I'd like to call this meeting to order of the international Fall City Council 5:30 p.m. Monday March 3rd please join us as we recite the pledge the United States of America and to theic for which it stands one nation
under God indivisible with liy and justice for all it can be noted for the record that councelor Kaylor and councelor Buller are absent tonight we do have a quorum with three we do have an addition to
tonight's agenda for a business license which we'll conduct under other business if approved are there any other additions to tonight's agenda seeing no further additions the chairman would entertain a motion to approve tonight's agenda I'll make that
motion second we have a motion by councelor Holden a second by councelor Wagner to approve the agenda any discussion all those in favor say I I I I'll vote Yes agenda is approved 30 0
thank you next on tonight's agenda approval of minutes one set minutes of the Tuesday February 18th 2025 regular city council meeting the chairman would entertain a motion to approve the minutes so Move Motion by
councelor Wagner second second by councelor Holden any discussion all those in favor say I I I I'll vote Yes minutes are approved 30 moving on payments of claims and approval for
payment of accounts payable we have transfers in the amount of $593 38 accounts payable and claims city of International Falls claims $546,500
828 airport major Capital project claims $1,650 total accounts payable and claims $611,000 9 $611,000 $932 43 chairman would entertain a motion to
approve payments of claims I'll make that motion motion by councelor Holden second second by councelor Wagner any discussion on payments and claims okay all those in favor say I I I
all V yes payments and claims are approved 30 good evening councelor Kaylor my apologies and I believe we can add to the record that councelor Kaylor is now present would that be correct Mrs Nelson
it is yes okay thank you with a little little tongue lashing involved as we move on to audience open form uh before we begin uh we have open Forum uh essentially at the beginning
and the end of every meeting there's 5 minutes decorum must be observed uh during that time I do want to address some concerns that I've received from the February 18th 2025 um
meeting uh regarding some possible profanity that was heard on the recording um the council is bound by resolution number 27-13 code of conduct uh in no way am I
making uh any accusations towards this Council or the public but I would certainly ask that uh if the person present uh did make those um suggestions that the community could or the council
could receive an apology with that being said uh the audience open form is open 5 minutes uh as you come up please state your name and address for the record thank you hello Council Austin sha 432
shorwood Drive Tom sha 432 shw drive and Elden void 2216 Crabtree Boulevard and we're here tonight because the intersection by Shorewood and Highway 1171 is very dangerous and we almost get
in T-Bone accidents there all the time um what makes it dangerous is that when you're coming off of Shorewood there's a little square sign that says do not block intersection and when you're coming off the highway that kind of looks like a stop sign so the people
coming off the highway think you're going to stop but in reality it's just kind of a in sign um originally it was never a bad deal but they put in the new Tractor Supply and the new grocery store and now it's packed there all the time
um so we're proposing a change to that we don't really know what the best change would be we personally think a stop sign replacing the do not block intersection sign would really just solve the problem but if there's something better that would be good too
we treat it as a stop sign right now because there's so many people turning off there like Austin says and they just come right in front of you and uh I don't know how many times I've had people wave at me without uh all their fingers up because they're angry because
I went through a stop sign you know and we don't have one and uh otherwise they shake their fist that they just so we'd like to see a stop sign there or whatever would work uh best for it I would just add you know whatever works the best I'm sure there's a
traffic engineer that's seen that seen intersections like that 10 or 15 times before so if somebody would take a look and just come up with a good solution that'd be it thank you everyone thank you and is what I would
ask along with the council is if we could have this entered into the record and then we'll add it to Public Works committee um and we will discuss that and you will receive a response thank you that is Monday Monday I didn't even
know that without looking at at two at at I know what it is and I know it's 2:30 doesn't necessarily you know be there right at 2:30 as I've approved here thank you good evening good
evening I need to take a minute inside right now I am shaking absolutely shaking I have thought long and hard about what I'm going to say I have lived here my whole entire
life last council meeting was the second meeting I have ever intended in my whole entire life both times were about taxes and about taxes being raised both times I got up and spoke
last time when I got up and spoke things were said muttered over the microphones by city council I didn't know this at the time because obviously I was arguing my point and arguing
facts facts not stupidity I wasn't speaking out my butt I was arguing facts about taxes my taxes it was brought to my attention
after I left this room that things were muttered under their breath councelor Kaylor muttered as I was walking up for the second time to
the microphone oh what does she want now I don't believe I did you did I seen it don't try to deny it I have the video I can prove it I I'm going to Mrs
Benedicts I I want you to speak like everyone here I will finish we cannot have profanity those are the words he used sir I have the video and I can prove it and I understand that if you feel that way but we can't have provant
profanity and we can't have accusations but please continue it's not an accusation it is a fact how am I supposed to tell what I'm supposed to tell if I can't say it when it was said about me all
right days later it was called to my attention that somebody on city council called me a c n word a very vile and disgusting word so I'm going to ask my counselors did you call me a c n
word Mayor did you call me a CN I did not did you call me a c n word no Kaylor did you call me a c n word one of you called me a c word and guess what I know who it is I also have
the video of somebody mouthing the word and and almost everybody in here knows who it was also and if you think I'm going to end here you got another thing coming like I said that was my second meeting I've ever been
to my second meeting in my whole entire life I am a taxpayer you were voted in to represent your citizens we are obligated to come here and tell you our
problems it is our right we pay we pay for you we pay your wages we voted you in to sit on those seats and that's how we're treated somebody muttered in this
room and that's how we're treated my second time being here and that's how I'm treated I am shaken to the core I stay in my Lane I'm a law abiding citizen I don't even know half the
people in this town and because my taxes are getting raised and I'm worried about it and I come here and voice my opinion that's how I'm treated and don't you deny saying that about when I walked up here the second time
because I got you on videotape this is Benedict okay we must observe decorum I would like I am upset I I understand that and I have every right to be upset I would like you to continue when my counselor okay greets
me with such disgust and disdain because I'm coming back up here for the second time I don't have a right to be upset no it takes three people on the council to do that do we know that for a fact citizens that vote you in and citizens
that counted you to your seats and that's how we're greeted it takes to wave it longer it takes a majority of the council members present I won't get my vote not with the screaming and yelling oh what's the matter Mrs Nelson
um we have a five minute talk and that's it and the only way to extend it in our Charter is if three of the counselors give the okay to continue but you won't get that okay Rhonda forbid ma'am it's five minutes the same way on the school board same
thing yeah I I would like to I can be called dirty words I'm not calling you any names at all I'm just telling off off the table this is a charter of international F yeah yeah you follow your rules now m'am if I follow your rules you call me never name you can
Ronda I have never called you a name you know that I didn't say you called me one I never have but because you don't like what I'm saying right now you go going by our Charter guess what I'll stand up my own stand up on my own all right councelor Holden um a couple things I'd like to
address [Applause] um I'll come back up on the second five minutes I preside over the meetings um I was attempting to reach out to Mrs Nelson about whether the 5 minutes is in
the charter or not well the charter has been changed no 5 minutes isn't it I don't believe it's in the charter I am well this is our right here this is our rules of conduct
for City Council meetings right here and it says each speaker will will be allowed 5 minutes for his or her presentation unless the time limit is waved by the majority of the Cil commission members present we got three people
here so we need a majority to continue past five minutes that's what it said it it wasn't a presentation of me bringing something about the city it was a presentation of me being called certain words by your councel if I need to reach
back to our attorney so I'm going to votee no because I think Mrs Benedict should be allowed to continue and I thought that I had that right as I presided I may not but there is a motion that is available to
limit discussion but I believe it requires a two-thirds majority to pass and cannot be discussed uh Chelsea you want me to show you this or Tom can you tell me the code you're looking at okay comes up code of conduct
um so is it a number in the charter or is it an an ordinance number this is a city of international call rules of conduct for city council and committee meetings here it says each speaker will be allowed five minutes for his or her
presentation open form whatever you want to call it time limit is waved by a majority they can extend it by a majority what it is one I'll try to find it okay I it's going to take me a minute I I
understand and I would also like to add that we have been flexible on this timeline in the past and I have no problem if she comes back I think that she ain't swearing I have no problem I would like to be consistent should be in
here it's not the term I believe you even has our names all yeah it it looks like it's a a policy but not in the charter or the ordinances
