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 July, 2022 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Ditsch, Holden, Krause, and Mayor Droba.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda with additions | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve agenda with the following additions.
2. Authorize internal posting of vacant Administration Support Specialist Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 5, 2022 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of July 5, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 11, 2022 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve minutes of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of July 11, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 48-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 48-2022 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 | 743.85 | 73867 | ||
| ACME Tools – Grand Forks | Unit JLG Scissor – Street | 536.27 | 73868 | ||
| Alex Pro Firearms LLC | LE SBR 22CAL Suppressor | 2,060.00 | 73869 | ||
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Ambulance/Fire/Admin | 81.95 | 73870 | ||
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 2,645.00 | 73871 | ||
| Aqua-Pure Inc | Quarterly Service | 1,000.00 | 73872 | ||
| Associated | Battery – Water Plant | 2,995.00 | 73873 | ||
| Battalion Distributing | 4th of July – Ambulance/Fire | 67.50 | 73874 | ||
| Blue Fire Training LLC | Fire Fighter Training | 6,850.00 | 73875 | ||
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 42,621.50 | 73876 | ||
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Fire Dept./Water Plant | 81.75 | 73877 | ||
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 821.03 | 73878 | ||
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73879 | ||
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73880 | ||
| Cenex Voyageur Fleet | Gas – Grnds/Pol/Str/Gar/Amb/Wtr | 5,828.15 | 73881 | ||
| Certified Crime Fighter | Automation – Police | 936.00 | 73882 | ||
| Cherryroad Media Inc. | Agendas/Minutes/City Attorney Ads | 735.00 | 73883 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 73884 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 403 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 25,760.42 | 73885 | ||
| City of Ranier | Water – City Beach | 11.55 | 73886 | ||
| Civic Systems LLC | Software Sup-Admin/Hous/Bld Off/Wtr | 9,787.00 | 73887 | ||
| Coca-Cola Bottling Co | Powerade/Water – Fire Dept. | 222.50 | 73888 | ||
| Core & Main | Meters | 4,621.30 | 73889 | ||
| County Market #574 | July 4th-Fire/Ambulance | 83.76 | 73890 | ||
| Crandall’s Septic Pumping | Portable Johns – City Parks | 1,773.00 | 73891 | ||
| Dakota Supply Group | Tools-Water Dept. | 135.83 | 73892 | ||
| E Kooch Sanitary Sewer District | City Beach/Water Plant | 207.00 | 73893 | ||
| Earl F Andersen | Traffic Cones/3 – Way Led Flashers | 2,504.09 | 73894 | ||
| Expert Billing LLC | Ambulance Transports | 3,451.00 | 73895 | ||
| Falls Lumber Company | Bldg Maint-SF Post Office/Sup-St Light | 8,425.35 | 73896 | ||
| Flaherty & Hood, PA | Job Class & Compensation Study | 2,610.00 | 73897 | ||
| Forestland Sales & Service | Hustler 60” Mower | 8,847.61 | 73898 | ||
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 2,033.95 | 73899 | ||
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,465.74 | 73900 | ||
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth-Amb/Oferdahl/Bombenger/Maish | 2,243.43 | 73901 | ||
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing | 129.60 | 73902 | ||
| Harley Droba | LMC Annual Conference | 987.90 | 73903 | ||
| Howards – Cenex LLC | Gas – Sanitary Sewer | 59.95 | 73904 | ||
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Administration/Police | 98.05 | 73905 | ||
| Janell Stevens | Account Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 73906 | ||
| K & K Meyers Inc | Door Repairs – VNP | 6,035.00 | 73907 | ||
| KGM Contractors Inc | 300 4th St/400 2nd Ave – Job 22900 | 48,594.44 | 73908 | ||
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept. | MSW – Police | 36.00 | 73909 | ||
| Kooch County Auditor/Treasurer | LEC Quarterly Lease | 18,750.00 | 73910 | ||
| Lawson Products Inc | Supplies – Str Lighting/Tools – Garage | 641.43 | 73911 | ||
| Leads Online | Automation – Police | 1,318.00 | 73912 | ||
| League of Minnesota Cities | Conference Registration – Droba | 449.00 | 73913 | ||
| Leonard Hair | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 400.00 | 73914 | ||
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 1,658.70 | 73915 | ||
| LVC Inc | Inspect-Fire/Ann Extinguisher Serv-Gar | 705.00 | 73916 | ||
