##VIDEO ID:zYNyoJmHipw## Welcome to our city council meeting this meeting the city of International Falls is called to order 5:30 p.m. Monday February 3rd please join me as we say the Pledge Al to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation go indivisible withy andice for all councelor Wagner is absent tonight for roll call but is online yes I'm here thank you counselor next item approve agenda with any additions and deletions I think we've had some changes but no actual additions and or deletions with that the chairman would entertain a motion to approve tonight's agenda I'll make that motion motion by councelor Holden do we have a second I'll second second by councelor Buller discussion question I'm sorry coun it's bound to happen it used to be me and Mike but yeah off to a good start you still got them Special K bars I'm looking at yeah I hi I I agenda is approved thank you next item on the agenda is approval of minutes for three meetings minutes of Tuesday January 21st 2025 regular city council meeting I'll uh if you don't mind we'll do all three of um minutes of the Tuesday January 21st 2025 special city council meeting and minutes of the Monday January 27th 2025 special city council meeting councelor Buller would you still offer I do do we have a second second second by councilor holding discussion and question I I I I'll vote Yes limits are approved next on the agenda adoption of payments claims transfers accounts payable I will move motion by councelor Kaylor second second by counselor Holden normally I do read them off I don't know if we're required to or not under discussion I'm going to go ahead and read them transfers city of International Falls transfers fund number 101 general fund from fund a12 lodging tax fund $261 22 total transfers account claims and payable city of International Falls claims $388,900 airport commission claims $149,300 77 airport major Capital project claims $422 7.70 for a total accounts payable and claims of $542,500 we do have a motion on the floor by councelor Kaylor is there a second to approve these second May there was a update to that that I just handed did I put the wrong sheet in go any another this is where the [Applause] addition there was an addition to the accounts payable in claims to the ueo of $31,500 all other things were held constant which brings the total accounts payable and claims $573,000 paid next on the agenda is an opportunity for anyone in the audience to come forward limited to 5 minutes there will also be an opportunity uh towards the end of the meeting if anyone so chooses next on the agenda is the consent agenda to approve 2025 license renewal as presented for bake of the woods LLC with an itinerant restaurant license entertain a motion to approve is move we have a motion by councelor Buller I'll second second by counselor Kaylor any discussion question I I I I vote Yes consent agenda is approved new business get to file here we have a request from Zion Lutheran Church to consider a request to temporarily suspend calendar parking on Sunday mornings for the 500 and 600 blocks of 6th Street and 6th Avenue from 6th Street to 4th Street up for Council discussion and action and I believe that they are asking that the ordinance be temporarily suspended each Sunday morning morning from 9 to 12:00 p.m. uh for a 3-hour period in that window Mr Len Peterson is here to speak on behalf of this request as well please come forward how are you I'm doing good thank you I'm coming to you instead of you guys coming to me I have a handout I would like to have for thank you I think the reason for I'll wait till you get that and maybe the chief would like copy of uh I would like to revise the the letter we sent out we we if you look at the handout you have I won't go into a whole lot of detail why we like this it's the Aging population the kids uh which I'm part of it it's it's a real inconvenience to have to walk a ways in cold weather and icy conditions uh when a lot of your people people are handicapped and all that but what I want to stress here is when you look out the hand handout that you have the original letter is highlighted in the wet the white streaks on the handout okay that those are the blocks in the letter and when I looked at that and I got together with Joel the pastor of the church I I felt we didn't need that we didn't need that many blocks okay so what we're revising it to is what you see in red and that's just if I got this right would be the west side of the church and the south side of the church and we're not asking for funerals we're not asking for weddings we're not asking for the evening services or anything else we we're simply asking for that morning period from roughly 9 9 to 12 from my understanding kind of the two issues are one is plowing snow I don't want to say that's never an issue but it's never been an issue in the 20 years I've been here but I'm not saying a camp be okay and the other issue as I understand is maybe how the neighbors would feel and here again from when you look at the red highlighted area to my knowledge we've never had an issue with any neighbors for as long as I've been uh and so you know we have rules I know in my position when I make a decision I have to look at who it affects how it affects and you got to be careful about when you make a decision that you know if you do it for one group you got to do it for another group at the same time when people make applications I think it should rest upon their own Merit and not paint everything with one big brush and so I I feel like if we reduce it to the the the west side of the church and the south side of the church that's sufficient we don't need any more than that and I would tell you this you know if you want to put a temporary be on there for 90 