I'll call this meeting of the International Falls City Council to order. It's Monday, October 6th, 2025 at 5:30. Please rise and we'll 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. Councelor Buller is absent this evening.
All other members present to approve the agenda. Are there any additions or deletions? If there isn't, I would entertain a motion to approve. I'll move. Thank you. Councelor Kaylor. Second. Councelor Wagner with a second.
Any discussion? Call the question. I I all vote yes. Agenda is approved unanimously. Thank you. Next, approval of minutes from previous meetings. First, the minutes of the Monday,
September 15th public hearing on 5th Avenue West. Second, minutes of the Monday, September 15th regular city council meeting. Third and last minutes of the Monday,
September 22nd special city council meeting. I would entertain a motion to approve them unanimously. So moved. Thank you, Councelor Wagner. Second. Thank you, Councelor Holden. Is there
discussion on approval of the minutes? Question. I I I I'll vote yes. Minutes from previous meetings are approved unanimously. Thank you. Next, payments of claims and approval for payment of accounts
payable. First, transfers. City of International Falls transfers to the general fund from the lodging tax fund. $1,22649. Moving on to accounts payable and claims. City of International Falls
claims $842,468.95. Airport Commission claims $42,810.3. Airport major capital project claims $698,688. Airport major capital project claims $689,36561. Total accounts payable in claims
2,273,33259. Is there a motion to approve payment to transfers and claims? I'll make that motion. Thank you, councelor Holden. Second. Thank you, Councelor Wgner. Is there discussion on the transfers and payments of claims? Question.
I I I. I'll vote yes. The bills are paid unanimously. Thank you. Next on this evening's agenda is audience open form. The opportunity to come forward and discuss with the council.
We would ask for your name and address for the record and um please limit to five minutes. Thank you, sir. Lawrence Micas, 9018th Street. I'd like to uh talk about the uh city of
international falls public works department snow and ice control policy. I had sent uh pictures, emails to everybody last winter
and uh I had hoped to maybe get some resolution towards maybe looking at this policy again. And I had asked if any of you guys were affected by this, if anybody in the city government was affected by it, if you gentlemen had
been the ones that voted on this. Because looking at the way this thing is written, I was told about a time that International Falls had 88 inches of snow. And I think that this ordinance is kind of like written around that.
Now, I have a corner house, 165 ft of city sidewalk. I have a front sidewalk. I have a front porch, a back porch, two sets of stairs, a driveway,
and the alley that I shovel. Now, 6 to 8 in of mother nature's snow falls. A lot of times, it's nice and light, easy to move. The plow comes by, sees a clean sidewalk,
figures it's fresh dumping ground to scrape the street back down to the asphalt. I turn around after finishing shoveling, and I've got ice bricks, ice boulders, probably 10 times as heavy
and twice the accumulation of what I just spent two to three hours shoveling. And with this way this ordinance is written, it's like my responsibility there. There was times I shoveled three times because the plow came by. Couple
hours later, the plow comes by again. And my personal opinion is if they just go a little slower, they can easily just push the stuff to the side and I wouldn't have to go through all this extra work. Like in my opinion, I shovel six to
eight inches of snow, get a nice clean sidewalk. I've done my responsibility to my fellow citizens and to the city. To have to do it another two to three times because the plow is trying to get the street down back down to asphalt makes
no sense to me. I see I've had citizens thank me for shoveling the sidewalk. I see people walking on the street, which I can't see how that's safe. And just that the fact that it it says I have 48
hours to clean the sidewalk or it's like I'm guilty of something and just the whole thing just needs to be re relooked at some more thought put into it because it's just it's just not right the way it is. And I I can't believe you know I does
does anybody live on a corner lot adjacent to a to an avenue? You know, I can't believe that I'm the only one in the city that that is bothered by this. Just seems very disrespectful to to do
to a citizen. Thank you. And we have discussed this last winter with Mr. Wallace. I just want to make sure. Are you be My understanding was that you weren't being threatened to do so.
