Official Minutes for June 14th, 2024, Pembina City Council Meeting
Date: June 14th, 2024, at 6:02 p.m.
Location: Professional Building
Present: Mayor M Fitzgerald, J Watts, P Burton, K Norby, A Huttanen
Absent: C Snitker
One Seat Vacant until June 2024 election
Guests: Greg Koropatnicki, City Super; Teri Stoiber, City Auditor; MaryLou Swiscoski—to discuss Rummage Sale & City Clean Up; Kris Wilwant—Frank Moll will distribution; Mr. & Mrs. Phil Hall—re: City Clean Up; Greg Kneeshaw—Building Permit approval; Cole Johnston, City Attorney
· Changes to Agenda: Greg—Lagoon drainage, mosquito sprayer, new tractor; Al (Rec Board)—agrilime, BB field sinkhole, Sam’s Club card. Tabled any discussion on utilities. Motion to accept changes to agenda by Pat. Seconded by Al. All ayes present. Motion carries.
· Approval/Changes to May 13th and May 16th Meeting Minutes Motion to approve as presented by Al, seconded by Jeff. All ayes present. Motion Carries.
· Old Business
o 422 N. 5th Street Demolition – Completed. Jeff to contact contractor about hedges, etc., that were removed.
o Garbage/Recycling/City Clean Up Day – Set for July 31, 2024; Valley Landfill will provide both trucks and bag thrower; still working on rollaways; Wants to use city loader & summer help for big stuff. Thinking the charge may be around $10/household, and goes up from there depending on what’s being removed.
o Automated Water Meter Readers – 186
o Spot Bar Lot--tabled
o Northeast Regional Water Fees Contract – Tabled until July 8th
o Replacement Street Sweeper? Motion by Ken to purchase, seconded by Pat. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o Change Professional Building name to “Frank Moll Professional Building." Motion by Pat, second by Jeff. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o Daycare Center—it was a reset button that caused electrical issues; children need to be inside and toys picked up before mowing can be done.
o Generator Update—Maintenance Contract for Fire Department & Community Center? Todd’s Electric hasn’t responded to Greg or Mike.
o Professional Building Offices to be rented/renovated—Tabled
o Ambulance Building Maintenance—Can’t they do it themselves? Tabled to next meeting.
o Fire Department - no report
o Rec Board –-wants to get Sam’s Club—up to them per Mayor Mike. Al motioned they could get their own Sam’s Club card. Seconded by Jeff. All ayes present. Motion carries. Agrilime for baseball fields, they can pay for it. Motion by Watts, second by Al. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o 4th of July Committee—Steel Canopy & Table construction has begun.
· EmployeesReport/Concerns
o Greg –Mosquito Sprayer over 30 years old, needs to be replaced. Motion by Al to buy new Cougar $17,500; seconded by Pat. All ayes present. Motion carries. Second tractor needs to be replaced, over 30 years old. Motion by Pat to get one as leased equipment, seconded by Al. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o Frank Moll will distribution: motion by Al to put funds into 5% CD towards purchase of Street Sweeper. Seconded by Watts. All ayes present. Motion carries.
· Update & Business: Mayor/Mike Fitzgerald
- Update & Business:CityAuditor/Teri Stoiber
o May Bills & Financials + cash balance report: Motion by Pat to approve, seconded by Jeff. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o State Municipal Infrastructure Fund granted $78096.54 to City of Pembina 2/2023—Motion by Pat to Put $46733.81 towards Water Tower repairs (have $36011.19 from ARP already) and $31362.73 towards Knife River street upgrades. Seconded by Al. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o City now has new interest bearing accounts for: Special Assessments, new Flood CD, Sales Tax, and Reserves.
o City insurance bill for vehicles, property, etc., in the amount of $11876 approved and coverages accepted.
o Missed grant for “Blight Removal” by 2 pts due to not having a City Plan; if someone doesn’t use their grant, City of Pembina is next in line to receive the $20,000.
o North Dakota Emergency Services sent a tri-annual reporting package re: 40 properties purchased by FEMA that must remain open spaces. Upon investigation it was determined that 13 of those properties were NOT Pembina’s to monitor. The remaining 27 properties have been verified to be open spaces as required by NDES/FEMA.
o On the general ledger, accounts have been consolidated to reduce number and spread of monies, and to make it easier to see fund balances. There are still some that need to be consolidated.
o Payroll tax liabilities were expensed twice when paid, instead of reducing the liability. Working on cleaning that up.
o Created balance sheet and profit/loss that is hopefully more understandable and easier to read.
o Found the City was paying excess postage for people/entities with multiple properties because each property was being individually mailed a utility bill (costing at least $462/year). Have consolidated invoices together, and will be mailing all in one envelope, to save approximately $258/year, plus the multiple property owners will receive all their invoices together, hopefully preventing slow bill payments/”lost” invoices. Will be emailing Meuchadim and CBP/BPS their invoices in an effort to expedite payment.
o Working w/ Mr. Burns at CBP/BPS to get them caught up.
o Ken Norby: OK for City Auditor to Sign Building Permits—motion by Al to limit to $2500. Seconded by Watts. All ayes present. Motion carries.
o Presented information on what should be charged for building permits as the fee, at present, is nominal, and not in line with what Century Code suggests.
o A culvert extension hasn’t gotten a building permit from the City and Ken is concerned about it not being below street level. Who is going to monitor and check all the building permits?
· Motion to adjourn at 7:40 p.m.by Norby.
- By: Mayor Mike Fitzgerald
- Attested to: Teri Stoiber, City Auditor
- The next City Council Meeting will be held on July 8th, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Professional Building.
