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 20th day of February 2024 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 and deletions | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda with the following additions/deletions.
1. Addition to accounts payable – Airport Claim 2. Deletion of Legislation and Land Use Committee recommendations. a. Approve first reading of Ordinance No. 5th Series amending Section 10-30, Shade Tree Disease Control and Prevention. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, February 5, 2024 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of Monday, February 5, 2024 regular City Council meeting.
Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, February 12, 2024 Committee-of the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the minutes of Monday, February 12, 2024 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 14-2024 Approving Transfers, Payment of Claims, and Accounts Payable | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to adopt Resolution No. 14-2024 approving Transfers, Payment of Claims, and Accounts Payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 551.49 | 78015 |
| All Season Equipment Inc | M&R Equip-Hazmat/Grounds | 1,089.89 | 78016 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies-Administration/Police | 222.58 | 78017 |
| Aqua-Pure Inc | Supplies-Water Plant | 33,044.80 | 78018 |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 111,886.50 | 78019 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping-Water Plant | 159.50 | 78020 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,026.02 | 78021 |
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78022 |
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78023 |
| Carlson’s Auto Repair | Repairs-Unit 154, 152, 114, 1701-Amb | 3,930.96 | 78024 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Council Mtg Dates/Min/Ordin/Proclam | 1,838.27 | 78025 |
| Citizens for Backus | Lease Agreement-Suite 305 | 6,244.76 | 78026 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 78027 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 20,567.25 | 78028 |
| City of Ranier | Wtr-City Beach, Annual State Test Fee | 22.22 | 78029 |
| Core & Main | Meter Parts, Meters | 11,757.48 | 78030 |
| DSC Communications | Charger | 83.00 | 78031 |
| Earl F. Andersen | Signs | 489.30 | 78032 |
| Enterprise FM Trust | Vehicle Lease Payments | 13,661.68 | 78033 |
| First Independent Bank | Interest-GO Water Rev Note Ser 2022A | 12,159.00 | 78034 |
| Forestland Sales & Service | M&R-P&R/Fire, Car Wash-Police | 346.24 | 78035 |
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,751.49 | 78036 |
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,955.00 | 78037 |
| Gall’s | Cloth-Thramer/Bombenger/Ambulance | 1,426.25 | 78038 |
| Greentech Manufacturing Inc | Unit #241 | 320.00 | 78039 |
| Hawkins Inc | Vacuum Regulator/Chemicals | 3,563.48 | 78040 |
| Hotsy Minnesota | Storm-M&R Equipment | 465.39 | 78041 |
| Howards-Cenex LLC | Gas-Street/VNP/Storm Sewer | 1,401.18 | 78042 |
| I-Falls Super One | Supplies-Street | 13.98 | 78058 |
| Industrial Health Sv Ntwk Inc | Mandated US DOT Regulations | 47.90 | 78043 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies-Water Plant/Administration | 73.19 | 78044 |
| Jorson & Carlson Co | Ice Scraper Knives Cleaned/Sharpened | 234.60 | 78045 |
| KGHS/KSDM | City Talk | 150.00 | 78046 |
| Koerter’s Fuel & Carwash | Gas-Street/Police/Sanitary Sewer | 4,832.24 | 78047 |
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept | Demo-Water | 84.00 | 78048 |
| Lawson Products Inc | Supplies-Street Lighting | 1,488.30 | 78049 |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen-Ambulance | 1,475.51 | 78050 |
| LMC Insurance Trust-Liab | Annual Liability and Auto Insurance | 211,438.00 | 78051 |
| LVC Inc | VNP Fire Alarm Annual Cellphone | 1,072.00 | 78052 |
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Parts-Unit 124, 151, 231, 141 | 3,232.80 | 78053 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Arena/Street/Amb, Tools-Water | 272.74 | 78054 |
| Meyers Glass | Maintenance & Repair-Water | 210.00 | 78055 |
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78056 |
| Midco | Cable-Fire/Amb, Internet-Wtr Plnt/Gar | 670.39 | 78057 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 6,568.23 | 78059 |
| MN Power | Utilities | 45,922.13 | 78060 |
| MN Dept of Labor & Industry | Boiler Registration-Mun/Lib/Wtr Pl | 50.00 | 78061 |
| Moody’s Investors Service Inc | Annual Fee for EDA Bonds-VNP | 500.00 | 78062 |
| NAPA Falls Supply | M&R-Street, Sup-Street/Garage | 42.45 | 78063 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Sup-Bldg Official/Street/House/Water | 398.35 | 78064 |
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(Wan) Services | 267.73 | 78065 |
| Pelland Welding, Inc | Supplies-Street, M&R-Grounds | 163.14 | 78066 |
| Petty Cash-Betty Bergstrom | Bridge Ticket/Kooch County Rec Fee | 426.58 | 78067 |
| Pitney Bowes Global Financial | Quarterly Lease-Mailing System | 398.82 | 78068 |
| Premier Specialty Vehicles | Unit 16-01 Parts | 306.48 | 78069 |
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Medical Supplies | 963.93 | 78070 |
| Rainy Lake Oil | Fuel-Street Garage | 1,768.25 | 78071 |
| Range Paper Corp | Supplies-Fire/Ambulance/Street | 900.50 | 78072 |
| Safety-Kleen Systems Inc | Washer Parts | 461.07 | 78073 |
| ServiceMaster of Int’l Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 236.25 | 78074 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Cloth-Police/Offerdahl/Kastens/Kostiuk | 2,113.97 | 78075 |
