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 15th day of May 2023 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller, Kalar and Wegner
MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Holden
| APPROVED agenda as presented | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve agenda as presented. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the May 1, 2023 regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve minutes of the regular City Council meeting of May 1, 2023. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the May 8, 2023 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve minutes of the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of May 8, 2023. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 35-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to adopt Resolution No. 35-2023 approving transfers, payment of claims and accounts payable for the second monthly City Council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| A+ Pest Management | Pest Control | 1,618.54 | 75838 | |
| Acme Tools-Grand Forks | Tools-Street/Water | 722.04 | 75839 | |
| Amazon Capital Services | Supplies-Police/Eng/Adm/IT/House | 1,056.14 | 75840 | |
| Andrew Holler | 620 9th St/Shorewood | 1,748.00 | 75841 | |
| Anthony Kastens | Travel Expense-Per Diem | 70.00 | 75842 | |
| Aqua-Pure Inc | Bulk Delpac | 34,200.00 | 75843 | |
| Aramark Uniform Apparel Group | Cleaning Service | 1,080.68 | 75844 | |
| Auto Value Int’l Falls | Supplies-Garage, Lubricant-Water | 84.45 | 75845 | |
| Bear’s Port Town Tire | Unit 183 Tar Wagon | 400.00 | 75846 | |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 9,933.00 | 75847 | |
| Border Boxes | Shipping-Water Plant | 152.00 | 75848 | |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Supplies | 1,260.25 | 75849 | |
| Bremer Cardmember Service | Training-Police/Ambulance | 536.18 | 75850 | |
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75851 | |
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75852 | |
| Cenex Voyaguer Fleet | Gas-Police/St/Amb/Wtr/VNP/Demo | 5,090.09 | 75853 | |
| CherryRoad Media Inc. | Mtg Dates/Minutes/Proc/Ads | 1,961.23 | 75854 | |
| Citizens for Backus/AB | Lease Agreement-Suite 305 | 6,244.76 | 75855 | |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 75856 | |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 | Water Funds Transfer | 20,567.25 | 75857 | |
| City of Ranier | Water-City Beach | 11.55 | 75858 | |
| CMI Inc | DMT Mouthpieces | 107.42 | 75859 | |
| Costin Group Inc | Government Relations | 2,000.00 | 75860 | |
| Earl F Andersen | Maint & Repair-Street | 416.15 | 75861 | |
| Expert Billing LLC | Ambulance Transports | 3,422.00 | 75862 | |
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,834.26 | 75863 | |
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 4,518.43 | 75864 | |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Clothing Allowance-Offerdahl/Hulst | 319.73 | 75866 | |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Bill-St Lighting | 31.05 | 75867 | |
| Hawkins Inc | Chemicals | 18,360.00 | 75868 | |
| Heather Olson | Travel Expense-Police | 190.89 | 75869 | |
| Imagine360 | Ambulance Overpayment Refund | 673.52 | 75870 | |
| Innovative Office Solutions LLC | Supplies-Police/Admin | 517.96 | 75871 | |
| International Code Council | Membership-Bldg Official | 145.00 | 75872 | |
| J & J Contracting LLC | Appl 2-Bldg Improvements | 78,697.05 | 75873 | |
| Kantor Electric Inc | VNP-Maint/Repair Bldg | 205.00 | 75874 | |
| Koerter’s Fuel & Car Wash | Gas-St/Gar/Elec/Sewer/Police | 4,812.76 | 75875 | |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. | Oxygen-Ambulance | 1,369.90 | 75876 | |
| Logan Hulst | Clothing Allowance Reimbursement | 502.77 | 75877 | |
| MacQueen Equipment Inc | Supplies-Street/Repair Sweeper | 504.79 | 75878 | |
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Labor Relations Services | 947.00 | 75879 | |
| Mannco Trucking Inc | Parts-Street/Unit 151 Parts | 701.95 | 75880 | |
| Marco | Antivirus/Microsoft Exchange | 530.50 | 75881 | |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-St/Adm/Wtr Plt/VNP/Fire/Pol/IT | 872.67 | 75882 | |
| Mershon Technology Interests | Supplies-Police | 459.98 | 75883 | |
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75884 | |
| Midcontinent Communications | Internet-Police | 144.09 | 75885 | |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | 2023 GOSC Sponsor | 249.00 | 75887 | |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Monthly Utilities | 7,426.22 | 75886 | |