days and see how it goes we have a problem with that but I think it's meritan I really it's never been an issue over the last 20 plus years has never ever been an issue that I'm aware of ever thank you are there any concerns of from Chief cck do you have anyel okay thank you um so you kind of have three different options on how you could accomplish this if you're just looking at um a truly temporary um change you can just simply make that decision publish it and say temporarily street parking won't be enforced on blah blah blah whatever it is that's on a temporary basis um if you want to you could potentially remove the whole Street and Avenue that would require resolution um and it's obviously quite a bit bigger than the red that they're asking for um and then the other option um is if they want a permanent exemption exemption just for this red we could rewrite the ordinance and accept out this block um so I mean you have those three options you could pair them and do a temporary one now while we potentially look at redoing the ordinance but you essentially have those three kind of avenues you can go down what constitutes temporary it's um whatever is reasonably temporary I mean it's it's so is this over snow mainly or is this it really is because it's when you know what I'm handicapped and when you and just to give you a little I'm on the cul of church and I'm also the financial chairman and when I went there a couple weeks ago whatever and I got a block away Park a block away and walk with a walking stick to the church and the whole block in front of the church is vacant to me that's stupid I mean it just makes no sense and I'm willing to accept whatever uh whether you want it to go temporarily to see if it works so we don't have any issues I don't have a problem with it I I just I feel the need for those two blocks to be available if if you want to try it for 90 days I don't end say problems but I don't want to create any problems either you know I I don't think it's an issue but that's just me I think we should try it for 90 days and see how it goes um have the Public Works committee kind of review it and at least you give it a try and see if it uh causes any problem probably won't but Adam do you have a question yeah just eyeballing the map and I don't know if this is true it looks like the Avenues are narrower than the streets um I guess my only concern is I have an issueing up on the street 6th Avenue got cars on both sides of theth on both sides is left in the middle the that the original yeah and you know when I looked at this the original went like a block this way and and then went to here and I didn't think there was a whole lot of parking up in that area anyway if I don't have a really problem how you think it's best if we can just get some I really don't I thought if we didn't go down here we would be messing with a whole lot of residential no and again not against it as a I mean there's never been a problem with that in the past but you never know what it can be a problem you know that I mean we're willing to work with whatever you guys feel the best for you uh you know we have a small congregation there there were a time when there was 3 400 people there it'd be like a backless Backus deal where cars all over the place so uh are you saying that's an issue but right now don't take a look at it yeah I would request just to look at it okay okay or consider that sure appreciate that so you're saying not any action right now you going to take a look at it Adam or that's up to us what do you think wal I'm for your 0or 0 90day temporary okay 90 tempor see if any issu pop up I'm okay check it out okay and if we need to change it we can change we can go ahead I think do it and that if we go look at it and there seems to be a problem and then just so know we're going to not that I have a problem with it but we're going to be maybe opening up for others to churches well and I'm I'm thinking sometimes you make a decision a problem comes up you didn't think about if make it permanent you don't have a chance to address it compl yeah I I would like maybe 120 days and then let's see how it goes and then come back and have some more input okay okay thank you we certainly my position is i' want people to feel like they can get out and enjoy what our community has to offer and can have that accessibility um so you would need a motion right to tempor if that's okay so I think we'd be looking for a motion I think 90 days was discussed on a temporary basis um that maybe we could add in it that is probably revocable by the fire marshal or some Clause anyway get need so if that sounds like something that there's support for we could entertain that y 0 or 120 would you like to do 120 days difference yeah you want to make that motion W that motion 120 days and excuse me the Fire Marshall check it out to make sure that we're I'll second the safe there okay we do have the motion with at a second any more discussion question I I I I'll vote Yes carries thank you next item consider approval of airport Consulting agreement Council action consider a motion to approve or entertain I'll make that motion second motion by councelor Holden second by councelor Buller discussion question I I I I'll abstain that passes 30 next next item on the agenda consider resolution authorizing the city administrator to file an application with the Minnesota management and budget office excuse me for a 2026 capital budget request for the water treatment plant Rehabilitation we I would like to discuss this a bit whether we lay out our MO now or later um do would you like to come up and give us a we'll put you on the spot Mr Eckland um this is a big ticket item for the community and uh just to get uh maybe a little bit of an update from the half