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 September, 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 August 15, 2022 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of August 15, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 53-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 53-2022 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. W. Kuettel & Sons, Inc. | Equipment Storage Garage | 750.00 | 74157 | ||
| Adam Mannausau | Travel Expenses – TAC Meeting | 70.00 | 74158 | ||
| Adam McIntyre Painting | Light Pole Painting | 20,328.00 | 74159 | ||
| AlcoPro Inc. | Alco Sensor Mouthpieces | 123.00 | 74160 | ||
| All Season Equipment Inc. | Tires-Pol/Trailer, Chainsaw Chains | 1,037.63 | 74161 | ||
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Police/Ambulance | 165.71 | 74162 | ||
| Ameritas Life Ins. Corp. | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,882.32 | 74163 | ||
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 598.00 | 74164 | ||
| Aqua-Pure Inc. | AF 4650 D | 1,925.00 | 74165 | ||
| ATCO International | Supplies – Street | 119.80 | 74166 | ||
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Sup/Part-Strm/Gar/Fire/W Plnt, Oil-Str | 164.72 | 74167 | ||
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 6,137.19 | 74169 | ||
| Ben Mortenson | Travel Expenses – TAC Meeting | 70.00 | 74170 | ||
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 74171 | ||
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 2,583.24 | 74172 | ||
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Cloth.-Mortenson, Train-San/Haz/Fire | 3,981.68 | 74173 | ||
| Brenda Jones | Water Payment Reimbursement | 463.94 | 74174 | ||
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas – Grnds/Pol/Str/Hous/Amb/W Plnt | 4,792.55 | 74175 | ||
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Agendas/Minutes, Natl. Night Out Ads | 1,282.50 | 74176 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Water/Sewer Admin Expenses | 789.38 | 74177 | ||
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,574.11 | 74178 | ||
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc. | Equipment Checks | 1,625.00 | 74179 | ||
| CMS Medicare | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 409.86 | 74180 | ||
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 14,998.15 | 74181 | ||
| Core & Main | Pocket Colorimeter, Supplies – Wtr/San | 1053.09 | 74182 | ||
| Costin Group Inc. | Govt. Relations – Kerry Park | 2,000.00 | 74183 | ||
| Crandall’s Septic Pumping | Portable Johns – City Parks | 760.00 | 74184 | ||
| Dakota Supply Group | Hydrant Maintenance | 10,980.26 | 74185 | ||
| DSC Communications | Radios – Police Department | 11,839.76 | 74186 | ||
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Cloth – Olson, M Kostiuk, Supplies- Pol | 571.50 | 74187 | ||
| Graybar | Supplies – Street Lighting | 208.02 | 74188 | ||
| Hawkins Inc. | Cylinder Changes | 30.00 | 74189 | ||
| Hero 247 | Clothing – Thramer | 184.00 | 74190 | ||
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Administration, Street | 385.31 | 74191 | ||
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 28,609.00 | 74192 | ||
| Kantor Electric Inc. | VNP – Halogen Bulb | 15.72 | 74193 | ||
| Kooch. County Sheriff’s Office | Credit Card Charge – Gas | 40.48 | 74194 | ||
| Lakes Concrete Plus, Inc. | Maintenance/Repair/Other – Water | 1,041.00 | 74195 | ||
| Lawson Products Inc. | Supplies – Street Lighting | 1,262.76 | 74196 | ||
| Leeann Isensee | Overpayment Refund – 611 6th St | 20.06 | 74197 | ||
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 1,018.59 | 74198 | ||
| Litho Specialists | PR Checks | 369.00 | 74199 | ||
| MacQueen Equipment Inc. | Maint & Repair – Trackless MT 7 | 1,596.42 | 74200 | ||
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 588.50 | 74201 | ||
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contr/Print/Copy-Fir/Adm/PW/Wat/Sew | 1,545.28 | 74202 | ||
| MedicareBlue Rx | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,820.00 | 74203 | ||
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing – Myers | 56.00 | 74204 | ||
| Menards International Falls | M&R-Wtr/GGB/Haz/Str, Tools-W.Plant | 1,165.68 | 74205 | ||
| Meyers Glass | Animal Control – Various Locations | 630.00 | 74206 | ||
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet – Water Plant/Public Works | 384.48 | 74207 | ||
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 60.00 | 74208 | ||
| Minnesota Dept. of Health | State Test Fee | 6,296.13 | 74209 | ||
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 287.13 | 74210 | ||
| Minnesota Industries | Street – Safety Equipment | 10.00 | 74211 | ||