| Minnesota Power | Monthly Utilities | 32,776.61 | 75888 | |
| N Kooch. Area Sanitary District | Effluent Treatment/Surch/Backwash | 204,823.08 | 75889 | |
| NAPA Falls Supply | Unit 062-Parts/Lubricants St | 68.08 | 75890 | |
| North Country Collision | 2020 Ram-Rear Bumper | 1,005.85 | 75891 | |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Supplies-Storm Sewer/Street | 565.35 | 75892 | |
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network(WAN) Services | 267.73 | 75893 | |
| ON2 Solutions | Lighting Fixtures | 26,250.00 | 75894 | |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | Parts/Sup-Amb/Gar/St/Fire, Lube/Gen | 1,814.88 | 75895 | |
| Paul Kennedy | Clothing Allowance Reimbursement | 221.00 | 75896 | |
| Pelland Welding, Inc. | Parts-Water Dept | 152.62 | 75897 | |
| Quality Flow Systems Inc | Liftstation Checks | 400.00 | 75898 | |
| Rainy Lake Medical Center | Medical Supplies | 2,074.48 | 75899 | |
| Range Paper Corp | Supplies-Wtr Plt/Amb/St/Fire | 514.18 | 75900 | |
| Ronning’s | Clothing Allowance-Kennedy | 13.00 | 75901 | |
| Safe-Fast Inc | Maint/Repair Bldgs-Water Plant | 279.18 | 75902 | |
| Schlenner Wenner & Co | 2022 Audit | 16,000.00 | 75903 | |
| Servicemaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 4,725.00 | 75904 | |
| Sirchie Acquisition Company LLC | Evidence Collection Supplies | 25.18 | 75905 | |
| Soundnorth | Supplies-IT | 14.97 | 75906 | |
| Steve Boyum Construction | 620 9th St-Demolition | 14,229.00 | 75907 | |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing-M Kostiuk/Hulst/Offerdahl | 1,470.91 | 75908 | |
| Tanner Bombenger | Travel Expense | 180.41 | 75909 | |
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75910 | |
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75911 | |
| TNT Construction Group LLC | Lift Station #15 Improvements | 3,592.90 | 75912 | |
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75913 | |
| Verizon Wireless | Police | 1,780.43 | 75914 | |
| Viking Electric Supply Inc | Bldg Maint-GGB | 144.00 | 75915 | |
| Widseth | 2020-11386 Step Improvements | 135.00 | 75916 | |
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 75917 | |
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 75918 | |
| Xerox Corporation | Maint. Agreement-Water Plant | 45.98 | 75919 | |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | ||||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 101806 | |
| All State-American Heritage | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 101807 | |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 364.30 | 101808 | |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 40,324.89 | 101809 | |
| I.U.O.E. Central Pension Fund | Retirement | 4,177.65 | 101810 | |
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA–Police/Fire | 520.00 | 101811 | |
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance–49ers | 1,664.00 | 101812 | |
| IAMAW District W3 | Union Dues | 1,845.50 | 101813 | |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | Dues | 168.00 | 101814 | |
| I.U.O.E. Local 49ers | Health Reimbursement | 840.00 | 101815 | |
| Justin Franz, Sec/Treas. | C.O.P.S. | 120.00 | 101816 | |
| MN Child Support Pmt Center | Wage Assignment | 673.72 | 101817 | |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding | 7,789.77 | 101818 | |
| Empower Retirement | Deferred Compensation | 9,268.00 | 101819 | |
| NCPERS Minnesota | Life Insurance Premiums | 112.00 | 101820 | |
| N. Kooch Area Sanitary District | Health Insurance Premiums | 285.00 | 101821 | |
| PERA | Retirement | 36,741.81 | 101822 | |
| RCB Collections, Inc. | Wage Assignment | 193.47 | 101823 | |
| United Way of NE MN Inc. | Employee Donation | 15.00 | 101824 | |
| AUDIENCE | Steve Blair, 1301 7th Ave asked about the plans for Kerry Park and is there a “Splash Park” included in those plans. Mayor Droba explained that the “Splash Park” is being funded by the Rotary, not the city. Also, Mayor Droba stated they are waiting for bonding from the state to be able to move forward with the Kerry Park project. |
| PUBLIC HEARING | None. |
| OPENING BIDS | None. |
| OLD BUSINESS | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS: | |
