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 December 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 | Mayor Dill acknowledged the revised agenda with addition/deletions to New Business #4 – Acknowledge letter of resignation retirement from Michael Kostiuk. Mayor Dill requested a Motion to approve the original agenda with New Business #4 being moved to the December 15, 2025, regular City Council meeting. MOTION by Councilor Wegner, MOTION failed due to lack of support. MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the original agenda as proposed. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the, Monday, November 17, 2025, regular City Council meeting
|
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of the, Monday, November 17, 2025, regular City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 80-2025 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to adopt Resolution No. 80-2025 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| Adam Mannausau | CAT Team Travel Exp | 54.00 | 82338 |
| Allied Generators | Generator Maintenance | 750.00 | 82339 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Sup-IT/Adm/Amb, Safty Camera-TV | 1,769.94 | 82340 |
| Ameritas Life Ins. Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,679.08 | 82341 |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil | 8,070.00 | 82342 |
| Badiuk Equipment Inc | Winterize Fire Boat | 307.34 | 82343 |
| BCBS of Mn | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,365.71 | 82344 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 82345 |
| CGMC | Conf Reg-Kalar | 175.00 | 82346 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc | Minutes | 273.53 | 82347 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Water/Sewer Admin Expenses | 1,137.12 | 82348 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings-Water Usage | 1,455.40 | 82349 |
| Commercial Refrigeration Sys | Kerry Park Arena | 12,275.26 | 82350 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 21,605.33 | 82351 |
| Earl F Andersen | Signs | 71.95 | 82352 |
| Fairview Health Services | Fire Fit Tests | 7,580.13 | 82353 |
| Forestland Sales & Service | Gas-Garage | 94.97 | 82354 |
| Gall’s | Clothing-Ambulance | 345.97 | 82355 |
| Graybar | Sup-St Lighting | 405.84 | 82356 |
| Greentech Manufacturing Inc | M&R-St Gar | 41.49 | 82357 |
| Hasbargen Customs LLC | Clothing-Fire | 848.00 | 82358 |
| Hawkins Inc | Cylinder Chgs | 90.00 | 82359 |
| Heartland Business Systems | Security Cameras | 8,154.25 | 82360 |
| Holiday Outdoor Decor | LED Mini Lights | 928.76 | 82361 |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Sup-Adm | 449.96 | 82362 |
| Int’l Falls US Post Office | Permit #79 Escrow | 5,000.00 | 82363 |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share Nov 2025 Maj Cap | 11,445.00 | 82364 |
| IUEO Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 29,735.00 | 82365 |
| J P Cooke Co | Animal Licenses | 109.95 | 82366 |
| KGM Contractors Inc | Asphalt | 11,452.50 | 82367 |
| Kooch Co Env Services Dept | Demolition | 24.00 | 82368 |
| Lawson Products Inc | Sup-St Gar, Fuel/Lube Garage | 1,372.02 | 82369 |
| Locality Media Inc. dba First Due | Annual Service | 17,692.50 | 82370 |
| Macqueen Equipment Inc | Sup-Street | 789.83 | 82371 |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 535.25 | 82372 |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy- Fire/Adm/PW | 192.16 | 82373 |
| Mark Rock Products | 3/4 Minus | 3,259.88 | 82374 |
| MedicareBlue RX | Health Insurance Premiums | 2,151.50 | 82375 |
| Menards International Falls | Cold Storage, Ice Shelter, Sup-P&R | 833.59 | 82376 |
| MIDCO | Cable-Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Wtr Pl | 627.91 | 82377 |
| Minnesota Dept of Health | State Test Fee | 6,337.00 | 82378 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 2,606.65 | 82379 |
| Minnesota Industries | Sup-St Light/St Gar/P&R | 87.71 | 82380 |
| North American Bank Company | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 82381 |
| Orton Oil Company | Gas-Water | 68.68 | 82382 |
| Peter Kalar | Travel/Trng Reimbursement | 165.20 | 82383 |
| Pitney Bowes Global Financial Svcs | Qrtly Lease-Mailing System | 398.82 | 82384 |
| Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct | Qtrly Lease-Inserting & Mailing Sys | 2,000.00 | 82385 |
| Premier Specialty Vehicles | Unit 16-01 Parts | 471.00 | 82386 |
| Range Paper Corp | Sup-Amb/Fire/Garage/Bldgs & Grnds | 1,113.49 | 82387 |
| Rhory Gelo | Safety Boot Allowance | 200.00 | 82388 |
| Rihm Kenworth | Maint-Unit #231 | 301.78 | 82389 |
