It's 5:30. I will call this regular city council meeting of the city of International Falls to order. Please rise and we will say the pledge. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. For the record, all members of the council are present this evening
and we will move on to the agenda as presented. Are there any additions or deletions? >> I'll move. >> Thank you, Councelor Kay. Thank you, Councelor Buller. [clears throat] Uh before I call the question for
discussion, I just would like to note to the council that um at a previous [snorts] city council meeting approximately a year ago, I was um informed by our administrator
that it was my agenda. And [clears throat] as to this point, there have been considerations that have been added or removed from the agenda from time to time, generally for more consideration.
Um, there has been an item on this evening's agenda that I did not consent to, but I received some documentation that the rules have changed and that it is all of our agenda. And so
as what I would like to point out is I don't have heartburn over it, >> but it's not fair to the community and those people that have now been denied being on the agenda or something that we've delayed for more consideration. And so,
um, with that, this is this evening's agenda, but I do want to point that out that I would ask that the process be consistent as it has been in the past. With that, I'll call the question. >> I I
>> I'll vote no. The agenda is approved 41. Thank you. Next, we will move to approval of minutes from prior meetings. First, minutes of the Monday, July 20th, 2026
special committee of the whole meeting. And second, minutes of the Monday, July 20th, 2026 regular city council meeting. Questions or additions or changes to the minutes as presented?
>> [clears throat] >> I'll move. >> Thank you. Councelor Kaylor. >> Second. >> And councelor Wgner [clears throat] with the second. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing none, I'll ask the question. >> I >> I >> I >> I'll vote yes in the agendas or excuse
me, the minutes from the previous two meetings are approved unanimously. Thank you. Moving on to payments of claims and approval for payment of accounts payable. City of International Falls claims
2,467,958.34. Airport commission claims 97,17184. >> [clears throat] >> Airport Major Capital Project claims $120,960 no. Total accounts payable and claims
2,686,9018 discussion or a motion to approve. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Thank you, Councelor Holden. >> Second. And councelor Wagner with support. Is there discussion? Seeing none, I would ask the question. >> I >> I
>> I >> I'll vote yes and payments and claims are approved unanimously. Thank you. At this time on the agenda this evening is an opportunity for anyone in the audience to come forward. If you do, please note your name and address for
the record and it is limited to five minutes. >> [clears throat] >> There is also an opportunity at the towards the end of the meeting if you would like to do so.
Seeing no comment at this time, we will move to the consent agenda. There are two items on the consent agenda. to approve a 2026 license renewal for Bake of the Woods LLC as presented
and to approve and allow necessary expenses for the deputy administrator to attend the Cassell conference in Wisconsin Dells Wisconsin September 9th and [clears throat] 10th of this year. >> I'll move.
>> Thank you, Councelor Buller. >> Second. >> And councelor Holden. There is no discussion. I'll ask the question. I I >> I >> I'll vote yes. The consent agenda passes on a 5-0 vote. Thank you.
[clears throat and cough] >> We will move to new business at this time. And the first item, I'd like to invite Mark Lassard forward from the VFW to discuss a request to hold a dedication ceremony at the Senior Chief
Petty Officer Thomas J. Valentine Field. >> Yes, Mayor. That is correct. Um once again, my name is Mark Lassard representing our post uh 2948 here in International Falls. Um Mr. Mayor and counselors, I thank you for uh favorably
supporting our our request to rename the Hollerfield to the Valentine Field. Uh the appropriate signage and and uh has been applied there and erected. And what we had hoped for now was the uh we're working with the family and they would
like to do a dedication ceremony and of course we would support that with our VFW color guard. We would do like a flag ceremony or whatever um flag raising and uh what I was asking or what we would like is support from the city in regards
to Mr. Mayor if you could attend and you know kind of be the uh MC master of ceremonies for that and then uh you know be, you know, make some remarks and then we would conduct the flag raising ceremony as an official dedication of
the the name change for the Hollerfield. >> I would be honored to attend and uh do you have a date in mind? Um the the family has requested August 28th and I was uh thinking that you know there's the bass tournament is going on
of course so we would like to have it you know before the evening maybe uh 10 11 in the in the morning or possibly in early early afternoon 1 2 3:00 something like that. uh what would ever fit into
the um you know your schedule and the schedule of any of the council that would like to attend. >> Is that a Thursday or Friday? >> That's a Friday. >> That's a Friday. >> Yeah. >> Yep. because we're doing the the parade
is is uh Thursday and of course the VFW will be supporting the parade with the color guard and then uh so and the family has requested that date because they said a majority of their folks would be able to attend would be able to be in town during that time. May I
suggest that the one like 11:00 or 10 because the you get to two to three people are starting to go down to the park for the bastard if that's what you were trying to avoid with the original schedule.
