July 17, 2023 City Council Minutes

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 17th day of July 2023 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller, Holden, and Kalar

MEMBERS ABSENT:  Councilor Wegner

 

APPROVED agenda with additions as presented MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve agenda with the following additions:

1.      Approve/allow necessary expenses for City Council and/or Department Heads to attend the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) 2023 Summer Conference in Thief River Falls July 26-28 (Council action)

2.      Consider License Agreement with Hasbargen Customs LLC for non-exclusive use of “ICEBOX OF THE NATION” trademark (Council action)

Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 3, 2023 Public Hearing meeting MOTION by Councilor Buller approving minutes of the July 3, 2023 Public Hearing meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 3, 2023 regular City Council meeting MOTION by Councilor Kalar approving minutes of the Monday, July 3, 2023 regular City Council meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 10, 2023 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting MOTION by Councilor Buller approving minutes of the Monday, July 10, 2023 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 51-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 51-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the second monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

CLAIMS

75F, INC Cloud License & Mobile App

        95.00

76295
A Plus Pest Management Pest Control        703.54 76296
ACME Tools-Grand Forks Tools-Parks & Rec        349.00 76297
All Season Equipment Inc Supplies-Street Dept          29.98 76298
Amazon Capital Services Sup-Pol/Fire/Amb/IT, Cloth-J. Mastin        390.84 76299
Andrew Holler Lawn Cleanup     1,124.00 76300
Aqua -Pure Inc Quarterly Service     1,000.00 76301
Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel Cleaning Services     1,499.72 76302
Bear’s Port Town Tire Tires-Police     1,529.48 76303
Bert’s 2023 Chev 2500 #2207/#6470   38,418.00 76304
Bolton & Menk Inc Engineering Services   40,189.95 76305
Border Boxes Shipping-Water Plant          80.00 76306
Bound Tree Medical LLC Ambulance Supplies     3,515.08 76307
Brian Jespersen Police Benefit        150.00 76308
Brian Youso Police Benefit        150.00 76309
Capture Your Moment Photography Council Members Photos        240.00 76310
Cenex Voyaguer Fleet Gas-Grnd/Pol/St/Hous/P&R/Amb/VNP     6,289.98 76311
CherryRoad Media Inc. Council Mtg Dates/Minutes/Eng. Ads        959.90 76312
Citizens for Backus/AB Lease Agreement-Suite 305     6,244.76 76313
City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 Water/Sewer Funds Transfer   66,666.66 76314
City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 Water/Sewer Funds Transfer   20,567.25 76315
City of Ranier Water-City Beach

         57.96

76316
Civic Systems LLC Semi Annual Software Support     9,787.00 76317
Core & Main Supplies-Water Dept/Meters     2,412.20 76318
Costin Group Inc Govt Relations

