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 July 2025 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Dill and Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda as presented with an addition | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the agenda as presented with the following addition:
· Letter from Councilor Kalar dated October 11, 2023 regarding the ambulance deficit Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the following meeting minutes, as presented
|
MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the following meeting minutes:
· Monday, June 16, 2025, regular City Council meeting · Monday, June 23, 2025, special City Council meeting Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 46-2025, Approving Transfers, Payment of Claims and Accounts Payable | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to adopt Resolution No. 46– 2025, Approving Transfers, Payment of Claims and Accounts Payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| Amazon Capital Services | July 4th Candy, Sup-Pol/IT/Amb | 1,263.99 | 81353 |
| Ameritas Life Ins. Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,679.08 | 81354 |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil | 10,835.00 | 81355 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 699.00 | 81356 |
| ATCO International | Supplies-Street Lighting | 203.40 | 81357 |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Supplies-Street | 28.97 | 81358 |
| Automatic Systems Co | Control Panel Mods | 44,152.00 | 81359 |
| BCBS of Mn | Health Insurance Premiums | 5,113.79 | 81360 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 81362 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 3,225.40 | 81363 |
| Bremer Cardmember Services | T&T-Admin, Sup-IT/Adm/Hous | 438.35 | 81364 |
| Capitol Hill Associates Inc | Representation MN State Legislative | 2,000.00 | 81365 |
| Cenex Voyageur Fleet | Gas-Pol/St/Amb/Wtr/P&R/Hous | 4,417.79 | 81366 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc | Minutes | 426.08 | 81367 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Water/Sewer Admin Expenses | 851.87 | 81368 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings-Water Usage | 3,329.41 | 81369 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 16,185.55 | 81370 |
| Core & Main | Touchpads | 647.65 | 81371 |
| Creative Product Source Inc | Shield Stickers | 400.00 | 81372 |
| Creative Product Sourcing Inc | D.A.R.E. Supplies | 374.18 | 81373 |
| Crysteel Manufacturing Inc | Maint-Street | 124.85 | 81374 |
| Dakota Supply Group | Coupling Flares, Parts, Sup-San Sew | 3,403.59 | 81375 |
| Derek Hell | Boot Allowance | 200.00 | 81376 |
| Erickson’s Lawncare | Fertilizing-SB Park/Ball Parks/VNP | 6,425.00 | 81377 |
| ESS Brothers & Sons Inc | Manhole Frame/Lid/Grates | 28,845.00 | 81378 |
| Falls Lumber Company | Maint/Repair Storm | 359.76 | 81379 |
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 876.79 | 81380 |
| Gall’s | Halligan Bar, Cloth-Offe/K Kostiuk | 736.26 | 81381 |
| HACH Company | Materials-Wtr Plnt | 188.60 | 81382 |
| Hawkins Inc | Cylinder Chgs, Chemicals | 3,128.06 | 81383 |
| Hometown Billing LLC | Ambulance Billing | 4,945.18 | 81384 |
| Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing | Towing-Police Dept | 400.00 | 81385 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies-Adm, Water Envelopes | 1,604.64 | 81386 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share June 2025 Major Cap. | 192,615.86 | 81387 |
| IUEO Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 31,507.00 | 81388 |
| Jay Taylor | Clothing Allowance | 56.34 | 81389 |
| Joshua Ballejo | Clothing Allowance | 410.23 | 81390 |
| KGHS/KSDM | City Talk | 150.00 | 81391 |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc | Oxygen-Ambulance | 1,470.12 | 81392 |
| Locators & Supplies | Marking Paint | 346.15 | 81393 |
| LVC Inc | Fire Extinguisher Recharge/Band She | 386.50 | 81394 |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 535.25 | 81395 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy- Fire/Adm/PW | 1,603.43 | 81396 |
| Mark Rock Products | 3/4 Minus”, Crusher Fines | 9,534.09 | 81397 |
| MedicareBlue RX | Health Insurance Premiums | 2,106.00 | 81398 |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing-Mannausau | 32.00 | 81399 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Gar/St Ligh/P&R/Fire/Pol/St | 726.84 | 81400 |
| Meyers Glass | 510 10th St Boarding | 675.39 | 81401 |
| Midco | Cable-Fire Hall/Amb, Internet | 975.48 | 81402 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 538.43 | 81403 |
| Minnesota Industries | Sup-Street/Storm | 179.82 | 81404 |
| MTI Distributing Inc | M&R-P&R/Grnds/VNP/Wtr/St | 1,250.63 | 81405 |
| National Child ID Program | NNO-25 | 49.00 | 81406 |
| North American Bank Company | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 81407 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Tools-St/Gar, M&R-St/Grnd/P&R | 1,483.39 | 81408 |
| On the Rocks LLC | Business License Refund | 915.83 | 81409 |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | M&R-Fire/VNP/Amb/P&R/St/Wtr | 971.45 | 81410 |
| Pitney Bowes Inc | Postage Machine Supplies | 282.17 | 81411 |
| PowerPlan | John Deere 180G, Hammer Grease | 842.50 | 81412 |
| Precise MRM LLC | Flat Data Plan-Annual | 1,920.00 | 81413 |
| Premier Specialty Vehicles | 2016 Ford Type III Ambulance | 827.83 | 81414 |
| Project Pride, c/o Cindy Youso | Lodging Tax | 3,111.90 | 81415 |
| Rainy Lake Designs | Landscaping | 1,834.49 | 81416 |
| Robert Heinlen | Meal Allowance | 13.00 | 81417 |
| ServiceMaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 4,961.25 | 81418 |
| Shred-N-Go Inc | Recycling Police | 83.93 | 81419 |
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | Fertilizer | 41.92 | 81420 |
| Small Town Tech Inc | Internal Computer Drive | 95.00 | 81421 |
| Soundnorth | Sup-Water Plant | 11.99 | 81422 |
| Steve Boyum Construction | Equipment Rental | 6,000.00 | 81423 |
| Streicher’s | Clothing-K Kostiuk/M Kostiuk | 415.99 | 81424 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 558.33 | 81425 |
| Tactical Solutions | Radar Certification (7) | 305.00 | 81426 |
| Tanner Bombenger | Travel Expense | 210.80 | 81427 |
| Taylor Nelson | Account Deposit Refund | 155.00 | 81428 |
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating LLC | Bldg Maint-Library | 862.70 | 81429 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 44,837.76 | 81430 |