>> I would be fine with that. I think it makes a lot of sense. Town will be busy. We want to have a wonderful turnout for a very special event. >> Sure. Absolutely. So, did I hear 10 or did you want to do 10 or 11 or
>> 11 a.m.? >> 11 a.m. >> 11 a.m. it is. Very good. And who would be the point of contact if we need to do any additional coordination as far as uh you know, I don't imagine anything too difficult. Uh
you know, we'll coordinate to have a podium present and of course the color guard and the appropriate flags and whatnot. I if you would like to reach out to our administrator and deputy administrator and then they can disseminate um to the council um that
would be most appropriate and whatever um >> that's correct. >> Yes. >> And and yeah, I'm not confused. I also could get in touch with the uh public works if there's anything they might you want
them to do or not do or need or whatever. But I guess you can do that with the city administrator. So we keep the lines. >> Very good. >> To coordinate assistance and how we can help in the entire process.
>> Very good. That'll work. Do um did we take a formal action at a premium? I seem to think that we did. So >> um >> we have set a date and do we need to take an action on the date? I didn't
think so, but um this is very fitting and um excited to attend and be there. Yeah. And yes, a very this this um this NCO, he was a senior NCO, very distinguished career, you know, and
essentially a local hero, a national hero. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Mark. >> All right. [clears throat] The second item on the new business for this evening, I'd like to invite forward Jackie Nagel um to talk about the
Cooching Technology Initiative. >> Hello. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. So, my my first thing with you guys today is Cuching Technology Initiative. I'd reached out to you at the time that Todd Ogel had left employment of the um city as the
technology director. Um He had been a long-standing member on Cooching Technology Initiative, representing the city's interests and bringing um hopefully our conversations back to the council for consideration. Um Todd remains on KTI, but he doesn't represent
the city any longer. So, I reached out at that time asking for consideration for you guys to appoint someone else. You were in the middle of trying to figure out how you're going to handle that vacancy. You've now handled it. Um, and I do want to point out that there's no reason for your representative to
understand or even know anything about technology. Really, the goal is to make sure that every pocket of community we have throughout the county is represented. We want we want to hear from everyone um and make sure that we represent all of the um community
members throughout the county. We do have a couple of cities represented on the committee right now. We have um Veronica Dau from Big Falls and we have Holly Hoy from Little Fork. We have three different representatives from the county and the rest of us are just
citizens but mostly within International Falls, but no one's bringing you guys back the information. So, we meet the first Wednesday of each month at um 9:30 or 9:00 a.m., excuse me. Meet by um Zoom or Teams if you prefer.
We send out teams link with every meeting notice. Really, it's just a it's just a way to make sure that everyone's interests are are being considered. I did throw out a name suggestion only
because I had heard great things about um one of your employees in administration. I won't name her here. She probably doesn't want to be named, but um anyway, it's really up to you guys what you want to what you want to do. You can choose not to have a representative but um we would just we we welcome you. We we want your
representation >> and thank you. I believe we had talked about um we currently contract for our IT service. >> Uh we had believe I I seem to recall a discussion about appointing
>> them as him as a representative. >> Um so that was the initial idea. Is that something How what are your feelings towards that? >> I would move that. >> Thank you, counselor.
