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 2nd day of September 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 | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the following meeting minutes, as presented
|
MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the following meeting minutes:
· Monday, August 18, 2025 Canvassing Board meeting · Monday, August 18, 2025 regular City Council meeting · Friday, August 22, 2025 special City Council meeting · Monday, August 25, 2025 special City Council meeting Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 55-2025, Approving Transfers, Payment of Claims and Accounts Payable | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to adopt Resolution No. 55–2025, Approving Transfers, Payment of Claims and Accounts Payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| Align Chiropractic & Wellness | Random DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing | 35.00 | 81746 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Sup-IT/Pol/M&C | 501.66 | 81747 |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,679.08 | 81748 |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil | 7,440.00 | 81749 |
| Andy Kittelson | Meal Allowance | 84.00 | 81750 |
| ATCO International | Sup-Gar/St Light | 298.86 | 81751 |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Sup-St Light | 18.99 | 81752 |
| BCBS of Mn | Health Insurance Premiums | 5,113.79 | 81753 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping-Water Plant | 16.25 | 81755 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 81756 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,259.27 | 81757 |
| Bremer Cardmember Services | Automation-M&C/Pol/Adm/IT/Fir/Hou | 257.50 | 81758 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc | Minutes | 383.72 | 81759 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Water/Sewer Admin Expenses | 769.73 | 81760 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings-Water Usage | 1,694.79 | 81761 |
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc | Flow Check SCBA’s | 1,785.00 | 81762 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 14,624.95 | 81763 |
| Crandall’s Septic Pumping | Portable Johns–City Parks | 510.00 | 81764 |
| Erickson’s Lawncare | Fertilizing | 6,425.00 | 81765 |
| First Independent Bank | Interest/Principal | 784,159.00 | 81766 |
| Graybar | Sup-Bass Tournament | 52.44 | 81767 |
| Hach Company | Chemicals | 88.35 | 81768 |
| Hamilton Medical Inc | Equipment-Ambulance | 1,250.70 | 81769 |
| Hawkins Inc | Cylinder Chgs | 110.00 | 81770 |
| Holiday Outdoor Decor | Incandescent Lamp | 930.00 | 81771 |
| Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing | Towing-Police Dept | 366.85 | 81772 |
| Innovative Office Solution LLC | Sup-Adm/Housing | 42.54 | 81773 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share Aug 2025 Maj Cap | 711,495.84 | 81774 |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 29,735.00 | 81775 |
| J & R Waste Water Inc | Cleaning/Exercising Water Valves | 7,875.00 | 81776 |
| Koerter’s Amoco | Gas-Str/Str Light/Pol/Wtr/Wtr Plnt | 4,234.62 | 81777 |
| Kooch Cty Auditor/Treasurer | 2025 Special Election | 3,152.31 | 81778 |
| Lawson Products Inc | Sup-St Gar/St Light | 979.60 | 81779 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy-Fire/Adm/PW | 192.16 | 81780 |
| MedicareBlue RX | Health Insurance Premiums | 2,106.00 | 81781 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Bass Tourn/P&R/Amb/Gar/Fire | 1,408.79 | 81782 |
| Meyers Glass | Repair Door | 250.00 | 81783 |
| MIDCO | Cable-Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Wtr Plnt | 600.09 | 81784 |
| Mid-States Equipment Inc | Supplies-Garage | 316.00 | 81785 |
| Minnesota Dept of Health | State Test Fee | 6,337.44 | 81786 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 391.86 | 81787 |
| Minnesota Industries | Supplies-Street | 73.80 | 81788 |
| MTI Distributing Inc | M&R-Grounds | 58.36 | 81789 |
| North American Bank Company | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 81790 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Maint-Gar/St/P&R/Grnd, Sup-St/Wtr | 1,056.72 | 81791 |
| Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct | Qtrly Lease-Inserting & Mailing | 398.82 | 81792 |
| Rhory Gelo | Meal Allowance | 84.00 | 81793 |
| Robert Heinlen | Meal Allowance | 156.24 | 81794 |
| S & P Global Ratings | Rating Fee-GO Bond Series 2025A | 15,250.00 | 81795 |
| ServiceMaster of International Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 4,961.25 | 81796 |
| Shannon’s Inc | M&R-Wtr Plnt, Sup-Wtr Plnt | 312.96 | 81797 |
| Shred-N-Go Inc | Recycling Police | 90.30 | 81798 |
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | 9th Street Project | 6,500.00 | 81799 |
| Steve Boyum Construction | Black Dirt | 50.00 | 81800 |
| Streicher’s | Clothing-Wherley | 45.00 | 81801 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 537.73 | 81802 |
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating LLC | Bldg Maint-GGB | 130.00 | 81803 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 44,837.76 | 81804 |
| Towmaster | Maint & Repair Equip | 99.10 | 81805 |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 2,007.42 | 81806 |
| Vestis | Cleaning Services | 1,342.65 | 81807 |
| Walls All Season Equipment Inc | Maint-St/VNP | 526.06 | 81808 |
| WEX Bank | Gas-Gar/St/Hous/Pol/Amb/Wtr/VNP | 2,790.21 | 81809 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102802 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102803 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 354.51 | 102804 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 46,337.02 | 102805 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,073.60 | 102806 |