convened legislature thank you m Mr Mayor and counselors uh half conven is right I was in front of the Senate working for another client today and getting getting some stuff done the Senate is working uh I'll bring that up here in a little bit uh currently representative scva is getting legislation drafted for this request so we have it ready to go it'll it the bill should be jacket at any time I've talked to both him and his legislative assist assistant and asked them to hold the jackets until the jackets for your for the audience's uh uh reference when you get a bill drafted you get a jacket for the House of Representatives and a jacket for the Senate and then they introduce those separately to get the legislation started to be able to pass it so I've asked her to hold the jackets let me know uh when they have them and I talked to Betty earlier this week about that and what was going on so that's uh I guess it was last week wasn't it so anyway they kind of they kind of Mel together a little bit so uh that's in the process but nothing will be introduced until the Council approves the resolution to to do that so we're at the kind of holding stage right now as far as the legislature itself goes um your this as good as mine when the House of Representatives is going to come in there's uh the Republican party has or GOP has filed another lawsuit or filed another court case with the Minnesota Supreme Court uh seeking to rule what secretary of state is doing as uh illegal or not right or something I'm not sure what what the legal terms are for that being a paper maker I don't have those things down pat um so so we're on hold there uh the special election for the House of Representatives looks like it might be March 11th that would bring it back to 6767 uh I don't know if that would provide resolution to what's going on or not so it's a it's a tough situation for us to be in as the state of Minnesota and for the legislature to be in to have one body doing work and the other one will have to play catchup uh the governor rece released a very slim down budget um overall because we have a looming deficit in uh the next bium and he also released a his his idea of a bonding Bill capital investment bill of about $850 million the good part about that for uh this project is there's a lot of uh focus on water and wastewater in in his request as far as well as uh F capital or fixing uh buildings and stuff like that that are under various agencies control so with that that's what's going on at the legislature in the thumbnail um we're busy down there uh working behalf on behalf of you I had several meetings this week just to talk things over with both Senator hostal and representive scraa as well as some of the um staff people that are involved in this process and how much is the bonding request for the bills that are being drafted or drafted I believe it's about $4.8 million okay and then one other question I want to ask is when we had Public Works committee which would have been whether it was a month ago or a week ago I don't remember but what the million dollars for Carrie Park um Ted had mentioned that that had not been spent and wasn't going to be spent um the only reason I ask is it was an inquiry verbally from both Senator hosel and representative scraba and they were also willing to roll that towards a new project and maybe that is the case but I just want to ask the question um I did not have conversation with either of them either of them about that and Betty and I have not have not had talk over with but that I have seen that done in the past um I know I think I believe and I wasn't part of getting that 1 million or 1.1 or whatever it is but I believe that was for design design and planning if I'm not mistaken so that that's a possibility we'd I'd have to check we'd have to check into what the legalities of that are but if that's possibility that's a good way to roll a million dollars off that off that project and might might make it easier to sell so so thank you um are we waiting for reimbursement on the carry Park I mean I assume we've spent some money towards carry park is there going to be any left Ted would have more specifics on that I don't have the specifics on that I it's my understanding that we haven't started the specific design and Engineering of that project and so I don't believe any of the million dollars has been spent on my understanding okay um well I the Council was told it was for Design 1 million so and Senator hild had mentioned that he thought he could go to the bonding chair and get him to roll it so I'm just I'm not trying to be difficult I just this is a big deal for us in the plant rehab um we're really going to need this money if we move forward with it so and Mr Mayor generally um when you when there's a bonding bill that's passed the money goes out in stages so it's usually a two or threee process so it's not like I mean you have time to we have time to do that and it may maybe as simple as uh amending the original Bill once it gets goes up in front of committee wonderful thank you yep one other thing if I could want here if you pass this resolution today we need to talk about when a good time to get people down there to uh start hitting the pavement and talking it over the various committee members uh I think as far as the Senate side goes we're in a good position to be able be able to hit some of those Senators right off the bat and uh and and then we'll be ready once the house does go back we'll have one side taken care of and then we'll be able concentrate on the other side so that that would just be my recommendation we can make that happen all right thank you thank you thanks Rob that being said accept a motion if the council would like to proceed I'll make that motion motion by