Official Minutes for July 8th, 2024, Pembina City Council Meeting
Date: July 8th,2024, called to order at 6:00 pm
Council members present: J Watts, K Norby, A Huttunen, C Snitker (left at 6:20pm , returned at 8:21pm), K Needham, S Carattini
Absent: Mayor M Fitzgerald
Guests: G Koropatnicki, City Super; T Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; D Fanfulfik, City Engineer;A Eisenbeis PVFD, P Hall, B Kneeshaw, M Florez
· Changes to Agenda: Greg: Add Mosquito Spraying, Knife River Repairs, Tower Updates, ND State Health Inspector; S Pembina inert landfill. Motion to approve by Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes present, motion carries.
· Approval/Changes to June 10th, 14th, & 28th Meeting Minutes Motion to approve by Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes present, motion carries.
· Old Business
o Garbage/Recycling/City Clean Up Day – On schedule, Huttunen will be creating list of acceptable items, flyers, etc. “Stuff” can start going out to curb on 7/27/24
o Automated Water Meter Readers – 196 completed; 2 more classes on software upcoming
o Northeast Regional Water Fees Contract – still under old contract for 21 years
o Daycare Center—no update
o Generator Update—Maintenance Contract for Fire Department & Community Center? No update
o DFA property at 601 W Stutsman—waiting report from inspector; it’s considered repairable, not condemnable; squatters on roof
o Ambulance Building Maintenance—tabled
o Fire Department--no report
- Quote for electrical drop down cords $2490—who is to pay? FD needs to get a second quote
- Update on equipment—got 5 new harnesses & seven masks that cost $28000; need 5 more harnesses & 20 more masks; Engine 2 needs about $7000 in repairs; Quick Attack—foam needs to be flushed; need more quotes, more info
- Update on radio upgrade—cost of $55000 for 800mghz radios. May get funding from a grant. Huttunen made motion to loan $55000 until PVFD gets grant, then PVFD reimburses the City; 2nd by Carattini; withdrawn by Huttanen
- Hydrant testing—pressure testing to be done every 3 years
- Budget due before August 12, 2024
o Rec Board – no report –wants City to pay for sinkhole; motion by Huttunen for City to pay, 2nd by Needham; Needham abstained; Carattini & Norby Nay, Huttunen Ay; motion fails 2 to 1.
o 4th of July Committee – Steel Canopy & Table construction started? Tabled. Council wants Committee to know how much they appreciate the effort & excellence that went into the celebration. It was fantastic.
· EmployeesReport/Concerns
o Greg –
o Mosquito Spray $1800/55 gal drum, $100/drum for flushing agent; Huttunen made motion to purchase chemicals, 2nd by Norby; all ayes, motion carries.
o What to do with old fogger? Motion by Carattini to sell via sealed bids; 2nd by Norby with stipulation City can reject any or all bids. Get bids by August 9. All ayes present, motion carries.
o Knife River street repairs—will be coming this week
o Tower updates-AE2S inserted new program to help with power outages
o ND Health Inspector—lagoon fence fixed, chlorine tester to be re-calibrated; Greg is working on emergency plan for city
o Issues with the S Pembina Inert Landfill—posted issues on City Website
o Advertising for assistant? Tabled to next month
o JR Waste: Valve blocks cleaning—cleaning 3 by tower & checking the others
·Engineer Report – Dustin Fanfulik
o Lidar map—finished 1st part, will be getting maps for Greg & auditor
o Lagoon/Lagoon Valve—drain pit & valve to drain plans still in progress
o Stutsman St—no updates
·Attorney Update
o Storage Unit Leases/Liability—security deposits? Will create new leases, with damage deposits, forfeiture of goods
o Applications for utility hookup—should new residents be charged deposit of $250 that wb held for 1 year? Does City need an application including social security numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, to assist with collections? Tabled to next month
o Trailer Parks Leases implement mobile home lien if delinquent on lot rent—what is lease duration?
o Discussion on utility disconnections verbiage for non-payment &/or non-compliance with meter changes & Lead Line Inventory—25th of July send letter & ordinance to citizens who are non-compliant; Carattini made motion to charge $50/month starting August 25 for non-compliance, & continue for 3 months, then council discussion to shut off in November; 2nd by Needham; all ayes, motion carries. Posted on City website.