I wasn't what that we weren't necessarily enforcing the ordinance either. We want to thank you for all that you do keeping the sidewalk. Well, that's the thing. If if we're not enforcing the ordinance, that's the part that probably bothers me more than
anything. If we're not enforcing it, then take it off the books and then I don't feel guilty not cleaning the sidewalk because what what if what if I don't clean the sidewalk, somebody comes onto the the sidewalk and trips and breaks their leg and decides that, oh, it's an opportunity to sue me because I
didn't clean the sidewalk. If it's not enforced, it shouldn't be on the books or rewritten or something. Duly noted. And I I want to add one more thing. Not I'm not uh I'm not being contentious because I'm the newest one
here. I know in public's I know that Bolton and Mink has some type of a control plan for the sidewalks. And I I have it in my office on a big sheet. And one of the difficulties in
the community with some of these things is the age of different segments. um like just behind us, Fifth, Six, 7th Street, I've seen instances where the sidewalk is in front of the garage door
and so that presents its own set of circumstances. So, um we certainly be willing to discuss it with you. I know that um Director Wallace would be happy to continue discussing it. Well, that's that's one of the things, too, that it
was it was suggested to me one time that I wait until after the plow comes by and then shovel. So, you got six inches of mother nature's snow. You got the plow comes by, that'll dump dump icebergs and ice bricks and snow boulders on top of
that. So, now you've got at least twice the height, probably 10 times the weight that you're trying to move. But the fact that it's it's like this repetitive thing where this the plow sees a clean sidewalk and figures that's a place where they can dump some more. It just
doesn't it just doesn't seem right. So I know you helped me, you know, before at the end of the year and it seemed like it got a little better because the the plow seemed to to slow down and I see the plow go by when it's going slower and it push it pushes the
snow up against the pile that's that's adjacent to the sidewalk. Thank you, sir. But when they, you know, when they they feel the need to maybe go a little faster than they they they need to, then it's a different story. I' I've had bricks hitting my house, snow
bricks. What's going to happen when they start breaking the windows? Thank you. Thank you. have more time for public comments after you talk about the ambulance or should I approach now? There's an opportunity now or at the end
whichever you would prefer. Maybe it'll give you something to discuss when you get to talking about the ambulance. Please. And um if someone would keep time, not because you're up here, Mrs. tweet just out of um keeping the same
stand tweet 3001 County Road 2 North International. Well, I live in the county. I'm wondering if you've made any headway with contacting a private entity such as North Memorial to take over our
ambulance service. Has anybody has that happened? Um do they have interest in in exploring that possibility. Very interested for a fee of their a
subsidy of their desire. Okay. Another thing um I'm I've been made aware of is that the EMT class is going to start October 13th and evidently 10 people have signed up for it. Four of which are from Little Fork
and intend to work for the Little Fork Ambulance Service when they complete the course. Uh currently, as most of you know, my son is one of your paramedics and he works 4 days a week and um probably
three of those four days he works an extra minimum of six hours back filling for the EMTs that are currently trained that don't come to work. He's doing that this evening. He'll work till midnight from 6:00 this morning.
Sometimes it's a full shift. I mean, I don't understand how you think you can run the ambulance service on a basic life support basis when you can't get the 22 EMTs
that are on the books right now to come into work and fill these shifts. It just it's not logical to me. I know what he's doing every time he works and what he has to do and I'm sure his co-workers are doing similarly.
Um he said it's at least one shift a week and a minimum of six extra hours for for each medic and and sometimes more. So I you know and and the EMT course will go on till the end of February. So
I guess I'm wondering if you have to change your motion, Mr. Kaylor to, you know, not end the ALS necessarily at December 31st when the potentially new EMTs won't even be done until the end of February.
I uh mine my my motion wasn't to end ALS. It was to come to a decision of what we're going to do. Okay. One way or the other. Okay. So, yes. and and that's what they're working on now from the mayor and councelor Holden.
Okay. I would like to thank you for coming up and pointing out the things that you've pointed out. Um well, you know, you if you spent some time go down and talk to these guys, the men
and women that are in that department. I mean, they make it seem like it's running smoothly, but at whose expense? I mean, they're putting in a lot of hours. And um who's to say those of those 10
people, the six new EMTs they train will sign on and be willing to work. I mean, I don't know why there's so many of them that don't don't Why take the training? they have to pay for it if if they're
not going to work for the city. I I just don't understand. Yeah. And I want to thank your son too, Mr. Tweet, um for for his service. Um I want to be careful though. I I'm going to You asked Mr. Kaylor about what his
position was. Um if we I'll be very clear about it. If we do not get a joint powers taxing district for the 989 square mile area, uh my vote is to end ALS. Um the other thing that I find
interesting that you've touched on is the staffing problem that you're pointing out. How are we going to staff the ambulance? That's a problem that has existed in many towns before it turned in to a money problem.
So, it almost seems like this has come backwards um in the sense of how it has occurred. Like I keep going back to Nashwalk and I know that I'm looking at counselor Kaylor because I know he drove to the meetings when that happened. Uh we know what
happened there. We know what it cost. I was just out in Birchdale today and heard from many citizens who lived out there how important they thought ALS was. So the nature of what the council
does um I genuinely believe is to have an ambulance to have the service that we know to have it staffed. It's just that we can't pay for it unless we have help. Well, I I hope that happens. I mean,
I mean, it's ridiculous for any of us that don't live in the city to expect a service like that for nothing. It's totally ridiculous. You don't you don't get your cell phone service for nothing. I mean, I don't get it.
