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 September 2023 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the August 21, 2023, regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of the August 21, 2023 regular City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 62-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to adopt Resolution No. 62-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| ACME Tools-Grand Forks | Maint/Repair Equip-Street | 89.96 | 76598 | |
| Adam Mannausau | Travel Expense | 54.00 | 76599 | |
| Align Chiropractic & Wellness Cent | Random DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing | 35.00 | 76600 | |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supp-IT/Amb/Adm, Clothing-Amb | 543.35 | 76601 | |
| Ameritas Life Ins Corp | Dental Insurance Premiums | 1,837.16 | 76602 | |
| Anderson Law Offices, P.A. | Legal Services-Criminal & Civil Matters | 11,090.00 | 76603 | |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 859.00 | 76604 | |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Supp-St, Parts-Fire, Maint/Repair-St | 214.95 | 76605 | |
| Axon Enterprises Inc | Non-Conductive Training Cartridge | 566.40 | 76606 | |
| BCBS of MN | Health Insurance Premiums | 4,615.59 | 76607 | |
| BKV Group Inc | Municipal Needs Assessment | 5,508.04 | 76609 | |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 9,680.50 | 76610 | |
| Border Boxes | Paper-Adm/Fire/Wtr/Amb/Housing/St | 2,027.90 | 76611 | |
| Borderland Humane Society | Pound Operation | 2,250.00 | 76612 | |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 605.39 | 76613 | |
| Bremer Cardmember Services | Training-Adm/Wtr/IT/Fire/Hzmt/Police | 6,659.79 | 76614 | |
| CGMC | Conf Reg-Droba | 175.00 | 76615 | |
| CherryRoad Media Inc | National Night Out Ad/Minutes | 1,041.37 | 76616 | |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 101 | Lodging Tax Transfer | 939.77 | 76617 | |
| City Water Department | City Buildings – Water Usage | 1,186.52 | 76618 | |
| Coast to Coast Solutions | Fentanyl Information Panels | 322.46 | 76619 | |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Lodging Tax Transfer | 17,855.70 | 76620 | |
| Core & Main | Supplies-Water Dept | 2,043.87 | 76621 | |
| Costin Group Inc | Govt Relations | 2,000.00 | 76622 | |
| Dakota Supply Group | Supplies-Water Dept | 423.48 | 76623 | |
| Erin Technology LLC | Annual Maint Evidence RM I | 750.00 | 76624 | |
| Further | Library | 337.32 | 76625 | |
| Graybar | Supplies-Street Lighting | 792.42 | 76626 | |
| Guardian Fleet Safety | 2023 Ford PIU VIN #5770 | 8,736.17 | 76627 | |
| Hawkins Inc | Supplies-Water Plant | 2,991.88 | 76628 | |
| Hook & Book/Roche’s Towing | Towing-Housing | 500.00 | 76629 | |
| Humana Health Care Plans | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 29.91 | 76630 | |
| I-Falls Super One Foods | National Night Out-Police | 2,813.23 | 76642 | |
| Int’l Falls/Kooch Cty | City Share August 2023 Major Capital | 319,513.62 | 76631 | |
| IUOE Local 49 | Health Insurance Premiums | 30,184.00 | 76632 | |
| KGM Contractors Inc | 2023 Street & Utility Improvement | 692,361.28 | 76633 | |
| Lawson Products Inc | Supplies-Street Lighting | 121.75 | 76634 | |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 530.50 | 76635 | |
| Marco Technologies LLC | Contract/Print/Copy- Fir/Adm/PW/Watr | 118.97 | 76636 | |
| MedicareBlueRX | Health Insurance Premiums | 1,848.00 | 76637 | |
| Melanie Clarity | Sewing-Ambulance | 24.00 | 76638 | |
| Menards International Falls | Maint/Rep-Wtr/P&R, Tools-St, Sup-Fire | 1,283.83 | 76639 | |
| Meyers Glass | 616 9th St Boarding | 253.36 | 76640 | |
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet-Water Plant/Street Garage | 384.48 | 76641 | |
| Minnesota Child Support | ID 0014487664, Locator Code 27 | 57.00 | 76643 | |
| Minnesota Dept of Health | State Test Fee | 6,245.10 | 76644 | |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 423.90 | 76645 | |
| Minnesota Industries | Supplies-Water Dept/Street | 81.80 | 76646 | |
| Minnesota North College | Customized Trainings | 340.00 | 76647 | |
| Minnesota Title & Abstract Comp | Deed Prep-Parcel 92-114-01170 | 161.88 | 76648 | |
| MN Pollution Control Agency | Landfill Oper Continue Ed-MacLean | 15.00 | 76649 | |
| North American Bank-Woodbury | Inserting System Lease | 181.75 | 76650 | |
| Pitney Bowes Reserve Acct | Qtrly Lease-Inserting & Mailing System | 1,000.00 | 76651 | |
| Range Paper Corp | Supplies-Street/VNP/P&R/Wtr Plant | 722.51 | 76652 | |
| Safety-Kleen Systems Inc | Washer Solvent | 480.74 | 76653 | |
| Shawn Kelly | Safety Boot Allowance | 144.99 | 76654 | |
| Shred-N-Go Inc | Recycling Police | 75.89 | 76655 | |
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | Supplies-Grounds | 80.00 | 76656 | |
| Small Town Tech Inc | Supplies-IT | 325.00 | 76657 | |
| Soundnorth | Supplies-Police | 99.99 | 76658 | |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing-Ball Panel Set/Trauma Plate | 3,478.92 | 76659 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Life Insurance Premiums | 556.67 | 76660 | |
| Taft Stettinius & Hollister | TIF District #1-4 (Housing) | 9,250.00 | 76661 | |
| The Nelson Trust | Health Insurance Premiums | 40,624.57 | 76662 | |
| Todd Ojala | IT Mileage Expense | 98.32 | 76663 | |
| Verizon | Monthly Cellular Service | 1,718.62 | 76664 | |
| Wagner Construction Inc | Washed Sand/4000 PSI Grout | 1,472.00 | 76665 | |
| Widseth Smith Nolting | Widseth Smith Nolting | 2,288.75 | 76666 | |
| Ziegler Inc | Unit 091-Parts | 3,355.41 | 76667 | |
|
The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: |
||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 101875 | |
| All State-American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101876 | |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental insurance | 364.30 | 101877 | |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 42,751.14 | 101878 | |
| I.U.O.E. Central Pension Fund | Retirement | 4,516.70 | 101879 | |
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 168.00 | 101880 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S. | 120.00 | 101881 | |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 673.72 | 101882 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 8,010.98 | 101883 | |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 9,268.00 | 101884 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 34,653.12 | 101885 | |
