Unofficial 3-16-26 Council Meeting Minutes
Unofficial Pembina City Council Meeting Minutes for March 16, 2026
Date: Monday, March 16, 2026, 6pm
Location: Professional Building
Council Members Present: Fitzgerald, Snitker, Norby, Flores, Carattini, Needham, A Huttunen (arrived 6:10pm)
Guests: Koropatnicki, City Super; Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; Ted Symington (public); Phil & Louise Hall (public); Tanya Rivera (daycare); L Walton (DFA); V Muller & D Lerm (Wilwand Farms); City Engineer absent
6pm public portion called to order.
Public Portion:
· P Hall—people are parking in front of the bank that are not using the bank; they are going to the Bridgestone and taking up room that the bank’s customers need to be able to park, especially older people and when it’s icy/slippery outside. How can parking be enforced? Council—bank puts signs out when weather permits, but people ignore them even when they’re up. If it’s a concern, speak with bank employees or call sheriff.
Public Portion closed at 6:07pm by Mayor Fitzgerald
Regular Council Meeting Called to order at 6:07pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Changesto Agenda—motion by Snitker, 2nd by Needham to approve; all ayes; motion carries.
· Approval/Changesto February 3 and 17, 2026, MeetingMinutes—motion by Needham, 2nd by Carattini to approve; all ayes; motion carries.
· Tanya’s Tots lease renewal—Tanya’s husband is supposed to transfer from the port end of 2027; there are some options about continuing the daycare; school could absorb and staff it, depending on school budget—they may want to purchase building rather than rent it; Tanya could move but remain as owner and continue to earn income from daycare, but would need a staff member to manage day-to-day business. Tanya wants to make sure the pest control is on the maintenance schedule and all maintenance to be city’s cost; Norby asked if Tanya would be ok with increasing rent $100 (go to $250/mo) as City pays everything and isn’t even getting enough to pay for electric for the year—Tanya said it would be ok. Norby feels tenants need to have ownership, not right for City to pay for everything with no ownership by tenant; A Huttunen—it provides an essential service to citizens; Needham had looked at opening daycare but it was cost prohibitive so they turned it down. Snitker—having a daycare helps get more border personnel. Motion by A Huttunen, 2nd by Snitker to raise the rent from $150/mo to $200/mo and to make sure the pest control and maintenance verbiage is changed per Tanya’s request. Role Call vote: Needham Nay, Carattini Aye, Snitker Aye, Flores Aye, A Huttunen Aye, Norby Nay; motion passes.
· Old Business
o Revisit electric bicycle/scooter ordinance—motion to table by A Huttunen
o Valley Landfill proposal—A Huttunen waiting on dumpster quotes; preliminarily Market Landfill offers recycling via central bins, but it’s restricted to paper, cans, #1 and #2 plastics—no corrugated, no food/beverage containers, no batteries. There’s a waste fee built in (for Market Landfill to sort through the recycling to make sure it’s all appropriate—up to 50% coverage)—looks like about $13500/year for a container. CHI Friendship hasn’t responded with their information. Will continue to work on proposal.
· CommitteeReports
o Rec Board – no meeting
o Ice Rink—no meeting
o Cemetery—no meeting
o Library—no meeting;
· Professional Building—no meeting
· Daycare Committee—no meeting
· Fire Department—Fire Chief & 2 firefighters went for training in Minot—there are legislation changes and need for OSHA compliance; Hallock Eagles Fish Fry fundraiser was very successful, sold out—funds raised will go towards purchasing cold weather gear; Pembina now has a Junior Firefighter Program for 16+ (14+ depending on maturity level)—Zuma Flores is first Jr. Firefighter in Pembina’s history—great way to get youth involved and aligned to take over the department; Regional Fire School classes Devil’s Lake 3/28-29/26; Fire Chief is taking Grain Bin Extrication & Rescue course; Fire Chief is working on 2-5 year budget to see what funds need to be raised and for what purpose.
· EmployeesReport/Concerns
o Koropatnicki
§ Make sure City is advertising for 2 more summer help
§ Issues with interior drainage—Twamley will clean ditches/culverts around town; motion by Snitker to hire Twamley to clean ditches, 2nd by Needham; all ayes; motion carries.
