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 July 2024 at the hour of 5:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar. Councilor Wegner via Zoom conferencing.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
| APPROVED agenda with deletion of agenda item #3 | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the agenda with the deletion of agenda item #3, as per residents request:
Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 1, 2024, regular City Council meeting | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the minutes of Monday, July 1, 2024, regular City Council meeting.
Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED minutes of the Monday, July 8, 2024, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting | MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve the minutes of Monday, July 8, 2024, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 39-2024 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable | MOTION by Councilor Buller to adopt Resolution No. 39-2024 approving transfers, payment of claims, and accounts payable. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
CLAIMS
| Acme Tools-Grand Forks | Tools-Street | 34.99 | 78961 |
| Adam Mannausau | Volunteer Firefighters Benefit Assoc. | 84.00 | 78962 |
| All Season Equipment Inc | M&R Equip-P&R, Stihl Oil | 248.94 | 78963 |
| Allied Generators | Generator Inspection-Water | 1,850.00 | 78964 |
| Amazon Capital Services | Police-Misc | 206.91 | 78965 |
| Andrew Holler | Lawn Cleanup | 2,409.00 | 78966 |
| Bolton & Menk Inc | Engineering Services | 24,877.50 | 78967 |
| Border Boxes | Paper-Adm/House/Wtr, Ship-Wtr Plnt | 1,873.75 | 78968 |
| Bound Tree Medical LLC | Ambulance Billing | 1,765.14 | 78969 |
| Braun Intertec Corp | Bandshell Inspection | 647.44 | 78970 |
| Brian Jespersen | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78971 |
| Brian Youso | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 78972 |
| Cenex Voyager Fleet | Gas-Pol/St/Amb/VNP/P&R/Fire/Wtr | 6,671.86 | 78973 |
| CherryRoad Media Inc | Council Mtg Dates/Minutes | 1,152.67 | 78974 |
| Citizens for Backus/AB | Lease Agreement-Suite 305 | 6,446.33 | 78975 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 401 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 66,666.66 | 78976 |
| City of Int’l Falls-Fund 403 | Water/Sewer Funds Transfer | 20,567.25 | 78977 |
| City of Ranier | Water-City Beach | 100.10 | 78978 |
| Civic Systems LLC | Semi Annual Software Support | 9,787.00 | 78979 |
| Costin Group Inc | Govt Relations | 2,000.00 | 78980 |
| Department of Employment | Benefit Pmt-Street/Fire | 669.18 | 78981 |
| dsgw Architecure | Design Public Works Building Upgrades | 5,193.60 | 78982 |
| E Kooch Sanitary Sewer Dist | City Beach/Water Plant | 285.00 | 78983 |
| Earl Boyum | Waste Tires | 305.50 | 78984 |
| Enterprise FM Trust | Lease Agreement-St/Pol/Fire/VNP | 19,761.78 | 78985 |
| Erickson’s Lawncare | Fertilizing | 6,270.00 | 78986 |
| Falls Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | 16-01 Ford Ambulance | 129.55 | 78987 |
| Forestland Sales & Service | M&R-Grounds, Sup-Garage/Grounds | 307.61 | 78988 |
| Friend’s Garbage Service LLC | Monthly Garbage Service | 1,744.47 | 78989 |
| Frontier | Monthly Telephone Service | 2,163.53 | 78990 |
| Galls, an Aramark Co., LLC | Clothing-Lahmayer/Gedde/Lessard | 940.17 | 78991 |
| Gopher State One-Call | Monthly Billing | 216.00 | 78992 |
| Hasbargen Customs LLC | Embroidered Polos | 350.00 | 78993 |
| Hawkins Inc | Soda Ash/Cylinder Charges | 21,185.11 | 78994 |
| Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC | Supplies-Park & Rec | 489.00 | 78995 |
| Hometown Billing LLC | Ambulance Billing | 2,464.00 | 78996 |
| IF Properties LLC | Tax Abatement-1st half 2024 | 58,841.72 | 78997 |
| Industrial Health SV NTWK Inc | Testing Fees | 47.90 | 78998 |
| Innovative Office Solutions | Supplies-Administration | 60.39 | 78999 |