Um, yeah. And another thing, I don't know that this mailer that came from Grant House Child's office, did you all get that? Are you kidding? Big time. I thought it was fairly interesting that in here it says that in 2024, International Falls
Ambulance got 27 almost $28,000. In 2023, we got $251,000 from the state. And according to the county board members that I've talked to, they gave the city $125,000
toward the purchase of ambulances in 2023. I mean, that's a lot of money. Has it been earmarked for ambulances? Where is it? Is it in a fund that's going to pay for this new ambulance that's being delivered in March or
Mrs. Tweet? Um, to the council, are you amendable to allowing to go over the five minutes? Um, yeah. to answer your your question is what's happening there is that when we operate the ambulance service in in
the deficit without covering that shortfall on the front end it doesn't really matter but is what happens is there becomes a loan to that fund from the general fund and that theoretically grows and grows and grows
to about 2.1 million today rough numbers not an exact amount. If you came forward and said, "I'd like to give um the city $100,000 to buy an ambulance."
That $100,000 gets applied to the ambulance debt and the money goes back to the general fund. The money was never there to begin with. It's an equation of changing the level of debt. Then when the money goes back to the general fund
and we have a year where we don't have a surplus and our expenses exceed revenues, our reserves in the general fund go down. So it's talked about a lot. Um but it's an interesting accounting equation
to comprehend. But yes, those public dollars to help ambulance funds the city has been receiving, I'm sure, in the amount that you've pointed out. Mhm. Well, I know that the county board approached Rainineer. I was at the
meeting to get a taxing district to help fund equipment. Okay. So if our taxing district is designated for funding equipment and yet you're going to continue this way of bookkeeping and it's just all going to
go into the general fund to offset the debt. Uh how are you ever going to pay for an ambulance if if that money isn't getting earmarked for it and if that's how they
set up their taxing district? That's a lot confusing to me. Um, I would say this that if there was a taxing district proposed as such, the city council would have to agree to
that. Okay. I'm not going to speak on their behalf. I'm not sure that I support that. Mhm. Not only that, um the OEM is ultimately going to decide who holds the ambulatory service
certificate. And I believe that when administrator Bergstrom and um Chief Manassa went through that process some time ago, say three or four years ago, um that the way that the district is created,
that wouldn't there's an the the person who holds my understanding is that the person who holds the certificate or the municipality also must be in the district in the taxing district. So whether that holds muster or not, I
don't think we can answer so yet. So everyone would have to agree to how the taxing district, you know, is spent, the money is spent basically to simplify it. Is that what you're saying? I mean,
you know, if the county wanted it to go toward equipment and the city of Reineer wanted it to go toward equipment, you would have to agree to that and that's where it would go. And if you didn't agree to it, then the whole taxing district thing would fall
apart. If everybody agreed, you as in the city to opt into it. Okay. Um there there's some gross technicalities to all of this and that's I think what's made it
so difficult. It wasn't that long ago that this was pretty close to being over the finish line. Yeah. Um in its entirety um so it's it's difficult. Mhm. But um and and very technical. And
I think that the the downside or the downfall to this that I want to communicate is that most people that we hear from just want to know that there's an ambulance service and that they're willing to pay for it. And we have people working extra hours and whatever they can do to provide the
service that we have. So, and I I still believe that a public meeting for people to get informed. I I talked to lots of people about this is my thing and you know they they have no idea of the fine details of all this and
how much it costs and and any of it. I mean, they need to be made aware that it, you know, you just don't call 911 and magically the, you know, it costs and and I don't know. I just think a public meeting again. I know that
happened in 2023. Um, and give people an opportunity to hear all this before they're getting an assessment on their taxes. Explain it that it's, you know, why they're doing we're doing it. We
need it. But anyway, I'll stop talking. Thank you. Please. Nancy M. I'm half 3393rd Street. Um, I hadn't planned to address the council, but as we were as long as we're talking about snow and winter, um, I'm
wondering, could you guys talk to Mike Wallace about the Main Street plowing situation? I I know, mayor, that you and I talked a little bit last winter about it, but it's I mean, I don't want to criticize those guys because I think they do a really good job, but there's
an issue on Main Street in the mornings. I know they go out really early and they plow, but if it's a heavy snowfall, they don't clear it off along the sides of the road. And so for a whole day, people can't park because they can't get
or, you know, a lot of people can't get over the hump from the curb to the sidewalk. Um, I want to, you know, it's not that busy like right away in the mornings. So even if they could just
take a second swipe to, you know, a quick second swipe to clear what they pushed against the curb, that would be great. So, there's probably not very many cars parked there even after
9:00 that they probably would be able to swing in and clean up most of that before the day gets going if they could kind of figure out a time frame how it works with their schedule. And like the main thing for me and probably other
businesses is the month of December. Like the month of December can be make or break it for a lot of us retailers. And if you have a day or two because of heavy it could be five or six days if it's a snowy month where people aren't
going to come up town and shop because they can't walk over the curb to get, you know, onto the sidewalk and into a store. That's a big deal financially for us. That's December's a critical month.