councelor Holden I'll second second by councelor Buller discussion I don't have any question hi hi all right I'll vote Yes resolution is approved thank youdon can you check on that Rob you check on that that million dollars and see if it is possible because yeah that's more this way more important than car par project next on the agenda consider adoption of resolution approving application for exempt permit for Minnesota deer hunters Association Trails End chapter to conduct a raffle with the drawing to be held on April 11th 2025 at bakis Community Center is there a motion to make that motion I knew you would all for deer hunting anything that's got to do with it yeah do we have a second a second second by councelor Buller discussion that doesn't mean I'm not for deer honey because I make the motion or a second I want to make that clear question hi hi hi I'll vote Yes resolution is approved item number five request to purchase nine new sets to turnout gear for new firefighters would entertain a motion to approve that request for the fire department I'll move have a motion by counselor Kaylor is there a second second second by councelor Holden discussion question I I I I'll vote Yes turnout gear is approved next on the agenda consider appointment to vacant fire captain position for the international false Fire Department chief Manas is this anything you'd like to speak to being that it is uh something of thank you mayor um probably as much for clarification as anything uh this appointment was already sent to the fire Civil Service Commission um they did approve the appointment so the the appointment of the person was made by them and they did approve that why it's coming to you guys is a captain gets paid a different wage than a li firefighter so you're basically approving a change in wage for that person along with approving the appointment however the one thing I would like to say is uh the letter I included I would like to read just because uh for the person that is getting the appointment um Justin chesik is the recommendation for the captain uh I have made the again the Civil Service aware of that I'm recommending firefighter Justin chief for the position I feel Justin is a good choice and fully capable of fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of the captain position we had five excellent applicants for this position it was really a tough decision and I think all my firemen would agree that this has taken a long time to make this decision but uh it's because I had five good people to pick from so but I do think Justin will be a great choice so I would uh ask that you guys as the council also approve this Adam can you tell us how many years years he's had on the fire department do you and know uh a lot a lot that's good enough you can say say 14 but I might be off okay good that's good great I thought he already was just cuz he had a different color helmet had a couple fires I've been on so I well that's that's the indicator yeah yeah okay the mayor would entertain a motion to approve I'll make that motion motion by councelor Holden second by second councelor Buller any more discussion question hi hi hi yes we have a new captain thank you does he get one of those new license plate thingies in no un says captain on it I don't get that fancy anymore oh man he does get a nice shiny red helmet though all right next on the agenda consider hiring an EMT for the International Falls ambulance service again Chief manasa yes so we did have an applicant uh Brooklyn Tomac uh applied for an open EMT position uh we did do a um sorry she holds the proper credentials to perform the work uh she did a class that I was not familiar with so it took a little time to run that down over in wadina and figure out what they do over there but it is a nationally registered class uh she's eager and willing to do the job and I uh I think I'm I would like to appoint her pending the necessary background checks fantastic a little motion by councelor Buller to approve this hire I'll second second by councelor Kaylor discussion just that we're fortunate here like we said before the people that we have the numbers that want to be compared to some other towns that really struggle to get uh people to volunteer bmts is is this uh is this continuing on a family tradition I see the last name there yes and as a side note she's already enrolled in The Paramedic program at massabi or uh Minnesota North College in eth I guess is what it's called now but she's in The Paramedic program and enrolled with Laura down there so looking forward to seeing her complete that as well great thank you Chief thank you question all hi hi I'll vote yes thank you hiring is approved any other business this evening seeing no other business reports boards committees department heads back to open pardon I got nothing open form for the audience if anyone would like to come forward address any issues in the community or speak with us [Applause] thank you right thank you thank you [Music] [Applause] [Applause] hello mayor council thank you for um having an opportunity to speak tonight I'm here on behalf of bis Community Center um and I'm here following a meeting that I attended this morning at the County Courthouse um the county presented its offering to the community this morning regarding the police department and its location um and an effort to promote open communication across our community I want to read this letter that I sent to um the mayor drale police chief Mike kic and City administrator Betty Bergstrom I just feel it's very important that the community be in the know of the options and the um decisions that the city council has to make regarding the location of the police department so I will read my letter please I I presented it to the council because