| J & R WasteWater Inc | Cleaning/Exercising Water Valves | 4,930.00 | 79000 |
| K & K Meyers Inc | Bldg Maint-Water Plant | 115.08 | 79001 |
| KGHS/KSDM | City Talk | 150.00 | 79002 |
| KGM Contractors Inc | Patching Mix | 22,952.66 | 79003 |
| Lakes Gas | Gas-VNP/GGB | 36.76 | 79004 |
| Lefty’s Tent & Party Rental | Tent/Stage | 3,698.47 | 79005 |
| Linde Gas & Equipment Inc | Oxygen-Ambulance | 1,755.54 | 79006 |
| Logan Hulst | Travel Expense Reimbursement | 438.75 | 79007 |
| LVC Inc | Annual Fire Extinguisher | 420.45 | 79008 |
| Madden Galanter Hansen LLP | Labor Relations Services | 1,440.50 | 79009 |
| Mannco Trucking Inc | M&R-Water, Unit 162 | 718.24 | 79010 |
| Mark Rock Products | 3/4 Washed” | 811.16 | 79011 |
| Menards International Falls | Sup-Fire/Pol/Gar/St/P&R, M&R-P&R | 1,261.37 | 79012 |
| Michael Musich | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 79013 |
| Midco | Cable-Fire Hall/Amb, Internet-Wtr Plnt | 89.09 | 79014 |
| Minnesota Energy Resources | Utilities | 57.99 | 79015 |
| Minnesota Industries | Safety Equip-Street, Supplies-Fire | 454.33 | 79016 |
| Morrison Seal Coating | Pickleball Court | 2,850.00 | 79017 |
| N Koochiching Area Sanitary | Effluent/Backwash/Surcharge | 130,733.70 | 79018 |
| NAPA Falls Supply | M&R-Street, Sup-St/Gar/P&R/Grnd | 1,251.96 | 79019 |
| NAR Landscape Services Inc | Compost Log/Silt Fence | 5,337.50 | 79020 |
| North Central Labs of WI | Supplies-Water Plant | 854.34 | 79021 |
| Northern Fire Suppression, Inc | 5 Year Internal Inspections | 1,275.00 | 79022 |
| Northern Lumber & Hardware | Sup-St/Gar/Wtr, M&R-P&R, Tools-St | 1,098.58 | 79023 |
| Office of MNIT Services | Wide Area Network (WAN) | 267.73 | 79024 |
| O’Reilly Automotive Inc | M&R-Grnd/Amb/St, Lube-St/Wtr/Strm | 857.39 | 79025 |
| Pelland Welding, Inc | M&R-Grounds, Sup-Water | 506.80 | 79026 |
| Range Paper Corp | Supplies-Ground | 327.60 | 79027 |
| ServiceMaster of Intl Falls | Cleaning Services-VNP | 4,961.25 | 79028 |
| Sjoblom Landscape & Nursery | Supplies-Water | 128.94 | 79029 |
| Soundnorth | Computer/Monitors | 4,095.00 | 79030 |
| Streicher’s Inc | Clothing-PT Kastens | 54.90 | 79031 |
| Stryker Flex Financial | ALS360 Annual Payment | 186,403.70 | 79032 |
| Stryker Sales, LLC | Sensor Set Disposable Neo Nate | 522.44 | 79033 |
| Tactical Solutions | Radar Certification (7) | 437.00 | 79034 |
| Taylor’s Plumbing & Heating | Bldg Maint-City Beach | 690.00 | 79035 |
| Terry Christie | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 79036 |
| Terry Wood | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 79037 |
| TK Elevator Corp | Water Plant Elevator Main | 869.87 | 79038 |
| Tom Lynch | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 79039 |
| Tri State Bobcat Inc | Maintenance-Water | 117.02 | 79040 |
| UHL Company Inc | Bldg Maint-St Gar/City Hall/VNP | 8,657.65 | 79041 |
| Viking Electric Supply, LLC | Supplies-Bldgs | 74.65 | 79042 |
| Wagner Construction Inc | PSI Concrete | 876.00 | 79043 |
| Widseth | Project 2024-Kerry Park Health | 8,100.00 | 79044 |
| Willi Kostiuk | Police Benefit | 150.00 | 79045 |
| WMG Lyfjaberg LLC | Medical Director | 300.00 | 79046 |
| The following checks were issued under blanket authorization: | |||
| AFLAC | Supplemental Insurance | 182.08 | 102320 |
| American Heritage Life Ins Co | Supplemental Insurance | 9.64 | 102321 |
| Bay Bridge Administrators, LLC | Supplemental Insurance | 370.17 | 102322 |
| Bremer Bank, NA | Federal Withholding | 25,160.90 | 102323 |
| Central Pension Fund Source A | Retirement | 5,167.30 | 102324 |
| City of Int’l Falls | HRA-Police/Fire | 131.88 | 102325 |
| City of Int’l Falls | Health Insurance-49ers | 2,517.00 | 102326 |
| IAMAW District W3 | Union Dues | 1,980.00 | 102327 |
| IF Fire Dept Relief | Volunteer Firemen Dues | 266.00 | 102328 |
| Int’l Falls Ambulance Service | EMT Dues | 140.00 | 102329 |
| Int’l Union of Oper Engineers | Union Dues | 945.00 | 102330 |
| Kane Kostiuk, Sec/Treas | Cop Dues | 140.00 | 102331 |