>> Whether it's Aaron or whoever is here all the time to or Austin, excuse me. >> Is there support for councelor Kaylor's motion? >> Well, second. >> Thank you, councelor Ragner. >> Is there discussion?
>> Yes. I would not Jack you got to deal with me enough for about 25 years with computers and technology. I would not do that to you and get together. [laughter] >> Any more discussion? I'll ask the question. >> I I
>> I vote yes. And it carries unanimously. And we now have a representative. >> Thank you. >> For the KTI group. And with that, um, item three, >> y >> requesting, uh,
you can make the request. I [laughter] >> I'll I'll change my role. I'm here now as the, uh, club president for a local Rotary Club. And we were recently asked if we could serve beer at the GNU Collective concert that they're holding
out at the Irv Anderson Amphitheater. And I my thanks to the people in the city administration, Carol Brim as soon as she heard of it, contacted them and they expedited the process so we could reach this point today um before the
event because time timing would not have worked out otherwise. But we are looking to serve beer as a fundraiser for Rotary and support this event. Rotary views this as both environmental and um fundraising opportunity for us. So, um, it's a double win for us.
[clears throat] >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you, councelor. >> Second. >> You got it. >> Second by councelor Buller. >> Any discussion? >> I will ask the question. >> I >> I >> I >> I'll vote yes and it approves
unanimously and we will get that signed and delivered to you. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Item four of new business is to adopt a resolution accepting the offer of the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority
to purchase a $3,336,471 general obligation water revenue note of 2026 C providing for its issuance and authorizing execution of a bond purchase
and project loan agreement. Jason, is this something you would like to come forward or um >> Emma? >> Or Betty, >> I'm going to move to Emma because she [laughter] finance people and >> thank you.
>> Oh, that was getting cold. We're going like this. >> Yeah, >> hanging around the room. So, I had a feeling. Um, so, mayor, council, this is the final piece to the Ninth Street project, which is, um, a nearly $10
million project. Um, we've got about five or six different funding sources that's tied to the Ninth Street project, and one of which is a PFA loan. Um, and so we've been working through all of the steps with PFA. um had a few hang-ups and things with with their um staffing,
but we are finally at a point where we can um put this before you and looking to issue this. I believe the closing date in the documentation I believe is for next week. Um so they need need this final approval um in order to to issue
that that debt for the Ninth Street project. >> Thank you, Emma. I'll make the motion. >> Thank you, Councelor Holden. Second. Thank you, Councelor Wagner. Is there more discussion or anything you'd like to add at this time? >> Not unless there's additional questions
or clarification that I can provide. >> I will ask the question. >> I I >> I >> I'll vote yes. And the resolution carries unanimously. Thank you. Item five
from public safety committee, item A to approve [clears throat] filling vacant patrol officer position with Chief Scott Early. Good evening. >> Good evening, Mayor and Council. Um, with the
absence or the uh resignation of officer Shane Trramer back in June, we do have a vacancy to fill um for a patrol officer um the power car. It' be the second power car. Um
we've been lacking that now since June. It's been difficult to fill shifts. We've we've had many nights, many days when it's been the two two minimum that we have and uh with with Minnesota paid leave and extended
vacations and things in the summer, it's been increasingly hard to fill shifts. So, I looking for permission to explore and to um advertise for the position of patrol officer. >> I'll make that motion.
Thank you, Councelor Holden. >> Second. >> Thank you, Councelor Wgner. Discussion. >> Uh, could you The power I understand what that is. Could you just explain that real quick about what that is?