| RCB Collections, Inc. | Wage Assignment | 276.32 | 101886 | |
| Sun Life Financial | Supplemental Life Insurance | 803.81 | 101887 | |
| The Hartford | Voluntary LTD Insurance | 723.52 | 101888 | |
| United Way of NE MN Inc. | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101889 | |
| AUDIENCE | Lois Lundin, Executive Director Backus Community Center shared the sale of the Alexander Baker building was finalized on August 31, and that construction has started for the 27 income-based apartments. Lundin thanked the Mayor, Council and City staff for their work and support of the project. Lundin presented an invitation to the Mayor, City Council Members, City Administrator, and the Deputy City Administrator to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 1 P.M. at AB-Backus. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS:
APPROVED low quote for the Kerry Park parking lot repair project |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the low quote of $110,701.00 from KGM Contractors, Inc for Kerry Park parking lot repair project. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 63-2023 approving low quote for 5th Avenue West Paving Project | MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 63-2023 approving the low quote of $58,000.00 from Mesabi Bituminous, Inc for the 5th Avenue West paving project.
Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| OLD BUSINESS:
APPROVED Second and Final Reading of Ordinance 48, 5th Series, an Ordinance of the City of International Falls, Minnesota Granting a Franchise to Minnesota Power |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Second and Final Reading of Ordinance 48, 5th Series, an Ordinance of the City of International Falls, Minnesota Granting a Franchise to Minnesota Power for the Operation of a Power Company. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Second and Final Reading of Ordinance No. 49, 5th Series an Ordinance Prohibiting Cannabis Use Within Public Property and Public Spaces | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Second and Final Reading of Ordinance No. 49, 5th Series an Ordinance Prohibiting Cannabis Use within Public Property and Public Spaces. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| CONSENT AGENDA | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
Funding request for immediate shelter needs at Servants of Shelter of Koochiching County |
Ariana Daniels, Executive Director, Servants of Shelter explained the need for immediate shelter housing. Daniels requested $10,200 to be used on hotel vouchers and on call staff to respond to emergency placement calls.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to move further discussions of funding request to the next Committee-of-the-Whole meeting on Monday, September 11, 2023. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Mayoral Proclamation proclaiming September 10, 2023 as “Gale Gagnier Day” | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the Mayoral Proclamation proclaiming September 10, 2023 as “Gale Gagnier Day”.
Mayor Droba shared that Gale Gagnier will speak on how she helps families cope with death and grieving at the Salty Jester on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 1 P.M. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Mayoral Proclamation declaring National Rail Safety Week September 18-24, 2023 | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the Mayoral Proclamation declaring National Rail Safety Week as September 18-24, 2023. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED appointment of Margaret (Maggie) Horning to serve on the Library Board of Trustees | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the appointment of Margaret (Maggie) Horning to serve on the Library Board of Trustees. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED recommendation to hire two Parks & Facilities Maintenance Workers | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve committee recommendation to hire Calvin Turban and Parker Sivonen for the Parks & Facilities Maintenance Worker positions. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| ACCEPTED letter of retirement from Finance Officer and approved advertising to fill the vacant position | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to accept the letter of retirement from Finance Officer, Brad Ettestad and approve advertising to fill the vacant position. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED adoption of full-time scheduling model for the International Falls Police Department and approve opening the testing process for two (2) full-time officers | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the adoption of full-time scheduling model for the International Falls Police Department and approve the opening and testing process for two (2) full-time officers. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | Fire Chief Mannausau reported that City 1 fire truck was in for repairs and during that time additional issues were identified. The additional cost will be approximately $11,000.00 to get the truck operational. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Kalar reminded everyone of the One Water Shed One Plan meeting scheduled for September 7, 2023 from 4-6 P.M. at the Ranier Community Center.
Mayor Droba reported that the roundtable meeting he attended with the Koochiching County board and City Councilors went well and that there is another meeting scheduled for next month. Mayor Droba also shared that he and City Administrator Bergstrom are scheduled to meet with the State Senate Bonding team on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 to discuss the Kerry Park and International Bridge projects. |
| AUDIENCE | Steve Blair, 1301 7th Avenue stated he feels the City Talk Show with Councilor Kalar on the local radio station KGHS/KSDM has been very informational. Blair also noted concerns with the Kerry Park project and resurfacing of the parking lot. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 18, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:15 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