| APPROVED Mayoral Proclamation proclaiming June 2023 as Pride Month | MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve Mayoral Proclamation proclaiming June 2023 as Pride Month. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED signatures on the updated Memorandum of Understanding and Amendment between MN North College Rainy River and International Falls Police Department | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve signatures on updated Memorandum of Understanding and Amendment between Minnesota North College Rainy River and the International Falls Police Department. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Subordination Agreement of a SCDP Deferred Loan to allow Jean Dault to refinance through Rocket Mortgage, LLC | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Subordination Agreement of a Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) Housing Rehabilitation Deferred Loan Repayment Agreement and Mortgage previously issued to Jean Dault to allow refinancing a mortgage through Rocket Mortgage, LLC. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED hiring Crystal Skrien for the vacant Office Clerk position in accordance with the I.U.O.E. Local 49 collective bargaining agreement | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve recommendation of the Office Clerk hiring committee to hire Crystal Skrien to fill the vacant Office Clerk position in accordance with the I.U.O.E. Local 49 collective bargaining agreement. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED use of Smokey Bear Park for “Concerts in the Park” and “Movies in the Park” | MOTION by Councilor Wegner to approve the request form IFalls Nice to use Smokey Bear Park on Wednesdays between May 31 and August 30, 2023 for “Concerts in the Park” and “Movies in the Park” on Fridays between June 9 and August 4, 2023. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously |
Legislation & Land Use Committee recommendation:
|
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve garbage haulers license application from Northern Disposal, LLC. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 36-2023 declaring adequacy of petition and ordering preparation of feasibility study for bituminous paving of 5th Avenue West between 19th Street and 20th Street | MOTION by Councilor Buller adopting Resolution No. 36- 2023 declaring adequacy of petition and ordering preparation of feasibility study for bituminous paving of 5th Avenue West between 19th Street and 20th Street. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 37-2023 authorizing application for grant navigation support for the City | MOTION by Councilor Kalar adopting Resolution No. 37-2023 authorizing application for grant navigation support for the City. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| Public Works Committee recommendation:
a. APPROVED removing the basketball and tennis court surfaces at Kerry Park |
Mayor Droba explained the basketball and tennis courts at Kerry Park are in need of repair. Public Works Director Brokaw stated it would be over sixty thousand dollars to replace the bituminous surface and repair the fence. Brokaw noted there are four basketball courts plus two mini courts, tennis, and pickle ball courts throughout the city.
MOTION by Councilor Kalar approving removal of the basketball and tennis court surfaces at Kerry Park. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation(s):
a. APPROVED agreement with BKV Group for a Municipal Facility Needs Assessment |
MOTION by Councilor Wegner approving agreement with BKV Group for a Municipal Facility Needs Assessment. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.
|
| b. APPROVED updated Travel Expense Policy | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve updated Travel Expense Policy. Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for April 2023 was available for review along with the April 2023 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Councilor Kalar shared the ‘City Talk’ segment on KGHS/KSDM with Police Chief Kostiuk went very well and he is looking forward to the next guest in June.
Mayor Droba shared that he and Councilor Wegner will be discussing garbage and recycling service with department heads at the next Legislation and Land Use meeting. Mayor Droba also shared that the council met with the HRA to discuss how to work together and fix the housing needs in the city. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 5, 2023, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Chambers. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:17 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