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78076 |
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78077 |
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78078 |
| USABlueBook | Supplies-Sanitary Sewer/Storm | 1,278.13 | 78079 |
| Volunteer Firefighters | Firefighters Insurance | 1,020.00 | 78080 |
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78081 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102143 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102144 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 370.17 | 102145
|
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 45,657.65 | 102146 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,020.90 | 102147 |
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA–Police/Fire | 520.00 | 102148 |
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance–49ers | 2,407.00 | 102149 |
| IAMAW District W3 | Union Dues | 1,542.00 | 102150 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 168.00 | 102151 |
| INTL Union of Oper Engineers | Dues | 910.00 | 102152 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 102153 |
| MN Child Support Payment Center | Wage Assignment | 832.56 | 102154 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,776.20 | 102155 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 7,031.00 | 102156
|
| NCPERS Minnesota | Life Insurance Premiums | 128.00 | 102157 |
| N. Kooch Area Sanitary District | Health Insurance Premiums | 450.00 | 102158 |
| PERA | Retirement | 38,118.57 | 102159 |
| United Way of NE MN Inc | Employee Donation | 42.00 | 102160 |
| AUDIENCE: | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS: | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS: | |
| 1. APPROVED second and final reading of Contract Ordinance #988 for the 2024 Tower #2 Reconditioning Project | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve second and final reading of Contract Ordinance #988 for the 2024 Tower #2 Reconditioning Project. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| 2. APPROVED second and final reading of Ordinance No. 52, 5th Series, amending Sec. 3.20 Sewer usage regulations | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve second and final reading of Ordinance No. 52, 5th Series, amending Sec. 3.20 Sewer usage regulations. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| 3. APPROVED second and final reading of Ordinance No. 53, 5th Series, amending Sec. 3-40 Rules and regulations relating to water service | Motion by Councilor Wegner to approve second and final reading of Ordinance No. 53, 5th Series, amending Sec. 3-40 Rules and regulations relating to water service. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| ACKNOWLEDGED end dates for Paid On-Call Volunteer Fire Fighters | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to acknowledge end dates for Paid On-Call Volunteer Fire Fighters, Mike Carlson, Mitchell Lavern and Kyle Rasmussen. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED contingent offer of employment pending satisfactory completion of pre-employment requirements for the vacant Mechanic position | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve contingent offer of employment to Steve Donnaubauer pending satisfactory completion of pre-employment requirements for the vacant Mechanic position. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller.
Councilor Holden inquired as to what the pending pre-employment requirements were. Sherri Stensland, Human Resources stated that each position with the city has different pre-employment requirements and she anticipated having all the information soon.
Motion carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED updated Mutual Aid Agreement between the International Falls Police Department and the Koochiching County Sheriff’s Department | City Attorney Nelson stated she was contacted by Chief Kostiuk to update the Mutual Aid Agreement between the International Falls Police department and Koochiching County Sherriff’s Department. City Administrator Bergstrom noted our current agreement was outdated and it is a benefit to have a current agreement in place.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the updated Mutual Aid Agreement between the International Falls Police Department and the Koochiching County Sheriff’s Department. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED letter of support for the 2024 MN Emergency Ambulance Service Aid | Fire Chief Mannausau, stated a letter of support was sent to the Task Force on Emergency Medical Services. The Emergency Ambulance Service Aid bill will provide one-time, emergency funding to struggling ambulance providers across Minnesota. The letter was reviewed by Mayor Droba and City Administrator Bergstrom and mailed prior to the council meeting due to the deadline to submit a letter of support.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the letter of support for the 2024 MN Emergency Ambulance Service Aid. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| Public Works Committee recommendation(s):
a. APPROVED Automatic Systems Company proposal for International Falls SCADA Improvements for Water Treatment Plant, Tower 1, Tower 2, Lift Station 7, and Lift Station 15 |
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Automatic Systems Company proposal for International Falls SCADA Improvements for the Water Treatment Plant, Tower 1, Tower 2, Lift Station 7, and Lift Station 15 with funding from Water and Sanitary Sewer PI. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner.