| IF Fire Dept Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 392.00 | 102807 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | EMT Dues | 126.00 | 102808 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas | Cop Dues | 140.00 | 102809 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Ctr | Wage Assignment-Child Support | 177.19 | 102810 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding SWT | 9,034.53 | 102811 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Empower Retirement | 9,248.00 | 102812 |
| PERA | Public Employees Retirement | 38,461.14 | 102813 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 931.70 | 102814 |
| The Hartford V-LTD | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 669.94 | 102815 |
| United Way of NE Minnesota Inc | United Way | 42.00 | 102816 |
| AUDIENCE: | Rhonda Benedix, 909 6th Street, approached the council table and presented Mayor Dill with a document that she referred to as a formal complaint against City Attorney Chelsea Nelson. |
| PUBLIC HEARING: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS (AND/OR QUOTES) | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS: | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
ADOPTED Resolution No. 56-2025 approving Intern Use Permit for 1102 9th Avenue |
The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, to consider the application for a home occupation permit to operate a cosmetology salon at 1102 9th Avenue. The Commission approved the IUP 2025-001 subject to conditions, as outlined in the permit.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 56-2025 approving and concurring with the finding of facts and decision recommended by the Planning Commission in IUP 2025-001 for Home Occupation Intern Use Permit for a Home Cosmetology Salon for Lisa Jensen, 1102 9th Avenue. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 57-2025 approving application for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for St. Thomas Aquinas Church | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to adopt Resolution No. 57-2025 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for St. Thomas Aquinas Church for a Fall Banquet Fundraiser for the St. Thomas School scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2025. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 58-2025 approving application for exempt permit to sell raffle tickets for St. Thomas Aquinas School | MOTION by Councilor Holden to adopt Resolution No. 58 -2025 approving the St. Thomas Aquinas School application for exempt permit to sell raffle tickets, with the drawing to be held October 11, 2025, at the St. Thomas Aquinas Hall, 810 5th Street, International Falls. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 59-2025 approving application for exempt permit to sell raffle tickets for Friends of the Falls Fire Department | MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 59-2025 approving the Friends of the Falls Fire Department application for exempt permit to sell raffle tickets, with the drawing to be held Monday, November 24, 2025 at the BPO Elks Lodge, 215 3rd Street, International Falls. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Andy Kittelson for the internal posting of the Heavy Equipment Operator position | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Andy Kittelson for the internal posting of the Heavy Equipment Operator position. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED posting internally for the Maintenance Worker I/Equipment Operator (Plow Truck) position | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve posting internally for the Maintenance Worker I/Equipment Operator (Plow Truck) position. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED removal of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from active roster | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve removal of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the active roster of the International Falls Ambulance Service due to inactivity:
· Kyle Rasmussen · Isaac Dahl · Makayla Werdier Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED appointment of Councilor Kalar and Councilor Wegner to the Kerry Park Arena committee to discuss the future of Kerry Park Arena | MOTION by Councilor Holden to appoint Councilor Kalar and Councilor Wegner to the Kerry Park Arena committee to work with International Falls Recreation Hockey board members and other stakeholders for the future of Kerry Park Arena. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| INFORMATION ONLY | Councilor Kalar spoke about the Shape the future of Koochiching County-county-wide forum that is scheduled for Thursday, September 11, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 P.M. at Backus Community Center sponsored by University of Minnesota Extension-Department of Community Development. |
| APPROVED canceling the special City Council meetings to discuss the International Falls Ambulance Service: | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to cancel the special City Council meetings to discuss the ambulance service. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| OTHER BUSINESS: | None. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | City Administrator Bergstrom bi-weekly report was available for review. |
| Reports of Mayor & Council | None |
| AUDIENCE | Bobbi Bernath, 1900 6th Avenue feels the city should sell Kerry Park to Recreation Hockey, that way they would be responsible for the upkeep and keeping the facility open. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Dill reminded everyone of the Special International Falls Economic Development Authority meeting scheduled for September 8, 2025, at 5:00 P.M. The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Dill adjourned the meeting at 5:50 P.M. |
Drake Dill, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