   2,000.00

76319
County Market #574 July 4th-Ambulance/Fire        118.56 76364
Crandall’s Septic Pumping Portable Johns – City Parks     5,655.00 76320
Department of Employment Benefit Payment-Admin     2,478.00 76321
Earl F Andersen Brack-ITS        360.45 76322
Enterprise FM Trust VNP-2023 Chev/ST-2022 Chev/Ram     8,377.88 76323
ESS Brothers & Sons Inc Supplies-Storm/Sanitary        688.00 76324
Expert Billing LLC Amb Transports     3,567.00 76325
Falls Lumber Company Sup-Storm/Maint & Repair/Street        138.71 76326
Flaherty & Hood, PA Labor/Employment Consultation        145.00 76327
Forestland Sales & Service Parts-Water Plant, Sup/Park & Rec        129.44 76328
Friend’s Garbage Service LLC Monthly Garbage Service     1,834.26 76329
Frontier Monthly Telephone Service     3,302.09 76330
Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC Cloth-Kastin/Amb/Mannausau/Baldwin     1,513.05 76334
Glass Doctor Unit 15-06 Ambulance          85.00 76335
Gopher State One-Call Monthly Billing        224.10 76336
Harley Droba LMC Conference        737.81 76337
Hawkins Inc Chemicals     2,619.76 76338
Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing Towing-Housing        375.00 76339
Industrial Health SV NTWK Inc Mandated US DOT Regulations        191.60 76340
Innovative Office Solutions LLC Sup-Admin/Wtr/Housng/Bldg Off     2,376.17 76341
J & J Contracting LLC Pay Application #1-Flood/City Beach   78,945.00 76342
John P Maclean Meal Allowance          54.00 76343
Keller Fence Company-North Inc City Beach Fence Repairs     4,084.00 76344
KGHS/KSDM City Talk        150.00 76345
Koerter’s Fuel & Car Wash Gas-Str/Grnds/Pol/Gar/Wtr/Sewer     5,223.76 76346
Kooch County Auditor/Treasurer Quarterly Bill-LEC ProRated   12,500.00 76349
Laursen Asphalt Repair Equip LLC Igniter Kit        269.37 76350
Lawson Products Inc Supplies-Electrical        204.53 76351
League of Minnesota Cities Conf Registration-Droba        250.00 76352
Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. Oxygen-Ambulance     1,285.47 76353
Locators & Supplies Marking Supplies     1,158.45 76354
LVC Inc Annual Fire Extinguisher Servicing        627.10 76355
Macqueen Equipment Inc Parts-Street/Sweeper     4,524.40 76356
Madden Galanter Hansen LLP Labor Relation Svcs/Arb & Adm     5,478.02 76357
Mannco Trucking Inc Unit 151-Parts/Maint & Repair/Wtr        750.47 76358
Mark Rock Products 3/4” Minus     4,988.10 76359
Melanie Clarity Sewing-Ambulance          40.00 76360
Menards International Falls Supplies-St/Wtr/Swr/Amb/Fire/P&R     1,499.04 76361
Michael Musich Police Benefit        150.00 76362
Midcontinent Communications Cable/Amb-Internet/Pol/Water        378.75 76363
Minnesota Energy Resources Utilities     1,255.30 76365
Minnesota Industries Supplies-Storm        161.09 76366
Minnesota Power Utilities   33,755.03 76367
Minnesota Pump Works Sanitary Sewer Maint     1,184.00 76368
Morrison Seal Coating Basketball Court Carson Lupie     2,950.00 76369
N Koochiching Area Sanitary District Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge   86,392.85 76370
NAPA Falls Supply Sup/St-Parts/Sweep-Tools/Wtr        395.50 76371
Nick Kittelson Meal Allowance          54.00 76372
Northern Lights Display Flags     3,949.00 76373
Northern Lumber & Hardware Sup-St/Elect/Pk&Rec, Tools-St/Sewer     1,831.55 76374
O’Reilly Automotive Inc Parts & Sup-Grds/Amb/Str/Fire/Pol     1,479.03 76375
Pelland Welding, Inc Sup-Street/VNP/Garage        945.34 76376
Rainy Lake Designs Landscaping        600.00 76377
Range Paper Corp Sup-Amb/Fire/Str/Grnd & Bldg     2,637.61 76378
ServiceMaster of Intl Falls Cleaning Services-VNP     4,725.00 76379
Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery Fertilizer/Straw Blanket        146.97 76380
Tactical Solutions Certifications-Prof Services        358.00 76381
Ted Brokaw LMC Annual Conference- Travel/Train        442.63 76382
Terry Christie Police Benefit        150.00 76383
Terry Wood Police Benefit        150.00 76384
TK Elevator Corp Water Plant Elevator Maint        798.05 76385
Tom Lynch Police Benefit        150.00 76386
UHL Company Inc Bldg Maint-Cty Hall/VNP/Lib/Dg Pnd     6,154.27 76387
US Bank Go Bond Interest   38,887.50 76388
Viking Industrial Center Maint & Repair Other-Water Plant        110.44 76389
Wagner Construction Inc Pay Application #1 121,637.24 76390
Water Conservation Services Inc Water Leak Survey     4,800.00 76391
Willi Kostiuk Police Benefit        150.00 76392
Xerox Corporation Maint/Monthly Charge-Water Plant          38.11 76393
The following checks were issued under blanket authorization:
AFLAC Supplemental Insurance 182.08 101855
American Heritage Life Ins Co Supplemental Insurance 9.64 101856
Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC Supplemental Insurance 364.30 101857
Bremer Bank, NA Federal Withholding 46,894.43 101858
Central Pension Fund Source A Retirement 4,526.30 101859
City of Int’l Falls HRA–Police/Fire 520.00 101860
City of Int’l Falls Health Insurance–49ers 1,729.00 101861
IAMAW District W3 Union Dues 1,845.50 101862
IF Fire Dept Relief Fire Department Relief 406.00 101863
Int’l Falls Ambulance Service Dues 168.00 101864
I.U.O.E. Local 49ers Health Reimbursement 875.00 101865
Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. C.O.P.S. 120.00 101866
MN Child Support Payment Center Wage Assignment 673.72 101867
MN Department of Revenue State Withholding 8,787.30 101868
MSRS-Empower Retirement Deferred Compensation 8,050.00 101869
NCPERS Minnesota Life Insurance Premiums 112.00 101870
N. Kooch Area Sanitary District Health Insurance Premiums 285.00 101871
PERA Retirement 37,919.41 101872
RCB Collections, Inc. Wage Assignment 128.79 101873
United Way of NE MN Inc. Employee Donation 15.00 101874

