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 6th day of December, 2021 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Holden, Krause, and Mayor Droba.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Ditsch.
| 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 November 15, 2021 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of November 15, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden. Motion passed with Councilors Buller, Holden, and Mayor Droba voting “yea” and Councilor Krause abstaining. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 76-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 76-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 555.00 | 72330 | |
| ACME Tools – Grand Forks | Tools – Water Dept. | 349.00 | 72331 | |
| Amazon Capital Services | Sup – Amb/Wtr/Admin/Wtr Admin/Admin | 440.51 | 72332 | |
| American Ambulance Assoc. | Membership Renewal | 525.00 | 72333 | |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,882.32 | 72334 | |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 298.00 | 72335 | |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Oil – Street, Tools – Garage | 60.29 | 72336 | |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 4,453.00 | 72337 | |
| Bear’s Port Town Tire | Unit 124 – Tires | 2,029.40 | 72338 | |
| Border Boxes | Paper – Admin, Shipping – Water Plant | 812.75 | 72339 | |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 72340 | |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 3,074.34 | 72341 | |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Sup/Automation/M&R-Admin/Pol/Amb/Str | 2,507.51 | 72342 | |
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas-Grnd/Pol/Str/Bldg/Gar/Amb/Wtr/Str | 4,182.69 | 72343 | |
| Cherryroad Media Inc. | Agendas/Minutes/Proclamations | 487.50 | 72344 | |
| Chocolate Moose Restaurant Co | Crew Meals | 110.14 | 72345 | |
| Citizens for Backus/AB | Training – Police | 524.76 | 72346 | |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 831.35 | 72347 | |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 208 | Repayment to IFEDA from Fire Dept. 3 of 5 | 45,000.00 | 72348 | |
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,338.65 | 72349 | |
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc. | Chemical Assessment Team – Supplies | 778.48 | 72350 | |
| Compass Minerals | Bulk Hwy Coarse W/YPS | 17,482.39 | 72351 | |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 15,795.71 | 72352 | |
| Cooperative Development LLC | Bore – 314 3rd Street Alley | 2,250.00 | 72353 | |
| Core & Main | Sensus Analytics – Annual Fee | 14,539.00 | 72354 | |
| Costin Group Inc. | Government Relations – Kerry Park | 2,000.00 | 72355 | |
| Creative Product Source Inc. | Cops & Community Glow Bracelets | 161.10 | 72356 | |
| Dakota Mail & Shipping Equip. | Postage Meter Supplies | 53.32 | 72357 | |
| Earl F Andersen | Sign Clamps | 628.45 | 72358 | |
| Fairchild Sign | Forms – Engineering | 185.00 | 72359 | |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth – Myers/Kastens/Fire/Amb, Police Sup | 3,381.31 | 72360 | |
| Gopher State One – Call | Monthly Billing | 28.35 | 72361 | |
| Graybar | Bldg Maint – VNP, Maint & Repair – Water | 972.79 | 72362 | |
| Grotberg Electronics LLC | Spotlight Repair on Squad Car | 30.00 | 72363 | |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Water Admin/Admin | 1,422.41 | 72364 | |
| Int’l Falls Us Post Office | Permit #79 Escrow | 2,000.00 | 72365 | |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch County | City Share November 2021 Project Costs | 608,223.45 | 72366 | |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 30,879.00 | 72367 | |
| Justin Mostad | Safety Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72368 | |
| K & K Meyers Inc. | Keys-Admin/Grnds/Bldg Off/Park & Rec | 42.00 | 72369 | |
| KGM Contractors Inc. | 2020 15th Street, 2020 Local Streets Improve | 128,275.51 | 72370 | |
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept. | Sanitation Service – MSW, Demo Tires | 34.00 | 72372 | |
| Kooch County Auditor/Treasurer | Proposed Tax Notices | 2,897.54 | 72373 | |
| Kraus-Anderson Constr. Co. | Kerry Park Revitalization Proj-Pre-Proj Plan | 3,116.60 | 72374 | |
| Kris Engineering Inc. | Supplies – Street | 608.92 | 72375 | |
| Lawson Products Inc. | Supplies – Electrical | 524.08 | 72376 | |
| Life Blanket | Adult Disposable Barrier Liners | 778.00 | 72377 | |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 918.31 | 72378 | |
| Logan Hulst | Clothing Allowance Reimbursement | 95.36 | 72379 | |
| LVC Inc | Fire Extinguisher Recharge – Fire Hall | 92.65 | 72380 | |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 588.50 | 72381 | |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print Copies – Fire/Admin/PW | 1,198.96 | 72382 | |
| MedicareBlue Rx | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,820.00 | 72383 | |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing – Ambulance/Myers | 54.00 | 72384 | |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Grnds/Str/Bldg /House/Strm/Fire/St Lght | 667.77 | 72385 | |
| Midcontinent Communications | Cable-Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Wtr Plnt/Gar | 514.76 | 72386 | |
| Mid-States Equipment Inc. | Tools – St Garage | 59.95 | 72387 | |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 30.00 | 72388 | |
| Minnesota Dept. of Health | State Test Fee | 6,441.00 | 72389 | |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 2,447.55 | 72390 | |
| Minnesota Industries | Gloves – Storm Sewer/Street | 175.82 | 72391 | |
| Minnesota Power | Sanitary Sew Lift | 117.88 | 72392 | |
| MN Dept. of Labor & Industry | Inspection Water Plant | 36.00 | 72393 | |
| MN Dept. of Labor & Industry | Boiler/Inspect-Wtr Plnt/Admin/Str/Strm/VNP | 170.00 | 72394 | |
| N Kooch Area Sanitary District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 98,460.58 | 72395 | |
| North American Bank Company | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 72396 | |
| On2 Solutions | Supplies – Street Lighting | 5,400.00 | 72397 | |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc. | Part/Tool/Sup/Lube-Wtr/Amb/Gar/Str/Fire | 1,148.31 | 72398 | |
| Petty Cash – Betty Bergstrom | Sup/Lic – M/C, Pol/Wtr//City Beach/B&C | 410.06 | 72399 | |
| Pitney Bowes | Quarterly Lease-Mailing System | 398.82 | 72400 | |
| Precise MRM LLC | Flat Data Plan – July 2021 – October 2021 | 400.00 | 72401 | |
| Provider Enterprise | Non Vent Acucare Masks | 676.78 | 72402 | |
| Range Paper Corp | Cleaning Supplies – Fire | 191.89 | 72403 | |
| Ronning’s | Clothing Allowance – Kennedy | 77.97 | 72404 | |
| Safety-Kleen Systems Inc. | Washer Solvent | 444.61 | 72405 | |
| ServiceMaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services – VNP | 3,500.00 | 72406 | |
| Steven M Shermoen | Legal Fees | 10,408.00 | 72407 | |