So, I'm just going to ask that if you're going to talk about this other situation with this the plowing and stuff too. Um, if maybe they can figure out a way to make that happen. I don't know.
Sometimes there's a a pile in the middle of the road, but not all the time. So, I don't know. I didn't notice that as much this year or on the ends except for huge huge snowfalls. But if there's just some way that instead of leaving that stuff
piled up by the curb where people can't park um or walk over it, if there's a way if they start a little earlier in the morning or just take a look and see if there's not a whole bunch of cars parked on either side, I'm sure they can
kind of if someone's parked, they might get plowed in. I don't know. But if there's a way to kind of scrape up as much as they can after that first run through, I would appreciate it and I'm sure many other retailers would too. It just makes it
kind of dangerous. It's It's besides the lack of business, it's also a dangerous thing. I see little old people trying to step over that big hump to to just to get into a building and that's not very safe. So, so if there's a discussion
that you can have with Mike or whoever public works, I'd really appreciate it. We're on it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. At this time, we will move on knowing that there is another opportunity towards the end of the meeting.
We do have an item on the consent agenda this evening. Requires a unanimous vote to approve. And while I smile, no discussion. To approve, allow necessary expenses
for the mayor and city councilors andor administrator to attend the coalition of greater Minnesota cities fall conference in Grand Rapids, November 13th, 14th, 2025. Is there a motion to approve?
I'll move. Second. Thank you, councilors Kaylor and Wagner. And the question I I I vote yes. Consent agenda is approved unanimously. Thank you. Next, we move to
new business. Acknowledge receipt of charter commission's approval of the form and substance of the proposed amendment to the home rule charter to impose levy limits.
[Applause] This is a council action to acknowledge receipt. Is there an update um on this item where it's at? Obviously, the council's
going to move to acknowledge, but whether it's sufficient or please. Okay. Thank you. I don't have sufficiency as of yet, mayor. Um officially, we just received it on Thursday. the email that uh you and myself received from the chair of the charter commission uh indicated that
as you said there that the charter commission approved form and substance. Therefore, they forwarded to us as a city to then determine sufficiency of the petition itself um as per that state statute 410.12.
And I'm currently working with the um county uh auditor treasurer's office. They are the election authority along with secretary of state and the city attorney with any questions I have as we confirm that and I'm very close to having a final for that. I have 10 days
from uh last Thursday and I will have that probably hopefully tomorrow I will have that letter prepared and ready for that cit that five member citizen group. Wonderful. Yeah. Thank you for the update. Is there a motion to acknowledge receipt
of the form and substance? I'll move. Thank you, Councelor Kaylor. Is there a second? Motion dies of lack of support. Um, mayor, if I may, please. Um, I have looked up, um, some of the statute on this. Um,
certainly, you don't necessarily have to acknowledge receipt, but the city council can't permit it to going to a vote if sufficiency is determined. So, I just want a heads up there that whether it's acknowledged or not, that wouldn't change the outcome.
