APPROVED agenda as presented

MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously.

APPROVED minutes of the

July 15, 2019 regular City Council meeting

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of July 15, 2019. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

APPROVED minutes of the July 22, 2019 Special City Council meeting

MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the minutes of the Special City Council meeting of July 22, 2019. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 48-19 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable

MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to adopt Resolution No. 48-19 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Droba and carried unanimously.

A Plus Pest Management LLC

Pest Control – Kerry/VNP/Chamb/Muni

815.00

66662

Alert – All Corp

Fire Safety Week

155.00

66663

Ameritas Life Ins Corp

Dental Insurance Premiums

1,948.76

66664

Andrew Holler

Lawn Cleanup

2,072.00

66665

Auto Value Int’l Falls

Sup/Tool – Street/Water/Fire/Gar

142.72

66666

Battalion Distributing

Can Liners

94.25

66667

BCBS of MN

Health Insurance Premiums

4,484.00

66668

Border Boxes

Shipping – Fire Dept.

9.25

66669

Borderland Humane Society

Pound Operation

2,250.00

66670

Bound Tree Medical LLC

Ambulance Supplies

1,139.43

66671

Bowman Asphalt Products Inc.

9th Ave MSA – Appl 7

7,548.85

66672

Bowman Construction Co

3/4 Minus”

3,750.00

66673

Bremer Cardmember Service

Sup – Admin/Amb/Fire – City Cleanup

1,438.98

66674

Brigzy’s Bundles

Firewood – City Beach

100.00

66675

Center for Education & Employment

Subscription & Memberships

124.95

66676

City of Int’l Falls – Fund 101

Lodging Tax Transfer

627.68

66677

City Water Department

City Buildings – Water Usage

1,487.71

66678

CMS Medicare

Ambulance Overpayment Refund

372.37

66679

Commercial Refrigeration Systems

Kerry Park Arena – Shut Down

385.00

66680

Community Design Group

Int’l Falls Comprehensive Plan

6,383.75

66681

Convention & Visitors Bureau

Lodging Tax

11,925.97

66682

Core & Main

Meter Supplies/Maintenance Tools

5,766.10

66683

Crandall’s Septic Pumping

4th/Blanch/Holler/Kerry/Rvr/Pat/Beach

3,305.00

66684

Derek Radford

Ambulance Overpayment Refund

50.00

66685

Earl F Andersen

Supplies – Street/Sign – Cap Outlay

698.67

66686

Emergency Automotive Tech Inc.

Equip – 2019 Chevy/2020 Explorer

991.76

66687

Entenmann – Rovin Co

Officer Badge 222 / Part time

423.00

66688

ESRI

ARC GIS View/Creat 09/2019-09/2020

4,348.00

66689

Expert T Billing

Ambulance Transports

1,484.00

66690

Fort Frances Times Limited

Subscription

175.00

66691

Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC

Clothing – J Mastin/Fire/Ambulance

509.30

66692

Gopher State One – Call

Monthly Bill – St Lighting/Water

124.20

66693

Graybar

Kerry Park Arena – Lamps

280.08

66694

Hach Company

Lab Supplies

237.89

66695

Hawkins Inc.

Chemicals/Ammonia Regulator

4,426.55

66696

Holiday Companies

Gas – Fire/Demo/Street/Gar/Amb/Water

7,779.29

66697

Humana Health Care Plans

Ambulance Overpayment Refund

63.47

66698

Innovative Office Solutions LLC

Supplies – Bldg Official/Admin

50.76

66699

Int’l Falls US Post Office

Permit #79 Escrow

2,000.00

66700

Intoximeters

Dry Gas (2)

389.56

66701

IUOE Local 49

Health Insurance Premiums

27,604.00

66702

Jordan Walls

Refund – Kerry Park Arena Deposit

500.00

66703

K & K Meyers Inc.

Keys Grounds/Sign Material

81.82

66704

Kooch County Sheriff’s Office

Evidence Rm Sup/Civil Proc Wickstrom

180.80

66705

Lawson Products Inc.