· EngineerReport – Dustin Fanfulik: unavailable
· Attorney Update
o Contact letter template for propane companies given to Stoiber with bid sheet to send out
o 33-0720000 lot purchase has been finalized, deed is in the City office, check has been issued and cashed by Hagers.
o Roger Bellerive sent the deed for parcel 33-1640035 to the City, which cost $134 to record it. Deed is in the City office.
o Ballot documents for sales taxes issue—sales tax question has been completed, and will be added to ballot
o Chicken ordinance change: “Should chickens be allowed in Pembina based on conditions set by city council?” will be ballot question.
o Floodplain Management Ordinance—motion by Connor, 2nd by Needham to approve first reading of floodplain ordinance with the changes to the numbering of the paragraphs; all ayes; motion carries. 2nd reading will be at April 20, 2026, meeting.
o DFA Condemnation proceedings—DFA never responded since 2024 order to repair or demolish—asked for extension, which was up in March of 2025—went all of 2025 with no movement; per the inspection report from 2024, there are huge problems with the roof causing substandard building issues; other damage to the building caused by the roof damage; it’s estimated that there is $100,000 in damage, with the tax value of the property being only $109,000, meaning the building needs to be remediated or torn down. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to adopt the findings of the building inspector from August 2024; that the building is in disrepair and needs to be demolished; the owners now have a deadline of 30 days, by April 16, 2026, to either demolish the building or appeal; the owners must demolish or repair the building by April 16, 2026, or the city will demo the building and put all the related costs as special assessments on the property taxes. Role Call vote: Ayes: Needham, Carattini, Snitker, Flores, A Huttunen, Norby. Motion carries. Fleming--This doesn’t change ownership of property—the property will be demolished either by owner or by City; if City has to demolish the building, those costs will be paid by the City and the costs will be put on the property taxes as a special assessment. No guarantee how quickly the City will be reimbursed, and property could be given up to County for unpaid taxes, which is years down the road. City can’t get bids for demolition until legal process is completed. Fleming to look into whether there has to be asbestos inspection.
o Kneeshaw Circle Camping/Mobile Home Park rules/policies/ordinances: needs more information about which is long-term and which is short-term—how many and which ones; is City putting up fly-proof privy or privies? Need more info.
· Update&Business: Mayor Fitzgerald
o L Steyn application to be FT PW Asst.—want to hire at $22/ hour with $1/certification/hour increases and to start 6/1/26. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to hire at $22/hour with $1/hour increases for each certification obtained; 5 ayes; A Huttunen Nay; motion carries.
o Chaput application “seasonal help”--$20/hour and limited to law for part-time assistance. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by A Huttunen to hire Chaput as part-time seasonal employee $20/hour and less than 21 hours/week; all ayes; motion carries.
· Update&Business:CityAuditor/ Stoiber
o February 2026 Financials—motion by Needham, second by Snitker to approve; 5 ayes; Nay—A Huttunen; motion carries.
o Delinquent Accounts Update—names to be included, only $300 due or more on list. Stoiber to send letter with offer of payment plan to Rocha.
o Water/Sewer/Lagoon/Garbage/Recycling rates—NRWD & Waste Mgt. increased their rates 3% and 5% respectively; Snitker motioned, Needham 2nd to raise Waste Management rates 5% so City isn’t losing money; all ayes; motion carries. Water/sewer/lagoon still needs to be evaluated. A Huttunen reminded council that previously intent with garbage and recycling was to break even—Snitker feels that needs to be re-evaluated.
o Working on $200,000 grant—had visit from Dept.of Commerce; grant should be approved within a week of visit, so Community Center can get new furnaces and a/c asap, and then work on the other 9 buildings in order of urgency.
o Carattini 2 Building permits: motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to approve, all ayes, motion carries.
o Reis Building Permit (333 W Stutsman St.): No permit necessary if they’re not redoing/installing plumbing, windows aren’t changing number or size, and siding is considered maintenance; Stoiber to refund Reis $5. Motion by A Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini; all ayes; motion carries.
o T Kneeshaw Building Permit (422 Rolette St.) and Culvert Permit (422 Rolette St.): Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to approve with condition that drains go above and into culvert; all ayes; motion carries.
· New Business
· Needham—revival of growth committee? A Huttunen—there weren’t any meetings being held and people were burnt out. It was re-established in 2011 to get the daycare project going. Snitker—could be used to help with Rotvold’s housing project. Needham--could re-opening it be beneficial to Pembina? Fitzgerald—membership is rotatated every two years.
· Needham—Needham brought up concerns that were brought to him by a citizen of Pembina regarding perceived treatment by council.
Motion by A Huttunen to adjourn at 7:49pm.
By: Mayor/Fitzgerald
Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor
Special Council Meeting Property Tax Equalization April 20, 2026 5pm at the Professional Building
The next regular council meeting will be held on April 20, 2026, 6pm at the Professional Building.