August 7, 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 7th day of August 2023 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.

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

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

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

1.      Consider Itinerant Restaurant license for Jackpine Family Diner, LLC dba Street Eats, LLC.

2.      Discuss Hwy 53 Boulevard blight issues.

Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar.  Voting on the motion:  ‘yeas’ – Mayor Droba, Councilors Holden, Kalar and Wegner:  ‘nay’ – Councilor Buller.  Motion failed due to lack of unanimous consent.

 

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve agenda with the following addition:

1.      Consider Itinerant Restaurant license for Jackpine Family Diner, LLC dba Street Eats, LLC.

Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED minutes of the July 17, 2023, regular City Council meeting MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the minutes of the July 17, 2023 regular City Council meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED minutes of the July 24, 2023 special Committee-of-the-Whole meeting MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the July 24, 2023 special Committee-of-the-Whole meeting.

Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 55-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution 55-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

CLAIMS

Ads on Boards Hockey Board Cleaning       1,200.00 76405
All Season Equipment Inc Maint & Repair-P&R/Chainsaw Oil          172.96 76406
Amazon Capital Services Sup-Admin/Fire/Wtr/IT/Nat’l Night Out          680.87 76407
Ameritas Life Ins Corp Dental Insurance Premiums       1,792.00 76408
Anderson Law Offices, P.A. Legal Services-Criminal & Civil Matters       9,015.00 76409
Andrew Holler Lawn Cleanup       1,965.00 76410
Auto Value Intl Falls Supplies-Street Garage            10.16 76411
BCBS of Mn Health Insurance Premiums       5,119.80 76412
BERT’S 2023 Ram 1500 #3150       8,267.00 76414
BKV Group Inc Municipal Needs Assessment       8,527.02 76415
Bolton & Menk Inc Engineering Services       3,972.00 76416
Border Boxes Shipping-Water Plant          244.50 76417
Borderland Humane Society Pound Operation       2,250.00 76418
Bound Tree Medical LLC Ambulance Supplies       1,018.86 76419
Bremer Cardmember Services Sup-IT/Admin/Pol/Fire/Str/House/P&R       3,025.23 76420
BW DISTRIBUTING Cleaning Supplilies-Fire/Amb          339.96 76421
Cenex Voyageur Fleet Gas-P&R/Police/Grnd/Str/Amb/VNP       4,934.88 76422
CherryRoad Media Inc. Minutes          199.25 76423
City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 Lodging Tax Transfer       1,009.33 76424
City of Ranier Water-City Beach            63.16 76425
City Water Department City Buildings-Water Usage       1,672.37 76426
CivicPlus LLC Municode Electronic Updates          100.00 76427
Convention & Visitors Bureau Lodging Tax     19,177.19 76428
Core & Main Supplies-Water Dept/Meters       4,899.35 76429
Costin Group Inc Govt Relations       2,000.00 76430
Crandall’s Septic Pumping Portable Johns-City Parks       1,825.00 76431
Diversified Inspections Safety Inspection-Fire Department       3,565.79 76432
E Kooch Sanitary Sewer District Water Plant/City Beach          285.00 76433
Earl F. Andersen Maint/Repair-Street            83.15 76434
Ebix, Inc Top Health Subscription          257.40 76435
Eckman-International Falls M/R Equip-Street #235            75.42 76436
First Independent Bank Interest-Water Rev Note Series 2022A     12,159.00 76437
Friend’s Garbage Service LLC Monthly Garbage Service       1,889.25 76438
Gopher State One-Call Monthly Billing          176.85 76439
Harley Droba Travel Expense          279.32 76440
Hasbargen Customs LLC Printing National Night Out          318.00 76441
Hawkins Inc Supplies            80.00 76442
Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing Towing-Street          750.00 76443
IF Properties LLC Tax Abatement-1st half 2023     16,687.30 76444
Innovative Office Solutions LLC Sup-Police/Adm/Street/Water            53.97 76445
IUOE Local 49 Health Insurance Premiums     30,184.00 76446
K & K Meyers Inc Bldg Maint-Garage       1,544.25 76447
Kantor Electric Inc Bldg Maint-VNP          813.93 76448
Kooch County Hwy Dept Dyed Fuel-Street/Garage/Water/VNP       3,353.17 76449
Kraus-Anderson Construction Co IF Bldg Project 2220024-01       8,134.75 76450
Lawson Products Inc Supplies-Street Garage          715.71 76451
Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. Oxygen-Ambulance       1,308.25 76452
LMC Insurance Trust-Liability Annual Liability and Auto Insurance          500.00 76453
Locators & Supplies Supplies/Tools-Water          233.69 76454
MacQueen Equipment Inc Maint & Repair-Water, Materials-Street       6,207.97 76455
Marco Microsoft Exch-IT/Adm/Fir/St/Pol/Amb          588.50 76456
Marco Technologies LLC Contract/Print/Copy-Fire/Adm/PW/Pol       1,637.34 76457
MedicareBlue RX Health Insurance Premiums       1,848.00 76458
Menards International Falls Sup-St/Wtr/Bldg/Police/Sewer/Hzmt       1,538.00 76459
Meyers Glass Ice Shelter Maint          105.00 76460
Michael Wallace Meal Allowance          270.00 76461
Midcontinent Communications Internet-Street/Water          468.57 76462
Minnesota Child Support ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27            57.00 76463
Minnesota Energy Resources Utilities          411.67 76464
Minnesota Industries Supplies-Street Department            92.50 76465
MN Power Utilities       1,345.57 76466
MoboTrex Supplies-Street Lighting          906.00 76467
Morrison Seal Coating Roller Hockey Rink 19th Street       2,875.00 76468
MTI Distributing Inc Capital Outlay Bldg/Maint&Repair-P&R     32,633.82 76469
N Koochiching Sanitary District Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge     90,033.21 76470
NAPA Falls Supply Supplies-VNP            71.68 76471
North American Bank Co-Woodbury Inserting System Lease          181.75 76472
Office of MNIT Services Wide Area Network (Wan) Services          267.73 76473
O’Reilly Automotive Inc Sup/Tools/Lube-Fire/Str/Gar       1,320.31 76474
Pitney Bowes Inc Ink Cartridges-Postage Machine          132.79 76475
PowerPlan John Deere 180G/Unit 672G Repairs     18,794.52 76476
Rainy Lake Medical Center Medical Supplies          725.58 76477
Range Paper Corp Clean Sup-Bldg-Sup-Wtr-Scrubber       6,382.08 76478
Shred-N-Go Inc Recycling Police            75.89 76479
Sirchie Acquisition Company LLC Evidence Collection Supplies            35.92 76480
Soundnorth Admin IT Supplies            46.98 76481
Sun Life Financial Life Insurance Premiums          525.67 76482
Ted Brokaw Travel Expense-Sewer/St-Meal Allow.       1,296.34 76483
The Nelson Trust Health Insurance Premiums     40,624.57 76484
Tilson Bay Company Police Officer Cut-Out          250.00 76485
Up North Party Rentals LLC National Night Out-Police          620.00 76486
Verizon Monthly Cellular Service       1,647.72 76487
Viking Electric Supply Inc Supplies-Buildings      1,068.60 76488
Wagner Construction Inc Pay Est. 3-San Sewer Realign/Greentech      6,472.79 76489
WEX Bank Gas-P&R/Fir/St/Amb/Hzmt/Grnd/VNP      5,057.86 76490

