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 5th day of December, 2022 at the hour of 5:30 P.M. preceding the Truth-in-Taxation Public Hearing & Input and the Economic Development Authority meetings.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller, Krause, Holden, and Ditsch
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the November 21, 2022 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting on November 21, 2022. Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 77-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 77-2022 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the first monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 593.85 | 74785 |
| Alex Air Apparatus Inc. | Supplies – Fire Department | 4,710.57 | 74786 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Adm/St/Fire/IT, Credit Memo | 261.11 | 74787 |
| Ameritas Life Ins. Corp. | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,837.16 | 74788 |
| Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel | Cleaning Service | 1,112.96 | 74789 |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 2,304.80 | 74791 |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 4,150.00 | 74790 |
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Fire Dept | 19.00 | 74792 |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 74793 |
| Bound Tree Medical, LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 485.61 | 74794 |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Trn-Adm/Pol, Sup-Fire/VNP/Pol,4th July | 12,357.03 | 74795 |
| Brian Kelly | Safety Boot Allowance | 124.99 | 74796 |
| Cenex Voyaguer Fleet | Gas-Pol/Amb/St/Gar/Wtr/VNP/Grd/Hous | 5765.43 | 74797 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Minutes & Flood Damage Bid (Credit) | 473.28 | 74798 |
| City of Int’l Falls Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 366.61 | 74799 |
| City of Int’l Falls Fund 208 | Repayment to IFEDA from Fire Dept 4/5 | 45,000.00 | 74800 |
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,958.77 | 74801 |
| CivicPlus | Annual Hosting & Support | 550.00 | 74802 |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax | 6,965.60 | 74803 |
| Costin Group Inc | Government Relations – Kerry Park | 2,000.00 | 74804 |
| Curtis Blue Line | Vest Patches – K. Magler | 25.00 | 74816 |
| DSC Communications | Pager Batteries | 534.00 | 74805 |
| Eckman – International Falls | M&R Equipment – Police | 69.03 | 74806 |
| FlowMSP, Inc. | Annual License Fee | 1,600.00 | 74807 |
| Further | Library | 2,024.00 | 74808 |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Clothing – Fire/Ambulance | 3,202.33 | 74809 |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing | 78.30 | 74810 |
| Guardian Fleet Safety | 2022 Ford PIU – Unit 2201 | 24,279.95 | 74811 |
| Innovative Office Solutions, LLC | Supplies – Administration | 110.96 | 74812 |
| International Falls US Post Office | Permit #79 Escrow | 2,000.00 | 74813 |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 27,264.00 | 74814 |
| K&K Meyers Inc. | Locks – Building Official | 274.68 | 74815 |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen – Ambulance | 1,165.76 | 74817 |
| LMC Insurance Trust – Liability | Annual Liability and Auto Insurance | 500.00 | 74818 |
| Logan Hulst | Travel Expense Reimbursement | 486.89 | 74819 |
| Marco | Antivirus / Microsoft Exchange | 508.50 | 74820 |
| Marco Technologies, LLC | Contract/Print/Copy-Fire/Adm/PW/Wat | 1,510.01 | 74821 |
| MedicareBlue Rx | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,848.00 | 74822 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Light/St/GGB/Strm/San,Tools-Strm | 394.23 | 74823 |
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet – W.Plnt/St.Gar, Cable-Fire/Amb | 524.90 | 74824 |
| Minnesota Department of Health | State Test Fee | 6,296.00 | 74825 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 2,610.66 | 74826 |
| Moody’s Investor’s Service | Annual Fee for EDA Bonds – VNP | 500.00 | 74827 |
| N Koochiching Area San. District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 85,098.92 | 74828 |
| North American Bank Co. Woodbury | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 74829 |
| Northland Counseling Center | Police Evaluations | 1,250.00 | 74830 |
| Pitney Bowes | Quarterly Lease – Mailing System | 398.82 | 74831 |
| Range Paper Corp. | Supplies – Street & Fire | 528.58 | 74832 |
| Steve Shermoen | Legal Fees | 5,734.00 | 74833 |
| Streicher’s Inc. | Clothing–A.Kastens/L.Hulst/PT K.Magler | 226.97 | 74834 |
| Stryker Sales Corp. | Supplies & M&R Eq. – Ambulance | 747.41 | 74835 |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 39,188.65 | 74836 |
| US Postal Service | Annual Permit Mailing Fee | 275.00 | 74837 |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,569.70 | 74838 |
| Xerox | Monthly Charges – Water Plant, Maint. | 36.74 | 74839 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 206.62 | 101615 |
| All State – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101616 |
| Bay Ridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 364.30 | 101617 |
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 43,642.29 | 101618 |
| I.U.O.E. Central Pension Fund | Retirement | 3,809.39 | 101619 |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 175.00 | 101620 |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S. | 120.00 | 101621 |
| MN Child Support Pymt Center | Wage Assignment | 622.14 | 101622 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,514.78 | 101623 |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 8,983.00 | 101624 |
| P.E.R.A. | Retirement | 37,475.27 | 101625 |
