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 20th day of June, 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 Holden to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Friday, June 3, 2022 special emergency City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve minutes of the special emergency City Council meeting of June 3, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, June 6, 2022 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of June 6, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, June 13, 2022 special City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve minutes of the special City Council meeting of June 13, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, June 13, 2022 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve minutes of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of June 13, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 44-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 44-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the second monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 593.85 | 73669 | ||
| ACME Tools – Grand Forks | Sanitary Sewer | 813.39 | 73670 | ||
| Aladtec Inc | Online Employee Scheduling | 3,811.00 | 73671 | ||
| Amazon Capital Services | Sup – IT/Admin/San Sew, Cloth – Police | 316.22 | 73672 | ||
| American Accounts & Advisers | Ambulance Collection Fees | 522.69 | 73673 | ||
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 4,775.00 | 73674 | ||
| ATCO International | Supplies – Street Garage | 118.00 | 73675 | ||
| Bethany Crane | Boards for Trucks | 300.00 | 73676 | ||
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Street/Water Plant | 125.50 | 73677 | ||
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 2,787.97 | 73678 | ||
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73679 | ||
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73680 | ||
| Bureau of Criminal Apprehension | Annual CIDN Remote Access | 50.00 | 73681 | ||
| Chamber of Commerce | Water Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 73682 | ||
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Agnda&Min, Paramedic/Lift Station Ad | 1,537.50 | 73683 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 73684 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 25,760.42 | 73685 | ||
| City of Ranier | Water – City Beach | 11.55 | 73686 | ||
| Coca-Cola Bottling Co | Water – VNP | 20.60 | 73687 | ||
| Core & Main | Tools – San Sewer | 1,359.43 | 73688 | ||
| Earl F Andersen | Park/Rec – Pickle ball System, Signs | 3,283.75 | 73689 | ||
| Erickson’s Lawncare | Fertilizer | 4,830.00 | 73690 | ||
| Expert Billing LLC | Ambulance Transports | 3,828.00 | 73691 | ||
| Falls License Bureau | 2022 Mack VIN# 1700 | 7,687.63 | 73692 | ||
| Falls Lumber Company | Parks & Rec – Picnic Tables | 286.74 | 73693 | ||
| Flaherty & Hood, Pa | Job Class & Compensation Study | 870.00 | 73694 | ||
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,873.92 | 73695 | ||
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,373.22 | 73696 | ||
| Galls, An Aramark Co., LLC | Clothing Allowance – Wherley | 25.50 | 73697 | ||
| Hawkins Inc | Chemicals | 3,873.38 | 73698 | ||
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Fire/Admin/Amb | 36.05 | 73699 | ||
| Josh Mastin | Travel & Training | 105.00 | 73700 | ||
| Koerter’s Fuel & Car Wash | Gas-Pol/Grnd/Str/Gar/Wtr/Sew/Str Lght | 6,797.47 | 73701 | ||
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept. | Solid Waste Fee – City Property/VNP | 1,785.00 | 73702 | ||
| L & L Constructors Inc | Raised Curbs – Water Plant | 3,174.78 | 73703 | ||
| Laura Korpi | Ambulance Training/Education | 206.00 | 73704 | ||
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 758.38 | 73705 | ||
| LMC Insurance Trust – WC | Sweney/Friesen Deductible | 521.36 | 73706 | ||
| Locators & Supplies | Supplies – Park/Rec | 589.28 | 73707 | ||
| LVC Inc | VNP Fire Alarm Troubleshoot/Repair | 230.00 | 73708 | ||
| MacQueen Equipment Inc | Parts – Trackless | 194.80 | 73709 | ||
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Legal Services | 152.00 | 73710 | ||
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Parts – Street | 6.03 | 73711 | ||
| Mark Rock & Concrete | 3/4 Clean” | 211.51 | 73712 | ||
| Menards International Falls | Sup/M&R/Tool-Gar/Str/Fire/P&R/Wtr | 1,713.22 | 73713 | ||
| Meyers Glass | Door Repair – VNP | 425.00 | 73714 | ||
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73715 | ||
| Midcontinent Communications | Cable – Fire Hall/Ambulance | 131.78 | 73716 | ||
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 60.00 | 73717 | ||
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 4,741.94 | 73718 | ||
| Minnesota Industries | Safety Equipment – Street | 101.53 | 73719 | ||
| Minnesota Power | Utilities | 30,922.60 | 73720 | ||
| MN Fire Service Cert Board | Firefighter I/II Exams – Five | 1,200.00 | 73721 | ||
| MTI Distributing Inc | Supplies/Parts – Grounds/P&R/VNP | 1,088.83 | 73722 | ||
| Nicholson’s Garden Center | Grass/Coleus for Cement Planters | 682.80 | 73723 | ||
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Pole Barn/Sign-Project, Maint-Gar/Strm | 2,513.50 | 73724 | ||
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(Wan) Services | 267.73 | 73725 | ||
| Pelland Welding, Inc. | Parts – Str/Wtr/Grnds, Oil – P&R | 440.83 | 73726 | ||
| Precise MRM LLC | Flat Data Plan – Six | 1,440.00 | 73727 | ||
| Pro Hydro-Testing | Hydro-Testing | 1,467.00 | 73728 | ||
| Railroad Mgmt. Co III, Inc | License Fees – Sewer Pipeline Xing | 313.34 | 73729 | ||
| Rainy Lake Oil | Sup – Fire, Propane – Hazmat, Oil – Gar | 1,995.72 | 73730 | ||
| Range Paper Corp | Cleaning Supplies – Buildings | 1,085.54 | 73731 | ||
| Ronning’s | Clothing Allowance – Mannausau | 36.99 | 73732 | ||
| ServiceMaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services – VNP | 4,500.00 | 73733 | ||
| Soundnorth | Office Supplies – Water Plant | 34.99 | 73734 | ||
| Stryker Sales Corp | Ambulance Parts | 437.27 | 73735 | ||
| TC Lighting Supplies & Recycle | Hazardous Waste | 47.61 | 73736 | ||
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73737 | ||
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73738 | ||
| The Sherwin Williams Co-Bemidji | Paint/Supplies | 289.81 | 73739 | ||
| The Tessman Company | Fast N Full Sun/Shade | 1,400.00 | 73740 | ||
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73741 | ||
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Supplies – St Lighting/VNP | 883.42 | 73742 | ||
| Viking Industrial Center | Tools/Supplies – Sanitary Sewer | 966.26 | 73743 | ||
| WEX Bank | Gas-Strm/Fire/House/Str/Amb/Wtr/San | 5,288.33 | 73744 | ||