Batteries/Supplies

190.73

66706

LMC Insurance Trust – WC

Annual Liability and Auto Insurance

31,485.00

66707

Marco

Antivir/Microsoft Exch/Win 10 W Plnt

643.96

66708

Marco Technologies LLC

Contract/Print Copies – Fire/Admin/PW

1,351.30

66709

Medica

Ambulance Overpayment Refund

274.21

66710

Melanie Clarity

Sewing – Fire Dept.

14.00

66711

Menards International Falls

Sup-Str/Wtr/Gar/Bld/Amb/P&R/Grnds

1,709.42

66712

Midcontinent Communications

Cable – Fire Hall/Ambulance

102.58

66713

Minnesota Energy Resources

Utilities

888.42

66714

Minnesota Industries

Tools/Glove/Sup – Wtr/Str/Gar/Grnds

590.92

66715

Minnesota Power

Utilities

24,066.37

66716

Most Dependable Fountains Inc.

Repair Kit – City Beach

493.00

66717

North Star Publishing

City Wide Clean – Up Flyers/Env Wtr

1,270.18

66718

Northeast Service Cooperative

Annual Membership Dues

200.00

66719

Northwest Tire

Unit 20 – Tires

664.92

66720

O’Reilly Automotive Inc.

Sup/Tools/Parts – Fire/Street/Amb/Gar

1,073.20

66721

Pelland – Swenson

Set Trusses

437.50

66722

Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct

Qtrly Lease-Inserting & Mailing System

1,500.00

66723

Rainy Lake Designs

Landscaping Hwy 53 & 11th Street

4,354.00

66724

Range Paper Corp

Cleaning Supplies – Fire/Ambulance

307.07

66725

RMS Tritec LLC

Inspection JLG Lift 460SJ

2,398.87

66726

Roche’s Towing

2 Stage Tranny Jack 1/2 Ton

495.00

66727

Safety – Kleen Systems Inc.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

454.61

66728

ServiceMaster of Intl Falls

Cleaning Services – VNP

3,500.00

66729

Shannon’s Inc.

Bldg Maint – Fire Dept.

255.62

66730

SJE – Rhombus

Elev Tank/SCADA Comp/Wtr Source

18,754.50

66731

Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery

VNP Shrubs/Hwy 53 Sign/Humane Soc

8,484.27

66732

Small Town Tech Inc.

Supplies – Ambulance

303.00

66733

Soundnorth

Office Supplies – Water Dept.

12.99

66734

Steven M Shermoen

Legal Fees

12,403.50

66735

Streicher’s Inc.

Cloth-Kostiuk/Wherley/Kastens/Mastin

1,393.78

66736

Sun Life Financial

Life Insurance Premiums

558.35

66737

The Dent Shop

Unit 032 Back Window Repair

385.30

66738

The Nelson Trust

Health Insurance Premiums

33,973.79

66739

TrueNorth Steel

Maintenance – Storm Sewer

5,305.11

66740

Viking Electric Supply Inc.

Electrical Supplies

1,661.41

66741

Wagner Construction Inc.

Ready Mix

676.00

66742

Widseth Smith Nolting

PI – San Sew/Water/Hwy 53/Bit

61,044.57

66743

WMG Lyfjaberg LLC

Medical Director

300.00

66744

Xerox Corporation

Maintenance/Monthly Charges – Street

348.57

66745

The following checks were issued under blanket authorization:

AFLAC 

Supplemental Insurance 

218.90

100253

AllState – American Heritage  

Supplemental Insurance 

9.64 

100254

Bremer Bank NA 

Federal Withholding 

44,297.96

100255

I.U.O.E. Local Central Pension Fund

Retirement 

2,824.09

100256

Grant DeBenedet, Sec/Treas 

C.O.P.S. 