o Discussion on “late fees” on utility bills—tabled to next month
o Discussion on charging for certified letters for lawn ordinance violations & utility billing—City is not required to send utility bills certified. Motion by Huttunen to stop sending certified letters for utility bills; 2nd by Carattini; Needham recused; all ayes, motion carries.
o Frank Moll Will Distribution—initial funds distribution within a couple of weeks (by end of July)
·Update & Business: Mayor/Mike Fitzgerald—not present
- Update & Business:City Auditor/Teri Stoiber
o June Bills & Financials + cash balance report—motion to accept as presented by Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes present, motion carries.
o Delinquent Accounts Update: city is not a bank. City needs to discourage late/delinquent accounts—was able to collect $900 from 271 N 2nd St. in June. Down to $5059.66 in delinquent accounts.
o City Ordinance 7.0224 states every person/entity that owns property within the City is to report all addresses they are in control of to the City Auditor & whether they are vacant lots ($13.20/month minimum/month) or residential/businesses ($68.12 minimum/month), for the purposes of utility billing. Posting on City website, & sending letters to every billing customer.
o City Water/Sewer Utility Policy clarification –motion to table until next month by Huttunen, 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries.
o Utility Billing Software Research Update –motion to table until next month Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes, motion carries.
o Small CD (less than $6000) maturing 7/17/24—motion to put funds into General Fund (NOW account) by Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini; all ayes, motion carries.
o Northdale Oil is offering Summer Fill & PreBuy Options—motion by Carattini to enroll in prebuy amount in the amount of $11352.74, 2nd by Huttunen, all ayes, motion carries.
o Received Property Insurance Invoice & update—motion to pay $5574 by Huttunen, 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries.
o Received Twamley invoice for Rec Board for sinkhole: $612.50 Rec Board to pay from their account
o Received Twamley invoice for Curbstop replacement at 263 W Ramsey: motion to approve $1322.50 by Carattini, 2nd by Huttunen, all ayes, motion carries.
o Received invoice from Widseth $832.50—motion to approve by Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes, motion carries.
o Transferring from 2010 Water Fund for $138,576.25 to cover bond payments made from general fund.
o Transferring funds ($114107.73) from 2010 Water Fund to General Fund.
o Accounts are being cleaned up.
o The multiple property people/entities will receive all their bills together. Will be emailing 4 commercial accounts their invoices in an effort to expedite payment.
o Vanguard—citizens do not have to let them in
o Building Permits—motion by Huttunen to approve Schiltz permit; 2nd by Norby; all ayes, motion carries
o Police presence in City—Fleming to speak to Terry
o Septic tank monitoring in S Pembina (campground bathrooms)--Rec Board asked City to check, Greg will try to monitor
o Tree Pile commercial dumping—need to apply for burn permit; someone has been dumping building materials, not putting thing in correct areas
o Road to Lagoon—who is responsible? Motion by Norby to gravel the road, 2nd by Carattini, Nay by Huttunen; ayes 3 to 1, motion carries. Greg will get quote.
o Bar seating children allowed? Until 9 p.m. if eating with parents, else no; Motion by Huttunen that all food places with liquor license allow minors in bar area until 9 p.m. so long as eating with parents; 2nd by Norby, all ayes, motion carries.
o Underage bar staff? Can deliver liquor, can’t open cans/bottles or pour/mix drinks.
o Tree removal? Watts can tear down problem trees; Mike’s Parcel has tree on roof; Huttunen made motion to get a contractor & quote to remove the tree; 2nd by Needham; all ayes, motion carries.
o City property trees? Tabled to next meeting
o Renewal dates for Liquor & Gaming Licenses? Motion by Needham to change date to calendar year & 2025 will be prorated; 2nd by Carattini, all ayes, motion carries.
o Ken Norby: Issues with filling in drainage areas, etc.—no permits were pulled. Increase building permit fee? Post on website ALL construction needs permit. Permit fee increases tabled to next month
o Ken Norby: Utility bill due dates (see info under City Auditor) tabled to next month.
o Reorganization of committees will be done as a special meeting or at the next regular meeting
·Motion to adjourn at 8:39 p.m. by Needham.
- By: President J Watts
- Attested to: T Stoiber, City Auditor
- The next City Council Meeting will be held on August 12, 2024, at 6:00 pm in the Professional Building.