Statutoily, we can't deny the city council can't deny sending it to a vote as long as sufficiency is determined, even if acknowledgement isn't received. Thank you um for getting that on to the record. That's um
I believe uh I don't have my mayor's handbook. I believe that I could second a motion. You can um I it's not something that I would generally look to do and the motion has died. At this point, we will move on to the
second item of new business, which is public safety committee meeting recommendations to discuss, excuse me, to discuss suspension of calendar parking for Zion Lutheran Church each Sunday from 9:00
a.m. to noon. And I believe Mr. Peterson is here to discuss. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Uh last winter we were approved for a
90. you what you have there is just to kind of refresh your memory of what blocks we're talking about here. And we're only talking two and that is the south side of the street on six and the west side on six. Just those two, that's
all. And we were approved, I believe, for a 90-day permit to park on both sides of that area during church service only, not during weddings, journals, or any other time to my knowledge. And we
had uh discussion both with the police department, fire department. They shared their concerns and that was taken into consideration before it was approved. To my knowledge, there's been absolutely no
issues whatsoever that I'm aware of. I I would like it permanent, but possibly I don't know if you could put something in there to resend it if there's some big issue that comes up over whatever that's, you know, changes it. But we
have, to my knowledge, we've had zero complaints on it. Zero. That's pretty easy. Well, thank you. Um, first of all, Chief Manassa, do you have comments or concerns on this issue as it
probably directly affects you and Chief Kick? Uh, I believe my comments are included in the packet. Uh, I guess Germaine to Zion Lutheran Church, I don't have any any problems direct with that location. my my concerns are more overall
overarching with calendar parking and the suspension of so part of the reason calendar parking is in place is also so that emergency vehicles can access a building while it's in use as well. So we've had other situations where we've relaxed or rescended calendar parking
for various reasons and um again to Mr. Peterson's point, we have not had an issue at that building, but we have in other instances. Thank you. And I guess consistency is all I'm sure. Thank you, Chief. Chief Costic, do you
have um concerns? I would just echo that being consistent and partial for and also if we do this, maybe considering temporarily lifting it from 9 the entire city and see what impact that has. I
don't agree with just not enforcing one portion. Naturally, everyone's going to wonder why we're writing in one area and not the other. So, we do that with the PCA counter parking as well. And like like was brought up, if we have an issue, we can always address it at another
meeting. What other problems have Thank you, Chief. Florida's open for discussion. Please, Council W. Uh, I I agree with both of our chiefs. Either we have calendar parking or we don't. We can't keep we can't keep doing
these um individual exceptions. Um, it's it's not it's not going to work. Um, it creates a lot of problems for Chief Kosik. I know. So, um, that's just my feelings.
I agree with that. Thank you. I would be immenable to to keep it consistent and hope you'll do that to suspend it from 9 to 3 every Sunday. That uh I'm that's where my mind is
going. One is I'm hesitant to do anything permanently um because that goes that opens a whole another set of circumstances. Um I stepping way outside of my realm, but I
think that whether it's church um activities or other things that people do and enjoy in our community that we don't want to hesitate them from doing such but how can we be consistent
um or 9 to noon whatever the time I don't think it was 9 to you know because I work for the county and So, the city kind of has created its own issues and and I deal with that a lot where you have commercial and
residential areas, residential and commercial, churches with no parking, churches with a lot of parking, businesses with no parking, you know what I mean? And it was been allowed and now you're coming around to when the the
calendar parking is very very important. I I support that 100%. I really do. But I think also you have to take into consideration special circumstances. We do that all the time. I mean, you can, you know, lay down something, but
it doesn't always fit everything 100%. You make exceptions as long as safety is concerned. And you know, the safety you talk about is uh you know, whether it be fire department, city, whatever.
If if you're going to talk safety, you think about, you know, the people going to church that are very elderly that have to walk in considerable distance on ice and snow because they can't park right in front of the church. That really makes no sense to me. I can
understand if you prohibit overnight parking, all the kinds of parking, if you got funerals, weddings, all that kind of stuff. We're asking for what, two and a half hours from 9 to noon when it's probably not,
you know, the least busiest time of the whole week. I don't know. And we've had no issues. That's a bottom line. Had no issues whatsoever. Most churches that are in town have their own parking lots from what I
can tell and and yours doesn't. No. And that was the issue when we went through this the first time and did the trial period. So not to inter but a lot of it has to do when the churches were built, right?
You know, so your point about if we did it for 9 to noon for the whole town, does that really goes back to a Chief Manassic um question, but does that really affect
that many places other than your place of worship? St. Thomas doesn't have a parking lot as far as I know. Yes, they do. by the playground. They don't use the street. Pardon?
They don't use the street. I'm sorry. No. St. Thomas does use the street as well. Yes. Yeah. So, it could benefit their needs as well if we did a a
blanket. Um, you're talking about doing a blanket threehour period for around the hole. That's what councelor Kaylor suggested. Yeah.
What do you think? No, but that's just me. Yeah, please. Chief Kic, I would, you know, alleviate your concerns. maybe a temporary one just to study the
effects for a few months of just putting on the 9 to 12 for the city. I I completely agree with with the concerns for the elderly. I just I want to extend it to the whole city for that period and just not write down parking for that period. Now, if we run into issues, I can bring
them forward to the council at the public safety committee. Yeah, we can reproach the issue. Yeah. Why don't we I just think my concern is being fair and consistent with the whole community and the same. Why don't we try it temporary 9 to 12
citywide? Citywide. Is that a motion? That's a motion. Thank you. Second. And a second by councelor Kaylor. What was the motion now? To do a temporary
suspension so we can look at it after so many months to see how it works. From 9 to from 9 to 12. Yeah. Through the whole city. I I have no problem with that. I mean, that's what you do. That would keep things consistent for
you as such. Now, is the council amendable to those motions until revoked by the council? Because I don't believe there was a sunset day put on it. Yeah. I have a question, please. Are we just doing Sunday or every day? Sunday. Sunday.