themselves but it is a policy okay I believe it's also a part of the policy that you can't directly speak any One Singular member of the C they're not supposed to be able to single out a certain councilman yep we've had that happen before and that
they're not supposed to do that and that's that's just in the policy too yeah I will try to find exactly what policy it is but it's not as readily available online as the chartering ordinances okay mayor if you don't mind if I don't
recall saying that but I'll take her word for it and I apologize that that is very unprofessional and I should know better so I can't even see your face well I'm sitting where I'm sitting I um I just
want to let you know I I don't recall saying that possibly could especially maybe how the meeting was going and I apologize I should never have done that is that's no way for a counselor to act so I apologize thank you councelor
Kaylor I would still invite you to come up he wasn't here when I asked the last question I do think that it would be appropriate um that you're able to finish um and uh please let's observe decorum for all
parties thank you so again I asked you if you said the C N word I did not you denied it yeah you are on video saying it I don't well that I did not say I do not
believe you did I don't believe I did that is unprofessional which is funny because at the beginning of the last meeting you told Sue you wouldn't answer her email because that would be a professional move on your part because that would be her calling you a liar
yep but it's not unprofessional to call somebody a c n it is unprofessional and if you say I I did that then I apologize that's all you have to say for yourself what more do you want me to say
I apologize you clearly have disain for people coming up here and speaking and going against the council for things that they believe in their hearts that they don't want their tax money spent on
so clearly you should step down well I'm not going to I can't be fired but I'm not stepping down and I apologize those were unprofessional statements I don't believe I said the sewer but if you say I did apparently I did
so I apologize for that too but I'm not stepping down there's a recall petition out so that's where we're at clearly is you clearly need to be off your seat okay if that's how you conduct
yourself all right I I take what you're saying and I'm listening okay I don't know what else I can tell you except I apologize your body language when I walked back up here when you were saying it clearly showed your disdain for me
walking back up here to say something else Mrs Benedict I I do need to intervene now I understand um on the city's behalf I I want to as follows that any matters relating to this I would hope that you would reach out to
our City attorney who is here um because I think that the path that I'm sensing this going because there are uh things being alleged that that would not be something that could be resolved this evening I'm sure you have seen the
videos I'm sure you have and if any of one of you have daughters up there I would hope the heck that you would feel the same way that I do I didn't do anything wrong in the last city council me I did nothing
wrong I came up here and spoke facts that's all I did and I didn't deserve that and I hope the heck that something gets done cuz that's wrong thank thank you and un professional public comment is open name and address for the record
please my name is Bill Valentine I live at 1 154 5th Avenue East um I have a letter here from another citizen of our Pine town that could not attend tonight but he's got the letter addressed to the mayor uh
Betty Bergstrom and City Council Members so I'm just going to read his letter he left me a copy I'll give it to you Drake when we're done if you don't mind is that all right I'm reading for someone else says Mr Mayor and City Council Members I attended the February 18th
meeting of the city counil I really feel like the facts were misrepresented and some questions I would like answered unfort Ely this from Wayne he's forced to be out of town for medical reasons so we've asked that this letter be read during open Forum I'm not sure if we were allowed to
address questions to Betty bergom but I would like to know where her information came from regarding the condition of the current law enforcement center what she sent in the email response to Susan Vega councilman Holden he repeatedly said that you have spent a lot of time
looking into the ifpd situation when you toured the County LEC how many of the issues mentioned in Betty's email response did you witness firsthand which council members toured the law enforcement center to see these issues
firsthand the council plans to use over $300,000 worth of City labor to bring the price down to 1.6 million that's a question Mr Fuller goes on I went and toured the first floor of the law enforcement SP Center and spoke to staff there who said that the issues in
Betty's email response were caused by inmates so no inmates equals no more issues the the consensus I got was that it could be it could use a little paint some ceiling tiles but as completely functional as is the sheriff's department had planned to stay in the
old LEC but it was decided that they needed space in the new facility to provide better inmate safety if the information in the email response was not firsthand knowledge then it was hearsay and if we're allowing hearsay as part of the public forum then Mr Buller
has been telling people for months that the ifpd would never return to the law enforcement center I have not heard that myself but have heard it from numerous others it appears that the law enforcement center and Backus were never really considered
as options and the council went through the motions in attempt to appease the public while they continued to move forward with the kasasa option I spoke with many people over the past couple weeks and almost everyone was under the impression that the council was presenting the entire kutasa
project at 1.6 million I had to submit a public records request to find out where that number came from there is currently no bid for 1.6 million and the fictitious number only
represents phase one of a phase two plan the actual costs are currently 1.95 million for phase one and nearly 1.1 million for Phase 2 I don't remember ever hearing about this phase plan during Council
discussions he's referencing the February 18th meeting oh no the 1.6 was being represented as the entire project Mr Wagner addressed me while I was in the gallery about me
misrepresenting the debt service for the project as more than the lease offer from the county in the old LEC he said that the debt service would only be $110,000 and the County bid was nearly 50,000 more so they were looking out for the
taxpayers we went back and forth about the county lease being all inclusive and Mr Wagner said that he felt they could certainly heat the building for 50,000 I spoke to the maintenance director of the current law enforcement center who not only confirmed it's in good condition but supplied me with
copies and these are attached of operating cost that must be reported to the Department of Corrections annually the three-year average for operation of the LEC is$ 27,9 7236 per year so even if we take half
that cost because there will no longer be inmates were still at $ 63,9 18 your kutas space is similar in size and require similar installation of specialized equipment that the LEC currently has so I expect those numbers
to be similar so in response to Mr Wagner no you cannot provide all the items included in the county lease offer for 50,000 reports are attached to the letter the council said they plan to use internal labor to reduce the costs but I
was thinking they intended to use internal label labor to come in under 1.6 million the use of internal labor was to get down to 1.6 million from the unpublicized and undiscussed 1.95 million actual
cost what is the debt service for the actual cost of 1.95 million and how does that compare with the County's lease offer how does the council plan to accomplish this when the city staff no longer have time to do building tear Downs and we're also unable to assist
with the city's landfill closure which is currently exceeding $700,000 I'm not going to use the dangerous trigger word of transparency because I believe the way information was presented during the February 18th meeting were purposely misleading to defend this point I point
to the motion made by the council to move forward with the kutasa project with Krauss Anderson with no no mention of a phase or not to exceed you do realize that phase one catas project doesn't come close to the minimum requirements outlined in the
letter sent to the county on January 25th 2025 phase one of your Committee of the whole non-public plan would be about half the building and no garage space so let's compare apples to
apples in closing I would ask the council for the following if we are looking for the taxpayers of this city then consider resending your original motion and have it read motion to move forward with K Anderson on phase one of
the kutasa building not to exceed $1.6 million sincerely Wayne F thank you thank you I will disseminate this each member of the council when I
have copy is there any other public comment councelors Mr Mayor um name and uh address 1301 7th Avenue thank you I too had questions on this the motion I didn't read the minutes I
didn't know what how it was read in the minutes but an open-ended motion like that I mean that red plates went off immediately I mean cros Anderson come back and charge the county $4 million and you're on the hook for it you have
no no CLA in the in the motion to approve it limiting what their scope of their work can do and how much so basically they can just go out there and just have a good old time and have you know turn that thing into a a
you know tear it down and rebuild it basically I drove by it and it it does not look that great I don't know I mean the exterior maybe is rough but I don't I don't know what the inside look the exterior is very rough I don't know what the inside looks
like but um you know I there was a comment at the last meeting that we have the best law enforcement in the whole state well you know maybe if that person was on the other end of it they would think different
I've moved over to my house in 2022 um there was a basketball court and a tennis court the city proceeded to Mill it up and leave it a big mess I went over I caught kids throwing chunks
of tar from that demo site it should have been fenced at the playground equipment I went over and yelled at they proceeded to call me names and said karma's a and I was at Boondock spingle that night I come home Mr
Blair and I want to let the room know the council and the audience the decorum and the verbiage I'm sorry please do not use profanity thank you I come home approxim 8:00 that night there's a chunk guitar about size