| Ronning’s | Clothing Allowance-Lahmayer | 25.99 | 82390 |
| Servicemaster of Int’l Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 4,961.25 | 82391 |
| Steve Boyum Construction | Black Dirt, Equipment Rental | 2,500.00 | 82392 |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 518.26 | 82393 |
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating LLC | Maint-Garage | 1,670.05 | 82394 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 43,316.92 | 82395 |
| Wagner Construction Inc | Holler Concrete. 1″ Minus, 9th St | 905,772.57 | 82396 |
| WEX Bank | Gas-Amb/Pol/St/Hous/VNP/Hazmt | 1,191.88 | 82398 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102915 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102916 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 354.51 | 102917 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 44,903.38 | 102918 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,064.00 | 102919 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | EMT Dues | 133.00 | 102920 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas | Cop Dues | 130.00 | 102921 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Ctr | Wage Assignment-Child Support | 177.19 | 102922 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding SWT | 8,983.26 | 102923 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Empower Retirement | 8,967.00 | 102924 |
| PERA | Public Employees Retirement | 39,345.26 | 102925 |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 813.71 | 102926 |
| The Hartford V-LTD | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 475.57 | 102927 |
| United Way of NE Minnesota Inc | United Way | 15.00 | 102928 |
| AUDIENCE: | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS (AND/OR QUOTES) | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS: | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA:
APPROVED 2026 license renewals as presented:
|
MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the following 2026 license renewals: · Ammex Tax & Duty-Free Shops dba Free Americas – Gasoline Pumps License · D & S Pizza Inc dba Domino’s Pizza – Restaurant License · Smoke & Fire Inc dba Int’l Falls Dairy Queen – Restaurant License Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED Year 2026 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications, as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Year 2026 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications:
· Orton Motor, Inc dba Orton’s Int’l Falls Cenex – Cigarette License, Gasoline Pumps License and 3.2 Off Sale Liquor · TRM 5, Inc dba Sammy’s Pizza & Restaurant – On Sale Liquor License, Restaurant License and Sunday Liquor License · TRM II Inc dba Chocolate Moose Rest. Co – Restaurant License, Wine On Sale · VFW Post 2948 – Club License, Restaurant License, Sunday Liquor License Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED new restaurant license for S & H Family Foods dba McDonald’s | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve new restaurant license for S & H Family Foods dba McDonald’s.
Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED and authorize maintenance contract with Hamilton Medical for the Hamilton T-1 Ventilators | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve and authorize maintenance contract with Hamilton Medical for the Hamilton T-1 Ventilators used by the ambulance service.
Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED letter of retirement from Michael Kostiuk, Chief of Police, effective January 4, 2026 | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve letter of retirement from Michael Kostiuk, Chief of Police, effective January 4, 2026. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried 4-1 with Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar, and Wegner voting “yea” and Mayor Dill voting “nay”. |
| Ambulance Continued Discussion | Mayor Dill reported the County has drafted a letter to the City of International Falls regarding the Ambulance Service which the city should be receiving soon. |
| Other Business | None. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | City Administrator Bergstrom’s bi-weekly report was available for review.
|
| Reports of Mayor & Council | None. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Dill reminded everyone of the next regular City Council meeting that is scheduled for Monday, December 15, 2025, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Dill adjourned the meeting at 5:48 P.M. |
Drake Dill, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