>> The power shift is a shift that um they work 40 hours a week. Um, often times we fill fill the shift when needed. Um, so we have flexibility and most of the time the shift is at night
from 8:00 at night till 4 in the morning. Um, but that varies. If we have to pull that person up to work a 6 to 6 to 6 shift or a day shift, we do that and that's that's the flexibility with
that position. So, it's uh minimum 40 hours a week. >> Thank you. Thank you, Chief. >> Thank you. >> And I would uh just before we uh vote on the exploration, I would like to
personally thank you for uh with what you've accomplished with your department in a short period of time. >> Thank you very much. >> And we all appreciate your department and we have very fine men and women in uniform that are out working to keep us
[snorts] safe um every day. >> I agree. Couldn't agree with you more. Thank you. Councelor Wgner, how was your tour? >> Tour was good. Um, we met with the county officials and some of those city
officials. Uh, went over there and looked uh through the old law enforcement center and um kind of pointed out some of the renovations that we would want to see that would be done. and they took a list and
they're going to get that advertised and hopefully get someone to contract the work out and um start as soon as possible. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> We do have motions on the table. Is
there any more discussion? Seeing none, I'll ask the question. >> I I >> I >> I'll vote yes. And the motion carries unanimously. Thank you. We will move to item six at this time to
consider a recommendation to fill the vacant equipment operator position for the water department. Approved position. I'll second councilors Buller and Wgner.
The main motion and support. Is there discussion on the proposed hire? Seeing none, I'll ask the question. >> I I >> I >> I >> I'll vote no and the hire is approved
for one. Thank you. Moving to item seven of new business. Discuss request to record all budget and finance committee meetings and make available to the public. Lois Lundine, Ed Bates, and Bobby Bernath. Is this something you
are looking to come forward to discuss or just consideration from the council? >> If there are questions, we would certainly come forward. >> I think the letter is pretty I will move >> second.
>> Thank you, councilors Kaylor and Wgner. Is there discussion? >> Just that. Yeah, it's we already record them and we'll the administration will well I guess we'll have to coordinate with KCCTV to get them on the TV or put
them on the our website also when they can. So part of that we'll have to talk to them but I have no problem with that. >> Is that cost to add to it or is it just a contract? >> They publish that for free.
>> I'll ask the question. >> I no. >> No. >> No. >> I'll vote yes. And the motion fails with three na two I's and three nazs. Thank
you. We'll move to item eight of new business to the water treat plant water treatment plant and update with Luke Kela from Bolton and Mink. Welcome. >> Thank you, mayor. >> Uh mayor, member of the members of the
council. Just here to give you guys a quick update on this and I will also stick around for uh item number nine on the agenda as well in case you have questions on that as as well. Um there's big news at the water plant. The two filters that we are going to start up first have been delivered. They've been placed on site. I tried to capture a
couple of pictures so you can get an idea of what those kind look like, how they're sitting in the plant. Now, um there's a lot of accessory items that need to to go on with that. There's installation of equipment and uh air wash, media, nozzles, things like I won't get too far into details, but
there's just a lot of accessory items to put that together. So, I would not expect those to be online and functioning till about the end of October. So, there's also some work that has to be done with um sampling testing to make sure that they're safe to put online. Minnesota Department of Health
will make a visit, show up, make sure that they're all um installed to the to the 10 state standards. um we'll have to run them and filter them to waste is what we call um until we can prove that they're able to be put online at which point then we'll make a switch over. So
I would imagine the filters three and four would go in in about Novemberish and then they would be online by late spring next year. So that's kind of the big news is they're there. Um all four of them are on site. So um there two of them are stored outside and the other