of bowling ball right at my thrown right at my garage door B panel and a big dent in my garage door I called the police they came I filed a report I gave him a picture of the kids he said well I'll get back to in about 3 days it was three weeks I haven't heard I never heard
nothing so I thought whatever you know okay so come about a month later some bigger kids are over there throwing chunks of tar at the playground equipment I talked to one of the city workers I said you know these guys are over there throwing
doesn't surprise me when he drove off you know I was hoping he would go over there and yell at but no anyways I ended up in a big Feud with these kids they targeted me cuz I called the cops so basically I was threatened
twice once by a dirt bike to run me over and the second time by a four-wheeler to run me over and I've worked with the police I've worked with them they never gave me any ounce of help finally the the officer I dealt with said well if you don't like it you can call
conservation officer while I left for this meeting they're starting to ramp it up again they're tearing around behind carry Park on a four-wheel in a dirt bike and when I left my driveway he come down the alley and he was doing a wheelie right by my house thank
you I would like to uh add a couple things uh I would let each counselor speak individually as well um if there is any concerns about the ifpd uh Chief kosic is in attendance and
I would ask you to reach out to him directly but my position uh as the mayor there's it's a small community uh and there's great things about small communities and naturally there's flaws but we have a wonderful police
department and we have some wonderful officers uh that are out there every day all night serving the community so uh as we proceed with this if there's future discussion about quasa or the law
enforcement center I'd ask that it's kept to a space discussion because that's what this is about um anyway with that uh public comment is back open unless a counselor would like to say
anything are you are we up now or yes yes comment is open just really quick Council uh Ed BS 108 Riverview Boulevard um I actually don't even have a question for you so much as I do
actually for Mr OA if that's okay um this is the owner's manual instruction manual for your camcorder in the back there and I know that there was some discussion about whether or not anything that was said um with regard to miss
ball or Miss Benedicts um and I just I found this in here um that if an external microphone is plugged in that the onboard microphone is turned off is that accurate yes that is accurate okay that's all I need to know thank you
thank you for your time thank you mayor may I clarify Mr Bates Mr Bates may I clarify please please do um so actually in response to the video we did do some testing and
um essentially I whispered all throughout the room and the mics not necessarily the camera mics picks up Whispers all throughout the room um so I appreciate your question but I think um a more in-depth answer can answer it better than just yes or no so I wanted
to provide that information it is also a multi-track system or a single track system I apologize so the individual microphones don't have their own individual track it all saves as one
good evening good evening I'm Joe caner I'm from 1607 13,000 West International Falls Minnesota I'm here tonight um in discussion of last week's microphone um there was a little bit of
conflict going back there when I was there and uh somebody said something to somebody else and it was kind of intimidating whatever it was and I didn't know about it until the next day when I looked at the video but I know
who it was I'm not going to bring up a name but I'll tell you what that is something that is completely wrong the microphone was not on as I would have heard it or a lot of other people would have heard it if the
mic was turned on it wasn't I mean that's my my investigation of what happened here so what was said I believe Pete after you and Mike Holden were
whispering in the background there whispered one time you were whispering and I heard it no I turned to Pete and we you guys were talking to each other just after it was said about the r word yes it was I don't remember what we were talking about maybe I just remind you
and it was in the video and I don't think you should chew me out over that okay go and not only that I'm here tonight because I want to represent the ibw 294 that's a local union that you're
well aware of yeah and if they're going to do the coocha Taska building and try to cut profits in it it's the wrong way to go I mean it's right in one way where you could get the city involved in doing some of the tear down or whatever but as
far as electric go that's 100% elect electrical done Union or nonunion yeah and we are union you know that I got that and what what was being said about the city I wasn't going to speak a whole lot tonight but I will tell you this
okay Joel okay you tell me we have a master electrician on oh I know you do and I know who it is yeah and you know what we going to have him possibly doing some tear down stuff and you know saving on some money that's all well you I think it should be under a contra factor
for one thing well I used to do it's got to be somebody that's insured and bonded and licensed with the state of Minnesota of course we do okay just a minute now the city has a registered master electrician and the insurance is covering him Rusty Blaze is a master
electrician he's done a ton of work oh yeah absolutely I I was listed as the master electrician for close to 30 years okay yes you have and I'm a brother you're a brother and I think okay I was registered with the state of Minnesota and I could do all the new work I wanted
to do I'm allowed to the city was my insurance they had me listen the city did as their master electrician done deal uhhuh and what were you bonded for how much doing all that work you have no idea covered my work all the time well
they won't not through the state of Minnesota you're you're bsing me here no I'm not yes you are why would I BS you because you are because I know I can prove Hansen electric is doing a job I can prove
it down in the state I can watching the clock if there's certain questions please direct them and I want to make sure that we get an answer for them uh when there's specific questions I'd like
to pass that discussion and that way we can get an answer and get to the bottom of it thank you I've already got I got a little deal going on with the Union so we'll see who's wrong and right about that can I just finish that little thing
I I personally thought I heard him say to me that he was worried that city is taking union jobs never never I the only thing we're doing there is Sharon they
it sounds like was Miss Missy match is what I heard no yes it was it was here on at the 18th February 18th meeting I'm just saying back to what we were talking about master electrition okay yeah I know I was registered I'm insured by the
city of International Falls I filed for inspection on all my work right everything okay and you can check into that all you want you and I and I am good that's good yep following up on things yep there's about a minute and a
half left if you would like to address I thought we were sever people that's I just came up to give them moral support work oh okay I'm if you'd like to speak please I would like you to it might take a couple more minutes than five minutes
because I do I do have anxiety issues and I have obviously people have more than one diagnosis and I just realized I'm 100% ADHD and I had to start pills so that I
wouldn't be going everywhere but where I was supposed to go so it might take me a second more okay and I'm not going to point fingers well I mean I'm going to say exactly what I what I have to say I think it'll be quick enough my first real experience with
coming to the city council meeting um was a really bad experience and I was abused at that meeting and I don't think half of you really knew what was going on and the community obviously
thinks I was being what they call a Karen I'm actually a Sharon but nonetheless um with that I followed the proper channels I saw
something I considered to be vandalism I looked it up on my phone I looked under ordinances I knew that these people should have gotten City's permission and I have the video
of the person who gave said they did not have permission but she did it okay that's all I have it everything I've ever said On video okay so I came to you guys the and the reason I came to you was
because the way that the police dealt with it and um the way that the people who had cut those branches down came on their Facebook and tore me apart because I had been a citizen I mean I have I did
not get a law enforcement degree because I hate police I did not work in a correctional facility in Carson City Nevada okay because I I hate police I was married to a chief of police and I
have done been an investigative for many years okay but what happened I came in here because I felt like it was mishandled and all and and it was all over Facebook and you know what if it
hadn't affect and this was while I was running for Mirror by the way and if it had not affected the dogs I probably wouldn't have gotten so passionate about it because that's what I was working with okay ruined my
reputation destroyed me I did not come in here to prove I was right I came in here to prove to you I wanted the public to hear that I was not just taking stuff
and making it up I wanted the council to say no they did not I didn't want really any punishment I just wanted the council to say no they did not have permission it was a misunderstanding we thank you for being
a good enough citizen to come forward because we ask people to come forward when we see any type of vandalism and that is all I was trying to do and if you check my record you will see I've never been in trouble in my entire life and I've got three college degrees and
I've worked my whole life and been at at really hard time so with that said I typically and I know that the chief of police the police know this about me because they have come to my house when I actually went
into one of my clinical anxiety attacks and I know that people know that I had a work dog for years and there was a reason for that because when I get too anxious I
I guess you call it faint hyperventilate whatever I've broken my head open so I started getting service dog I started learning how to train and and I did the best I could with a disability that was debilitating and I got it
through doing surveillance okay and through a really really aive the when I come here and I hear and I get this call I got this message much after the
meeting can you imagine how I felt to be called and to find out I wasn't even allowed on a public forum where it was all being showed I
