July 21, 2025, City Council Minutes

·         Monday, July 7, 2025, regular City Council meeting

·         Monday, July 14, 2025, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting

·         Monday, July 14, 2025, special City Council meeting

Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

APPROVED as presented

APPROVED canvassing date of Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 4:00 P.M.

a.      APPROVED excess property list and authorize auction of Public Works items with McLaughlin Auctioneers, LLC

b.      UPDATE of the Stenberg Additional Project and 9th Street Improvement Project by City Engineer Jason Fisher and Sr. Project Manager Dean Helstrom of Bolton & Menk, Inc

MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve Public Works excess property list and allow sale through McLaughlin Auctioneers, LLC with revenues from the auction to be deposited into Public Works Capital Outlay fund.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried 4-1 with Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner voting “yea” and Mayor Dill voting “nay”.

City Engineer Jason Fisher and Sr. Project Manager Dean Helstrom, Bolton & Menk provided an update on the Stenberg Addition project.  Fisher noted that a mill/overlay, full depth patch was planned for the area, but after additional investigation relocating the storm sewer into the right of way is a better option.  It was noted that this process will increase the cost of the project, however savings on other portions of the project will cover the anticipated increase.  Fisher will present a report to the next Public Works Committee as to the final decision on the project.

Mr. Helstrom noted that work on the 9th Street Project will begin the first week of August with a neighborhood meeting being planned to inform all residences.

Councilor Kalar asked if the problems in Stenberg are from what Stenberg was prior to it being developed.  Project Manager Helstrom noted it does impact the project, along with the current depth of the storm line.

a.      APPROVED moving the roller hockey rink from 19th Street and 2nd Avee to the outdoor rink at Kerry Park

b.      APPROVED allowing the Rainy Lake Pickleball Association to contract services to resurface and add three pickleball courts at the 19th St and 2nd Ave East location

c.       APPROVED the Ambulance Service to conduct and EMT Certification class beginning October 2025

  d.      APPROVED Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Policy in accordance with legislative updates

e.       APPROVED submittal of application to MN OSHA Safety Grant for cameras

f.        APPROVED moving discussion of property located at 2020 11th Ave to August 11, 2025 Committee-of-the Whole meeting

MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve moving the roller hockey rink to the outdoor rink at Kerry Park to allow the Rainy Lake Pickleball Association use of the space for additional pickleball courts.  Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

MOTION by Councilor Kalar to allow Rainy Lake Pickleball Association to resurface and convert the roller hockey rink section of the outdoor facilities on 19th Street and 2nd Ave East into three additional pickleball courts at no cost to the city, with the City Attorney drafting an agreement outlining the details.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the International Falls Ambulance Service to move forward with conducting an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification class beginning October 2025 through March 2026.  Discussion ensued about the Paramedic that would be instructing the class in connection with the possibility of the Ambulance Service being BLS at the end of the year.  It was noted that EMT’s would be needed no matter what happens to the current structure of the Service.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Policy in accordance with legislative updates.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve submittal of an application to MN OSHA Safety Grant for funds to purchase cameras for City Hall and the adjacent parking lot.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

City Attorney Nelson spoke about the property located at 2020 11th Ave.  Nelson explained that the property owner was ordered to clean up the property, however no cleanup has been done.  Nelson further explained a couple of processes (civil abatement, being one) the City could potentially take to have the property cleaned up depending on how much the City wants to spend on this property with no guarantee of getting reimbursed.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to move this item to the August 11, 2025 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting due to the complexity of the issue and the potential costs the City could incur.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously.

Lisa Mortenson, 1826 10th Ave E, spoke to the EMT Certification class that was approved earlier in the meeting noting that if the Service changes to BLS the instructor may or may not be in the community, so the completion of the course could be compromised.  Mortenson further noted that the EMT’s are indispensable.

Allen Kruse, 3077 Co Rd 20, spoke to the history of the bandshell and his past involvement in the community as a former dirty dozen member, and graduate.  Kruse noted that due to the City’s financial state that if possible the money the city gets to rebuild the bandshell should be allocated to the deficit in the Ambulance fund.

Nancy Imhof, 339 3rd St, addressed the council and asked if the insurance money had to be spent on a rebuild.  Mayor Dill noted that the policy is through the League of Minnesota Cities and that question has been asked.  Imhof further noted that if the City has to spend the money on a rebuild, only spend that amount no additional funds should be added.