5-19 & 5-23-25 City Council Meeting Minutes
Council Meeting Minutes for May 19 and May 23, 2025
Dates: May 19, 2025 meeting cancelled due to lack of quorum at 6:03pm; May 23, 2025 at 6:00pm
Location: Professional Building
Council Members Present: Mayor Fitzgerald (arrived 6:05pm); Flores, Norby, Needham, Carattini, A Huttunen (arrived 6:05pm)
Absent: Snitker
Guests: G Koropatnicki, City Super; T Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; Phil Hall (tax equalization request), Ben Kneeshaw
Public Portion called to order 6:01pm by Flores
Mayor took over at 6:06pm
Public Portion closed at 6:12pm
Regular meeting called to order 6:12pm
- Motion by A Huttunen to accept changes to agenda; 2nd by Needham; all ayes; motion carries.
· Motion to ApproveApril 17 and April 21, 2025, MeetingMinutes by A Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes; motion carries.
o Bridgestone events: Street closures on east side of restaurant for June 14, July 3, July 19, and August 2nd; A Huttunen abstained; Needham made motion to approve; 2nd by Carattini; all ayes; motion carries.
o 2025 Citywide Cleanup Day:A Huttunen proposed July 29 & 30, 2025; will bring more info to June meeting
o Rec Board – minutes attached; motion by A Huttunen to approve Trails End instaling new playground equipment; 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries.
o Ice Rink—no meeting
o Cemetery—no meeting—need someone to do minutes, fund raising, etc.; re-organizing
o Library—no meeting;
- Professional Building—no meeting ; Stoiber got vestibule and Suite 1 repainted; new corkboards in vestibule; new privacy shields in Ste 1; motion by Norby for Stoiber to remove old carpet, install carpet squares and new vinyl covebase in Ste 1—to purchase materials and tools grand total $518.03 after rebate; 2nd by A Huttunen; all ayes, motion carries. Ashley Schafer interested in renting Ste 1; Professional Building committee to meet to discuss rents, other offices being painted and re-carpeted; can the entire building be painted—quote from Pembina Painting & Drywall is $500/room (regardless of size) plus $310 for paint. Would like to change out all carpet and cove base to same as Suite 1 suggestion. .
- Employee Report/Concerns
o Greg:
- JetBlack—tested some streets, went well, looking to see longevity
- Dike Mowing—motion by Carattini, 2nd by Needham to allow Owen Symington to do again this year at same rate as last year; all ayes; motion carries
- Light for Moorhead St.—had light installed due to citizen concerns
- Clearwell Inspection—waiting for Maguire report
- Daycare—Stoiber to give list of who Ms. Rivera should be contacting for repairs—this is not the City Super’s responsibility
- Very appreciative for Norby and Schafer’s assistance in mowing and cleaning up City for Memorial Day—did a great job.
o Fire Department—no report—
o MidContinental Lease—motion to accept new lease by Norby; 2nd by Needham; all ayes; motion carries
o Discussion on Vacant Lots and billing: A Huttunen said Stoiber was billing vacant lots water and sewer—was ok about mosquito fees; Fleming said Stoiber cannot do this; Stoiber to reverse the 2 fees from all vacant lots this billing cycle until this can be further researched. (Notes from Fleming 5/27/25 Stoiber isn’t billing water and sewer and is following the 2024 Water & Sewer billing ordinance amendment which very clearly states in Subsection M, that all vacant lots (regardless of occupancy) get charged the water connection, maintenance & repair, and mosquito fees. Stoiber to start billing all vacant lots. Concerned citizens who own vacant lots next to their residences may be able to combine the 2 parcels into one, thus eliminating the additional fees. Citizens interested in pursuing this need to contact the County Auditor in Cavalier to determine if they will be able to do this.)
· Update & Business: Mayor/Mike Fitzgerald
o Summer Help applications—3 received; reviewed in order of receipt; motion by Norby to accept Santiago $18/hr (returning summer help) & Mensch $17/hr (2nd application) to start 5/27/25, put Bridell (3rd application) on waiting list in case someone doesn’t work out; and approve wages as shown; 2nd by Carattini; all ayes; motion carries.
- Update & Business:CityAuditor/Stoiber
o April 2025 Bills& Financials: motion by Needham, 2nd by Norby to approve; 4 ayes, 1 opposed, motion carries
o Delinquent Accounts Update: City needs to discourage late/delinquent accounts—see notes
o Liquor License Application: GasTrak (not prorated, charged for entire year)—City ordinances only allow 1 off sale only license; Stoiber to check with Dan Anderson as to Gastrak’s intentions; Council may have to amend to allow 2 off sales or refuse. (Notes from Stoiber 5/29/25: intention is to eventually close DFA offsale and strictly do the duty-free sales (no alcohol on premises) at DFA; owner wants to start the liquor sales remodel of Gastrak, but won’t unless he is guaranteed an off-sale license; ideally, there would only be one off-sale at a time, only wants liquor license to guarantee Gastrak can do off-sale once remodel is completed.)
o Building Permits: Motion by Needham, 2nd by Carattini to approve 152 W Renville driveway, sidewalk, finish dirt & seed; and 171 N 3rd St Fencing—Refund 321 N 2nd St as siding doesn’t require permit; all ayes, motion carries
o Flood CD is maturing 5/22/25—motion by A Huttunen to roll over to similar value CD within ½%; 2nd by Needham; all ayes, motion carries.
o Equipment CD is maturing 5/28/25—Motion by A Huttunen to put into Equipment portion of NOW account as street sweeper is coming within 10 days and needs to be paid for; 2nd by Carattini; all ayes; motion carries.
o Black Mountain Utility Billing: first utility billing occurred and there were a few errors, that have been corrected; some citizens using online access to see bills in real time and pay.
o Grant for $67,550 towards the Street Sweeper has been confirmed and City will receive full amount; City will receive full $20,700 grant for ramp lights—was originally $16,560..
o Researching County Tax Rolls for vacant buildings/homes and vacant lots not on the utility billing. Found 80+ more that were not on the Utility Billing. See list. Have not put these into UB yet, would like approval to do so. Still researching—see comments under City Attorney.
o Stacy Koble transient merchant license—motion by A Huttunen to approve if she corrects the errors; 2nd by Needham; all ayes; motion carries
o Building/Zoning Committee—need new member—only Norby & Snitker on it at this time
o Swiscoski questions: painting parking places marked off Stutsman St from D&K to Cavalier Street (not a city issue, up to property owners); Pembina Citywide Rummage Sale 2025—July 19 (don’t need permission to organize and advertise); who is responsible for repairing sidewalk at Federal Building (property owners are responsible for the repairs and maintenance of sidewalks)
o Phil Hall questions on Tax Equalization Meeting—could Stoiber put tax increases on the City website?
o Sink Holes Cleem/Swynarchuk yards—not a City issue; act of God; citizens can shore up/build retaining walls themselves; they need to contact Corp of Engineers and see what they recommend—ultimately it is up to the Corp of Engineers and State of ND as to what repairs need to be made.
o New Citizen questions about tiny home moved to S Pembina or put on Chad Colegrove’s property—citizen to come to City Office and get copy of ordinance, building permit, and will provide building permit, blue prints, images, etc. and present to council for approval and/or variance.
Motion to adjourn at 7:30pm by Needham; 2nd by A Huttunen
By: Mayor Fitzgerald
Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor
The next city council meeting will be held on June 16, 2025, at 6pm in the Professional Building.