don't know why that was and that upsets me but now 25,000 feet people know my name because it's on there and it says you may think Sharon's Spacey or you may
not like her how do you think that works for me I had to call my counselor that night suicidal and you can push people and yes
I did make some I I protested because I felt the way that I was treated when I came here about that tree branch like you were waiting for me and I was pounced
on and there were so many systemic problems that go on here and I think it needs to be where you return to realizing that you don't have to we can only afford so much we don't think that
the police aren't necessary we just don't know if we can afford everything and that's all we're saying and if my taxes went up 40% in one year doesn't matter if it came from the county or you it's still coming out of my
pocket 40% I just retired that's $1,250 extra in one year and so yes the last last meeting was really hard because of the way that
I felt I got treated but to be called a you don't know and I am getting my 160 lb Great Pyrenees ready to be the best service dog ever and you've all anybody knew my tank he was a big boy and everybody loved him but he was a
good service dog and I will be coming to these meetings with my credentials and that big dog and I'm going to tell you this also I was accosted I was intimidated in this
meeting the last meeting February 18th police were all sitting in front of me by the chief's father and I was intimidated or called
out by another counselor's wife and I can't live that way I want to work with dogs this has hurt my business this has destroyed me because everybody wanted to throw everything under the bus and I'm going
to tell you right mayor this is not towards you when Harley was here and this Council they even threw the chief under the bus or at least he tried I I watched
it and so did everybody else it's a matter of not covering your butt and I think our administrator was covering her butt and I don't think you guys all have the true story because if you knew me as a person you would
know Miss B I'm a good person thank you uh for your testimony and I want to make it clear that going forward I want it would be uh I would like to speak on behalf of the council
that taxpaying citizens or citizens of our community uh can come up and feel that they have the ability to talk freely and openly um with that thank you thank you sir and thank you council is there anyone yet to come for
for are you guys hot just asking you're hot too can we I don't know if I'm sweating because of can we open the window please do please [Laughter]
do are will you be coming forward or is this uh if I have to I'll put a coat on but even I'm hot right now is my no if I do because I'm by the window but I feel like my face is turning red I'm so glad I'm not the only one I
was like wow my anxiety is higher than I thought it would be are getting I could just past them oh good evening Mr Mayor thank you for your time thank you for being patient with us name and uh address for the
record please my name's Reynold Calder live at 1901 6th Avenue East International Falls would like to also point out to the council that uh you did reach out to me uh and originally ask to be on the
agenda uh so I we I'd like you to proceed thank you it's a pretty decisive uh thing we have to discuss I'd like to make some preliminary comments that
aren't uh taxed against my five minutes if I could yes that's why I mentioned that you had reached out I didn't add you to the agenda uh but you had reached out directly so please continue my comments today are about uh
basically in response to an article I wrote in the paper I hope you all read them could I have a nod from Council if you read them thank you some of what I'm going to say is going
to be repetitious from that article so I'm going to ahead and go ahead and read this so I don't lose track of the important things I want to say my comments relate to an article I
wrote in this week's Gazette the study I referred to was a study conducted for a standalone facility for the city of delmare California an affluent Coastal Community
in California the study was conducted by Ralph Anderson and Associates in 2015 so it is a bit dated as a side note
delmare is an affluent Coastal Community average income is about 45,000 the median income is about 187,000 the median property value is 2 million delmare has contracted to the
Sheriff's Department for law enforcement the study I referred to was for the possibility of constructing their own Standalone police station square footage recommendation recommendations relied on
were based on FBI recommendations the recommendations were a guide some communities may require more or less space in order to get an idea what our needs may be I asked our city
administrator Betty thank you Betty Betty's not here but thank you Betty for uh providing that information I asked our city administrator how many officers and squad cars we have we have 10 Vehicles 14 officers the sheriff's
department has 12 vehicles and 12 officers at the new LEC the sheriff's department will occupy about 5,000 square ft if the police department went to the new LEC we might be able to get by with
5,000 square ft the fource Es are similar in size for everyone's perspective I want you to imagine what 13,000 Square ft is it's 22% of a football field 22% of a
football field a football field is 57,600 square feet why do you need 13,000 sare ft why was the quote at the LEC asking for 10,300 square ft who did that who wants
to take ownership for that it seems to be an inflated number for some [Applause] reason can I address councelor Holden or yeah you can thank you yep councelor
Holden you mentioned you did a walk through at kutasa yes I did you mentioned you studied this issue yes I did you concluded kutasa is the best location Bar None I know I said our
police staff is the best police staff Bar N the best police in the state of Minnesota I'm corrected thank you sir okay when I'm finished would you explain how you came to the
conclusion that cutas is a good deal I'm not going to say what I said before okay I want you to if you would please yeah I took a walk through it um excuse me oh you want to finish okay go
ahead I'm hoping for some actual numbers some facts or a comparative study you relied on can you assure us you actually put serious thought into your decision yeah I wouldn't lie to the
public people just a minute no okay no no no it's my go ahead go ahead a walkabout doesn't qualify for making a $5 million decision you can you can address that let us assume
our demographic continues to diminish if the tax base declines to the point we have to consolidate the two in law enforcement departments what happens to
kutasa I'm asking I'm asking this and I think anyone that knows anything about construction will agree with me cotas is the worst possible decision you could
make it's the worst decision this council could make will you resend your vote on kasasa will you do that tonight finally I prepared a square footage
comparison a comparative analysis it will show you kotasa is the most expensive option I have here a cost per square foot
analysis least if you would pass that to the council members now you can take a look at that I did pass around most of everyone has one my comments are done if you have
questions I'm I'll entertain them I'm done thank you for reaching out and as I said you'd originally asked uh to get on the agenda and you worked with our staff and thank you thank you and
thank again thank Betty and the the chief responded responded and gave me a call I also talked with the sheriff so I hope my my figures are right and my assumptions are right with with all due respect any
questions question only thing I would say is I would never lie to the public okay never I I do have seriously I'm telling you I wouldn't lie to the public you can laugh or whatever but
that's I would never do that thank you thank you Mr CER uh because we do have an opportunity at the end of the meeting for comment if necessary I'd like to move on did we have bids uh open this evening Lisa no we do not
okay with that we'll move on to Old business to approve second and final reading of an ordinance authorizing the Housing and Redevelopment Authority in and for the city of International Falls to exercise the powers under
Minnesota statutes on behalf of the city of International Falls this is the second reading to approve it has to do with West Fall's Estates and a rehabilitation that's going to take place the borrowing is not
um we are fronting the deal where there's no liability to the city with the borrowing so with that the chairman would entertain a motion uh to approve the second reading of this ordinance so moved second motions by councelor Wagner
second by councelor Holden any further discussion call the question I I I I'll vote Yes ordinance is approved on a 4 Z vote thank you we don't have a consent agenda this evening on to new
business to approve use of the Irvin n Anderson Amphitheater for the riverfront concert sponsored by bakus Community Center in conjunction with the international Falls 4th of July celebration submitted by Lois lundine
executive director of Backus the chairman would entertain a motion to approve that usage I'll move second motions by councelor Kaylor and councelor Wagner any discussion seeing no further discussion question I I I
I'll vote Yes Ampitheater usage is approved for zero thank you number two new business adopt a resolution application for exempt permit for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on the ash River Trail to conduct a raffle with the
drawing to be held at bakus on April 4th 2025 the chair would entertain a motion to approve this application I'll make that motion motion by councelor Holden do we have a second I'll second second by councelor Kaylor any
discussion question I I I I'll vote Yes application is approved unanimously 40 thank you next on the agenda number three new business adopted resolution application and permit for a
1 day to 4day Temporary on sale liquor license application and permit for the St Thomas aquinus Catholic School in connection with the St Thomas aquinus School Gala on Friday May 2nd 2025 the
chair would entertain a motion to approve this application permit so move we have a motion by councelor Wagner second second by councelor Holden any
discussion question I I I I'll vote Yes motion carries unanimously 40 for this application and permit thank you number four new business approve continued participation in the Northeast Minnesota home Consortium joint Powers agreement
chair would entertain a motion to approve this continued participation I'll move motion by councelor Kaylor second second by councelor Wagner just any discussion on this topic
question I I I I'll vote Yes this participation is approved on a 4 Z vote Thank you new business number five approve International Union of operating engineers local 49 collective bargaining