| MN Child Support Pmt Ctr | Wage Assignment-Child Support | 424.54 | 102332 |
| MN Department of Revenue | State Withholding SWT | 4,650.72 | 102333 |
| MSRS-Empower Retirement | Empower Retirement | 8,663.00 | 102334 |
| NCPERS Minnesota | PERA Life Insurance | 144.00 | 102335 |
| North Kooch Area Sanitary Dist | Health Insurance Premiums | 450.00 | 102336 |
| PERA | Public Employees Retirement | 40,136.40 | 102337 |
| United Way of NE Minnesota Inc | United Way | 42.00 | 102338 |
| AUDIENCE: | None. |
| OPENING BIDS (AND/OR QUOTES):
Household Garbage Service quotes |
City Administrator Bergstrom stated per the new garbage ordinance the City of International Falls requested bids from local qualified garbage contractors for removal of garbage and rubbish. One bid was received from Friends Garbage, 3131 Hwy 53, International Falls, MN. The bid amount per property is $26.34/mth, that includes weekly service for a 48-gallon container, billed monthly (tax included) for the term of one year. Friends Garbage holds garbage haulers license #136 with the City.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to accept the bid submitted by Friend’s Garbage for household garbage service. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
| OLD BUSINESS:
APPROVED Second and final reading of the updated City of International Falls Charter |
MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the second and final reading of the updated City of International Falls Charter. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller.
Councilor Kalar thanked everyone on the Charter Commission for all time and effort they put into updating this document. City Administrator Bergstrom stated a summary of the Home Rule Charter Ordinance would be published in the paper, and available at the City Hall, Public Library and on the city website. Motion carried unanimously. |
| CONSENT AGENDA: | None. |
| NEW BUSINESS:
TABLED approval of 2023 Annual Audit as prepared by Schlenner Wenner and Co |
Mayor Droba stated items are still outstanding from the airport on the annual audit. City Administrator Bergstrom stated that Ryan Schmidt of Schlenner and Wenner and Co did not see any negative impact in holding off on the approval. City Administrator Bergstrom recommended holding off on the approval and requesting an extension.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to table approval of the 2023 Annual Audit and request an extension until the next city council meeting. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED request for closure of 4th Avenue from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, July 27, 2024, for On The Rocks to have a street dance | Terry Wood, owner of On The Rocks addressed the Mayor and Council requesting road closure from 3rd Street to the alley on 4th Avenue on July 27, 2024 to allow them to host a street dance.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve request for road closure of 4th Avenue from 3rd Street to 2nd Street on July 27, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| INFORMATIONAL-International Falls/Koochiching County Airport Commission semi-annual update | Thor Einarson, Airport Manager, Kyra Hasbargen, Secretary and Shawn McMahon, SEH Consulting presented information to the Mayor and Council as part of the semi-annual update. In review, Thor Einarson spoke of the importance of the airport. Out of 133 funded airports, our airport is the smallest. We are 1 of 5 with Customs and Immigration. Also, the International Falls/Koochiching County Airport supports air freight, UPS freight and Medi-vac. The airport employs 200 employees. In 2019, $28 million dollars contributed to positive economic impact to the area, from airport operations. Additional good news is that FAA funding increased 1.25%. Mayor Droba thanked them all for coming to speak at the meeting and commented on the importance of the airport and how it services the area.
