, 2021 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Ditsch, Holden, and Mayor Droba.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Krause
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the July 19, 2021 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of July 19, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the July 26, 2021 special City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve minutes of the special City Council meeting of July 26, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 52-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 52-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 555.00 | 71490 |
| Alex Air Apparatus Inc | Vetter Lifting Bag Controls, Extraction Tool | 16,415.56 | 71491 |
| Allied Generators | Generator Maintenance | 725.00 | 71492 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Admin/Fire/Police/Ambulance/IT | 629.67 | 71493 |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,837.16 | 71494 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup/Wage Assignment | 578.00 | 71495 |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Parts – Street | 26.99 | 71496 |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 178.90 | 71497 |
| Bear’s Port Town Tire | Building Official – Tires | 588.00 | 71498 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Fire Department | 14.00 | 71499 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 71500 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,909.67 | 71501 |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Haz-MRE, Sup/Trng/Part-IT/Pol/Amb/Str | 3,134.56 | 71502 |
| Brigzy’s Bundles | Firewood – City Beach | 82.50 | 71503 |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 455.94 | 71504 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,660.83 | 71505 |
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc | Chemical Assessment Team – Maintenance | 447.34 | 71506 |
| CMS Medicare | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 1,154.53 | 71507 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 8,662.78 | 71508 |
| Core & Main | Meter Parts | 134.82 | 71509 |
| EBIX, Inc | Top Health Subscription | 221.40 | 71510 |
| Entenmann – Rovin Co | Officer Badges – Chief 223 | 242.00 | 71511 |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth-Helgeson/Tveit/Wherley/Lessard | 1,433.59 | 71512 |
| Grand Forks Fire Equip LLC | Fire Craft Phoenix Gloves | 8,235.89 | 71513 |
| Graybar | Electrical Supplies | 201.36 | 71514 |
| Hawkins Inc | Chemicals | 2,220.70 | 71515 |
| Innovative Office Solutions | Supplies – Building Official/Admin | 118.77 | 71516 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share Aug 2, 2021 Project Costs | 1,139,598.10 | 71517 |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 29,554.00 | 71518 |
| Jakes Companies LLC | Calcium Chloride | 2,511.60 | 71519 |
| John Vinar | Account Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 71520 |
| Kantor Electric Inc | Van Lynn Lift Station | 182.42 | 71521 |
| Kooch County Auditor/Treas | LEC Quarterly Lease | 18,750.00 | 71522 |
| Kooch County Hwy Dept. | Dyed Fuel – Street/Garage/Grounds | 1,880.06 | 71523 |
| LMC Insurance Trust – WC | Hilfer/Bacon Deductible | 207.90 | 71524 |
| Locators & Supplies | Electrical Supplies | 107.12 | 71525 |
| LVC Inc | Ann Fire Extinguisher Serv-Gar/Fire/VNP | 701.62 | 71526 |
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Legal Services | 936.00 | 71527 |
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Lowboy Rental | 517.50 | 71528 |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 584.80 | 71529 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print Copies – Fire/Admin/PW | 1,252.94 | 71530 |
| Mark Rock & Concrete | Crusher Fines | 5,280.00 | 71531 |
| MedicareBlue Rx | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,560.00 | 71532 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup/Tool/MRO-Str/Grnd/P&R/Fire/Wtr | 606.48 | 71533 |
| Mershon Technology Interests | Supplies – IT (Memory For Server) | 212.00 | 71534 |
| Midcontinent Communications | Cable – Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Garage | 294.76 | 71535 |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 30.00 | 71536 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 264.15 | 71537 |
| Minnesota Industries | Gloves/Supplies – Storm Sewer/Garage | 207.53 | 71538 |
| MTI Distributing Inc | Parts – VNP | 87.52 | 71539 |
| Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct | Qtrly Lease – Inserting & Mailing System | 1,000.00 | 71540 |
| Roche’s Towing | Towing – Police | 85.00 | 71541 |
| Scalzo Architects | Locker Rm/Lunch Rm Gar, Vactor Garage | 5,773.75 | 71542 |
| Schlenner Wenner & Co | 2020 Audit | 26,540.00 | 71543 |
| Sharon Little | Account Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 71544 |
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | Tree Stake Kits | 25.98 | 71545 |
| Small Town Tech Inc | Mini USB | 16.99 | 71546 |
| Soundnorth | Office Supplies – Water Department | 109.99 | 71547 |
| St Louis County Auditor | 2021 Regional Radio Fees | 265.90 | 71548 |
| Steve Boyum Construction | Flower Beds – Hwy 53 to 11th St | 1,785.00 | 71549 |
| Steven M Shermoen | Legal Fees | 8,060.00 | 71550 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing Allowance – Bounds/Kostiuk | 264.97 | 71551 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 460.87 | 71552 |
| Teleflex Medical | Ambulance Supplies | 677.50 | 71553 |
| The Dent Shop | Repair Amb Windshield, 2019 Chev Tahoe | 8,306.40 | 71554 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 38,912.00 | 71555 |
| UHL Company Inc | Maintenance of Equip – Library/City Hall | 3,023.56 | 71556 |
| United States Treasury | PCORI 2021 | 164.92 | 71557 |
| Verizon Wireless | Monthly Cellular Service | 700.35 | 71558 |
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Electrical Supplies | 224.90 | 71559 |
| Viking Industrial Center | Survey Marking Paint | 418.55 | 71560 |
| Wex Bank | Gas-Grnds/Fire/Hous/Str/Amb/Wtr/San Sew | 2,707.51 | 71561 |
| Widseth | Engineering Services | 4,859.25 | 71562 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 101054 |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101055 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 39,180.39 | 101056 |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen | Retirement | 3,978.90 | 101057 |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 168.00 | 101058 |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 100.00 | 101059 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101060 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,267.91 | 101061 |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 8,743.00 | 101062 |