That's a good question. Okay. It is. Are we doing Sunday or we don't know? Um let's go with Sunday. I I would agree with that that Sunday. This was brought forth as a church Yeah. discussion, right?
Um during that time, right? And one question, you want it in place unless revoked. Unless temporary by the council, right? Till if it's rebuilt. Yep. bus.
I thought it was a study. So, do we have a sunset on? Yeah, we should. How about How about And how long do we I I mean, how many months? How How long do you want to ask Chief K? Chief, how what period of time would you like to study this issue?
Let's do three months. Three months. I was going to say end of the year. Okay, I'll add that. 90 days. Three months. 90 days. And our both motion makers amendable. Thank you.
Is there discussion or do any of uh does anyone need clarification who's taking minutes? Thank you. Got it. No more discussion or discussion. Question. I I
I vote yes. Motion carries 40. Thank you, Mr. President. Start to 90 days November 1st. Got it. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next, we will move to item three on new
business, which is to acknowledge the resignation of Aiden Litin, patrol officer, effective October 3rd, 2025. would like to thank him for his service to our department.
Is there a motion to acknowledge this resignation? I'll move. Thank you, councelor Kaylor. Second. Thank you, councelor. There is there discussion. He was a quiet neighbor. I can tell you
that. Question. I I I I'll vote yes. Acknowledgement is confirmed unanimously. Thank you. Item four, acknowledge resignation of Todd Ogula, information systems
administrator, effective October 22nd, 2025 and move discussion of replacement to the October 13, 2025 committee of the whole meeting. I'd like to thank Mr. Ogula for his service to
our community as well. Is there a motion to acknowledge this resignation? Well, before we make the motion, I worked with Todd here um the IT uh visiting different things and I think he
did a great job. I want him to know that. Uh we all have our reasons for whatever if we decide to move on. Um but I want to let the people know that Todd did an excellent job. um whenever there was a
problem with anything to do with our IT system, he was right there to work on it and he did a good job. So, I want him to know that. Um I just soon have him stay. But, uh it is what it is, right?
Yeah. So, um anyways, that's about what I got to say. So, thank you, Councelor Holden. I would concur with councelor Holden's comments that Yes. Thank him for all the help he did. Motion to accept the reg.
Thank you. Councelor Wagner. Second. Second on the floor by councelor Kaylor. More discussion. Question. I I I'll vote yes. Motion of acknowledgement is approved unanimously. Thank you. Item
five, approve renewal of 2026 dental plan that covers retirees and hourly library employees. Some very simple changes in the renewal rate per person per month of about $2
to5 um per month. Mrs. Stenland, do you have any comments or concerns? The only thing I would add to that is a lot of that is they don't, which means um the retirees are paying for that on their own. So the cost to the city
really is um $67 per month or $85 per year. Understood. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? I'll make Go ahead. Go ahead. I'll make that motion. Thank you, Council. Second, Council Holden.
That's what I get for being nice. Councelor Wagner. Discussion and the question. I I I vote yes. Dental plan is approved unanimously. Thank you.
Consider a resolution declaring adequacy of petition and ordering preparation of feasibility study for batuminous paving of 6th Avenue West between 17th Street
and 18th Street. Mayor, if I may, please. For clarification, um, thank you. One of the residents there pointed out I do have a typo on the resolution. It should be between 17th Street and 19th Street. It is the It encompasses the 1700 block
and the 1800 block which was in the documentation attached, but it should say 19th Street on the resolution. Understood. And it would be understood now what the motion would be if there is one by council. Thank you.
And just because of the way some of these things work, could either you or Jason explain what's actually going on here so that everyone watching from afar or here
tonight understands the process. So, mayor and councel, the citizens have the right to petition and go to their neighbors and ask them to assist in paying for improvements in their area. They need to um in the documentation
attached in the packet have at least 35% of the property owners of the footage. You're using the front footage of the area in which they want improved. So 35% of the people um need to uh have a a yes
vote and sign the petition to move this to the city council for consideration. Um the petition was presented to me. I I then gave it to our engineer. He has uh confirmed that it does meet that 35% uh
requirement of the of the um residents in the area and that then it would come to you as the council to approve the um the accuracy of the 35% and then order um the Boltman, our engineering firm to
then move forward with the feasibility. um that feasibility is something that the city pays for. The residents would only pay for the improvement itself. So, as per statute, the the council does not have to, you know, technically move forward. You're not required to do so,
but it is part of the process in you know, having citizens um come forward with a petition for improvement of their a street that's adjacent to them. Thank you. is um because these are things consistent with all communities and
people generally wanting to improve their residences. Do we have a cost on the feasibility or an estimate? No, that's what we are moving forward today is with this resolution would be um approving and to prepare that
feasibility study for our review. Yes, understood. Correct. Thank you. Questions from council. I would entertain a motion to um approve this resolution declaring
adequacy of the petition and authorize feasibility study. I'll make that motion. Thank you, Councelor Holden. I'll second. Thank you, Councelor Kaylor. Is there discussion?