City Engineer Fisher shared the past few years the city has not had a SCADA system working for Tower #1 and the proposal is to update Tower #1 SCADA system prior to taking down Tower #2 for repairs.
Motion carried unanimously. |
| b. APPROVED Service Agreement with Silversmith, Inc., dba Silversmith Data (SSD) for software and data service for asset management for client specific data | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Service Agreement with Silversmith, Inc., dba Silversmith Data (SSD) for software and data service for asset management for client specific data, including two GPS devices, with funding from Capital Outlay Water and Sewer funds, as budgeted expenses. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden.
City Engineer Fisher stated the Asset Management System is Google based and uses the GIS system, which consist of providing the software and data services for the collection and maintenance of data, marking GPS coordinates of fire hydrants, water meters, along with the ability to monitor the street garage equipment inventory.
Motion carried unanimously. |
| c. APPROVED Engineering Scope and Fee for Water Distribution System- Water Model | City Engineer Fisher noted the water modeling services would provide assistance to find weak areas and identify areas that need improvement to improve water pressure or fire flow.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Engineering Scope and Fee for Water Distribution System-Water Model from Bolton & Menk with funding from Capital Outlay Water. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation(s):
a. APPROVED Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan |
MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| b. APPROVED ordering two (2)-2024 Horton Type III Ambulance-Custom Unit #533 from Premier Specialty Vehicles | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve ordering two (2)-2024 Horton Type III Ambulance-Custom Unit #533 from Premier Specialty Vehicles with the anticipated delivery in 650-690 days from order date, as budgeted. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner.
Mayor Droba addressed Chief Mannausau ensuring the commitment of the city and the intent with purchasing these ambulances is for the safety of our staff and residents. Councilor Holden thanked Chief Mannausau for providing the data on the current ambulance fleet including the mileage ensuring our vehicles our reliable and safe.
Motion carried unanimously. |
| c. APPROVED the appointment of Councilor Kalar and Councilor Wegner to the Airport Steering Committee | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the appointment of Councilor Kalar and Councilor Wegner to the Airport Steering Committee, as requested at the County/City Roundtable meeting of February 5, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| d. INFORMATIONAL – DISCUSSED the draft updated Home Rule Charter | Councilor Kalar shared the Charter Commission has been actively engaged in reviewing the Home Rule Charter for the past three years. After meticulous examination and deliberation, the Charter Commission has completed the draft Home Rule Charter. Kalar requested the council review the revised Home Rule Charter and copies be available for the public to review. City Administrator Bergstrom noted Taft Law had met with the Charter Commission and reviewed the draft Home Rule Charter. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | City Administrator Bergstrom had an update from the Committee of the Whole meeting noting she has spoken to Dan Donayre regarding the number of wetland credits for the City of International Falls. Mr. Donayre indicated its very cumbersome to determine the actual number of credits the city has but he does believe there are possibly more than 6.6 and will continue to research what the actual number is. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Holden stated they had a good Public Safety meeting this afternoon and he was proud of how the Police and Fire Chief’s conducted themselves. |
| AUDIENCE | Drake Dill, 2601 2nd Avenue East addressed the City Council about the following two items:
First, the City’s 1% local option sales tax that was on the ballot back in 2018 and passed by 66% of the voters. Mr. Dill asked about the proceeds from that tax and has heard the actual revenue is exceeding the projected revenue. Mayor Droba noted that the actual revenue has far exceeded the projected revenue. Mr. Dill further noted there are 2,762 residences with a 56649 zip code located outside the city limits that contribute to that revenue. Mayor Droba noted that residences living outside the city limits making on-line purchases could request reimbursement from MN Department of Revenue. Further noting that the Department of Revenue regulates how the local sales tax is collected; and currently it is by zip code.
Second, Mr. Dill spoke about the history of Local Government Aid (LGA) and the amount received by the City, which included an increase this year. Mr. Dill noted that he believes that International Falls has an “ultra specific” designation (one of approximately five cities) that receive additional aid for the City to support the ambulance and airport.
Dialogue continued between Mayor Droba and Mr. Dill regarding the current Airport Joint Powers Agreement. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 4, 2024, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:21 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
