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 1st day of July 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 as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, June 17, 2024 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the minutes of Monday, June 17, 2024 regular City Council meeting.
Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 36 -2024 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 36-2024 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A. W. Kuettel & Sons | Equipment Garage Trench Drains | 5,375.00 | 78880 |
| Adam McIntyre Painting | Light Poles | 6,050.00 | 78881 |
| Align Chiropractic & Wellness Center | Random DOT Drug & Alcohol | 35.00 | 78882 |
| Amazon Capital Services | July 4th Candy, Sup-Admin | 638.53 | 78883 |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,792.00 | 78884 |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil Mat | 11,160.00 | 78885 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 1,767.60 | 78886 |
| BCBS of Mn | Health Insurance Premiums | 5,042.27 | 78887 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 78889 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,062.88 | 78890 |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Cloth-Sears/Fire, Hzmt, Sup-Fire | 7,472.33 | 78891 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Minutes | 258.78 | 78892 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Water/Sewer Admin Expenses | 727.95 | 78893 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings-Water Usage | 1,315.74 | 78894 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 13,831.05 | 78895 |
| Dakota Supply Group | Hydrant & Water Maintenance | 8,802.73 | 78896 |
| Earl F Andersen | Supplies-Street | 308.95 | 78897 |
| Enterprise FM Trust | Lease Agreements | 16,594.79 | 78898 |
| Falls Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | 16-01 Ford Ambulance | 172.50 | 78899 |
| Hawkins Inc | Bylinder Chgs | 110.00 | 78900 |
| Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC | Grass | 531.25 | 78901 |
| Hills Signs | Fire Car Plates | 265.00 | 78902 |
| Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing | Towing-Police Dept | 100.00 | 78903 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies-Administration | 116.61 | 78904 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share June 2024 Major Capital | 42,774.41 | 78905 |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 31,182.00 | 78906 |
| Jefferson Fire & Safety | Tital Pro Fire Helmets | 2,325.19 | 78907 |
| Joshua Ballejo | Travel Expense | 899.85 | 78908 |
| Lakes Gas | Gas-Street | 18.38 | 78909 |
| LVC Inc | Maint Street | 490.95 | 78910 |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 615.25 | 78911 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy- Fire/Adm/PW | 1,606.01 | 78912 |
| MedicareBlue RX | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,794.00 | 78913 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-St/Pol/Wtr, M&R-Amb | 302.59 | 78914 |
| Meyers Glass | 310 5th St Boarding | 253.35 | 78915 |
| Michael Kostiuk | Travel Expense | 108.00 | 78916 |
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet-Street Garage/Dog Pound | 228.18 | 78917 |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 68.40 | 78918 |
| Minnesota Industries | Tools-Water, Sup-Street | 86.54 | 78919 |
| MTI Distributing Inc | M&R-Grds | 49.42 | 78920 |
| North American Bank Company | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 78921 |
| Petty Cash-Betty Bergstrom | Gas-Fire, Sup-St/Sew/Wtr, Train-Sew | 407.32 | 78922 |
| Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct | Qtrly Lease-Inserting & Mailing Sys | 1,500.00 | 78923 |
| Premier Specialty Vehicles | Ambulance Parts | 55.82 | 78924 |
| Project Pride, c/o Cindy Youso | Lodging Tax | 2,608.55 | 78925 |
| Pro-Tech Sales | MXV Ballistic Shield | 2,085.00 | 78926 |
| Servicemaster of Int’l Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 600.00 | 78927 |
| Shannon’s Inc | RPZ Testing | 1,140.00 | 78928 |
| Shred-N-Go Inc | Recycling Police | 83.93 | 78929 |
| Soundnorth | Supplies-Water | 289.99 | 78930 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Cloth-Lessard/Kastens | 244.91 | 78931 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 608.22 | 78932 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 46,196.48 | 78933 |
| The Sherwin Williams Co-Bemidji | Paint | 653.40 | 78934 |
| TimeClock Plus, LLC | Aladtec Implementation | 1,940.34 | 78935 |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,745.12 | 78936 |
| Vestis | Cleaning Service | 860.06 | 78937 |
| WEX Bank | Gas-St/Amb/P&R/VNP/Sew/House | 3,141.99 | 78938 |
| Wright Interiors LLC | Maint/Repair-Water Plant | 1,486.00 | 78939 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102306 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102307 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 370.17 | 102308 |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 66,492.28 | 102309 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,124.70 | 102310 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | EMT Dues | 161.00 | 102311 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas | Cop Dues | 140.00 | 102312 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Ctr | Wage Assignment-Child Support | 775.71 | 102313 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding SWT | 13,184.66 | 102314 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Empower Retirement | 7,490.00 | 102315 |
