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 18th day of October, 2021 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilors Buller, Holden, Krause, and Mayor Droba.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Ditsch.
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the October 4, 2021 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of October 4, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the September 13, 2021 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve minutes of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of October 11, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 72-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Krause to adopt Resolution No. 72-2021 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the second monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 555.00 | 71997 | ||
| Alex Air Apparatus Inc | Alco Ladder Foot, Coupling, Tubular Web | 627.28 | 71998 | ||
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies – Fire/Ambulance | 139.42 | 71999 | ||
| Aramark Uniform & Career App | Cleaning Service | 1,051.22 | 72000 | ||
| Axon Enterprises Inc | Taser Batteries | 191.86 | 72001 | ||
| Becker Arena Products Inc | Ice Shelter Maintenance | 527.22 | 72002 | ||
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Asset Mgmt/Cap Improv -WP, Liftstation | 14,251.80 | 72003 | ||
| Border Boxes | Shipping – Water Plant | 121.75 | 72004 | ||
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 854.40 | 72005 | ||
| Bowman Asphalt Products Inc | Pay Est. 4 2021 Local Street Improvements | 476,591.29 | 72006 | ||
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72007 | ||
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72008 | ||
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas-Grds/Pol/Str/Amb/WP/Wtr/Strm/Bld O | 4,016.93 | 72009 | ||
| Cherryroad Media Inc. | Agenda/Min/Ords/Proclamation/Plan Com | 1,530.00 | 72010 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 401 | Water Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 72011 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls – Fund 403 | Water Funds Transfer | 25,760.42 | 72012 | ||
| City of Ranier | Water – City Beach | 46.76 | 72013 | ||
| Clarey’s Safety Equip Inc | Chemical Assessment Team – Maintenance | 3,940.28 | 72014 | ||
| CMS Medicare | Amb Overpayment Refund-3221155395420 | 328.00 | 72015 | ||
| Commercial Refrigeration Sys | Removed and Replaced Condenser | 18,362.75 | 72016 | ||
| Compass Minerals | Bulk Hwy Coarse W/YPS | 18,340.21 | 72017 | ||
| Core & Main | Supplies – Water Dept. | 3,741.70 | 72018 | ||
| Costin Group Inc | Gov’t Relations – Kerry Park | 1,533.38 | 72019 | ||
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 8,027.17 | 72020 | ||
| E Kooch Sanitary Sewer Dist. | City Beach/Water Plant | 195.00 | 72021 | ||
| Earl F Andersen | Maintenance/Repair – Park/Rec | 2,211.00 | 72022 | ||
| Entenmann – Rovin Co | Officer Badge 212 (2) | 242.00 | 72023 | ||
| Expert Billing LLC | Ambulance Transports | 3,741.00 | 72024 | ||
| Fairview Health Services | Hazmat Fit Tests/Physicals | 4,167.60 | 72025 | ||
| Falls Lumber Company | Maint & Repair St Lighting, Supplies – Street | 95.81 | 72026 | ||
| Flaherty & Hood, Pa | Job Class & Compensation Study | 108.75 | 72027 | ||
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 2,245.23 | 72028 | ||
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,476.06 | 72029 | ||
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Amb/Tveit/Wherley/Lessard/Ballejo | 839.13 | 72030 | ||
| Gopher State One – Call | Monthly Bill | 225.45 | 72031 | ||
| Grand Forks Fire Equip LLC | Pentheon Cut/Spreader/Ram/Combi W/Batt | 38,163.02 | 72032 | ||
| Granite Water Works Inc | Hydrants – Five (5) | 16,643.55 | 72033 | ||
| Graybar | Highway Lane Project | 5,181.79 | 72034 | ||
| Hawkins Inc | Chemicals | 1,853.68 | 72035 | ||
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies – Administration | 436.23 | 72036 | ||
| J P Cooke Co | Animal Licenses | 87.00 | 72037 | ||
| Kantor Electric Inc | Ice Shelter Maintenance | 157.10 | 72038 | ||
| Koerter’s Amoco | Gas-Fire/Str/Pol/Grnds/Haz/Gar/Wtr/Sew | 3,851.39 | 72040 | ||
| Kooch County Auditor/Treasurer | LEC Qrtly Lease | 18,750.00 | 72043 | ||
| Lawson Products Inc | Supplies – Street Lighting | 225.01 | 72044 | ||
| LMC Insurance Trust – WC | Challeen Deductible | 356.71 | 72045 | ||
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Unit 141 Parts, Parts – Garage | 28.32 | 72046 | ||
| Marco – LEC | LEC – C368 Copier Agreement | 246.71 | 72047 | ||
| Mark Rock & Concrete | 3/4 Minus” | 4,200.00 | 72048 | ||
| Menards International Falls | Tools/Sup-Wtr/Gar/Sew/Fire/Elec/WP/Str | 302.96 | 72049 | ||
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72050 | ||
| Michael Wallace | Crew Meals | 96.22 | 72051 | ||
| Midwest Playground Contractors | 8th St Install Border and EWF | 4,800.00 | 72052 | ||
| Minnesota Ambulance Assoc. | Annual Membership Dues | 1,275.00 | 72053 | ||
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 575.52 | 72054 | ||
| Minnesota Power | Utilities | 27,727.40 | 72055 | ||
| MN Dept. of Labor & Industry | Boiler – Storm/Admin/VNP/Library | 345.00 | 72056 | ||
| MN Pollution Control Agency | Wastewater Cert. Renewal – Hilfer | 23.00 | 72057 | ||
| Municipal Code Corporation | Annual Fee – MyMunicode | 100.00 | 72058 | ||
| N Kooch Area Sanitary District | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 86,462.54 | 72059 | ||
| NAPA Falls Supply | Sup/Tools/Parts – Unit 207/Str/Wtr/Gar | 201.82 | 72060 | ||
| Northland Sales & Service | Maint. Bldg – Ambulance | 294.17 | 72061 | ||
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(Wan) Services | 267.73 | 72062 | ||
| Pelland Welding, Inc. | Supplies/Oil – St Lighting/P&R | 102.45 | 72063 | ||
| Pelland – Swenson | Set New Condenser – Kerry Park | 525.00 | 72064 | ||