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Arbitration Admin Hearings/Legal Serv | 462.00 | 73917 | ||
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Parts – Unit 151/124/2021 Mack | 470.53 | 73918 | ||
| Mark Rock & Concrete | ¾”Minus | 3,995.99 | 73919 | ||
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing-Bombenger/Gedde/Ambulance | 56.00 | 73920 | ||
| Menards International Falls | Sup/M&R-Strm/San/Fire/Wtr Plnt/Str | 1,282.62 | 73921 | ||
| Meyers Glass | Door Repair – St Garage | 255.00 | 73922 | ||
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73923 | ||
| Midcontinent Communications | Cable – Fire Hall/Ambulance | 140.42 | 73924 | ||
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 1,736.28 | 73925 | ||
| Minnesota Industries | Supplies – Storm | 37.57 | 73926 | ||
| Minnesota Power | Utilities | 31,568.20 | 73927 | ||
| MN Bureau Criminal Apprehension | DMT-G Cert-Hulst | 375.00 | 73928 | ||
| MTI Distributing Inc | Supplies/Parts – VNP | 579.90 | 73929 | ||
| N Kooch Area Sanitary District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 152,622.03 | 73930 | ||
| NAPA Falls Supply | Tool/Part/Sup-Str Light/Fir/Gar/Un 207 | 127.05 | 73931 | ||
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(WAN) Services | 267.73 | 73932 | ||
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | Parts-Fire/Unit 2,141,22,16-01,155,121 | 2,928.19 | 73933 | ||
| Pelland Welding, Inc. | Supplies/Parts-Gar/VNP/Storm/St Light | 701.84 | 73934 | ||
| PowerPlan | Parts – Unit 126/Unit 710L | 1,457.47 | 73935 | ||
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Pharmaceutical Supplies | 976.14 | 73936 | ||
| Rainy Lake Oil | Fuel – Water Dept/Propane – Hazmat | 571.26 | 73937 | ||
| Range Paper Corp | Clean Supplies – VNP/Bldgs & Grounds | 2,316.85 | 73938 | ||
| Schlenner Wenner & Co | 2021 Audit | 12,600.00 | 73939 | ||
| ServiceMaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services – VNP | 4,500.00 | 73940 | ||
| Shannon’s Inc | VNP Carpenter Shop | 2,350.00 | 73941 | ||
| SHI International Corp | Panasonic Toughbook 55 (Price Adj) | 1,038.20 | 73942 | ||
| Steven M Shermoen | Legal Fees | 8,434.00 | 73943 | ||
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing Allowance – Mastin/Kastens | 97.97 | 73944 | ||
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73945 | ||
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73946 | ||
| The Sherwin Williams Co-Bemidji | Paint Mixer | 105.00 | 73947 | ||
| TK Elevator Corp | Water Plant Elevator Maintenance | 771.06 | 73948 | ||
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73949 | ||
| UHL Company Inc | Building Maintenance – VNP | 5,551.98 | 73950 | ||
| US Bank | G.O. Bond Interest | 43,337.50 | 73951 | ||
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Supplies – St Lighting | 3,547.48 | 73952 | ||
| Wherley Motors Inc | 2017 Ford Taurus-Police | 2,840.48 | 73953 | ||
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 73954 | ||
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 73955 | ||
| Xerox Corporation | Maint/Monthly Charge – Water Plant | 33.11 | 73956 | ||
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 206.62 | 101437 | ||
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101438 | ||
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 46,116.50 | 101439 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,367.70 | 101440 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 520.00 | 101441 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 84.00 | 101442 | ||
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,720.00 | 101443 | ||
| IF Fire Dept. Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 392.00 | 101444 | ||
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 140.00 | 101445 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 875.00 | 101446 | ||
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101447 | ||
| MN Revenue | Wage Assignment | 352.99 | 101448 | ||
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 622.14 | 101449 | ||
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,407.09 | 101450 | ||
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,033.00 | 101451 | ||
| NCPERS Minnesota | Life Insurance | 112.00 | 101452 | ||
| North Kooch Area San Dist | Health Insurance | 50.00 | 101453 | ||
| PERA | Retirement | 34,231.56 | 101454 | ||
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101455 | ||
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING:
Consider proposed street improvement project located at 9th Avenue East between 19th Street East and 20th Street East |
Mayor Droba opened the public hearing at 5:34 P.M.