| United Way of NE MN Inc. | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101626 |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA:
APPROVED as presented |
MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve the Consent Agenda as presented:
Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVED year 2023 license renewals that may include tobacco and/or liquor applications as presented |
MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the following 2023 license renewals:
Motion seconded by Councilor Ditsch and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 78-2022 designating 2023 polling places. | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Resolution No. 78-2022 designating the 2023 polling locations. City Administrator, Betty Bergstrom, clarified this resolution is made necessary by MN State Statute 204B.16 which states all municipalities must designate these polling locations each year prior to December 31st. The 2023 polling locations are established as follows:
East Ward: Evangelical Covenant Church Gym 1631 1st Ave E, International Falls, MN 56649 Center Ward: Bob Walls Memorial Union Hall Center 509 3rd St, International Falls, MN 56649 West Ward: St. Thomas Aquinas Hall West 810 5th St, International Falls, MN 56649 Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 79- limiting the public to parallel parking only on 7th street from 2nd Avenue to 3rd Avenue.
|
MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No.79-2022 limiting 7th Street (between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue) to parallel parking only. Engineer, Jason Fisher stated this request was based on their contract with the City to design a MN State-Aid Street (covering 7th St from 2nd Ave to 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave from 7th St to 4th St). Upon receiving this design, the MN State-Aid Street Program stated, in order to approve this design, a resolution must be adopted limiting parking on the aforementioned street to parallel parking only due to the limited street width. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED filling the vacant Maintenance Worker I position with internal posting and external advertising if there is no internal candidate. | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the internal posting, and external advertising (should no internal candidate be selected) for the vacant Maintenance Worker I position. Mayor Droba inquired how long the process for filling this position might take. City Administrator Bergstrom advised the internal posting has be listed for roughly ten days prior to its public advertising; between the posting period, the period in which we accept applications, and the interview period, this process would likely take several months. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED updating the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) roster to reflect removal of two inactive members. | MOTION by Councilor Ditsch to approve updating the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) roster to reflect removal of two inactive members. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED the necessary expenses for four ambulance employees to attend the 2023 Arrowhead EMS Conference and Expo from January 25-29, 2023 in Duluth, MN. | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve necessary travel expenses and class registration fees for four ambulance employees to attend the 42nd Annual Arrowhead EMS Conference and Expo. These employees are:
This conference runs from January 25th to 29th, 2023 in Duluth, MN, and provides numerous educational and networking opportunities. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Attorney, Administrator and Department Heads |
City Administrator, Betty Bergstrom, reported that she, along with several other election judges, would be participating in the Election Recount on December 6th at 9:00 A.M. at the Koochiching County Board.
The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for November 2022 was available for review along with the November 2022 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba requested an update on the budget inquiry received from the International Falls Airport Commission (IFAC). City Administrator Bergstrom stated she has recently been in conversation with Councilor Buller and Airport Commission Secretary, Kyra Hasbargen, to address these concerns. Bergstrom noted that comprehensive answers regarding the Airport’s budget would not be made available until the Airport Commission meeting in January has been held, however she plans to continue working with all parties involved to shed light on the issue.
Mayor Droba reported recent communications from a citizen concerning the City Snow Plow Application requirements; this message urged the City Council necessitate the reporting of applicants’ Tax Identification number and proof of Commercial Insurance. City Administrator Bergstrom responded by stating this concern should be addressed during the next Land Use & Legislation Meeting scheduled for January 2023. She later clarified that the Snow Plow Application does require proof of insurance for the vehicle(s) in use and the applicant’s individual social security number for identification. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded the room that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 19, 2022 at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers; further stating that the evening’s Truth-In-Taxation Meeting would begin at 6:00 P.M. and would be followed by the Economic Development Authority (EDA) Meeting at 6:30 P.M. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 5:49 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