| PERA | Retirement | 30,902.03 | 101063 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 695.12 | 101064 |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 653.12 | 101065 |
| AUDIENCE | Arnie Nass, 612 5th Avenue, expressed concerns about a property neighboring him at 505 6th Street. Mr. Nass noted that he has contacted City officials numerous times regarding the neighboring property as it is a blighted eyesore. Mr. Nass noted that the property, which serves as a rental unit, has as excess garbage that is not properly disposed of and long grass. Discussion ensued between Mr. Nass and the City Attorney regarding the property. Mayor Droba requested that City Attorney Shermoen and the Fire Marshal discuss this property and come to the next Committee-of-the-Whole with an update. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | |
| APPROVED Second and Final Reading of Ordinance No. 43, 5th Series to impose a franchise fee on Minnesota Power | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 43, 5th Series to impose a franchise fee on Minnesota Power including $2.50 per month for each residential meter and $5.00 per month for each commercial, industrial or other meter. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| CONSENT AGENDA | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 53-2021 to terminate the COVID-19 Local Emergency enacted by Resolution No. 28-20 Proclamation and Declaration of Emergency due to COVID-19 Health Pandemic | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 53-2021 terminating the COVID-19 Local Emergency enacted by Resolution No. 28-20 Proclamation and Declaration of Emergency due to COVID-19 Health Pandemic. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| Rainy River International Full-Scale Response Exercise Presentation – Willi Kostiuk, Koochiching County Emergency Manager | Willi Kostiuk, Koochiching County Emergency Manager, presented on the Rainy River International Full-Scale Response Exercise scheduled for August 26, 2021. Mr. Kostiuk gave a lengthy presentation on the response exercise entitled “Operation Walleye” which is means of preparing to prevent disaster. Operation Walleye is a suite of plans, trainings, and exercises designed to test and enhance capabilities to help prepare local first responders and key stakeholders in preparation for a potential hazardous materials incident in the Koochiching County and the Rainy River region. Mr. Kostiuk noted that this is the largest response exercise of its kind in the State of Minnesota and includes local, state, and federal agencies, as well as the Ontario Provincial and Canadian governments. Mr. Kostiuk welcomes members of the City Council to bear witness to these response exercises noting there will be a bus to shuttle officials between the different exercise sites for observation. |
| APPROVED agreement for contracting Athletic Director Services effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve an agreement for contracting Athletic Director Services effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 and authorize signatures. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED First Reading of an Ordinance amending Ordinance 26, 5th Series to correct the legal description of the land being annexed to the City of International Falls | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the First Reading of an Ordinance amending Ordinance 26, 5th Series to correct the legal description of the land being annexed to the City of International Falls. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| Human Resource Committee recommendations: | |
| a) APPROVED advertising to fill the vacant full-time Paramedic position | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve advertising to fill the vacant full-time Paramedic position. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| b) APPROVED hiring Robert Heinlen in the Public Works Maintenance Worker I position | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve hiring Robert Heinlen in the Public Works Maintenance Worker I position. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Designation of The Rainy Lake Gazette as Official Newspaper | It was noted that the City of International Falls Charter reads for a newspaper to be official it needs to be in operation for one year. Due to this fact there is no newspaper that meets the circulation needs in Koochiching County; therefore, an official newspaper needs to be designated for use.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve designation of The Rainy Lake Gazette as the official newspaper for publications. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Attorney Shermoen noted that he has a number of City blight and other criminal cases scheduled for court on August 16, 2021. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba welcomed Pete Kalar, chair of the Charter Commission to update the Council on the Charter Commission’s progress.
Mr. Kalar explained that the Charter Commission has met monthly for roughly two years going through the City of International Falls Charter and has essentially restructured and rewritten parts of the Charter. Due to the number of changes made to the Charter by the Charter Commission, the Charter Commission is recommending the revised Charter be approved by the majority of voters at the next regular election in November 2022. Mr. Kalar noted that there is one update to the Charter that the Charter Commission is encouraging the City Council vote to approve now, which is an update to the bonding requirements that would allow the City Council to choose whether or not to bond, rather than having to seek voter approval each time. This would allow the City to follow state statutes, rather than being more restrictive. Mayor Droba called a Public Hearing for 5:00 P.M. on Monday, August 16, 2021 for the first reading of an Ordinance amending the Charter requirements for bonding. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 16, 2021 at 5:30 P.M. and adjourned the meeting at 6:19 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
ATTEST:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
