UNOFFICIAL 12/25/25 COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Unofficial Pembina Council Meeting Minutes for December 15, 2025
Date: Monday, December 15, 2025, 6pm
Location: Professional Building
Council Members Present: Mayor Fitzgerald, Snitker, Flores, Needham, Carattini, A Huttunen (late arrival 7pm)
Absent: Norby
Guests: Koropatnicki, City Super; Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; D Fanfulik, City Engineer; Brian Osowski, AMKO Advisors
Public Portion called to order 6pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Public Portion closed at 6:00pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Regular Council Meeting Called to order at 6:01pm.
Changes to Agenda—motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to accept changes to agenda; all ayes; motion carries.
· Approval/Changes to November 17, 2025, Meeting Minutes—motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to accept minutes; all ayes; motion carries.
· Old Business
o Feed the Need food pantry: business plan and information submitted; Great Plains Food Pantry will provide fridges, freezers, shelving, computer, training, food and more. Many grants and programs available. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to approve an annual “no charge” lease with 30 days notice to vacate if there are issues for Feed the Need to use Suite 5 of the Professional Building; all ayes; motion carries.
· Committee Reports
o Rec Board – no meeting.
o Ice Rink—no meeting
o Cemetery—no meeting
o Library—no meeting;
· Professional Building—no meeting—Ste 5 repaired; Norby picked up flooring materials; Stoiber pulled up old carpeting & getting ready to install flooring; Stoiber prepared on business plan for pantry (“Feed the Need”); once flooring is installed, Red Roost Motel/Needham will order sink from Webstaurant Supply and have Brandon Patterson install it; Great Plains Food Assistance Program will help with fridges, freezers, and shelving; Stoiber will contact USDA and other entities for donations of food and money to purchase food.
· Daycare Committee—Snitker repaired water/ice in fridge. Kitchen was flooded. Suggested giving instructions on where water valves are and other “normal” tenant maintenance items. Plumber going to check to see if fridge/water lines need further repairs, or if fridge needs to be replaced.
· Employees Report/Concerns
o Koropatnicki
§ Snowplow: 2019 model getting up in age, contacted Butler & RDO regarding new plow. Approximately $26,000 for one; suggestion made keep the old one as backup; Stoiber to contact Sourcewell about financing options.
§ K Schafer is 18 y.o. and has been working with Koropatnicki, learning different aspects of PW Asst. job, and wants to learn how to operate equipment; Koropatnicki would like to change his job title to PW Asst., and give an appropriate wage increase. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Sherri to change his job title and give raise; all ayes; motion carries.
· Fire Department—Pancake Feed went well; there was auto extrication training—and the tool failed. $5000-6000 to repair it. Cutters were purchased $8795. Asked City to help purchase battery operated spreader that costs $11,275—motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to give $11,000 so PVFD can purchase spreader; all ayes; motion carries. No info on DFA building. 1/7/2026 is Blaine’s last day—will be looking for new chief, assistant, and captains.
· Engineer report—preliminary engineering report coming along; submitted request for funding to SRF—waiting on ranking list to see where City falls; there are loan forgiveness and grant programs through PFA and USDA; just need more data.
· Attorney Update
o DFA Condemnation proceeding will proceed as it’s been a year and they’ve not moved forward
o Working on verbiage for chicken ordinance and sales tax increase ordinance to be put on ballot next year
o Sobolik/Schism issues at Kneeshaw Cir—Stoiber to reverse invoice and if Schisms come back next year (if there’s a trailer court lot available), there will be a contract with everything spelled out and they will abide by the rules or not be allowed back in.
· Update & Business: Mayor Fitzgerald
o Veto letter explaining reasons why the way the Electric Scooter Ordinance as currently written isn’t the best for children to learn responsibility. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Needham to override the veto and keep the ordinance as written; role call vote—Ayes: Needham, Carattini, Snitker; Nays: Flores, Huttunen; override fails; council to address ordinance in January with changes. Suggestions made about possibly requiring safety training. Stoiber to contact ND Safety Council.
· Update&Business:CityAuditor/Stoiber
o November 2025 Bills& Financials—Motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to approve; all ayes, motion carries.
o Delinquent Accounts Update—in future, include names as well as addresses, only those $300 or more past due will be on list.
o Water/Sewer/Lagoon rates—losing money; people with no or minimal usage do not pay Lagoon fees; sewer revenues do not cover sewer expenses; in the past, wages and other expenses weren’t paid for out of water-sewer-lagoon; water-sewer-lagoon rates will need to be reviewed in January; Stoiber to pull costs together from prior years and this year for comparisons—issue includes not all costs were dedicated to appropriate funds (mostly paid directly out of General Fund); need to project 5 years out to avoid having to address every year.
o Working on $200,000 grant for heating/hvac: have been getting quotes for PB, CC, PVFD, Golf Course, City Shop Buildings, Warming House, and tower pump house, and Daycare; The Energy Savings Analysis will be farmed out to NDSU Professor Yao Yu, which will cost between $300-$500 and will be included in grant. Have requested quotes from 4 companies, only one has responded. Council said to move ahead.
· New Business
o Brian Osowski/AMKO Advisors: discussion on limitations of bonds; there is a potential deficit in current bonds, however, could potentially pay off the 3 smallest bonds next year in March/April/May, and then continue to accrue for largest—$5,000,000 is still too much debt for City at this time, be it loans or bonds—grant would have to be significant to cover project costs. May have to consider additional assessments on properties in addition to water/sewer/lagoon rates needing to be addressed and rates increased as they’re operating in a deficit.
o End of year employee recognition: Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to give year end bonuses as follows: 3 summer help people at $300 each; all ayes; motion carries.
o Professional Building/Community Center Housekeeper—makes less than summer help; motion by Carattini, 2nd by A Huttunen to raise housekeeper to $18/hour starting in January; all ayes; motion carries.
o Employee Raises: Mayor went through the reviews, and recommended 4% raise each for city super and city auditor. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to raise city super to $35/hour and city auditor to $25/hour, effective 1/1/26; role call vote—Ayes: Needham, Carattini, Snitker, Flores; Nays: A Huttunen.
o Liquor License Approval: pushed to special meeting 12/22/25 at 5:30pm to give time for all current licensees to get their applications and fees in before current license expires.
Motion to adjourn at 7:55pm by Snitker.
By: Mayor Fitzgerald
Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor
Special Council Meeting will be held on December 22, 2025, 5:30pm at the Professional Building.
The next regular City Council Meeting will be held on January 19, 2026, 6pm at the Professional Building