 

AUDIENCE None.
PUBLIC HEARING None.
OPENING BIDS None.
OLD BUSINESS None.
   
CONSENT AGENDA:

APPROVED as presented

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:

  • Approve 2024 Life and Long-Term Disability insurance renewal – no rate change

Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

   
NEW BUSINESS:  
ADOPTED Resolution No. 52-2023 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for Koochiching County Food Access MOTION by Councilor Kalar to adopt Resolution No. 52-2023 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for Koochiching County Food Access for fundraiser to be held on Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 1525 2nd Ave West.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 53-2023 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for BPO Elks 1599 International Falls MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 53-2023 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for BPO Elks 1599 International Falls for their annual Corn and Brat feed to be held on Friday, August 18, 2023 at 215 3rd Street.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 54-2023 approving application for exempt permit for International Falls Education Foundation to conduct a raffle MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 54-2023 approving application for exempt permit for International Falls Education Foundation to conduct a raffle with the drawing to be held on January 4, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED Order of Removal or Repair of the hazardous building located at 1101 9th Street and authorize signatures City Administrator Bergstrom stated City Attorney Nelson worked with Fire Marshal Baldwin to put the order together for the removal or repair of the hazardous building located at 1101 9th street.

MOTION by Councilor Buller approving Order of Removal or Repair of the hazardous building located at 1101 9th Street and authorize signatures. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED hiring three part-time EMT’s MOTION by Councilor Holden approving hiring of three part-time EMT’s.

  • Makayla Werdier
  • Michael Fisher
  • Lynn Zook

Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

   
Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation:

1. APPROVED Performance Review Policy

 

 

MOTION by Councilor Buller approving performance review policy.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   

2. APPROVED Parks & Facilities Maintenance Worker job description and posting

MOTION by Councilor Holden approving Parks & Facilities Maintenance Worker job description and posting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
   

3. APPROVED not moving forward with the 2nd Reading on the Municipal Garbage Ordinance that passed its 1st Reading on June 5, 2023

Mayor Droba stated he met with Councilor Wegner to discuss concerns that were noted during the Public Meeting on Municipal Garbage.  After discussion they determined that with a few changes to the ordinance they could meet the concerns of the community.  Mayor Droba noted there were still concerns with recycling.

MOTION by Councilor Holden to not move forward with the 2nd Reading on the Municipal Garbage Ordinance that passed its 1st Reading on June 5, 2023.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED necessary expenses for City Council and/or Department Heads to attend the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) 2023 Summer Conference MOTION by Councilor Kalar approving necessary expenses for City Council and/or Department Heads to attend the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) 2023 Summer Conference in Thief River Falls July 26-28.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED License Agreement with Hasbargen Customs LLC for non-exclusive use of “ICEBOX OF THE NATION” trademark City Administrator Bergstrom stated she was approached by Kyra Hasbargen requesting use of the ‘Icebox of the Nation’ trademark.

MOTION by Councilor Buller approving License Agreement with Hasbargen Customs LLC for non-exclusive use of “ICEBOX OF THE NATION” trademark for three years.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for June 2023 was available for review along with the June 2023 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report.
   
Reports of Mayor and Council Committees Councilor Holden thanked the Police department for their involvement at the Purple Pride fish fry.

Mayor Droba personally thanked the Police department, Fire/EMS, Public Works, and summer staff for all their hard work on the 4th of July celebration.  Droba stated the 4th of July commission would be seeking additional funding and volunteers.

   
AUDIENCE Crystal Clance asked if anything was in place for residents that had blight issues and no garbage service. Mayor Droba stated at this time nothing was in place, but that is the goal of the council.
   
ADJOURNMENT Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, August 7, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers.  Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:02 P.M.

Harley M. Droba, Mayor

Attest:

Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator

 

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