October 16, 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 16th day of October 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 as presented MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED minutes of the Monday, October 2, 2023 regular City Council meeting MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the minutes of Monday, October 2, 2023 regular City Council meeting.

Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

   
APPROVED minutes of the Monday, October 9, 2023 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of Monday, October 9, 2023 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
   
ADOPTED Resolution No. 74-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 74-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner        and carried unanimously.

CLAIMS

A+ Pest Management Pest Control       697.54 77104
Adam Mannausau Hazmat Trvl/Trng       144.77 77105
Amazon Capital Services IT Supplies/Credit Memo        741.11 77106
American Ambulance Association Membership Renewal        525.00 77107
Andrew Holler Lawn Cleanup        456.00 77108
Arrowhead EMS Association Annual Membership Fee        170.00 77109
Axon Enterprises Inc Taser Batteries         87.20 77110
Bert’s Parts-Sanitary Sewer        110.00 77111
Bolton & Menk Inc Engineering Services   20,114.00 77112
Border Boxes Shipping-Water Plant          70.25 77113
Bound Tree Medical LLC Ambulance Supplies     1,111.37 77114
Brian Jespersen Police Benefit        150.00 77115
Brian Youso Police Benefit        150.00 77116
Cady Business Technologies Annual Platinum Support-Mitel    1,992.00 77117
Cenex Voyaguer Fleet Pol/Fire/BO/Hous/P&R/Amb/Water     6,542.11 77118
CherryRoad Media Inc. Council Mtg/Ord/Floodplain/Ads     2,000.00 77119
Citizens for Backus/AB Lease Agreement-Suite 305    6,244.76 77120
City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 Water/Sewer Funds Transfer  66,666.66 77121
City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 Water/Sewer Funds Transfer   20,567.25 77122
City of Ranier Water – City Beach          48.95 77123
Costin Group Inc Government Relations     2,000.00 77124
Crandall’s Septic Pumping Portable Johns-City Parks     1,545.00 77125
Department of Employment Benefit Pmt- Adm     2,478.00 77126
E Kooch Sanitary Sewer District Water Plant        285.00 77127
Earl F Andersen Sign Supplies        154.35 77128
Eckman – International Falls M/R Equip-Police        184.70 77129
Enterprise FM Trust Leases- Pol/Hous/VNP/St/Water  12,625.30 77130
Expert Billing LLC Ambulance Transports    3,074.00 77131
Fairview Health Services Fire Fit Tests/Physicals    6,807.30 77132
Falls Lumber Company Supplies-Water        191.88 77133
Forestland Sales & Service Parts-Park/Rec          36.99 77134
Friend’s Garbage Service LLC Monthly Garbage Service    2,297.30 77135
Frontier Monthly Telephone Service    2,872.19 77136
Galls, An Aramark Co., LLC Clothing – Ambulance/Mannausau        307.07 77137
Gopher State One-Call Monthly Billing        155.25 77138
Hawkins Inc Supplies-Water Plant          35.60 77139
Howards – Cenex LLC DEF Fluid-Street Garage    1,053.58 77140
Industrial Health Sv Ntwk Inc Mandated US DOT Regulations        141.90 77141
Innovative Office Solutions LLC Office Supplies-Street/Police/Adm        309.05 77142
ISD #361 Brick Dust-Ball Fields    2,392.75 77143
Jason Sjoblom Boot Allowance/License Fee Reimb.        182.99 77144
KGHS/KSDM City Talk        150.00 77145
Kooch Co Env Services Dept Demo-Water        108.00 77146
Kraus-Anderson Const. Co. Const. Mgmt IF Bldg Improvements   8,686.19 77147
Kraus-Anderson Const. Co. Const. Mgmt IF Bldg Improvements 66,815.35 77148
LOW Towing & Repair LLC Towing – Police        615.60 77149
Lake Superior College Fire Inst. I Trng-Mortenson/Gedde        900.00 77150
Laursen Asphalt Repair Eqp LLC Recycler Tune Up Kit        394.89 77151
Lawson Products Inc Batteries/Supplies        452.53 77152
League of Minnesota Cities Online Training          30.00 77153
Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. Oxygen-Ambulance    1,085.66 77154
Madden Galanter Hansen LLP Arbitration/Administrative Hearings        292.50 77155
Mannco Trucking Inc Maint/Repair Street Dept    3,963.00 77156
Marco Copy Charges          20.26 77157
Marco Technologies LLC Copier Agreement/Copy Charges     2,177.58 77158
Melanie Clarity Sewing – Ambulance          48.00 77159
Menards International Falls Supplies-Water/Elec/Amb/Police        177.19 77160
Michael Musich Police Benefit        150.00 77161
Midcontinent Communications Internet-Police/Water        210.85 77162
Mid-State Truck Service Inc Parts-Street/San Sewer/Water     2,303.98 77163
Minnesota Energy Resources Utilities        752.92 77164
Minnesota Industries Gloves – Street Dept         73.80 77165
Minnesota Power Utilities   32,475.60 77166
Multiple Concepts Interiors IF Bldg Improv.- Appl 2-Labor   32,429.96 77167
Multiple Concepts Interiors IF Bldg Improv.- Appl 2-Materials   10,702.72 77168
N Kooch. Area Sanitary District Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge   85,707.74 77169
NAPA Falls Supply Supplies-Street/Fire/Storm Sew        378.30 77170
Northern Lumber & Hardware Supplies-Ggb/St/Water/KP/Gar/P&R        477.16 77171
Office of MNIT Services Wide Are Network(WAN) Services        267.73 77172
O’Reilly Automotive Inc Parts-Fire/Gar/St/P&R/Water/Arena     1,920.94 77173
Pelland Welding, Inc. Parts-Street        232.11 77174
Rainy Lake Medical Center Vaccine/Pharmaceutical Supplies        527.10 77175
Rainy Lake Oil Parts-VNP / Fuel-Water        690.00 77176
Range Paper Corp Cleaning Supplies        767.74 77177
Regional Contracting & Painting Pay Appl. 2-Labor   15,599.95 77178
Rhory Gelo Hazmat-Travel/Trng        108.00 77179
Servicemaster of Intl Falls Cleaning Services-VNP     4,725.00 77180
Shannon’s Inc Supplies-Storm        100.00 77181
Sherri Stensland NE Regional Safety Day Trng      520.74 77182
Shred-N-Go Inc Recycling Police          75.89 77183
Streicher’s Inc Clothing-Lessard/Olson/M Kostiuk        717.89 77184
Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating LLC Bldg Maint-Municipal Bldg        380.00 77185
Terex Services Unit 083 – Maintenance     1,661.60 77186
Terry Christie Police Benefit        150.00 77187
Terry Wood Police Benefit        150.00 77188
TK Elevator Corp Water Plant Elevator Maint        127.96 77189
TNT Construction Group LLC Lift Station #15 Improvements 223,219.60 77190
Tom Lynch Police Benefit        150.00 77191
UHL Company Inc Bldg Maint-VNP     1,185.32 77192
Van Iwaarden Associates GASB 75 12/31/2023     1,200.00 77193
Wagner Construction Inc PSI Concrete        736.00 77194
Wagner Construction Inc Pay Application #2 521,550.00 77195
Willi Kostiuk Police Benefit        150.00 77196
WMG Lyfjaberg LLC Medical Director        300.00 77197
Xerox Corporation Maintenance Agreement-Wtr Plant          31.78 77198
The following checks were issued under blanket authorization:
AFLAC Supplemental Insurance 182.08 101994
American Heritage Life Ins Co Supplemental Insurance 9.64 101995
Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC Supplemental Insurance 364.30 101996
Bremer Bank, NA Federal Withholding 41,546.67 101997
Central Pension Fund Source A Retirement 4,716.10 101998
City of Int’l Falls HRA–Police/Fire 520.00 101999
City of Int’l Falls Health Insurance–49ers 1,794.00 102000
IAMAW District W3 Union Dues 1,845.50 102001
Int’l Falls Ambulance Service Dues 182.00 102002
I.U.O.E. Local 49ers Health Reimbursement 945.00 102003
Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. C.O.P.S. 120.00 102004
MN Child Support Payment Center Wage Assignment 1,064.67 102005
MN Department of Revenue State Withholding 7,970.08 102006
MSRS-Empower Retirement Deferred Compensation 7,875.00 102007
NCPERS Minnesota Life Insurance Premiums 112.00 102008
N. Kooch Area Sanitary District Health Insurance Premiums 285.00 102009
PERA Retirement 36,153.89 102010
RCB Collections-Range Credit B Wage Assignment 100.60 102011
United Way of NE MN Inc Employee Donation 15.00 102012