agreement I'll make that motion we have a motion by councelor Kaylor is there a second Holden I was oh I'm sorry excuse me we have motions on the floor by councelor Holden and councelor Wagner is there any discussion to those
motions question I I I I'll vote Yes motion carries 40 we have an agreement thank you new business number six consider letter of congratulations for Macy Russo who
received honorable mention in the mayor for a Day essay contest which was held by the league of Minnesota cities I added this to the agenda um I believe she's in sixth grade and I think it would be very appropriate that she
receive a letter uh on our behalf congratulating her for uh quite the accomplishment in public service with that entertain a motion to approve the letter I'll move motion by councelor Kaylor second second by councelor Wagner
is there any discussion question oh I I I I'll vote Yes motion carries 40 thank you number seven we typically would not talk about this right away at the city
council meeting but we're in a time crunch March 14th deadline found it in my email box um this is to consider submitting for Community Project funding to Congressman stabber
office so right now the federal government I believe is operating Under A continuing resolution uh but typically when they set a budget then Congressman stabber officer whoever was occupying that seat would
have 14 or 15 projects that communities can apply for for funding uh which are typically towards needed brick and mortar assets so we have a water plant Rehabilitation
project on the horizon I don't believe that that is set in stone at this time um we have authorized a state bonding requ requ EST from the legislature of 4.8 million and I believe that bill will drop this
week after some discussion today with Congressman stabber Aid John elant he had indicated that there's A3 to5 million sweet spot for these projects no
guarantee but their wishes from their office would be that we take the engineers estimate for the plan subtract the amount of 4.8 million which we've asked the legislature for and apply for the rest as an appropriation through
Congressman stabber Community projects with the understanding that if the project was awarded it may not be that whole amount but it might be some um with that the floor is open for discussion I would think it would be a
great if we could get that I mean I think this is something we need to do as soon as we possibly can to make sure we're on time agreed would it be okay if I just had him he from moral support even we
has a question please please explain because last time you you thought we only had 5 minutes between us you're welcome to come up when public comment reop opens Oh I thought that's what you called oh
I'm sorry ohood it will open again with that being said we would have until March 14th uh to submit this project we would need to work with Public Works director broa with our engineer Bolton and M uh
as well but is there a motion to approve pursuing this applic ation so moved I have a motion by councelor Wagner do we have a second second second by councelor Holden Holden
any further discussion question I I I I'll vote [Applause] Yes submission passes on a 40 vote thank you number eight new
business I would entertain a motion to postpone this and send to Public Works committee do we have a motion I'll move a motion by councelor Kaylor do we have a second by counselor Holden any discussion question I I I I'll vote Yes
motion carries 40 to refer to Public Works committee thank you nine uh any other new business we have a business license that has been added to the agenda for American is Best Value in in Suites that's correct
uh very for a restaurant license for a restaurant license chair would entertain a motion to approve that business license so Move Motion by councelor Wagner is there a second second second by councelor Holden discussion question
I I I I'll vote Yes business license is approved 4 Z thank you uh reports of all boards committees and department heads anything outstanding this evening if anybody'd like to come forward that works for the
city seeing none we do have another opportunity for audience open form uh the 5 minutes will be strictly enforced but please if someone uh was not able to come forward
uh please do so at this time do we have any correspondence jul for open form they want to come up please come forward but for anyone that comes forward because of the nature of the meeting no it was five minutes but
please thank you okay I was just going to ask um a couple of quick questions I forgot to ask if I get on the agenda well this all started with fireworks because they were right over my dog rooming business this year
and trees were I was worried about getting caught in that forested area so that's where it started if I get on the agenda for certain things how long do you have to talk to the to the council to present what you have to say so one
is you can reach out uh to to City staff Betty or Lisa or myself and it can be added to the agenda the agenda has to be approved on a unanimous vote okay but typically the idea of getting on the agenda is with a
presentation or a specific issue uh and then it's up to the council uh to discuss and eventually get somewhere with it okay so my other question is this
if I have suggestions or ideas or things that have happened to me that have felt PR pretty threatening okay by and I'm going to say it's only been two officers and I can honestly
tell you I've never felt intimidated by the sheriff's department ever okay but I did and I'm wondering I can go to the post board and I have talked to them and I have talked to the sheriff I have talked talked to the chief of police and
I have talked to the deputy chief if I come to the board and I tell you about some of the things are there are you able to handle it or do I have to go I don't I want to go by proper protocol and I'm not call
I'm just saying these are things that really did were were out of line and and I have talked to people about it I don't is it with deputies or city police the
city police and that is your jurisdiction i y yeah I thought you said deputies that's all no I never had problems with deputies ever and and honestly it's it's only been two people I would ask over and over attorney
Nelson on that I know that we do have a process I'm not sure what it is okay so I'd start with Chief kosic I did that um chief chief kosic can't resolve it um there's two options there's some sort of um grievance process that you can do but
you can also um administrator Bergstrom oversees all the department heads um the council oversees administrator Bergstrom and I know that doesn't look like the answer you want but that's the process as far as well just because when I've gone through bur
administrator bergst room before miss ball it didn't work out Chief kic raised his hand so I would like to give him the opportunity um I I would just add also the M po board that's what I'm talking about po board y so the typical you
would you would start with us and I know you've met with the w chief he handles all the internal affairs if you're unsatisfied with the El that investigation you can also contact the I information I already have it I've
already talked to but just was trying before I sent any kind like I I would like to meet with your with your office at some point and I will if that's okay me yeah that's fine okay thank you very
much and then the other question I had I didn't hear it um did what did we what did you decide about the LEC building I was just curious did you go ahead are are first I was asking about cost
analysis um I was asking that you guys kind of hold off a little bit and give us a cost analysis through the county because I do know the county said that they would work with them and I mean work they were willing to make quite a few and you know you can smile and I
don't know but my taxes are all going out the door anyways no matter where they go to so I'm wondering what you decided about the LC building are you just going forward or what's going on there thank you there that um is 5 minutes but I will address
your question the council thank you the council did vote at the last meeting the February 18th meeting uh to move ahead with the kutasa project the exact specifics I'm not aware of the second it passed on a 41
vote I voted no all others voted yes so with that that's where it started the petition okay thank you thank you sorry all I got to say is I I live in the Stenberg Edition and my name is Joe caner again but um I guess well puller I
talked to him one day he said something about next year there's a sewer project is going to go on in in our neighborhood where I live now and uh I'm just wondering is it going to follow through next year or
not the that's interesting that you add asked about the Stenberg Edition Mill and overlay we have our city engineer here and I had asked him about that project before the meeting uh Pete and or excuse me councelor Kaylor and I
Pete's quite all right but yeah sit on the Public Works committee uh I believe in our capital investment plan it's slated that way I don't think that's a guarantee of completion uh as we go into construction
season that'll probably become more clear yeah okay well cuz it was It was supposed to been something that uh was supposed to be done like 3 years ago they were they were they were saying that they were going to get get it done
or we're going to do it and it gets just it gets uh postponed every year and I'm wondering when is it really going to happen because there's the sewer lines and stuff are really getting bad in there too
so that's where I'm at I would think that we just had this discussion and I think it's the council's desire to complete these projects uh as we're able okay I have a child that goes to daycare
and Stenberg actually two children and I would like to see your streets fixed as well there's a lot going on we'll see what happens thank you all right thank you thank you Council mayor Steve Blair 131
7th Avenue again uh just a quick question did the council ever meet with the county board or any County officials and tour the LEC facility prior to making their decision on the
kutasa I mean did you sit down with the County Board and say you know what we want our Police Department to be in their building or did you just listen to whoever said that the sewage was flowing through the ceiling and and it was contaminated all over and
you know which is blowing I worked there for 30 years I know what the issues were and sometimes it was beyond Dean's wasn't his fault I mean but he fixed it all and he did it
immediately I I toured the old LEC the current LEC which is beneath the jail on the day that February 2nd 3rd don't I shouldn't
have said that don't quote me the city and the county did have a meeting in the county boardroom uh regarding that topic I visited the old LEC for all intents and purposes afterwards um I don't think Council Kaylor he used to work there and