 

The following checks were issued under blanket authorization:
AFLAC Supplemental Insurance 182.08 101875
All State-American Heritage Supplemental Insurance 9.64 101876
Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC Supplemental insurance 364.30 101877
Bremer Bank, NA Federal Withholding 42,751.14 101878
I.U.O.E. Central Pension Fund Retirement 4,516.70 101879
Intl Falls Ambulance Service Dues 168.00 101880
Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. C.O.P.S. 120.00 101881
MN Child Support Pmt Center Wage Assignment 673.72 101882
MN Department of Revenue State Withholding 8,010.98 101883
Empower Retirement Deferred Compensation 9,268.00 101884
PERA Retirement 34,653.12 101885
RCB Collections, Inc. Wage Assignment 276.32 101886
Sun Life Financial Supplemental Life Insurance 803.81 101887
The Hartford Voluntary LTD Insurance 723.52 101888
United Way of NE MN Inc. Employee Donation 15.00 101889

 

AUDIENCE None.
PUBLIC HEARING None.
OPENING BIDS None.
OLD BUSINESS None.
APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA as presented MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:

1.      Approve necessary expenses for Administration staff to attend the 23rd Annual Civic Symposium in Wisconsin Dells, WI, September 14 & 15, 2023

2.      Approve necessary expenses for Human Resources/Safety Director to attend the Northeast Regional Safety Day in Duluth, MN, September 27, 2023

Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
NEW BUSINESS:

APPROVED 2022 Annual Audit as prepared by Schlenner Wenner & Co

 

Ryan Schmidt, Schlenner Wenner & Co stated the city received an Unmodified (clean) Opinion on the 2022 audit.  Schmidt stated the audit went smoothly and was pleased with the positive working relationship with Management.

MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the 2022 Annual Audit as prepared by Schlenner Wenner & Co.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED hiring Samuel Hege and Twila Hege as part-time paid on-call Emergency Medical Technician’s (EMT) MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the hire of Samuel Hege and Twila Hege as part-time, paid on-call EMT’s for the International Falls Ambulance Service.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED hiring Michael Fisher as a Spare Firefighter Engineer for the International Falls Fire Department MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the hire of Michael Fisher as a spare Firefighter Engineer for the International Falls Fire Department.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED Order of Removal or Repair of hazardous house located at 817 6th Street MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve order of Removal or Repair of hazardous house located at 817 6th Street.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 56-2023 approving Voting Operations, Technology, & Election Resources (VOTER) account agreement between the City of International Falls and Koochiching County MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution 56-2023 approving the Voting Operations, Technology, & Election Resources (VOTER) account agreement between the City of International Falls and Koochiching County.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 57-2023 approving plans and specifications and authorizing solicitation of quotes for the 5th Avenue West Project City Engineer Jason Fisher, Bolton & Menk stated the 5th Avenue West project between 19th and 20th street was petitioned by area residents.  Fisher requested approval of the plans and specifications and solicitation of quotes.

MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 57-2023 approving plans and specifications and authorizing solicitation of quotes for the 5th Avenue West Project.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED requesting solicitation of quotes for the Kerry Park parking lot project City Engineer Jason Fisher, Bolton & Menk presented the plans for the Kerry Park Parking Lot damage due to the 2022 flood.  Fisher requested approval for solicitation of quotes.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve requesting solicitation of quotes for the Kerry Park parking lot project.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan City Engineer Jason Fisher, Bolton & Menk presented the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2024-2028 by year noting the estimated projected financial costs.  Fisher stated by approving the CIP the council acknowledges the projects as a need and priority in the community.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan presented by Jason Fisher, City Engineer for Bolton & Menk.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
INFORMATIONAL Sponsorship to bring Hockey Day Minnesota to International Falls Councilor Kalar stated a local group of community members are working to submit a bid to the Minnesota Wild to host Hockey Day Minnesota in International Falls.  To meet the application requirements set by Minnesota Wild the group needs to secure $100,000 in sponsorship money through letters of agreement.  Kalar suggested the city may want to sponsor the event.  After discussion, Mayor Droba and the Council agreed to move this request to a special IFEDA meeting scheduled for August 21, 2023 after the City Council meeting for further discussion and consideration of sponsorship.
   
APPROVED application for use of Smokey Bear Park on September 17-28, 2023 during PCA outage/shutdown for Fun Food Factory MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the application for the use of Smokey Bear Park on September 17-28, 2023 during the PCA shutdown/outage for the Fun Food Factory.

Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED Year 2023 license(s) for Super One Liquor #813 (new location) MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve 2023 liquor and cigarette licenses for Super One Liquor at their new location for the remainder of 2023.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED Itinerant Restaurant license for Jackpine Family Diner, LLC dba Street Eats, LLC MOTION by Councilor Buller approving Itinerant Restaurant license for Jackpine Family Diner, LLC dba Street Eats, LLC.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads City Administrator Bergstrom reminded everyone of the Primary Election for Koochiching County District 5 Commissioner on August 9, 2023.  Bergstrom also noted the next three Monday’s budget meetings will be held in the City Council Chambers.
   
Reports of Mayor and Council Committees Mayor Droba stated Senator Grant Hauschild would be attending the special Committee-of-the-Whole meeting on August 16, 2023 in the City Council Chambers to give a legislative update and discuss what the city is encountering regarding the International Falls Ambulance deficit.

Mayor Droba noted the HRA board is unable to meet until after their August meeting.  Droba stated he received information at the Coalition meeting in Thief River Falls regarding options for the HRA.

Mayor Droba shared a new housing developer Slab Town Investments, a new contractor in the community offering affordable housing through private and state funding to assist with the housing shortage in International Falls.

Councilor Kalar reminded the community of upcoming events.

  • Koochiching County Warrior Project Fishing on Rainy Lake August 29-30, 2023.
  • Kooch County Food Access Burger Battle.
  • Elks Brat and Corn Feed August 18, 2023 in front of the Elks.
AUDIENCE None.
ADJOURNMENT Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 21, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers.  Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:53 P.M.

Harley M. Droba, Mayor

Attest:

Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator

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