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 18th day of January, 2022 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Ditsch, Holden, Krause, and Mayor Droba.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the January 3, 2022 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of January 3, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the January 10, 2022 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve minutes of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of January 10, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 06-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 06-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the second monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 425.00 | 72633 |
| ACME Tools – Grand Forks | Street Lighting – Capital Outlay | 8,745.23 | 72634 |
| Adam Mannausau | Cat Team Travel Expense | 381.02 | 72635 |
| AlcoPro Inc | Supplies – Police Dept. | 27.00 | 72636 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Ambulance | 56.88 | 72637 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup – 420 9th St | 157.00 | 72639 |
| Andy Kittelson | Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72640 |
| Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel | Cleaning Service | 2,462.02 | 72638 |
| Atlantis Global | Supplies – Police | 95.28 | 72641 |
| Automatic Systems Co | Maint/Repair – San Sewer | 165.00 | 72642 |
| Ben Mortenson | Cat Team Training | 140.00 | 72643 |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 10,702.50 | 72644 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Water Plant | 118.50 | 72645 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,066.88 | 72646 |
| Brad Hagen | Safety Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72647 |
| Brian Briggs | Annual Reimbursement – Water | 241.73 | 72648 |
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72649 |
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72650 |
| Bronko Nagurski Foundation | Appropriation 2022 | 25,000.00 | 72651 |
| Bureau of Crim Apprehension | New Firefighter Background Checks (5) | 75.00 | 72652 |
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas – Grnds/Pol/Str/Gar/Amb/Wtr | 5,689.54 | 72653 |
| Cherryroad Media Inc. | Dog/Cat License Ads, Agendas | 967.50 | 72654 |
| Citizens for Backus/AB | Appropriation 2022 | 40,000.00 | 72655 |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 72656 |
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 403 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 25,760.42 | 72657 |
| City of Ranier | Water – City Beach | 11.55 | 72658 |
| Complete Comfort Systems | Unit Heater – Garage | 5,526.15 | 72659 |
| Costin Group Inc | Gov’t Relations – Kerry Park | 2,000.00 | 72660 |
| Creative Product Source Inc | Paws Antimicrobial Wipes | 59.98 | 72661 |
| Dakota Supply Group | Supplies – Water Dept. | 230.02 | 72662 |
| DSC Communications | Pagers – 5 Monitor VI, Radio Maint | 2,942.50 | 72663 |
| E Kooch Sanitary Sewer Dist. | City Beach/Water Plant | 195.00 | 72664 |
| Erik Drewes | Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72665 |
| Expert Billing LLC | Ambulance Transports | 2,929.00 | 72666 |
| Falls License Bureau | 2020 Ford LL XPL Police | 2,270.84 | 72667 |
| Flaherty & Hood, Pa | Job Class & Compensation Study | 145.00 | 72668 |
| Forest Hill Cemetery Assoc. | 2022 Annual Allocation | 8,000.00 | 72669 |
| Forestland Sales & Service | Parts – Park & Rec | 42.95 | 72670 |
| Friends Against Abuse | Appropriation 2022 | 1,000.00 | 72671 |
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,740.96 | 72672 |
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,426.86 | 72673 |
| Further | Library | 2,024.00 | 72674 |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth – Bombenger/Sweney/Tveit/Amb | 1,405.68 | 72675 |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing, Annual Fee | 75.65 | 72676 |
| Graybar | Supplies – Street Lighting | 90.40 | 72677 |
| Hero 247 | Ambulance Clothing | 840.24 | 72678 |
| Howards – Cenex LLC | Gas – Street Garage | 154.99 | 72679 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Administration/Fire | 139.81 | 72680 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | 2022 Project Allocation | 25,000.00 | 72681 |
| Jefferson Fire & Safety | Titan Pro Fire Helmets | 405.11 | 72682 |
| Justin Franz | Clothing Allowance | 200.00 | 72683 |
| Kantor Electric Inc | Sup-Str Light/Wtr Plnt Heat/VNP Range | 4,685.60 | 72684 |
| KCC TV | Appropriation 2022 | 13,000.00 | 72685 |
| Koerter’s Fuel & Car Wash | Gas-Str/Pol/Str Lght/Strm Sew/Wtr/Sew | 4,981.95 | 72686 |
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept. | Demolition | 1,030.50 | 72687 |
| Kooch County Auditor/Treasurer | LEC Quarterly Lease | 18,750.00 | 72688 |
| Kooch County Public Health | Water Sample Testing’s 2021 | 2,650.00 | 72689 |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 1,055.69 | 72690 |
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Legal Services | 798.00 | 72691 |
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Unit 061/864/062/Mack Plow, Parts-Gar | 1,469.79 | 72692 |
| Marco – LEC | LEC – C368 Copier Agreement | 246.71 | 72693 |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing – Ambulance | 28.00 | 72694 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup/Tool – Amb/Bldg Off/Str Lght/Gar | 577.32 | 72695 |
| Meyers Glass | Door Repair – St Lighting | 409.33 | 72696 |
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72697 |
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet – Water Plant | 230.00 | 72698 |
| Mid-State Truck Service Inc | Unit 062 Street | 96.00 | 72699 |
| Minnesota Board of Firefighter | License Renewal – Gedde/Sweney | 100.00 | 72700 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 7,581.40 | 72701 |
| Minnesota Industries | Gloves – Sanitary Sewer | 193.16 | 72702 |
| Minnesota Power | Utilities | 33,621.80 | 72703 |
| Minnesota Safety Council | Membership Dues | 580.00 | 72704 |