I actually I was there that day though you were yeah the fifth third third okay no was it Monday or Wednesday darn it darn it you did you did you did meet with the county officials and you and you looked at the facility and Pete like yeah Pete worked
there so I mean I'm pretty sure that sheriff is still half offices and John has his offices I think he's still working um in the city uh chap used to have an office there you
know so what is it with that building that didn't appeal to them you know well I think we discussed last week and we started with the cost of what they
wanted for the space you you see the cost analysis right here I mean is this but you asked me but that's the decision we made because of the cost and the bigger size that what then that's just
for part of the size it would be the older 5,000 squ ft like we're at now and like they had before I should say but not the whole thing I mean I think your your City attorney can agree with me that you don't know the cost you haven't
provided us anything so I don't know how you can use that as a excuse thank you Mr CER it'll be short thank you counselor I checked my notes what I referred to when I
said I'm sorry thank you thank you when I uh said councelor Holden you said the best decision is to go to kutasa Bar Nan that was a quote so
I'm going to I I'm going to assume I said Bar None on the one thing I don't remember if I said on that one but I say I'm about the police department bar on I'm going to go look at the tape again tonight that's fine if I did we can uh
we can let that pass yes uh councelor wagy said uh no remodel nothing it's cheaper to go to kutasa you've all had an opportunity to look at the cost analysis uh there was a
uh request for 10,300 square ft at the new LC who did that who requested 10,300 Square ft it's not necessary the sheriff gets by with
5,000 the city's about the same size so I'm going to reiterate something 22% of a football field is a lot of space I don't know Chief is here uh I
would like to ask the chief how many personnel are duty at anyone given time to to man The the police station if he could answer that now want me to there so you can hear me if you're willing please
Chief you want to sit here no I'll okay never been so popular I got two offers to S thank you okay so what what was your question I'm oh nice to meet you nice to meet you how many officers
are on duty or how many personnel are on duty in that building at any one given time it varies we have administrative staff during the day generally at night we have three so that would include a receptionist and a couple officers and the deputy chief and
myself and I would say the the 10,000 square ft um we did two independent space studies um as part of this whole thing we did one with um bkv initially and we did another one with Crow after that
um again I don't have these in front of me so I apologize I'm not going to give the exact numbers but the bkv one projected more of a 20-year growth projection can you hear me okay sorry about that the the bkv one was a more of a 5
10 15 20 year projection on our growth and what that could possibly look like so the planning was done in that point for that one the K Anderson one was substantially smaller and just focused on what our department would need on a typical base for a department our size in this
day and age I think that answers my question uh I took a drive around kutasa today I was wondering if the counselors that made this decision have any idea
how many windows or how many doors are in that building and as the chief as he's here maybe he can answer answer when you put a window into a police station it's not just a regular glass window so do you have any idea how many
windows are there well I didn't count them but I definitely took a walk around and a walk inside but I that wasn't I wasn't counting them I know we have to get bulletproof glass on part of them I would say um before we do that we can everyone
hear me all right yes looking at there are a lot of Windows obviously and there's a few entry points our goal like we said at the beginning was to do the front half of the building in the most cost efficient manner possible we it's funny you bring up Windows because we
keep we looked at the windows again and again and our analysis was we're going to wait on the windows and there's possibly and I again I apologize I'm not a construction expert but there's some kind of a treatment you can do that's substantially cheaper for Windows rather than replace them for a bulletproof glass that you would apply to the
existing window that would be a we could look at as well um again I'm I'm just telling you these are the same conversations I've been having with everyone as well about the cost of this specific building and and what we can do to exist in that structure as well as we
looked at a lot of other structures in town too for the past two years um not my forte I'm going to tell you right now um I I run a police department and I appreciate any um questions about the operations or functions about a police department but I can answer what
I've participated in this study so the space needs and everything like that I can speak to Okay thank you and thank you for making the meth bus little aside um the facility has 60
Windows if they were to be bullet proof bulletproof uh that would be pretty big expense that's a big building if you have two or three maybe even four person on duty at one time you drive around
that building just imagine yourself in the football field and there's two three maybe four people in that building it it's like a warehouse uh Mr Calder if I may um I deeply
appreciate uh your testimony as well as everyone else is what I would I'm not intervening to tell you to go sit down please know that I'm intervening because I I think is where the discussion is going with this issue this has gone on I think since a committee of the whole
meeting in November um is there anything that would change the council's mind at this point because I think that's what you want to ask yes absolutely and considering the fact that you all have uh cost analysis
comparison now with the three uh figures we were given do you you have any questionss for me is there anything wrong there because in my opinion koutas is the most expensive thing you could ever do and you want to go ahead with it
could you could you respond and could you resend that vote that you took could you resend it and look at other options that's all I have to say I would like an answer I would leave I know where I'm at
on this issue um like I said to me it's a space issue and a location issue it doesn't have to do with the police department I want to reiterate that we have a wonderful Police Department for the other counselors if
they would like to uh speak to that the floor speak a little bit I wasn't going to speak tonight because of all that's going on but um I'll tell you something I have a friend that's 91 years old he was police chief at Grand
Rapids min inota he was in the department for 40 years Grand Rapids has a town of about 10,000 people roughly and they have about double what our police force is which makes sense cuz they're twice as
big okay they just built a brand new LEC there 75 million do 75 the city Godfathers there did not want
to go into that they had always been in the municipal building there okay they're separate from the deputies in the county and they like that they work well together with the deputies they go on
drug bus whatever they help each other out but there's reasons sometimes why they wanted to stay their own and they stayed their own and what they got is a three or four offices or five whatever it is and then they got their cars and
they work hard every day keeping that town safe that beautiful city safe they did not want to be in the same building at cost of 75 million for this brand new building they stayed where they are and
they're happy I look at that and I think wow it is possible and I think my own feeling is as after working for the city for 40 years myself 40 years as their electrical person then I know what it's like if you
want privacy or if you want to be your own separate Identity or whatever you want to call it there's reasons for that too and um so I look I I mean I this has been going on for like a couple years now trying to
decide what to do and I waited out night after night after night thinking about it and I think just know my turn no I think it is the best option I really do that's my heart cuz I'm listening to what I
think is a great police department and I think they'd like to be on their own I really do I could be wrong but I think they do my turn yeah okay
uh I appreciate that mhm uh and I I think Chief would uh agree with you and go along with that if I think he would if if if we would have
had uh councelor Wagner if we would have had square footage for the old forgive me old LEC we could have put together figures for that possibility as
well so I'm not going one way or the other but I'm saying you know you you take a drive around that building any old structure I'm I've never been in construction I the hammer doesn't fit in my hand but I'll tell you what anytime
you try to go into an older building stuff pops up that you never expected that's why estimates are called estimates and so for for you to be inclined to go to the kutasa is
just to me it's unfathomable you know what the beauty excuse me you know what the beauty of America that America is we've all got our own views so far America you have your view and I have my view right and when they and then I'm
looking I'm honest I wouldn't lie to you I'm trying to figure I try to figure out the best way to save money for International Falls if you look at the gray hair in this in this me you'd realize a lot of people are on fixed incomes the I'm one of those no
I'm not on a fixed income I I'll tell you the truth but I am an elderly person Chief be I before I would like to limit the discussion now it's been over five minutes um I I want to go back to that I do not like I said I've reached out to
the council here on the record I think you're asking if they would be flexible the feedback that I've gotten is no um with that please proceed Chief kic I I think it would benefit everyone if um I kind of let you know what the plan is
and and no no plan has been accepted yet by anyone um can you hear me okay I'm sorry um my plan is to present a cost analysis of the space once we get this worked out no monies have been spent or approved or anything um and I've talked
to you all and this I don't know that this has been explained everyone so I apologize and I'd like to explain that my plan is at the appropriate meeting once we get these costs to have these shown of what each aspect of the renovation is so we can have a more