I wasn't certain that all of you had received it and I wanted to make sure that you were aware as well so it does address dear mayor Dill ke chief cek and Miss Bergstrom as you are aware the lease for the space that is currently occupied in the international by the International Falls Police Department will expire on March 31 2025 on behalf of the bakus board of directors and the leadership team I am pleased to present three renewal options for your consideration my goal today is to provide you with options as you work with Community Partners to find the best solution for the ifpd for the city and for our residents as you review these you will see that the rental amount has not changed Bas Community Center is willing to freeze the monthly rental at its current rate of $644 33 per month until April 1 2026 if you sign one a onee or two a month-to-month lease if you see value in staying at bakus and commit to a 2-year lease this lease rate will continue until April 1 of 2027 for your review the lease space consists of a work environment that is protected it is equipped with a secure entry guests call for assistance from outside the office area while employees access the workspace by using a unique fob the suite is completely finished and is very professional in presentation the net lease space is 4,877 Square ft there are 10 soundproof locking office spaces there are two meeting and Conference spaces there is a mini kitchen and a breakroom space there are storage and utility spaces the suite has independent Heating and central air all officers and employees have access to the building after work hours or after hours by key or fob and there are 10 parking spaces designating for the police department to use on the west side of the vus building all utilities are included in the rent bakus maintains all common areas lawn snow and grounds the entire Backus building is sprinkled has updated alarm systems and the Backus maintains all system inspections the Backus building is ADA Compliant and is equipped with an elevator there are conference rooms a small theater space and a full-size gym and an auditorium space that are suitable for training and meetings of all sizes historically bakus has provided the use of those spaces to all law enforcement teams free of charge I have listened to strong public opinions regarding City spending I myself have expressed those concerns those same concerns I will not come to you with concerns if I'm not looking to willing to look for opportunities to be a part of a solution the lease options you see before you are bis's commitment to partner with the city and with the people whom we all serve I would like to think that we could help smooth some Financial waters for the International Falls residents by not increasing City payables and help to restore trust and confidence of our community I fully support that the ifpd needs to be located where it makes the most sense I ask that you consider Bas to as a viable option to provide those needed services our city is in a position where we have to do what is best that is within our means keeping the ifpda Bas at at Bas makes good sense for the taxpaying residents of our city provides the police officers with a safe and stable environment without interruption to service and is obviously good for Backus operations please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss anything further I appreciate your consideration the mayor the police chief and Betty all have a copy of the lease and I would also make it available to any of you if you had any questions um I think it's just very important it's very important that the community knows what is happening knows what the options are and can help make this decision I think they need to be involved um I believe that you need to talk to people um there can be some Creative Solutions out in the community that we don't know if we don't ask there could be Business Leaders in various Industries and positions and experiences that might have some input that could lend to a positive solution for our community but we have to vet out those possibilities I too feel that there's a sense of urgency to get to a solution and move the PD I would ask that the city council take its time do any necessary studies and do the work that's involved and keep the community involved of your decisions and involve them more engage the people get their B Buy in and you might be surprised at what you learn and you might be pleased to see improved morale across our community again an effort to be open and transparent I present this letter to you and these options to you I thank you for listening to me in considering this letter um and I thank you for the opportunity to put this out for the public to be aware thank you thank you thanks much appreciated [Music] any questions any questions Council thank you for hearing Meely I would just like to add because we have a strong police presence here tonight that you know this is a community decision that the council's going to make moving forward um and through this process I don't want it to turn in to a situation where you feel that you're not valued by the community because you are and you do a great job and um with the with the talk of cost of this facility or that facility um at the end of the day I think it's going to probably be a decision that the council will make with all the data that they have at the time and I'm going to trust that the right decision will be made going forward so um with that being said any other uh public comment before we move on reminders offices are closed in observance of President's Day Monday February 17 2025 which means the next regular city council meeting is the next day Tuesday the 18th 5:30 p.m. right here that being said this meeting is adjourned