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 November 2023 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: President Pro Tem Kalar and Councilors Buller, Holden, and Wegner
MEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor Droba
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the October 16, 2023, regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of Monday, October 16, 2023, regular City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 76-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 76-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| Adam Mannausau | CAT Team Travel Expense | 108.00 | 77214 | |
| Adam McIntyre Painting | Grnds/Warming House-M/R-Ice Shelter | 8,500.00 | 77215 | |
| Align Chiropractic & Wellness Ctr | Random DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing | 70.00 | 77216 | |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supp-Pol/IT/Amb-Clothing-Amb | 745.79 | 77217 | |
| Ameritas Life Ins. Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,792.00 | 77218 | |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil Matters | 9,372.00 | 77219 | |
| Andrew Holler | Cleaning of Property-423 9th St | 23.00 | 77220 | |
| Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel | Cleaning Service | 1,224.84 | 77221 | |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | M&R-Water-Supplies-Street Garage | 192.98 | 77222 | |
| BCBS of MN | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 1,434.40 | 77223 | |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 5,069.83 | 77224 | |
| Ben Mortenson | TAC Meeting Expense | 108.00 | 77226 | |
| Benedict Sign Co | Engraved Bricks | 224.00 | 77227 | |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 119,221.50 | 77228 | |
| Border Boxes | Shipping-Water Plant/Police | 262.25 | 77229 | |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 77230 | |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,113.72 | 77231 | |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Adm IT-Trng-Pol/Hzmat/Amb/Wtr/Fire | 6,019.00 | 77232 | |
| Bureau of Crim Apprehension | Annual CJDN Remote Access | 600.00 | 77233 | |
| Cenex Voyaguer Fleet | Gas-Hzmat/Pol/St/P&R/Amb/Hous/Fire | 6,549.97 | 77234 | |
| Chamber of Commerce | Lunch & Learn Ticket | 12.00 | 77235 | |
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Minutes | 281.47 | 77236 | |
| City of Intl’l Falls-Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 1,244.56 | 77237 | |
| City Water Department | City Buildings-Water Usage | 4,209.67 | 77238 | |
| Commercial Refrigeration System | Kerry Park Arena-Start Up | 3,120.80 | 77239 | |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 23,646.71 | 77240 | |
| Costin Group Inc | Govt Relations | 2,000.00 | 77241 | |
| Crandall’s Septic Pumping | Portable Johns-City Parks | 355.00 | 77242 | |
| DTN | Automation-Street | 1,308.00 | 77243 | |
| Earl F Andersen | Maint/Repair-Street | 2,317.95 | 77244 | |
| Expert Billing LLC | Amb Transports | 3,654.00 | 77245 | |
| Forestland Sales & Service | Maint & Repair Equip- Parks & Rec | 98.85 | 77246 | |
| Friends Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,866.49 | 77247 | |
| Gall’s | Clothing Allowance-Wherley | 64.40 | 77248 | |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing | 133.65 | 77249 | |
| Guardian Fleet Safety | 2023 Ford PIU Unit 2304 | 21,306.68 | 77250 | |
| Hamilton Medical Inc | TI Ventilator Annual PM | 2,990.00 | 77251 | |
| Hasbargen Customs LLC | Printing of HI-VIS Jackets | 100.00 | 77252 | |
| Hawkins Inc | Supplies-Water Plant | 2,706.26 | 77253 | |
| Heather Olson | Halloween Candy | 228.56 | 77254 | |
| Innovative Office Solutions Inc | Supplies-Administration | 281.28 | 77255 | |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch County | City Share-October 2023 Project Costs | 233,533.69 | 77256 | |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 31,604.00 | 77257 | |
| Kantor Electric Inc | Electrical Supplies | 4.43 | 77258 | |
| KGM Contractors Inc | Street & Utility Projects | 2,670,882.93 | 77259 | |
| Koerter’s Fuel & Car Wash | Gas-Street/Lighting/Water/Pol/San Swr | 3,206.57 | 77262 | |
| Kooch County Hwy Dept | Gas-Street/Garage/VNP/Water | 2,190.41 | 77263 | |
| Kooch County Public Health | Vaccines | 150.00 | 77264 | |
| KRIS Engineering Inc | Supplies-Street | 1,600.00 | 77265 | |
| Kya Scholler-Hasbargen | Account Deposit Refund | 20.00 | 77266 | |
| Lawson Products Inc | Supplies-Street Garage | 2,221.91 | 77267 | |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc | Oxygen-Ambulance | 1,255.86 | 77268 | |
| Locators & Supplies | Supplies-Street | 240.80 | 77269 | |
| MARCO | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 610.50 | 77270 | |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy- Fire/Adm/PW/Wat | 1,598.60 | 77271 | |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing-Ambulance | 44.00 | 77272 | |
| Menards International Falls | M&R-Hzmat/Amb/St/P&R-Tools-St | 1,026.03 | 77273 | |
| Midco | Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Wtr/Gar | 659.55 | 77274 | |
| Mike Neagbour | Water Overpayment/Deposit | 78.58 | 77275 | |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 57.00 | 77276 | |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 724.64 | 77277 | |
| Minnesota Industries | Supplies-Storm/Street/Garage | 95.55 | 77278 | |
| Minnesota Title & Abstract Co | Water Refund | 36.95 | 77279 | |
| MN Dept of Commerce | Unclaimed Property | 308.22 | 77280 | |
| MN Dept of Labor & Industry | Boiler Registration-Mun/Lib/Wtr Pl | 360.00 | 77281 | |
| MN State Fire Dept Assoc | Membership Dues | 375.00 | 77282 | |
| N Koochiching Area Sanitary Dist | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 99,386.57 | 77283 | |
| NAPA Falls Supply | Maint-Strm-M&R-Gar/Storm-Supp-Strm | 308.82 | 77284 | |
| North American Bank Co. | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 77285 | |
| Petty Cash-Betty Bergstrom | Supp-Adm/St/Pol-Licenses-Street | 270.97 | 77286 | |
| PowerPlan | Parts-710L | 160.19 | 77287 | |
| Premier Pyrotechnics | 4th of July/Icebox Days Fireworks | 14,000.00 | 77288 | |
| PTM Document Systems | W-2/1099 Forms | 148.40 | 77289 | |
| R&R Specialties of Wisconsin | Ice Shelter Maintenance | 561.00 | 77290 | |
| Range Paper Corp | Supp-Fire/Ambulance | 303.94 | 77291 | |