two are inside. Um, and with that also there's just process piping, there's electrical, there's instrumentation, there's just a whole bunch of other stuff that's got to go to support those filters that they're working on. Um, work forecasted. Uh, we're [clears throat] working on um, sock
cutting some existing pre-cast structures, some new doors. There's new equipment that's going in blowers and whatnot um, that are sized larger um, that we need to work on. um chemical equipment, sodash equipment, um things
like that. Uh coagulants. So all of that is going to be installed over the next couple of months. And then with that again, there's instrumentation. There'll be instrumentation running to keep the old system online. And they'll be temporarily be running the new stuff and kind of moving back and forth between
the system. So with the retrofit, there's there is some uh there's some time in between. It's not just a new plant where you can get it all fresh and get it going. So there's a little bit of stuff there, but there's nothing that's uh setting back the schedule. There's nothing that's setting back the budget. It's all moving along nicely and as
projected. So um with that, I guess I'll I'll pause for questions on the water plan update. >> I just about what happened with other water plants in the state here last week. We didn't have any issues like
that right here and part of the new instrumentation and all that was going to help with that kind of hacking and stuff too. So we we reached out um to the integrator who runs the system and uh there was not any reports of
international falls having issues with that and then I guess I would defer to Betty too as to your internal IT team how what they had looked into and done things like that but international falls was not part of that. Um what we had learned is most of the people who were
hacked did not have a online firewall to help protect them. What we have here is a firewall. It's got passcodes on it. Additionally, the SCADA system once if if you were to get through the firewall uh to access the the uh software, you
would have to have the passcode for that, too. So, there's multiple layers of authentication to get through that. It's not just your once you're in, you're in. You could look at it, you could view it, but you can't actually physically change things on it. So, >> all right.
>> Any more questions as the project rolls along? We're appreciating your updates. >> You bet. >> Um if there's [clears throat] no further questions, we'll move to item nine, which um is a letter regarding the Rainy
River Basin watershed drought warning response phase. >> Yep. So, uh, currently, uh, the way the way the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources does this and, um, just real quick, the DNR handles the appropriations permit, right? So, we're
able to take the water out of the lake and then once that water is treated and sent to the public, that's the Minnesota Department of Health's goal there. That's their that's their wheelhouse. So, this is strictly with the DNR. Um, when levels get to a certain um, trigger
and and the this is districtwide now. This is they're not just looking at the city of International Falls. They're looking at the entire watershed basin. They have uh different triggers and this is the actual drought warning response phase. The next one after this would be the restrictive phase and then the uh
highest category would be the emergency phase. So, we're just currently now in the hey, we're getting a little bit low here. They want water suppliers to take a look, see where we're at, and start voluntarily asking members of the community to start restricting water use. Um, it's something that I talked
to, uh, administrator and staff about was looking at ordinances if we have them in place to consider for the next phases once if things get to be where they're mandatory. Um, things you could consider would be odd even lawn watering, watering lawns between 6:00
and 10:00 a.m. and 10 6:00 to 10 at night. So, during the hottest points of the day, you're not watering. meeting with your top five water suppliers and seeing what things they could they could do with your water users. Um so there's things that we could look at once it gets more restrictive down the line, but
hopefully this is just kind of where we're at. Um International Falls can just take action with by just sending out a notice to its residents saying we've gotten this notification. Can we try and just cut back some of our water usage for now? So there's nothing that's binding by any means.
Any questions on on that? Internally, we are working on a flyer to put out on social media and our other avenues to inform, you know, residents in of the area who use our water services and of this information.