| Mn Dept of Labor & Industry | VNP Elevator #1002980 | 100.00 | 72705 |
| Municipal Code Corporation | City Code, Annual Code Host-2022 | 1,090.00 | 72706 |
| N Kooch Area Sanitary District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 86,354.45 | 72707 |
| Napa Falls Supply | Tools – Water Dept. | 7.99 | 72708 |
| Nick Kittelson | Safety Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72709 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Sup/Tools-Wtr Plnt/Gar/Elect/Str Light | 132.09 | 72710 |
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(Wan) Services | 267.73 | 72711 |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | Sup/Parts/Lube – San Sew/Str/Wtr/Gar | 481.51 | 72712 |
| Pelland Welding, Inc. | Parts/Maint/Sup – Water/Garage | 716.98 | 72713 |
| PreCise MRM LLC | Flat Data Plan – Five | 100.00 | 72714 |
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Pharmaceutical Supplies | 467.32 | 72715 |
| Rainy Lake Oil | Fuel – Water Dept. | 76.44 | 72716 |
| Range Paper Corp | Supplies – Bldgs & Grds/VNP | 1,344.94 | 72717 |
| Roche’s Towing | Towing – Police/Street | 185.00 | 72718 |
| Ronning’s | Safety Jackets – Public Works | 2,735.82 | 72719 |
| Shannon’s Inc | Library Fireplace Project | 2,000.00 | 72720 |
| Sherri Stensland | SHRM Membership | 219.00 | 72721 |
| South Country Health Alliance | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 505.99 | 72722 |
| Steve Boyum Construction | Truck Rental | 1,755.00 | 72723 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing Allowance – Offerdahl/Franko | 457.97 | 72724 |
| Stryker Sales Corp | Ambulance Supplies | 147.60 | 72725 |
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Htg LLC | Bldg Maint – Ice Shelter | 165.00 | 72726 |
| Ted Brokaw | Travel Expense – Storm Water | 1,079.38 | 72727 |
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72728 |
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72729 |
| The Isaac Sports Group LLC | Consult-Kerry Park Revitalization Proj. | 4,500.00 | 72730 |
| TK Elevator Corp | Water Plant Elevator Maintenance | 771.07 | 72731 |
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72732 |
| UHL Company Inc | Software Upgrade/Support | 1,630.00 | 72733 |
| Widseth | Engineering Services | 26,149.71 | 72734 |
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72735 |
| Xerox Corporation | Maint/Monthly Charge – Water Plant | 25.99 | 72736 |
| Ziegler Inc | Parts – Street Dept. | 3,852.36 | 72737 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 225.04 | 101234 |
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101235 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 41,824.02 | 101236 |
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,394.56 | 101237 |
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 520.00 | 101238 |
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 404.00 | 101239 |
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,720.00 | 101240 |
| IF Fire Dept. Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 322.00 | 101241 |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 140.00 | 101242 |
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 910.00 | 101243 |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101244 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101245 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,006.23 | 101246 |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,193.00 | 101247 |
| PERA | Life Insurance | 112.00 | 101248 |
| North Kooch Area San Dist | Health Insurance | 425.00 | 101249 |
| PERA | Retirement | 36,717.16 | 101250 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 61.46 | 101251 |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 45.50 | 101252 |
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101253 |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED letter of support for Voyageur Country ATV Club presentation by Tom Dougherty, Bruce Beste, and Representative Rob Ecklund
|
Tom Dougherty and Bruce Beste of Voyageur Country ATV Club presented to the Council asking for letters of support to accompany their funding requests for Phase Two of their trail expansion project. It was noted that Phase Two of the ATV trail expansion project plans to connect the current trail system north to Ray, Ericsburg, Littlefork, and International Falls. This project will bring tourism to the area and will allow for the potential for economic development. Representative Rob Ecklund was present to explain that he will be working at the Capitol to secure funding for this trail expansion, noting the great benefit to Northern Minnesota if this project is completed.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve letters of support for the Voyageurs ATV Club. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| Heard from Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Officer Darrin Kittelson about the ban on feeding deer in Koochiching County | Conservation Officer Darrin Kittelson, MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR), presented regarding the ban on deer feeding in Koochiching County effective December 30, 2021. Officer Kittelson requested the public do their part in complying with this ban, noting that while the DNR is currently viewing this as an educational period and is not citing individuals at this time, it is necessary to comply. |
| APPROVED extension of Commercial Loan for Citizens for Backus/AB | Kris Lassila, Border Bank, was present to explain the request to renew the City’ Commercial loan with Citizens for Backus/AB that was originated on 12/9/2009 and was subsequently renewed on 12/9/2014 at a rate of 3% for 7-years. It was noted that COVID-19 has had a negative impact over the past two years on the events Backus was able to hold and has had significant financial implications as a result. Lois Lundin, Executive Director for Backus and Hoa Sobczynski, Business Manager for Backus, were both present to make the request to extend the Citizens for Backus/AB Commercial Loan with the City.
MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the request to extend the Commercial Loan for Citizens for Backus/AB. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED Mayoral Proclamation declaring January 30 – February 5, 2022 as Catholic Schools Week at St. Thomas Aquinas School |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Mayoral Proclamation declaring January 30 – February 5, 2022 as Catholic Schools Week at St. Thomas Aquinas School. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Design Phase proposal from Bolton & Menk for the rehabilitation project for Lift Station #7 | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Design Phase proposal from Bolton & Menk for the rehabilitation project for the Lift Station #7. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED request to order two (2) Ford Police Utility SUV patrol vehicles | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve request to order two (2) Ford Police Utility SUV patrol vehicles from Tenvoorde Ford, Inc (State Bid Pricing) as budgeted items from Capital Outlay 402.41100.5800. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Forest Hill Cemetery Board Appointments | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the Mayor’s appointments of Ward Merrill and Harley Droba to the Forest Hill Cemetery Board. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller. Councilor Buller explained that the initial reason that the Forest Hill Cemetery Bylaws were amended to allow for two City Council members to sit on the board was because the City was contributing $10,000 per year, the cemetery was in disarray and facing financial hardship. Councilor Buller noted that he feels Forest Hill Cemetery is in a much better financial position than when he came onto the Board and feels there is a strong Board in place to carry on the functions of the cemetery after he and Councilor Krause are done.
Motion carried unanimously. |
| FAILED to Reinstate Human Resources Committee | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to reinstate the Human Resources Committee. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden.
It was noted that when the 2022 Committee meeting schedule was approved at the December 20, 2021 City Council meeting, it was agreed that given the hire of a Human Resources Director, it eliminates the need for a Human Resources Committee. It was agreed at that time items would be brought forward by the Human Resources Director to the Committee-of-the-Whole as required before being brought before the City Council. Councilor Ditsch stated he feels it is important to keep the Human Resources Committee to ensure someone is looking out for employees given the Human Resources Director will be looking after the best interests of the City. Councilor Holden stated he believes the Human Resources Committee can squash potential grievances and give employees somewhere to go if they don’t agree or aren’t getting the answers they are looking for. City Administrator Bergstrom explained that there is a process for employees where they go to their direct supervisor, then union steward, then HR director, then Committee-of-the-Whole. Councilor Buller stated he feels that the Committee-of-the-Whole is now taking on the duties of the Human Resources Committee. Mayor Droba explained that he has concern about the place of a Human Resources Committee noting the confidential nature of many matters they are reviewing, noting that he feels it is most appropriate to have the Human Resources Director vetting this information before anything is brought to the Committee-of-the-Whole. Mayor Droba further explained that he believes these items should be brought before the full Council acting as the Committee-of-the-Whole, rather that two persons on a Human Resources Committee. Motion failed 2-3 with Councilors Ditsch and Holden voting “yea” and Councilors Buller, Krause, and Mayor Droba voting “nay”. |
| ADOPTED revised Resolution No. 05-2022 approving the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club Gambling Premises Permit application for lawful gambling at TRM 5, Inc., dba Sammy’s Pizza, 301 3rd Ave, International Falls. | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the revised Resolution No. 05-2022 approving the International Voyageurs Snowmobile Club Gambling Premises Permit application for lawful gambling at TRM 5, Inc., dba Sammy’s Pizza, 301 3rd Ave, International Falls. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch.
City Administrator Bergstrom explained that the State of Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division asked the City to modify its Resolution for the Sammy’s Pizza premises permit to remove restrictive language naming specifically which types of gambling the City will allow, as it makes it more challenging for them if an additional type of gambling were to be added. Motion 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. City Administrator Bergstrom explained that there are several other large projects being worked on including the Ambulance Taxing District, Greentech Manufacturing, and the Kerry Park Rehabilitation Project study.
City Attorney Shermoen video-conferenced in from Maui, Hawaii, where he is working remotely for the month. City Attorney Shermoen noted that while he is out of the area, he is still working remotely and is available should something arise requiring legal advice. The December 2021 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report was available for review along with the International Falls Police Department Activity Report for December 2021 and the 2021 Annual Report. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | None. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba stated that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 7, 2022 at 5:30 P.M.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 6:50 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