| Widseth | Engineering Services | 5,856.50 | 73745 | ||
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73746 | ||
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 73747 | ||
| Xerox Corporation | Maint/Monthly Charge – Water Plant | 121.93 | 73748 | ||
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 206.62 | 101406 | ||
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101407 | ||
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 51,703.14 | 101408 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,521.36 | 101409 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 520.00 | 101410 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 404.00 | 101411 | ||
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,720.00 | 101412 | ||
| IF Fire Dept. Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 406.00 | 101413 | ||
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 133.00 | 101414 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 910.00 | 101415 | ||
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101416 | ||
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 622.14 | 101417 | ||
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 9,496.56 | 101418 | ||
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,033.00 | 101419 | ||
| NCPERS Minnesota | Life Insurance | 112.00 | 101420 | ||
| North Kooch Area San Dist | Health Insurance | 50.00 | 101421 | ||
| PERA | Retirement | 37,972.36 | 101422 | ||
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101423 | ||
| AUDIENCE | Betzy Zaren and Shawn Mason representing the Chamber of Commerce requested to block off the downtown streets for Crazy Day’s on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 from 6:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M. They also requested use of picnic tables and garbage cans.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve closing of the downtown streets on July 27, 2022 for Crazy Day’s and use of picnic tables and garbage cans. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED 2021 Annual Audit as prepared by Schlenner Wenner & Co. |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Audit of Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2021, as prepared by Schlenner Wenner & Co. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| INFORMATIONAL – Koochiching Area Prevention in Education (KAPE) update | Bethanne Slatinski and Jenessa Balaski Koochiching Area Prevention in Education (KAPE) coordinators updated the council on the new grant they received from Drug-Free Communities (DFC). Bethanne and Jenessa shared they will be focusing on vaping in the school and collaborating with the community to reduce drugs and alcohol in Koochiching County. |
| APPROVED first reading of Ordinance No. 46, 5th Series – Minnesota Energy Resources Franchise renewal | MOTION by Councilor Buller approving the first reading of Ordinance No. 46, 5th Series for the Minnesota Energy Resources Franchise renewal. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 45-2022 application to conduct off-site gambling for the Ranier Recreation Club | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch adopting Resolution No. 45-2022 application to conduct off-site gambling for the Ranier Recreation Club to conduct a raffle, with the drawing to be held at the Backus Community Center on August 5, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 46-2022 application for exempt permit for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ash River Trail | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 46-2022 application for exempt permit for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ash River Trail to conduct a raffle, with the drawing to be held at the Backus Community Center on August 20, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED purchase of a 2021 Hustler X-One 60 commercial lawnmower | MOTION by Councilor Buller approving purchase of a 2021 Hustler X-One 60 commercial lawnmower from Forestland Sales & Service in the amount of $8,847.61. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| Land Use and Legislation recommendations:
APPROVED first reading of Ordinance No. 47, 5th Series – Minnesota Uniform Fire Code |
MOTION by Councilor Ditsch approving the first reading of Ordinance No. 47, 5th Series – Minnesota Uniform Fire Code. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| Public Works Committee recommendations:
APPROVED bid from Adam McIntyre Painting for Light Pole Painting project |
MOTION by Councilor Buller approving the bid from Adam McIntyre Painting for the Light Pole Painting project in the amount of $18,150.00, as the only bid provided. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole recommendations: | |
| APPROVED sending budget request letter to Koochiching County to help fund the International Falls Ambulance Service during 2023 | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve sending a budget request letter to Koochiching County to help fund the International Falls Ambulance Service during 2023, while the County steering committee researches options to help finance the service. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED moving forward with the Design & Engineering of the Water Treatment Plant Capital Improvements Plan, including applying for funding from MN Rural Water Association | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve moving forward with the Design & Engineering of the Water Treatment Plant Capital Improvements Plan, including applying for funding from MN Rural Water Association. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the revised AWAIR Program document as presented | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the revised AWAIR Program document as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
None. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Krause shared the meeting with representatives from Senator Smith’s office regarding Housing was well attended and helped everyone understand the housing challenges that we face, specifically the wetland challenges in the City and surrounding area.
Mayor Droba shared their will be a special Budget and Finance meeting on June 27, 2022 to discuss the next steps for the open City Attorney position. Applications have been received from two firms. Mayor Droba stated they have been meeting for a month for the 4th of July Celebration. Grand Marshal will be the Pastor family. Mayor shared he is very happy with all the work the committee has done. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba stated that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:14 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