120.00 

100257

IF Fire Dept. Relief 

Volunteer Firemen Dues 

420.00

100258

Intl Falls Ambulance Service 

Dues 

182.00

100259

IUOE Local 49

Health Reimbursement Account

180.00

100260

MN Child Support Pmt Center

Wage Assignment 

362.15 

100261

MN Department of Revenue 

State Withholding 

8,920.17

100262

Empower Retirement 

Deferred Comp 

6,584.00

100263

PERA 

Retirement 

23,907.45

100264

Rodenburg Law Firm 

Wage Assignment – Levy  

442.93

100265

Sun Life Financial 

Supplemental Life Insurance 

591.06

100266

The Hartford 

Voluntary LTD Insurance 

364.68

100267

AFLAC 

Supplemental Insurance 

218.90

100268

AllState – American Heritage  

Supplemental Insurance 

9.64 

100269

Bremer Bank NA 

Federal Withholding

37,706.50

100270

I.U.O.E. Local Central Pension Fund 

Retirement 

2,805.08

100271

Grant DeBenedet, Sec/Treas 

C.O.P.S. 

120.00 

100272

Intl Falls Ambulance Service 

Dues 

196.00

100273

MN Child Support Pmt Center 

Wage Assignment 

362.15 

100274

MN Department of Revenue

State Withholding 

7,705.60

100275

Empower Retirement 

Deferred Comp 

6,359.00

100276

PERA 

Retirement 

28,048.25

100277

Rodenburg Law Firm 

Wage Assignment – Levy  

407.22

100278

AUDIENCE

None.

PUBLIC HEARING

None.

OPENING BIDS  

None. 

OLD BUSINESS

None.

CONSENT AGENDA

None.

NEW BUSINESS:

COMMUNITY FORUM with Don Ness, former Duluth Mayor on August 7, 2019

Mayor Anderson welcomed the public to attend the Community Forum with Don Ness, former Duluth Mayor, on “Describing our community – the importance of shared narratives and common purpose” scheduled at 6:00 P.M., August 7, 2019, at the AmericInn.

AUTHORIZED letter of support to the Koochiching County Planning and Zoning Commission supporting a proposed rural cold weather testing facility

Paul Nevanen of KEDA explained that a business has plans to put in a new cold weather testing facility south of the Junction, pending rezoning and issuance of a conditional use permit. Nevanen stated that it will take $1.5 million to get the facility operational, with work performed by local contractors and will create approximately 5 new jobs at the facility. MOTION by Councilor Droba to authorize sending a letter of support, on behalf of the City, to the Koochiching County Planning and Zoning Commission supporting County Board approvals for a proposed rural cold weather testing facility. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

APPROVED Recreation Commission’s 2019-2020 budget proposal

Recreation Commission Director Bill Mason was absent from the meeting due to a work conflict, but the handouts for the Recreation Commission’s 2018-2019 Annual Report and 2019-2020 Budget proposal were handed out to the Council for review. Councilor Droba explained the biggest change to the 2019-2020 budget proposal was that with the decline in school enrollment, the school’s levy contribution to the Recreation Commission decreases from $85,159 to $82,732. Droba explained budget cuts were made in other areas to account for the decrease in the school’s levy contribution, leaving the City’s portion to increase by $1,000 over the 2018-2019 budget. MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Recreation Commission’s 2019-2020 budget proposal. Motion seconded by Councilor Droba and carried unanimously.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 49-19 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for Knights of Columbus Council 1540 for the St. Thomas Fundraising Event on September 28, 2019

MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to adopt Resolution No. 49-19 approving application and permit for a 1 day to 4 day temporary on-sale liquor license for Knights of Columbus Council 1540 in connection with the St. Thomas Fundraising Event on September 28, 2019. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 50-19 approving application for exempt permit for International Falls Figure Skating Club to conduct a raffle, with the drawing to be held March 22, 2020

MOTION by Councilor Droba to adopt Resolution No. 50-19 approving application for exempt permit for International Falls Figure Skating Club to conduct a raffle, with the drawing to be held March 22, 2020. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

DECLINED moving forward with Development Agreement for demolition of duplex structure at 723 9^th Street

The Committee-of-the-Whole meeting prior to this City Council meeting discussed having a Development Agreement for demolition of the duplex residential structure at 723 9^th Street. It was decided that the donation would be declined, no Development Agreement would be entered into, and the City Attorney was instructed to continue with the previously approved court process for filing an order to demolish this duplex structure.