Exactly. To give them the information and heads up and understanding of what we've been served as. We're in the warning phase that will be coming out shortly. >> Okay. And I don't want to be facitious and not everybody understands my humor, but I
was hoping we might sell a little more water. Um, any further update, Mr. Hika? >> That's all I have for you, sir. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is there any other business? Seeing none,
there are reports in your packets. And at this time is another opportunity if anyone uh from the audience would like to come forward >> before we start. Um s uh s reports administrator. I wanted to just check
with Betty if she's able to at least if they're able to check with the uh daily journal about the lecture notices that was brought to our attention last meeting. the publishing of them and the paper. >> Yep. They had put in and I had sent um
Mayor Council and Mr. Bates a response to that that we had indeed had sent them the notification to have those published in the recommended time frame according to state statute. Um unfortunately they had a miscommunication and that did not
happen. And so upon us reaching out which thanks Mr. brought it to my attention because I had not gotten to checking the papers and they they had in error not put them in there. So they did publish a notice along with a um
disclaimer that they inadvertently missed the publication that we had requested. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you counselor and to our administrator for the clarification. back to open form. If there's anyone
that would like to come forward, please do at this time. We will need name and address for the record. And if Betty or Lisa, you could keep time, that would be great. Thank you. >> My name is Bobby Bernath. I live at
19006th Avenue West, International Falls. Um, I'm going to ask about the letter that Lois Ed and I wrote asking for a budget and finance
committee to be recorded. Councilors, I'd like to know why you don't want to explain or why can you explain to the public why you don't want the public to have information on the
budget and finance information? Um, people that cannot make it to the four o'clock meeting, is it 4:00 correct the budget and finance or is it five? >> It's 9:00.
>> They start 9:00 next. Okay. Most people in International Falls that work cannot come. So why wouldn't you want them to be able to listen to it on the recording? That's what I'd like to know. Can anyone of you answer that
said no? >> Anyone? >> There's no comment and you vote no. Can you not tell me why or you just don't want to? Thank you guys very much. Mayor and Council, my name is Lois
Lundine, 22223rd Avenue East, and I'm also going to address this letter. Um, for the people who are watching this video now, you don't have a copy of the letter in front of you and I would like to read it so you know what was requested. The letter was written to
Mayor Drakeale, councelor Mike Holden, councelor Pete Kaylor, councelor Tim Wgner, and councelor Walt Buller from Lois Lundine, me, Ed Bates, Bobby Bernath, dated June July 22nd, 2026. Dear Mayor Dell, councilors Holden,
Kaylor, Wgner, and Buller, we are requesting that all budget committee meetings be recorded and made available to the public. The upcoming meetings where the 2027 budget will be discussed are scheduled during weekday mornings when many residents are at work and
unable to attend. Without recording, citizens have no practical way to stay informed about decisions affecting the city's budget. Transparency is essential. Making these recordings accessible is the only way working
people can follow the council's actions and understand how public funds are being managed. We urge you to implement this without hesitation. Sincerely, Lois Lundine, Ed Bates, and Bobby Bernath. The budget meetings start next Tuesday,
August 11, according to the calendar, at 9:00 a.m. Voting no on today's motion was Mike Holden, Tim Wgner, and Walt Buller. Voting yes was Mayor Drake and Pete Kaylor.
We have heard in other discussions when budget matters were discussed that you ask the question and you hear that people are asking what are you trying to hide and you can't figure that out. You talk about how transparency is so critical in this city and yet you sat
here and you voted no. I'm going to tell you that your no votes were very disappointing. You don't even want people to hear what you're talking about in a public meeting. I I don't know what to say, but I'm just I'm very disappointed. Very disappointed.
[applause] Seeing no further comment at this time, >> please come forward, sir. >> Renie Calder, 19016th Avenue East. I just have a a question regarding the tour that was mentioned to the chief.
>> Uh maybe I'm out of the loop or something, but what is going on with the possibility of a relocation with the with the police force? We signed a lease agreement
city of international county police department. >> Okay, very good. >> One one other thing is uh I don't want to let this go. U
could you provide a date a rough date when the police cars will be painted. So at further meetings I don't I don't believe you were here we discussed that
um going forward we're going to instead of incurring the cost of changing the graphics on each slot as they are removed from service and sold any new ones that come in will have a different
graphic design one that will be um in collaboration with council um and myself Um, we going to change the graphics design. >> Is there a ballpark date when this cycle
will occur? >> Um, we're not going to get any new squad cars until next year at the ear. >> Okay, that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. We can move on to reminders at this time.
The next regular city council meeting is Monday, August 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. There is no further business on the agenda this evening. It is 6:09 p.m. and
the meeting is adjourned.