Shawn McMahon explained in detail how the FAA funds the airport and how the funds are received and utilized. Kyra Hasbargen spoke on the Enplanement Record which was provided in the council packet. Hasbargen stated that Enplanements continue to track significant increase. Thor Einarson thanked Fire Chief Mannausau for his help with an emergency situation with an aircraft that occurred on July 6, 2024. |
| ADOPTED Resolution No. 39-2024 Resolution to approve Public Employees Retirement Association Spare Firefighter Declaration for Michael Fisher’s membership | MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Resolution No. 39-2024 Public Employees Retirement Association Spare Firefighter Engineer Declaration for Michael Fisher’s membership into the Public Employees Police and Fire Plan. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Order of Removal or Repair in the Matter of Hazardous Building located at 2210 3rd Avenue West | City Attorney Nelson stated the property located at 2210 3rd Avenue West has broken windows and doors, and holes in the floor.
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Order of Removal or Repair in the Matter of Hazardous Building located at 2210 3rd Avenue West. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
| APPROVED Order of Removal or Repair in the Matter of Hazardous Building located at 1020 9th Street | City Attorney Nelson stated the property located at 1020 9th Street foundation is buckling.
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Order of Removal or Repair in the Matter of Hazardous Building located at 1020 9th Street. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously |
Public Works Committee recommendation(s):
|
Timm Ringhofer indicated Berta Hagen of the Ranier Recreation Club has approached him about donating scoreboards for Holler Field. Ringhofer requested assistance from the city with installation of the scoreboards if approved.
Councilor Kalar commented that when the scoreboards need to be replaced that the city would not be liable to replace them. MOTION by Councilor Holden to accept donation of scoreboards from Ranier Recreation Club and assist with installation. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
|
Rotary Club representative Bob Degross stated the Rotary Club is working to raise funds to restore five murals within the downtown area and is seeking use of the city’s scissor lift.
MOTION by Councilor Kalar to approve the request from International Falls Rotary Club for use of the scissor lift for local artist Bruce Trask to restore downtown murals. Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously. |
Committee-of-the-Whole recommendation(s):
|
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve revised Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Policy with revisions that align with amendments signed by Governor Tim Walz on May 24, 2024. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
|
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve paying out accrued ESST to those employees who are now exempt from accruing ESST, as part of the legislative amendments. Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously. |
|
MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve Resolution No. 40-2024 approving one and one-half times the regular hourly pay rate for EMT’s and Casual Paramedics on some holidays. Motion seconded by Councilor Holden and carried unanimously. |
|
MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve submitting an offer to purchase the property located at 2232 2nd Avenue E in the amount of $1.00. Motion carried 3-0-1, with Mayor Droba and Councilors Buller and Holden voting “yea” and Councilor Kalar abstaining. |
| Reports of the Administrator, Attorney, and Department Heads | None. |
| Reports of Mayor and Council Committees | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the filing period for the Mayor and At-Large Councilor position runs from July 30 through August 13, 2024. Mayor Droba shared that the International Falls Land Port of Entry Modernization Project will be having two open house sessions on July 30, 2024.
Councilor Kalar shared the Rainy River Basin Watershed Plan is closer to completing planning documents. Kalar also reminded everyone that on July 17-19, 2024, a blood drive is occurring at the Covenant Church. Mayor Droba thanked everybody for the fantastic 4th of July weeklong event. The 4th of July Committee will be having their wrap up meeting on July 16, 2024. |
| AUDIENCE | None. |
| ADJOURNMENT | Mayor Droba reminded everyone that the next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 5, 2024, at 5:30 P.M. Mayor Droba adjourned the meeting at 6:25 P.M. |
Harley M. Droba, Mayor
Attest:
Betty Bergstrom, City Administrator