Jason Fisher shared the feasibility report prepared by Bolton & Menk for the proposed street improvement project located at 9th Avenue East between 19th Street East and 20th Street East. Proposed improvements include road preparation of surface stabilization and placement of bituminous pavement surfacing on approximately .15 miles of existing local road. Mayor Droba asked for public comment. Julie Melstrom from 904 6th Street asked if the 14% tax levy money could be used to fund the project so the affected property owners would not have any financial responsibility. Mayor Droba stated the 14% levy money was for the general fund to operate the city. City Administrator Bergstrom shared that the property owners petitioned and requested the improvement, knowing that when they signed the petition they would be financially responsible for a portion of the project per City Ordinance. Mayor Droba asked for any additional comments. No additional public comment was received. Mayor Droba closed the public hearing at 5:45 P.M. |
| OPENING BIDS:
APPROVED First Reading of Contract Ordinance #978 for 2022 Lift Station #7 Rehabilitation Project |
MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the first reading of Contract Ordinance #978 for 2022 Lift Station #7 Rehabilitation Project to the low bidder Wagner Construction, Inc., in the amount of $897,000. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED First Reading of Contract Ordinance #979 for Building Improvements for City Hall, Library Steps/West Entrance and Voyageurs National Park | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the first reading of Contract Ordinance #979 for Building Improvements for City Hall, Library Steps/West Entrance and Voyageurs National Park Project to low bidder J & J Contracting LLC, in the amount of $733,208.00. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA:
APPROVED as presented |
MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:
Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
ADOPTED Resolution No. 49-2022 street improvement and preparation plans for 9th Ave East between 19th Street East and 20th Street East |
MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 49-2022 for street improvement and preparation of plans for 9th Ave East between 19th Street East and 20th Street East. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| Public Works Committee recommendations:
APPROVED purchase of a CAT 259D3 compact track loader and John Deere SS30 stump grinder |
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve purchase of a CAT 259D3 compact track loader and John Deere SS30 stump grinder. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| Budget & Finance Committee recommendations:
APPROVED re-allocation of budgeted Fire Department funds |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve re-allocation of budgeted Fire Department funds to replace the South Falls Fire Hall roof. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPOINTED Anderson Law Offices, P.A. to replace the retiring City Attorney | Mayor Droba explained that the city advertised and interviewed to replace the retiring City Attorney Steve Shermoen. The Budget and Finance Committee recommended appointing Anderson Law Offices, P.A. with Chelsea Nelson being the City Attorney of record.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to appoint Anderson Law Offices, P.A. to replace the retiring City Attorney. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| AUTHORIZED internal posting of vacant Administration Support Specialist position | MOTION by Councilor Buller to authorize internal posting of vacant Administration Support Specialist position. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Attorney Shermoen shared he received a call from Paul Nevanen of the KEconomic Development Authority regarding a possible new project at the Multi Modal site.
The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for June 2022 was available for review along with the June 2022 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba shared that Rainy Lake Medical Center Pharmacy and Cobblestone Hotel and Suites are planning Grand Openings in the near future. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba stated that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 1, 2022 at 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 5:57 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