candid discussion it doesn't help anyone with so many unknowns in place to just say we're all kind of arguing the same points none of us and myself included want to spend more money than we have to that that's the goal for this whole this whole exercise we've been
doing I don't think we're at a point yet and I understand exactly where you're coming from I talked to you at length for quite a while about it um I want to show everyone what we're planning on doing and and that's part of this the space analysis was a part of it and now now we dial into what the cost for each
part of the project is and I think at that time we can have a more in-depth discussion on on the building itself but I I just want to let everyone know we haven't spent or approved any money yet this is looking at the space and what each part of it going to cost so I just
want to let everyone know that thank you do you have anything additional Mr couter no I'm just waiting for a vote to see if we could resend that uh previous vote is that possible I would entertain it and the floor is open if I don't hear one I'm
going to proceed if we did that it would give uh everyone an option to look at look at this more clearly and maybe unite the community rather than have this this this div division in the in
the community uh is there a motion on the floor to change course on uh on this matter to the council uh I would entertain such it's I just I want to
finish this and get that out uh there is not a motion uh on the floor for that thank you Mr caler and I appreciate your time Danny up whoever would like to come forward who has not spoken please come forward at
this time my name is Lawrence mic 901 8 Street one gentleman said earlier about U 13,000 ft7 Nowa been asked has kutesa been asked
about providing an estimate for maybe like a 6,000 ft building I know you build it bigger you can build it cheaper but 13,000 Square ft is more than twice of what the other two estimates are kutasa I I know that's kind of become
the name of the project that's slated to become the new police station the city owns that building we own it now okay the city physically owns it so just to be clear we don't have to reach out to koutas
they sold it for a dollar right I am not aware of those figures own that sold it back so I'm wondering for please continue Mr micas no I think that's about it I I I apologize because I wasn't like at the last meeting it
sounds like I missed quite a bit but uh when you when you look at this 13,000 Square ft and the the 70 cents cost per square foot I just don't understand where that's coming from in comparison to the other what are what are the other
two are those companies that want to do do a build a new build I want to eliminate any confusion and not and that councelor Wagner just pointed it out that is not an internal
City document uh Mr cder provided that I have not reviewed it personally our finance staff has I'm not saying that it's wrong or right but that isn't something that the City put out okay I just want to make sure that we're all on Apples to
Apples well it it just seems like 13,000 Square ft is is an awful lot and I know you build it bigger you can say you can build it cheaper but this building this building is already in
existence okay so where's all the cost coming from to fix this building repair it yeah we're talk yeah there's some spots we need to fix like a roof we'd like to put on it you know good roof that's the heart of the
building mhm and may the side of that building anyways uh air conditioning units we're looking at a couple um and then there's some cold stuff we got to do but yeah it's yeah I don't know what else to tell
you we own it and we're going to we're going to fix what we got to fix what about the what about those uh big steel buildings they always advertise that uh put up one of them and rework the inside I mean that might be something to
consider thank you yeah thank you we got Dennis back here please come forward my name is Dennis mon 11 a 19 know two Main Avenue International Falls Minnesota thank you Pete I've known Mike most of his life as long as he's been
for 40 years Pete and I have been neighbors for many years and I'm going to stand up here and I'd like you guys to reconsider your motion on this project for the simple reason I think what's going to happen is you're going to get a referendum to join the two police forces now when you spend this $5
million what are you going to do with it that's my question can you answer that 5 million I don't know where we're why we're talking 5 million D well what do you think M come on i' talking about I got people that I
know that have been contractors that know construction work yeah and this don't happen this $15 million don't happen it goes up and and what about that place up there how the water and sewer you know anything about that no you don't know nothing about that right is that got to be fixed you're talking
about these windows and stuff you don't even know what you're talking about you're talking about a million and a half dollars to get that building going so I'm asking you two to reconsider what you your motion because if you do spend $5 million on that and then you get a and then you get a referendum to join
the two police forces what are you going to do with this building consider it that's all I got to say thank you ask question if you're asking for a vote and I just I just have a question is there a
possibility of asking our counselors number one to get a a county cost analysis all broke down a cost analysis broke down maybe you have some general contractors going
there Fire Marshall and your building inspector okay M B have a town hall so we can ask questions can you please put the vote off so we can ask our questions five minutes isn't enough for this vote the the decision and I want to share
with the room so again that we're all on the same page the decision currently that was made at the February 18th 2025 city council meeting was a 4-1 vote to proceed forward with the kutasa project
the council was elected uh to carry out the duties and functions of managing this municipality and moving it Forward uh I we don't always agree with each other's decisions um there are options
uh to I don't want to I don't know the word that I would use but to contest it um that may or may not be in the charter and I can't speak to anything more I would the council has been asked several times uh to to change course on this
this evening I I want to maintain decorum and I once again I think that that's steadfast I know that I'm one person I can't change that even if my feelings are different and I think that we'll continue with that so uh is there
anybody else that hasn't had the opportunity or would like to speak Please Mr Valentine Bill Valentine again 1504 fth Avenue East um it's been hashed around you guys been asked a question the my concern
with and I wasn't at the meeting last week I was working out of town but the uh the numbers that I heard from you guys on this side of the table for the most part was $1.6 Million on the katco building okay when we were back here I believe it was in December K Anderson
made their pitch it was first one was 5 million and then it was 3 million in the two phase 1.9 and then the rest at the second phase now you guys came up with a number of 1.6 million and I'm assuming that's using city employees to cut the
cost down so my question would to you guys would be I don't feel comfortable you don't give us as Citizens to be informed an accurate cost you said 1.6 million will you change the verbiage in that in your
motion that you guys carried on a 4 to1 vat to say it will be no more than $1.6 million then we can live with that as Citizens okay we can look at this and say okay but if you go and I've been in construction my
whole life and someone made the comment earlier you tell K Anderson to go in there and what if it goes over 1.6 what if it's three what if it's 3.5 what there's no end Insight guys you have to be
realistic no one in this room okay is against our Police Department we have a fantastic Police Department okay yep and no one is saying that we need to know a cost as a taxpayer we do and and we didn't get
that last week I watched the video several times we didn't get that from you 1.6 from him over there was a starting point it might be more it might be less those were the exact words that were said how can you guys honestly make a decision
for that amount of money for the citizens of our city I I just don't understand it I I you can't do it you really can't do it guys be
honest we got to have a cost would you hire a guy to come to your house and replace your windows insiding and say Mike it might be 10 grand it might be 50 Grand would you do that Mike no and that's all we're asking you
guys and it's been going on for a long time you guys aren't listening to us that's all I'm trying to say Pete you're my counselor I've left messages for you I don't get nothing back
nothing that's all we're asking and it's to the point and and you wonder why people get upset I rais my voice now just because I'm excited that's the way I talk but you you got to feel there's got to be something there
somewhere guys you can't have an open-ended chck checkbook it's it's never ending Mr Valentine I'm done thank you very much for your time I appreciate it thank you uh you can I was going to say that if you had anything to add you
could but um I as I said I think that if the discussion on uh as we called it quasa or the city-owned building slated to be the police department Uh I that decision has been made by the council so
I I can't say anything more we've talked about this I know that several citizens want to be on the record that's democracy we appreciate it but I don't I'm I'm up here I know these folks well enough I don't think that you guys have made your decision that would that was made last week you voted but you voted
with an open-ended checkbook an unlimited checkbook all I'm asking for you guys is to resend that and put a dollar amount in there let us know an accurate cost that's what we're asking is it's not there guys I'm serious it's
not and if you guys are listening to your constituents you would hear that from them I'm just a guy that lives in South Falls thank you Mr Valentine thank you very much one thing ex had new information
here tonight CH said been spent we're going to have somebody look at the building if the costs come in too high we're not going to do it Mr Blair I'm I'm not not honoring our conversation some folks have been up
twice for both is what I'm is what I'm trying to impress ask for a toone call meeting upon upon the ca building because it's going to just take a lot of money and and right now discussion is
limited to this Council and whoever is speaking the decision on kutasa I believe with is inflexible I've been asking if there's a motion or different consideration the public has