question. I I I'll vote yes. Adequacy is determined unanimously. Thank you. It's that time of year as we move to item seven,
which is to adopt a council resolution approving delinquent water and sewer accounts to be certified to the county auditor treasurer in which at that point, if I am correct,
will then be assessed to property taxes. And this time of year, we go through several of these, usually over several meetings. If there's not questions, I would entertain a motion um to approve these delinquencies and getting them to the county.
I'll make that motion. Second. Thank you. Councilors Holden and Wgner. Is there discussion? Question. I I I vote yes. Motion carries 40. Thank you. Number eight
to adopt a resolution approving delinquent grass and blight invoices to be certified to the county. Motion to approve. Thank you, Councelor Wagner. Second. Thank you, Councelor Holden. Is there discussion?
Question. I I vote yes. Delinquent grass and blight can be sent to the county and approved unanimously. Nine. Adopt a resolution approving delinquent rental license invoices to be
certified to the county auditor and treasurer. Is there a motion to do so? Keep rolling, boys. So move. Thank you, councelor Wgner. I'll second. Thank you, councelor Kaylor with a second. Is there discussion?
Vote to approve. Question. I I I vote yes. approved unanimously for delinquent rental license invoices to be certified by the county. Thank you. 10. Adopt resolution approving delinquent building permit invoices to be certified
to the county. Is there a motion to approve? I'll make a motion by councelor Holden. Second by councelor Wagner. Is there discussion? Question. I I I. Oh yes. Motion carries unanimously. 40.
Thank you. Item 11, a resolution approving delinquent garbage accounts to be certified to the county auditor treasurer. Is there a motion to approve? I'll move. Thank you, Councelor Kaylor.
Second. Thank you, Councelor Wagner. Quite a string of them. Question. I I I vote yes. 11 is approved unanimously. Thank you. Okay, I'll catch my breath.
Next on new business for this evening's council meeting. Discuss International Falls Ambulance Service. We are continuing discussions. Um we some of the discussion happened um already when
Mrs. tweet came forward and information was shared. I am working and I'm going to be reaching out um to administrator Bergstrom, to councelor Holden, and to Lois in the audience to have a roundt
at Bakus with all parties um that are interested um in the creation of a taxing district or supporting this service. um will take a little bit of figuring out but hopefully within uh the next two
weeks or less because the clock is ticking on this. The county um irregardless of the outcome they've been to Reineer there's discussions happening behind the scenes but at the end of the day we know where the service is at.
It's a good service. There's support for the service. Um, we have to get our everyone on board. [Music] Agree. Thank you, Councelor Kaylor.
We'll move on at this time to other business. um had the opportunity at 4 pm to travel west to Birchdale where a new state wildlife management
area was named in honor of Senator Bob Lassard and our late mayor, Mayor Anderson was well attended um and a very very nice wellthoughtout event.
Um, also would like to point out that the state bonding tour is underway, began today in which the house bonding tour is touring the state. um looking at some projects
that are new and they will be I believe in Elely on Wednesday night um for cities, counties and other entities to plead their case for funds for uh whatever capital projects we may have.
At this point, unless there is discussion or from council, anything we can move back to audience open form, which would be the same opportunity as what we had earlier in the meeting.
Please, Councelor Wagner, uh, do you know if we'll get a chance to talk to the bonding group or any you anybody? Yes, I am planning on attending. Okay. You're going to elite. Yes. Okay. That's 6 pm at Vermillion
Community College. Thank you. You're welcome. [Music] Open, please. Come on up, sir. It says reports of all boards, committees, and that. Then you went to open form.