 

AUDIENCE Julie Melstrom of 904 6th Street inquired of where the addition tax increase would be spent.  Mayor Droba explained to her that the increase will be divided among all the departments of the city.  She also stated that she thinks the city should re-instate the Public Health Officer to help with the unsanitary homes in our community.  Mayor Droba explained that the city is not in a position to financially offer such a position and that the County has a Public Health Officer.
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 the 2024 renewal of BlueCross BlueShield Plan 653.

Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS:  
APPROVED 2023 3.2 off-sale, restaurant, and cigarette licenses for Super One Foods, 1606 Hwy 71 MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve 2023 3.2 off-sale, restaurant, and cigarette licenses for Super One Foods, 1606 Hwy 71 (new location).  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED 2023 itinerant restaurant license for Lem’s Bigwood Pizza, Chloe Lemieux-Dougherty MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve 2023 itinerant restaurant license for Lem’s Bigwood Pizza, Chloe Lemieux-Dougherty effective upon approval.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED the Basic lease agreement for 7 Taser units from Axon Enterprises MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Basic lease agreement for 7 Taser units from Axon Enterprises.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
City Attorney:

a.      APPROVED moving the demolition quote from Travis Thompson for 1101 9th Street to the IFEDA for consideration.

 

MOTION by Councilor Buller to move the demolition quote from Travis Thompson for 1101 9th Street in the amount of $7,390.00 to the IFEDA for consideration.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

b.      APPROVED moving the demolition quote from Steve Boyum Construction for 817 6th Street to the IFEDA for consideration MOTION by Councilor Buller to move the demolition quote from Steve Boyum Construction for 817 6th Street in the amount of $12,840.00 to the IFEDA for consideration.   Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED hiring two seasonal part-time Parks & Facilities Assistants as recommended by the Parks & Facilities hiring committee MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the recommendation of the Parks & Facilities hiring committee to hire Teah Goulet and Nick Anderson as seasonal, part-time Parks & Facilities Assistants.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED hiring a part-time Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) MOTION by Councilor Kalar to hire Elizabeth Lorenz as a part-time Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.
   
Public Works Committee recommendation(s):

a.      APPROVED the Driveway Entrance Specification and Regulations

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Driveway Entrance Specification and Regulations, as presented.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.
b.      APPROVED the Facility Condition Assessment Proposal for the City of International Falls: Kerry Park Rink MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the Facility Condition Assessment Proposal for the City of International Falls: Kerry Park Rink from Kraus-Anderson Construction Company.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
   
Budget & Finance Committee recommendation:

a.      APPROVED Bremer New Deposit-ICS Deposit Placement Agreement

 

MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the Bremer New Deposit-ICS Deposit Placement Agreement.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation(s):

a.      APPROVED Earned Sick and Safe Time policy

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Earned Sick and Safe Time policy.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden for discussion.  Councilor Wegner starting asking clarifying questions related to the policy.  Administrator Bergstrom asked what had changed between the October 9 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting and now, as no one had any questions then.  Bergstrom further noted that this policy follows State law and in fact is more generous than State law.  Councilor Wegner noted that he had been contacted by the Union and they have additional questions.  Wegner asked that more information be provided and discussion with the Union be had on this matter.  MOTION by Councilor Wegner to table this item to allow additional discussion with the Union.  Councilor Holden seconded the motion to table.  Motion to table passed 4-1 with Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner voting “yea” and Mayor Droba voting “nay”.
b.      APPROVED Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policy MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policy.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
c.       ADOPTED Resolution No.     75-2023 utilizing a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the City of International Falls MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 75 -2023 utilizing a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the City of International Falls.  Motion seconded by Councilor   Wegner and carried unanimously.
d.      APPROVED Snowplowers license fee increase to $50.00 MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve fee increase for Snowplowers license from $25.00 to $50.00.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.
   
APPROVED  the date of March 1st, 2024 to discuss the Ambulance Service action regarding the letter from Councilor Kalar. MOTION by Councilor Buller to set March 1, 2024 as a date to have a plan in place to alleviate the growing deficit of the ambulance fund, tasking the Ambulance Director and City Administrator to review options and bring forth a recommendation.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar.

Lengthy discuss ensued including the importance of keeping the Advanced Life Support (ALS) level of service that is currently provided by Paramedics and paid on-call Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s).

Brenda Luettjohann, EMT for the International Falls Ambulance Service addressed the Council about hiring additional EMT’s if the service is in a deficit, as there is a cost related to hiring them.  Ms. Luettjohann stated, “Paramedics are needed, they save lives”.

Motion carried unanimously.

Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads None.
Reports of Mayor and Council Committees Mayor Droba expressed that a date is being scheduled for a town hall meeting for the garbage and ambulance concerns for the community.  He also addressed the increased fee for the bridge crossing cards.  Mayor Droba noted that he and the Mayor of Fort Frances have spoken about the bridge toll increase and that they will continue to work together on the issue.

Councilor Wegner asked for clarification of the status of the former Holiday Inn becoming a housing unit for the elderly.  Mayor Droba indicated that he currently had no information on that matter.

   
AUDIENCE Joe Schwartz, Business Representative for the Machinist Union that represents the Fire, Police and Paramedics addressed the Council wanting to clarify a few things that were said earlier in the meeting.  Mr. Schwartz noted he would like to meet with city staff as he has concerns with some of the language in the E.S.S.T. policy and the FMLA policy.  Mr. Schwartz further noted the Union has lobbyist and the Union is willing to help with the Ambulance deficit discussions.

Patrick O’Connell of the Labors International Union of North America thanked the City Council for approving the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and looks forward to working with the City of International Falls.  Further noting that following State Statute is acceptable but statute sometimes allows for exceptions or carves out versus just setting a threshold for all projects, noting he does not foresee an issue, but wanted to explain.

   
ADJOURNMENT Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, November 6, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers.  Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:43 P.M.

Harley M. Droba, Mayor

Attest:

Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator

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