uh so miss Benedicts please okay now that I'm cooled down and I have something else to say so one of the things that was brought up last time and obviously this is about the LEC and the police department was
councelor Wagner had said that going into the kutasa building was the cheapest option utilitywise also and what was left out of the public was that all of cooch County owns the LEC
building now correct yes we own it we already own it right1 and one of the things ma'am when you you're referencing the law enforcement center that's attached to the courthouse that's County owned which
county already owned owns it corre we already pay for it our tax dollars already pay for it we already own it correct that's correct so with that being said in one of the side meetings I don't know the county meeting I don't know the technical words for them
[Music] um County roach in that meeting CU I watched it said in there when you guys were discussing if that was a good option to put the police department back in the LEC was that We Own It All of
cooch County pays for it so we will be paying utilities heat and air conditioning in that building even if nobody is in that building so therefore taxpayers are going to be paying for the heat and air conditioning in that building when it
sits empty so therefore we'll be paying for Utilities in the two tasa building and the LEC building at the same time so therefore it's not going to be cheaper for taxpayers cuz we're going to be paying for both
buildings so not a cheaper option yes it is no it's not cuz we'll be paying for both our taxpayers will be paying for both we'll be paying for both utilities at the same time so not cheaper yeah it
is and when you're talking about see it it's getting late in the evening we're going to continue the meeting if you have not spoke or would like to speak again you can continue but this discussion currently is between the council and Miss Benedicts please
continue so then when you're talking about just slapping a roof on it and getting in there somebody else brought up the doors and windows which I was already going to bring up anyways there is a code to follow before police even get in the building and that is to have
secure secure doors and windows not only on the outside of the building they have to be secure on the inside also it has to have a Your Gun Room it has to have security camera system Sally ports there's lots of codes it has to follow
um so you can't just slap a roof on it and just get them in there like you said last time um you said it tonight I already have it wrote down they had a chance to go into a
brand new building they didn't want to they have a chance to be in the LEC building they don't want to even though Sue summmer I only know her a sue summmer don't know what her married name is she was up first last time proved that most of the problems
were already fixed which cooch County the county sheriff's department whoever fixed it already and it has the 10,000 ft it has the basement for training it has the Sally ports or not the Sally ports but the garages that they wanted it has
everything that they asked for and that still not good enough why so you pretty much said it they don't want to be there because they don't want to be by the sheriff's
department so therefore in another meeting that I watched on the sidelines Chief kosic said relationships have been strained so really the bottom line is they don't want to be there because they don't want to be by the sheriff's department they want to as far away as
possible so therefore the taxpayers have to pay for that they are separated by the courthouse that's not good enough that's not good enough there's a building with already secure doors and windows all the things have been fixed
there's enough square footage the 10,000 that they asked for the training room that they asked for and that's not good enough but us taxpayers have to pay more money Miss Benedicts do you have an Ask of the
council yes why is that not good enough why do we have to pay more money it's a completely good building that's already sitting there that taxpayers are already paying for we already are going to have to pay utilities this winter when it's sitting
empty so why is that not good enough it's already been fixed all the problems have already been fixed fixed why is that not good enough it has everything that the police department asked for I watched all the meetings they were given everything that
they were they asked for everything that they asked for they were given I would recommend uh to reach out to your counselors thank you thank you is there any more comment at this time Mr
Davis my name is Glenn Davis 1702 15th Avenue International Falls excuse the voice I fight little sinus cold um I am also in agreement my wife and I of uh reconsidering this I believe it was helpful for the chief to explain that no
expenditures have been made and um an analysis will be done so I would ask the council if they would re-evaluate the situation once a more firm number is in on the cost it would take to redo the
kutasa building maybe that is the best option maybe it is not there were some other information presented this evening that was very helpful to me in understanding the situation but if they come back and give a cost analysis
of the long-term costs of each I believe there was three options presented on this and maybe you counselor had others that's not our presentation no I no I realize it's not yours it's not you are correct that's what we're waiting for a more concrete number no doubt about it
no Money's been spent we don't plan on spend any exactly what you said I agree with you 100% right this was from a a a citizen that brought this up so I'm not referencing that as yours I'm just is asking that when that analysis is done
will you re-evaluate the total cost package yes with the other options the empty buildings cost the windows Etc that is my request as a taxpaying citizen to before going forward with the
expenditure of money re-evaluate it um maybe it would be helpful if you presented to us a column like an Excel spread sheet it showed the cost I believe was it you that did a analysis of City cost no um I'm a lawyer I don't
do ma no who good answer I don't do ma that was the January meeting I believe but it wasn't I believe it was the January meeting that was a good analysis of the city expenses of the last year could that be
done for this each column break down the uh total cost long-term cost immediate costs and give us something to look at of more hard numbers that could be more logically evaluated I I think that the city
irregardless of of what happens in the future has that fiduciary responsibility and I'm looking at Miss rud and I have complete trust in her ability and as the mayor uh and having the agenda that's
certainly something before any more significant votes are taken that I would ask for um going forward that we know where we're at with this project the council as a whole can vote any way that it that it wishes but at the very least
the information should and I would ask be presented to the public thank you and that would help us to understand if this is going to be a long-term a very expensive project could it be reconsidered is there better options but thank you
for your time I appreciate your consideration of it thank you is there any other discussion or business before the council at this time can I quickly come up please I just think it's really important to make some clarification
points I just had to kind of pull the minutes just to make sure that I I was remembering the meeting correctly so just to kind of refresh the public that the the motion that was approved at the last meeting was to move forward with kuss Anderson for renovation of the kutasa building for the police
department for design and construction services we have not let bids this is a a step this is one step of many steps that all come to council that are all made in motions in public meetings at
which you can make public comment um this is one of many so we have underwent our space need study with both uh I believe it's BK G group as well as Krauss Anderson um we've scaled back scope we've asked um staff to look at
scope that is actually how we got to the $1.6 million um amount that is not based on staff doing work I think that's been kind of a somewhat misconception um the comment that I think was intended to be made or interpreted was that we could
potentially lower that $1.6 Million by utilizing City staff to do some not all some work on the project um but again I think that would be somewhat minimal work um whether it be demolition or some electrical work um by some of our our
bargaining members um that are staff and um so we are working collectively with Krauss Anderson as well as Northland Securities in order to minimize the financial impact on taxpayers we are all looking at this
very closely um and then as it relates to some comments that were made as it relates to the LEC building sitting empty just from a Outsider perspective I have very little concerns about that building sitting empty because we know
for a fact that there are departments over at the county that are needing to utilize some of that space if we do not occupy that space so um I I believe that they will be able to fill that space one way or another um however you know I I do believe yes it's
important that that space is filled um but I don't believe that if the city doesn't fill it that it will not be filled in some form or fashion um but yes I think points that were made by Mr Davis and others that yes the public needs a
proper representation of both the scope and the entirety of the project as well as the cost of the project and the impact on taxpayers I don't think anyone here is disputing that um so I just think that making that very aware that
we have every intention of making sure that you're aware of the financial impact but this is a somewhat phased approach this is this is not you know one meeting one meeting doesn't mean that you know the police department's moving tomorrow so um I think you know I
think that just needed to be somewhat said and clarified from at least a staff perspective watching so that was excellent em thank you thank you [Applause] Emma with that being said we have some
reminders we have a Housing Development open house March 6th is that Thursday that's Thursday Thursday 6 this Thursday 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. we also have an open house for the water treatment plant Rehabilitation
project which is mar March 13th I don't know what day that is from that Thursday a week from next Thursday from 5: to 7:00 p.m. and last but not least next regular city council meeting Monday
March 17th 2025 at 5:30 uh p.m. with that being said this me I think it's worth noting that the water treatment plan meeting is here not at the plant because I think that could been inter thank you Emma both meetings uh will be
here in the council chambers with that being said uh this meeting is adjourned