| Transwest Trucks Superior | Unit 141 | 6,212.16 | 81431 |
| UHL Company Inc | Bldg Maint-Library, Fobs | 2,122.00 | 81432 |
| USABlueBook | Tools-Water | 657.92 | 81433 |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 2,069.85 | 81434 |
| Vestis | Cleaning Services | 1,342.65 | 81435 |
| Viking Electric Supply LLC | Supplies-Street Lighting | 661.00 | 81436 |
| Walls All Season Equipment Inc | Maint-Water/P&R/Street, Sup-Street | 437.16 | 81437 |
| WEX Bank | Gas-Gar/Amb/St/Fire/Hzmt/Pol/P&R | 2,796.47 | 81438 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102734 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102735 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 354.51 | 102736 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 44,346.16 | 102737 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,054.40 | 102738 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | EMT Dues | 154.00 | 102739 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas | COP Dues | 140.00 | 102740 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Ctr | Wage Assignment-Child Support | 177.19 | 102741 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding SWT | 8,799.22 | 102742 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Empower Retirement | 9,023.00 | 102743 |
| PERA | Public Employees Retirement | 38,269.86 | 102744 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 936.09 | 102745 |
| The Hartford V-LTD | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 804.79 | 102746 |
| United Way of NE Minnesota Inc | United Way | 42.00 | 102747 |
| AUDIENCE: | Bobbi Bernath, 1900 6th Ave asked if the $130,938.50 paid to Bolton & Menk was for one month of services- questioning if we need all the people we have with the amount we pay Bolton & Menk. City Administrator Bergstrom stated she believed the fees were from May and would confirm that.
Bernath also asked if the meeting between the county and city regarding housing of the Police Department had occurred yet. Mayor Dill stated, “Things are moving along nicely, the city and county both have needs.” |
| Sharon Ball, 120 Cedar Road asked if the re-build of the bandshell has been slow due to changing the design and why were the people responsible for the fire not held responsible? City Attorney Nelson responded that the persons responsible are juveniles and that the County Attorney would be responsible for prosecuting due to the ages of the juveniles. | |
| PUBLIC HEARING: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS (AND/OR QUOTES) | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS: | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED request to begin the application and testing process to create an eligibility roster for the Police Department |
Police Chief Kostiuk explained this is a standard procedure to have and eligibility roster if a vacancy opens within the department. MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the request to begin the application and testing process to create an eligibility roster for the Police Department. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED State of Minnesota Contract DPS/SFM SWIFT Contract No. 270657 for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) response team | Fire Chief Mannausau noted state funds were extended this year for more HAZMAT training. The annual amount increased from $60,000 to $80,000.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve State of Minnesota Contract DPS/SFM SWIFT Contract No. 270657 for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) response team effective July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027, and authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to execute the contract. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| INFORMATIONAL correspondence from Auditor Ryan Schmidt, Schlenner Wenner & Co | Mayor Dill read a letter from City Auditor Ryan Schmidt of Schlenner Wenner & Co., dated June 30, 2025 reiterating his concerns of the ambulance fund deficit as presented to the council on June 23, 2025. Dill then referred to a letter that Councilor Kalar wrote to Mayor Droba and fellow Councilors dated October 11, 2023, regarding the ambulance deficit. Mayor Dill scheduled a Special City Council Meeting for Monday, July 14, 2025, at 6:00 P.M. immediately following the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting in the Council Chambers to discuss the ambulance deficit. |
| OTHER BUSINESS: | None. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | City Administrator Bergstrom bi-weekly report was available for review.
The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for June 2025 was available for review. The International Falls Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report for June 2025 was available for review. |
| Reports of Mayor & Council | None. |
| AUDIENCE | Glenn Davis, 1702 15th Ave asked if the mill and overlay project for Stenberg Addition will include fixing the underlay. Jason Fisher, Bolton & Menk explained a full depth patch and possibly replacement of the structure is planned depending on the cost. Mr. Davis also asked what steps the Ambulance Service has taken since the letter that was written back in 2023. Councilor Kalar explained changes in the staffing model, meetings with the County, Ranier, and St. Louis County have occurred. Davis asked the Mayor and Council to please not raise taxes anymore. |
| Allen Kruse, Mesa, AZ asked how much is spent on just International Falls residents versus other residents for ambulance services. | |
| Rhonda Benedix, 909 6th Street asked if the Water Treatment Plant had heard if they would receive any state funding. Mayor Dill replied they are progressing forward without any funding at this time and state funding is very unlikely. Benedix expressed her concerns of transports not being done by the ambulance. Mayor Dill noted all ambulance questions will be diverted to the Special City Council meeting on July 14, 2025. | |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Dill reminded everyone of the Special City Council meeting scheduled for July 14, 2025, at 6:00 P.M. immediately following the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 21, 2025, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Dill adjourned the meeting at 6:15 P.M. |
Drake Dill, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