| Stopstick Ltd | 9′ Stop Stick Kit | 483.00 | 72408 | |
| Streicher’s Inc. | Clothing Allowance-Stenson/Kennedy | 329.92 | 72409 | |
| Stryker Sales Corp | Hard Shell Case/X-Restraint Pkg/Maint Agre | 6,267.99 | 72410 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 542.61 | 72411 | |
| Teleflex Medical | Ambulance Supplies | 1,215.50 | 72412 | |
| The Dent Shop | Repairs – St Lighting Vehicle | 838.65 | 72413 | |
| The Isaac Sports Group LLC | Consult Serv-Kerry Park Revitalization Proj | 7,500.00 | 72414 | |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 37,696.00 | 72415 | |
| Todd Ojala | IT Mileage Expense | 140.50 | 72416 | |
| US Postal Service | Annual Permit Mailing Fee | 265.00 | 72417 | |
| Varitech Industries Inc. | Transfer Station Wiring | 3,515.67 | 72418 | |
| Verizon Wireless | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,208.31 | 72419 | |
| Viking Electric Supply Inc. | PI – St Light,Sup – Elec, Bld Maint – VNP, | 1,022.36 | 72420 | |
| WEX Bank | Gas – Strm Sew/Fire/House/Amb/Water | 2,553.73 | 72421 | |
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 72422 | |
| Ziegler Inc. | Parts – Street Dept. | 1,053.01 | 72423 | |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | ||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 101177 | |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101178 | |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 39,458.40 | 101179 | |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 3,992.32 | 101180 | |
| IF Fire Dept. Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 322.00 | 101181 | |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 154.00 | 101182 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101183 | |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101184 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,431.73 | 101185 | |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,363.00 | 101186 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 34,480.93 | 101187 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 688.58 | 101188 | |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 669.55 | 101189 | |
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101190 | |
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 101191 | |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101192 | |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 38,403.04 | 101193 | |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 3,771.16 | 101194 | |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 140.00 | 101195 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101196 | |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101197 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,275.99 | 101198 | |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,163.00 | 101199 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 33,237.22 | 101200 | |
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101201 | |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVED as presented | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:
Approve 2022 license renewals, as presented · Ammex Tax & Duty Free dba Duty Free Americas – gasoline pumps license · Carter Kittelson – snowplow license · Forestland Sales & Service Inc dba Pizza Barn – restaurant license · Jeff Briggs Construction – snowplow license · M W Friends Inc dba Friends Garbage Service, LLC – garbage haulers license · Steve Boyum Construction – snowplow license · TruNorth Properties, LLC – snowplow license Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED year 2022 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications, as presented | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve year 2022 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications, as presented.
Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED year 2022 licenses for Timber Pins, Inc. | Ariel Hultman, new owner of Timber Pins Inc., introduced herself to the City Council and requested approval for 2022 licenses including bowling alley, on-sale liquor, Sunday liquor, restaurant, and pool table licenses.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve year 2022 licenses, effective January 1, 2022, as presented.
Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Request Ultimate Development LLC sign an Amended Public Utilities Easement due to an error in the legal description in 2009 and authorize recording the updated easement | MOTION by Councilor Krause to request Ultimate Development LLC sign an Amended Public Utilities Easement due to an error in the legal description in 2009 and authorize recording the updated easement. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 77-2021 accepting the Original Distribution and the Redistribution of Requested and Unrequested Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Established Under The American Rescue Plan Act | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 77-2021 accepting the Original Distribution and the Redistribution of Requested and Unrequested Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Established Under The American Rescue Plan Act. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller. City Administrator Bergstrom explained that the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) is recommending that cities formally accept these monies as they were unallocated fund distributions. Motion carried unanimously. |
| Human Resources Committee recommendation: | |
| a) APPROVED Library Health Plan change | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Human Resources Committee recommendation to terminate the current Library health plan with the Northeast Service Cooperative [annual cost $24,015.60], move to the BlueCross Plan 653 [annual cost $11,174.28], and add $1,000 for each employee to a Health Savings Account (HSA) [annual cost $2,000.00], with an expected annual savings to the City of $10,841.32. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Administrator Bergstrom noted that the City is still participating in bargaining unit contract negotiations. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Holden noted he was enthusiastic to see a business such as Greentech Manufacturing working to expand their building footprint, as well as increase the number of persons it employs.
Mayor Droba thanked Rainy Lake Medical Center (RLMC) for all of their hard work to make the ‘Home for the Holidays’ parade a fantastic community event, noting the City’s participation with both the fireworks and staffing from the Public Works department to setup the event. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 20, 2021 at 5:30 P.M. and adjourned the meeting at 5:51 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
ATTEST:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