| Soundnorth | Supp-Adm/Ambulance | 30.00 | 77292 | |
| Steve Boyum Construction | 512 8th Street Demo | 3,597.00 | 77293 | |
| Streicher’s Inc | Cloth Allow-Lessard/Olson/M Kostiuk | 236.98 | 77294 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 583.51 | 77295 | |
| Teleflex Medical | Ambulance Supplies | 1,345.50 | 77296 | |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 43,291.83 | 77297 | |
| TNT Construction Group LLC | Lift Station #15 Improvements | 2,863.93 | 77298 | |
| US Bank Equipment Finance | Tax Exempt Lease/Purchase Agreement | 39,000.00 | 77299 | |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,700.92 | 77300 | |
| WEX Bank | Gas-Amb/St/VNP/P&R/Wtr/Hzmt/Hous | 3,580.72 | 77301 | |
| Widseth Smith Nolting | Engineering Services | 333.75 | 77302 | |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | ||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102013 | |
| All State-American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102014 | |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental insurance | 364.30 | 102015 | |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 43,666.76 | 102016 | |
| I.U.O.E. Central Pension Fund | Retirement | 4,894.10 | 102017 | |
| IF Fire Dept Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 364.00 | 102018 | |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 196.00 | 102019 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S. | 140.00 | 102020 | |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 1,064.67 | 102021 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,162.70 | 102022 | |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 8,075.00 | 102023 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 36,688.71 | 102024 | |
| RCB Collections, Inc. | Wage Assignment | 17.51 | 102025 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 813.31 | 102026 | |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 739.32 | 102027 | |
| United Way of NE MN Inc. | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 102028 | |
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102029 | |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102030 | |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 364.30 | 102031 | |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 42,538.94 | 102032 | |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 4,895.30 | 102033 | |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 210.00 | 102034 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S. | 730.00 | 102035 | |
| MN Child Support Payment Center | Wage Assignment | 1,064.67 | 102036 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,230.71 | 102037 | |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 8,075.00 | 102038 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 36,470.95 | 102039 | |
| United Way of NE MN Inc | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 102040 | |
| AUDIENCE | None |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve consent agenda as presented:
Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED request to use Smokey Bear Park and co-sponsor the Home for the Holiday’s event | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the request to use Smokey Bear Park and co-sponsor the Home for the Holiday’s event with Rainy Lake Medical Center. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the Commercial Loan Program Renewal for Borderboxes, Tony & Leesa Palm | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Commercial Loan Program renewal request for Borderboxes by owners Tony & Leesa Palm for an additional five (5) years. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED year 2024 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications, as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Year 2024 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications, as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 77-2023 opting to increase the benefit level for Firefighters | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 77-2023 a resolution opting to increase the benefit level for Firefighters who are vested in the Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Plan. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the purchase of a fire blanket for electric vehicle and battery fires | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the purchase of a fire blanket for electric vehicle and battery fires, requested by the Fire Chief Adam Mannausau. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the resignation of Spare Firefighter Engineer | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the resignation of Spare Firefighter Engineer Jacob Harris. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 78-2023 approving the application and permit for at 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for St. Thomas Aquinas Church | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 78-2023 approving the application and permit for at 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for St. Thomas Aquinas Church for a Dueling Piano event scheduled for February 3, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | Administrator Bergstrom noted that, as requested at the October 16, 2023 city council meeting, she has reached out to the Union regarding further discussion and information about the State Mandated Earned Safe and Sick Time requirements that will be effective January 1, 2024 and is currently awaiting a response. Administrator Bergstrom also updated that she and Mayor Droba have met concerning scheduling a Town Hall meeting regarding the Garbage and Ambulance topics. Once the place and date are set, there will be a notice in the Rainy Lake Gazette, city website, and social media. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | President Pro Tem Kalar who is the Chairman of the Charter Commission noted that the Commission will be bringing the “draft” updated Charter to the Land Use & Legislation committee for review in the near future. |
| AUDIENCE | None |
| ADJOURNMENT | President Pro Tem Kalar reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 20, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers. President Pro Tem Kalar adjourned the meeting at 6:03 P.M. |
Pete Kalar, President Pro Tem
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