| Minnesota Pump Works | Sanitary Sewer Maintenance | 40,336.23 | 74212 | ||
| Minnesota Rural Water Assoc. | Conf. Reg-Wtr/San/WPlnt/Line Tracing | 1,470.00 | 74213 | ||
| North American Bank Co. Woodbury | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 74214 | ||
| North Country Collision | 2020 Ford – Police Windshield | 736.03 | 74215 | ||
| Paul Kennedy | Reimbursement – Obstacle Course Sup | 500.00 | 74216 | ||
| Pitney Bowes | Quarterly Lease – Mailing System | 398.82 | 74217 | ||
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Pharmaceutical Supplies | 666.91 | 74218 | ||
| Range Paper Corp. | Cleaning Supplies – Fire | 85.63 | 74219 | ||
| Roche’s Towing | Towing – Police | 90.00 | 74220 | ||
| ServiceMaster of Int’l Falls | Cleaning Services – VNP | 4500.00 | 74221 | ||
| Shawna Thoreson | Overpayment Refund – 923 15th St | 10.28 | 74222 | ||
| Sherri Stensland | Safety for HR Professionals Training | 717.45 | 74223 | ||
| Shred-N-Go Inc. | Purge Service | 265.24 | 74224 | ||
| Steven M Shermoen | Legal Fees | 11,308.63 | 74225 | ||
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing – M Kostiuk/Olson, Sup – Pol | 1,067.86 | 74226 | ||
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 583.24 | 74227 | ||
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating LLC | Building Maint – Chamber Building | 172.95 | 74228 | ||
| Terex USA, LLC | Unit 083 – Maintenance | 2,556.80 | 74229 | ||
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 39,188.64 | 74230 | ||
| The Sherwin Williams Co. Bemidji | Custom Lettering & Paint/Supplies | 2,087.18 | 74231 | ||
| Tops All Roofing and Maintenance | Down Payment – SO Falls Fire Hall | 20,503.25 | 74232 | ||
| Verizon Wireless | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,661.34 | 74233 | ||
| Viking Electric Supply Inc. | M&RO – Water, Supplies- Electrical | 454.46 | 74234 | ||
| Wagner Construction Inc. | San Sew/Hwy Lane/Indust. Blvd/22nd St | 274,399.21 | 74238 | ||
| WEX Bank | Gas- Strm/Str/Fire/House/Amb/Wtr/San | 7,226.08 | 74239 | ||
| Widseth | Engineering Services | 116,132.35 | 74240 | ||
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 206.62 | 101489 | ||
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101490 | ||
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 46,782.72 | 101491 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,412.82 | 101492 | ||
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 140.00 | 101493 | ||
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101494 | ||
| MN Revenue | Wage Assignment | 200.07 | 101495 | ||
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 622.14 | 101496 | ||
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,534.69 | 101497 | ||
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 15,870.66 | 101498 | ||
| PERA | Retirement | 36,515.06 | 101499 | ||
| RCB Collections, Inc. | Wage Assignment | 111.24 | 101500 | ||
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 800.51 | 101501 | ||
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 695.13 | 101502 | ||
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101503 | ||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 206.62 | 101504 | ||
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101505 | ||
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 42,333.27 | 101506 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,329.90 | 101507 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 520.00 | 101508 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 364.00 | 101509 | ||
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,620.00 | 101510 | ||
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 133.00 | 101511 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 875.00 | 101512 | ||
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101513 | ||
| MN Revenue | Wage Assignment | 190.57 | 101514 | ||
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 622.14 | 101515 | ||
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,021.69 | 101516 | ||
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,033.00 | 101517 | ||
| NCPERS Minnesota | Life Insurance | 112.00 | 101518 | ||
| North Kooch Area San Dist | Health Insurance | 50.00 | 101519 | ||
| PERA | Retirement | 35,503.28 | 101520 | ||
| RCB Collections, Inc. | Wage Assignment | 147.19 | 101521 | ||
| United Way of NE MN | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101522 | ||
| 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:
Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED Mayoral Proclamation observing National Rail Safety Week |
MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the Mayoral Proclamation observing National Rail Safety Week, September 19-25, 2022, on behalf of the CN and MD & W local short-line rail. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation: | |
| APPROVED Lift Station Asset Management & Capital Improvement Plan | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Lift Station Asset Management & Capital Improvement Plan. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED request to purchase firearms for the Police Department | Police Chief Kostiuk explained the current firearms are nearing their end of life and need to be replaced.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve request to purchase firearms for the Police Department as requested by Mike Kostiuk, Police Chief. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 54-2022 approving execution of Certificate of Completion and Release related to the 1986 Development Agreement and Development Property DEED with International Bildrite, Inc. | Mayor Droba stated that the City of International Falls entered into a Development Agreement and Development Property DEED with International Bidrite in 1986 to facilitate improvements to the paper mill. Boise White Paper, new owners of the property are requesting a Certification of Completion be recorded with the County recorder. Mayor Droba stated this should have been done years ago.
MOTION by Councilor Buller adopting Resolution No. 54-2022 approving execution of Certificate of Completion and Release related to the 1986 Development Agreement and Development Property DEED with International Bildrite, Inc. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 55-2022 establishing procedures and policies relating to post issuance compliance | MOTION by Councilor Krause adopting Resolution No. 55-2022 establishing procedures and policies relating to post issuance compliance under the internal revenue code upon the issuance of governmental bonds. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 56-2022 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Project No. 3-27-0043-039-2022 | MOTION by Councilor Buller adopting Resolution No. 56-2022 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Project No. 3-27-0043-039-2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED hiring three (3) Emergency Medical Technician’s for the International Falls Ambulance Service | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve hiring Isaac Dahl, Jakob Ettestad, and Erika Scofield as Emergency Medical Technician’s (EMT’s) for the International Falls Ambulance Service, as requested by Adam Mannausau, Fire/EMS Director and Sherri Stensland, Human Resources/Safety Director. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED hiring Makayla Werdier to fill the vacant Office Clerk position | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve hiring Makayla Werdier to fill the vacant Office Clerk position, as presented by Sherri Stensland, Human Resources/Safety Director and hiring committee. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 57-2022 in support of a Special Session to pass a Bonding Bill in the 2022 Legislative Session and a tax bill that includes an increase to Local Government Aid (LGA) | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Resolution No. 57-2022 in support of a Special Session to pass a Bonding Bill in the 2022 Legislative Session and a tax bill that includes an increase to Local Government Aid (LGA). Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Attorney Nelson shared she has been working with Fire Marshal Baldwin on past due Rental License accounts and blight issues. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba shared he received a request from a local group to put up ribbons for breast cancer awareness month. Public Works and Legislation and Land Use approved the request.
Mayor Droba thanked the Koochiching Labor Day Assembly and the Public Works department for the great work they did for the Labor Day picnic. Councilor Buller thanked the Public Works department for the work they did for the Bass Tournament. The event wouldn’t be so successful without their assistance. |
| AUDIENCE | Crystal Clance inquired to what improvements would be done at the Airport with the Grant Offer for Airport Improvements Program funds. Mayor Droba stated he did not have that detail and would get the information for Ms. Clance. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba stated that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 19, 2022 at 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 5:52 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
ATTEST:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