APPROVED request for $5,000 by the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) to prepare a Transportation Plan for Trunk Highway 11/71 improvement project

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) request and to budget $5,000 in 2020 to prepare a Transportation Plan for International Falls, Ranier, Koochiching County, and MnDOT for the analysis and design of the Trunk Highway 11/71 improvement project in 2026. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause. Motion passed 4-1 with Councilors Buller, Droba, Krause and Mayor Anderson voting “yea,” and Councilor Ditsch voting “nay”.

ADOPTED Resolution No. 51-19 approving submitting a request for a 65-day extension of the Municipal Consent response for the Trunk Highway 53 improvement project in 2020-2021

City Administrator Anderson stated that the City received a letter dated May 21, 2019 from MnDOT that states the City has 90 days to submit a Municipal Consent response on the Trunk Highway 53 improvement project. City Administrator Anderson asked the Council to request a 65-day extension of the Municipal Consent response, which would require the Municipal Consent response be submitted by October 23, 2019. This would give the Council time to discuss with MnDOT a few final details on the project, including changes to business driveways and the elimination of the 7^th Street stop light.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 51-19 approving submitting to MnDOT a request for a 65-day extension of the Municipal Consent response for the Trunk Highway 53 improvement project in 2020-2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Droba. Mayor Anderson asked that the motion be amended to require a public meeting prior to the Council’s final approval of the Municipal Consent. Motion was amended to include the requirement of a public meeting prior to the Council’s final approval of the terms for Municipal Consent. Motion carried unanimously.

APPOINTED Todd Ojala as Information Systems Administrator effective date open-ended

Motion by Councilor Krause to approve Todd Ojala as Information Systems Administrator with the effective date open-ended as he has to relocate from Florida. Motion seconded by Councilor Droba and carried unanimously.

APPROVED license application from Applegreen Midwest LLC to operate Freedom Valu #61 and Freedom Valu #62 pending receipt of application materials

MOTION by Councilor Droba to approve a license application from Applegreen Midwest LLC to operate Freedom Valu #61 and Freedom Valu #62 pending complete application being remitted to the Administration Department. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

2019 City-wide Cleanup discussion

Councilor Ditsch gave a report on the 2019 City-wide cleanup. He stated that the amount of waste collected over doubled from prior years and thanked everyone that helped participate to make the event such a success.

REPORTS:

Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads

City Administrator Anderson noted that implementation of the one-percent local sales and use tax is still on schedule for October 1, 2019. Anderson also noted that the July 2019 City Beach and Ranier Beach water testing results are satisfactory, with e. coli levels well below threshold levels, making the beaches safe for swimming.

City Attorney Shermoen explained that all is moving ahead with the orders for demolition. Shermoen noted that he has received a response back contesting the City’s findings from Inter-City Oil’s (ICO) attorneys and a trial date has been requested to settle the matter.

Police Chief Mastin gave a brief report for July 2019 and reminded everyone that the 3^rd Annual National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, August 6, 2019 from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Smokey Bear Park. The Police Chief was commended for passing the POST audit.

Fire Chief Mannausau gave a brief report for July 2019.

Reports of Mayor and Council Committees 

Mayor Anderson handed out a written Mayor’s Report dated August 5, 2019.

AUDIENCE 

None.

ADJOURNMENT 

Mayor Anderson reminded everyone of the next regular City Council meeting on August 19, 2019 at 4:30 P.M. Councilor Droba noted the dates for the upcoming Budget & Finance Committee meetings are August 26 at 3:00 P.M., September 9 at 3:00 P.M., September 19 at 3:00 P.M., and the Special City Council meeting to approve the preliminary budget is September 23 at 5:00 P.M. Mayor Anderson adjourned the meeting at 5:24 P.M.