| Praxair Distribution Inc | Oxygen – Ambulance | 1,324.19 | 72065 | ||
| Premier Specialty Vehicles | 2016 Ford Type III Ambulance – Parts | 253.71 | 72066 | ||
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Pharmaceutical/Medical Supplies | 566.26 | 72067 | ||
| Rainy Lake Oil | Unit 124 Tires | 700.00 | 72068 | ||
| Range Paper Corp | Cleaning Supplies – Garage/Fire/Ambulance | 568.30 | 72069 | ||
| Robert Heinlen | Boot Allowance | 110.00 | 72070 | ||
| Scalzo Architects | 2129-Vactor Gar/2135-City Equipment Gar | 1,695.00 | 72071 | ||
| Servicemaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services – VNP | 3,500.00 | 72072 | ||
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | Trees/Labor – Shade Tree | 650.00 | 72073 | ||
| Soundnorth | Supplies – IT | 109.40 | 72074 | ||
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing Allowance – Olson/Hulst | 344.94 | 72075 | ||
| Stryker Sales Corp | Lucas Battery | 792.75 | 72076 | ||
| Sure Can Homes LLC | Overpayment Refund | 60.00 | 72077 | ||
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72078 | ||
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72079 | ||
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72080 | ||
| Tritech Software Systems | Field Ops | 2,016.00 | 72081 | ||
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Highway Lane/Ice Shelter, Sup-Elec/St. Light | 4,100.36 | 72082 | ||
| Viking Industrial Painting | Pay Est. 1 – Elevated Water Tower | 544,236.00 | 72083 | ||
| Wagner Construction Inc | Pay Est. 2-Hwy Lane/Indust Ave/22nd St Imp | 496,664.86 | 72084 | ||
| Water Conservation Services Inc | Water Leak Survey | 4,800.00 | 72087 | ||
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 72088 | ||
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 72089 | ||
| Xerox Corporation | Maint/Monthly Charge – Water Plant | 37.35 | 72090 | ||
|
The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: |
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| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 212.68 | 101129 | ||
| AllState – American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101130 | ||
| Bremer Bank NA | Federal Withholding | 38,476.30 | 101131 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local Central Pen Fund | Retirement | 4,116.30 | 101132 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA – Police/Fire | 546.00 | 101133 | ||
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance – 49ers | 404.00 | 101134 | ||
| IAMAW District W33 | Union Dues | 1,657.00 | 101135 | ||
| Intl Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 154.00 | 101136 | ||
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 875.00 | 101137 | ||
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas | C.O.P.S | 120.00 | 101138 | ||
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 614.39 | 101139 | ||
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,350.34 | 101140 | ||
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Comp | 9,063.00 | 101141 | ||
| PERA | Life Insurance | 112.00 | 101142 | ||
| North Kooch Area San Dist | Health Insurance | 425.00 | 101143 | ||
| PERA | Retirement | 34,341.56 | 101144 | ||
| RCB Collections | Wage Assignment | 218.95 | 101145 | ||
| AUDIENCE | Leroy Averill, 1729 4th Ave. addressed the council with concerns of blight in his neighborhood. Mayor Droba and the council explained the lengthy blight process and sympathized with Mr. Averill.
Ed Bates addressed the council with questions on how the City Council arrived at the 13.91% levy increase. Additionally, Mr. Bates asked how the revenue from the 1% sales tax is being used. |
| PUBLIC HEARING: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS: | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS: | None. |
| CONSENT AGENDA:
APPROVED Patrol Officer Alexandria C. Steven’s separation from employment effective November 30, 2021 |
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Patrol Officer Alexandria C. Steven’s separation from employment effective November 30, 2021. Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED purchase of a new air conditioning unit for the upstairs Firehall training room | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve the purchase of a new air conditioning unit for the upstairs Firehall training room. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole Committee Recommendations: | |
| a. APPROVED changing the licensure of the Water Plant from an “A” to a “B” with the MN Department of Health | MOTION by Councilor Krause to approve changing the licensure of the Water Plant from an “A” to a “B” with the MN Department of Health, as the current process of the plant qualifies it as a “Class B licensed Plant”. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| b. APPROVED Prohibiting dressing Smokey Bear statue in seasonal or any other attire | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve prohibiting of dressing Smokey Bear statue in seasonal or any other attire besides his traditional blue jeans, belt, buckle, and “campaign” hat and the shovel in his hand, as outlined in the “Smokey Bear: Guidelines for consistency.” Motion seconded by Councilor Krause and carried unanimously. |
| REPORTS:
Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads |
City Attorney Shermoen stated he is working on thirty-six (36) criminal cases for the city, as well as bargaining unit contract negotiations. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba shared he would be discussing the Splash Park at the next Committee-of-the-Whole meeting with the Rotary. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba stated that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 1, 2021 at 5:30 P.M. The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 6:20 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