We typically don't read them. They are available. Um, welcome. They're not passed down in here. I guess my name's Russ Nagel 61 Street. Please, for your information, um, we email out the packets and I can't speak for this evening, but normally there's a
box with full packets at the door. I think that someone may be Yeah. going to grab one for you or or find one. Thank you. Okay. I thought we were supposed to be
saving money for the city. So now we're approving the city administrator and the mayor to go to a party in Grand Rapids, the coalition of cities. We're supposed to be saving money. So how much is that going to cost the city? just sn
well I'm not going Russ so I'll save you some money okay I'm going deer hunting okay just to let you know I just want I'm just looking at your agenda and what some things that I'm tal that's some you know something concern me that's something that the city does they
send people to get informed and that's one of the ways they do it um in snow plowing issue So, don't we have a snow plow or snow plow machine that is a snowblower that
runs in the city on the streets? Yeah. Yeah. You mean the big one? They they take up the that that they So, why can't they take the stuff off the edge of the streets downtown at the same time? I I don't think they can get that close
to the sidewalks with that thing. That's why they wind row it down the middle. You got to have a truck coming on this side and the blower going down the window. Excuse me. I'm sure you've already I saw you taking notes at that. We'll be
talking about that at the public works, the snow removal committee. We we will be and I know that Mr. Wallace will be very receptive. Yeah. Um he always try to do what he can. Mrs. Zimhof is not the only one um that
has brought this up of the business owners on Main Street. So, and the other issue is we have a sweeper that they sweep the sidewalks out here. I would like the snow plow sweeper to sweep
every al or um sidewalk in the city, not just the front of the building here. that would eliminate his problem of getting um snow on the sidewalk after he shelters. Why can't we have somebody in
charge of doing that? It be a a change that would be a benefit to this people in this in this city. Most of us are elderly walking and then like you said, you have to clean your own sidewalk.
What's what's it going to take? few more hours to have the city tend to the sidewalks. Yes. In those areas. Um well, we're happy to ask Mr. Wallace
about that. We I will see to it that um councelor Kaylor and I are on the public works committee where we set aside two or three hours to discuss the ins and outs of these and that if it is something attainable that the council
approved that they have the resources to do so. I know I should even say this but I'm going to so we have policemen running around all night long. Why can't they do it 20 at night when they're running around in the
on sweeper? Is it against the against the law? Is it against I mean, why can't we have them running it if we if we want to change things? We want to make things better for people. Why that they're patrolling the streets anyway, right? Supposedly.
Well, Russ, I think that the police have got enough to do with all the different things they get called on. I watch what happens in the town. All at they don't need to be running around on a snow plow. Okay. All right. Okay.
All right. It's fine. Um the other thing, dental plan for retirees. How much is the city paying for the dental plans for the retirees? If that's Did I hear that right? That's a technical question that probably if
that's something you'd like to know, I'd encourage you to make a an information request. She said something a number. She said a number like 800 something per month. It's going to be $2.50 or $5 a month.
But what is it the total after that? 6712 per month that it's increasing the cost to the city. most of the people are paying their own or it's the library folks or it's the sewer district folks. So that's what the cost is to the city.
$6712. This isn't this is my understanding. It is an agreement that the city came to many years ago with these retirees and it's something that can't be changed. I don't know if anyone else can speak to
that more than I would be able to. Thank you. And Mr. Nagel, if you would like more information, like the mayor said, a data request would probably be the best. Thank you, Sher. Um, Mr. or Councelor
Wagner, as there has been five minutes, but Mr. Nagel, I would encourage you to come forward any time or reach out. We're happy to help. Um, my last one I'm guessing is how many retirees are are getting this benefit from the city?
That's another that I just have to ask commission. Council, are you amendable to his final question? I don't I I am okay with it. I don't know the number, Russ. Oh, no. But I know what the city did a long time
ago is they stopped having insurance for the retirees. Okay. There was a time when the salary people had, but now there's none. There's nobody collecting that, Mike. Is that what you're saying? Just a few that are left that are still
alive, but when they're gone, it's all done. Okay. Okay. You I will work with you to get you an answer because in our city audit and it's something that admittedly I do not totally understand. Tonight, the city
has, I believe, what's called pension liability as most municipalities have, and I'd like to have a better understanding of that myself. Then that and I think these are no no offense, older
employees that they retired quite some time ago. And that that was like that's what I was talking about. The cut off point, right, once it was done, it used to be everybody. It was done except for what was left till they pass away. Then it's finished. It goes way back.
And that is something that the auditor watches. And in the city of Duth when Don Ness was mayor, the city of Duth took it to the state supreme court and won to reduce the
benefits to keep the town solvent. So it was interesting at the time, but thank you, Mr. Nagel, thanks. Let's see. [Music] Seeing no further
audience comment this evening, I'll move on to correspondence which is on file in our packet from the CVB meeting of June. And reminders, the next regular city
council meeting is on October 20th, which is a Monday, at 5:30 p.m. Is there anything additional to come before the council? Meeting adjourned. Thank you everyone.