| PERA | PERA Life Insurance | 37,284.58 | 102316 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Insurance | 900.56 | 102317 |
| The Hartford V-LTD | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 795.47 | 102318 |
| United Way of NE Minnesota Inc | United Way | 42.00 | 102319 |
| AUDIENCE: | Bill Larson, 1713 11th Avenue stated concerns with a non-resident being appointed to the North Koochiching Area Sanitary District (NASD) board. Mayor Droba explained that the City of International Falls Charter allows the Mayor to appoint members to represent the City of International Falls even if they do not live in the city. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
INFORMATIONAL Coalition of Greater MN Cities update on the last legislative session and to hear from elected officials about future projects |
Bradley M. Peterson, Shareholder/Lobbyist, Flaherty & Hood, P.A. reviewed the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities 2024 Session Report noting the City of International Falls can expect to receive approximately $212 thousand from the EMS Aid Bill at the end of the year included with their LGA monies. Mr. Peterson also shared that the Legislature closed out the session without passing a capital investment bill, leaving local bonding projects in limbo. |
| APPROVED road closure for the Chamber of Commerce Crazy Days event on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 | Betsy Zaren, Chamber Event Coordinator requested downtown road closure for Crazy Days on July 31, 2024.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve road closure for the Chamber of Commerce Crazy Days event on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED request from Koochiching County to suspend calendar parking on 5th Street during the jail expansion project | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve request from Koochiching County to suspend calendar parking on 5th Street between 6th Avenue and 9th Avenue during the jail expansion project. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED affirmation of Board of Zoning Appeals decision on a side set-back variance for Falls Real Estate Holdings LLC, dba Falls Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | MOTION by Councilor Buller to affirm Board of Zoning Appeals decision on a side set-back variance for Falls Real Estate Holdings LLC, dba Falls Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 309 5th Street – Board of Zoning appeals Resolution 01-24. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 37-2024 approving application for exempt permit for International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (I.A.M.A.W) Local W33 | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt No. 37-2024 approving application for exempt permit for International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (I.A.M.A.W) Local W33 to conduct a raffle, with the drawing to be held on October 11, 2024, at Bob Walls Memorial Union Hall. Motion was seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation:
a. APPROVED first reading of the updated City of International Falls Charter |
MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation to consider first reading of the updated City of International Falls Charter, as presented by the Charter Commission. Motion was seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| CONVENE CLOSED MEETING
|
MOTION by Councilor Holden to recess the open meeting at 6:10 P.M. and move to close the meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| RECONVENE OPEN SESSION
|
Mayor Droba reconvened the open session meeting at 6:30 P.M. Mayor Droba gave a summary of the discussion of a possible acquisition to purchase property. Droba stated the Fire Chief and Building Official will inspect the property before consideration of the property will be taken by the City Council. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | None. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Wegner updated that he and Councilor Kalar attended the Airport Steering Committee noting annexation is moving forward. Councilor Wegner also shared that he attended the Airport Commission meeting where they discussed working on getting funding for an Emergency Response Center to be located at the International Falls Airport.
Councilor Kalar wanted to remind everyone of the Riverfest Concert on July 1, 2024, at the Irv Anderson Amphitheater with The Voice participant, Chris Kroeze. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that City Hall offices will be closed on Thursday July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Mayor Droba further noted the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 15, 2024, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:40 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
