Unofficial 10-20-25 City Council Meeting Minutes
Unofficial Pembina Council Meeting Minutes for October 20, 2025
Date: Monday, October 20, 2025, 6pm
Location: Professional Building
Council Members Present: Mayor Fitzgerald, Snitker, Flores, Norby, Needham, Carattini, A Huttunen (via telephone)
Guests: Koropatnicki, City Super; T Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; Ben Kneeshaw; Angelle French, JDA; Lisa Rotveld, RRCHDO; Dawn Mandt RRRC; Lyndi Needham
Public Portion called to order 6pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Public Portion closed at 6:01pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Regular Council Meeting Called to order at 6:01pm.
Changes to Agenda—motion by Snitker, 2nd by Needham to accept changes to agenda; all ayes; motion carries.
· Approval/Changes to September 15, 2025, Special Meeting Minutes and September 15, 2025, Meeting Minutes—motion by Needham, 2nd by A Huttunen to accept minutes; all ayes; motion carries.
o Valley Landfill abilities A Huttunen tabled to next month
o Golf Cart Ordinance—discussion on City changes—Fleming to draft the ordinance to include the changes, including penalties for failure to comply with the ordinance, operation in groups as a single file when driving on city streets; age limit for drivers; and carrying insurance; motion by Snitker to accept with changes (prior to addition of insurance), 2nd by Carattini—roll call vote: Nays—Needham, Flores, Norby, A Huttunen; Ayes—Carattini, Snitker; motion fails. Motion by Snitker to add insurance requirement as well as other changes, 2nd by Carattini; roll call vote: Ayes—Needham, Carattini, Snitker, Flores, Norby; Nays—A Huttunen. Motion carries.
o Chicken Ordinance—2nd reading of ordinance died due to lack of motion. Motion by Norby, 2nd by Needham to put the ordinance with proposed changes on the 2026 ballot and let citizens decide; role call vote: Ayes—Snitker, Norby, Needham; Nays-Flores, A Huttunen, Carattini; Mayor Fitzgerald broke the tie by voting aye. Motion carries.
o Electric/Motorized Scooter, Bike, Skateboard ordinance: 2nd reading died due to lack of motion. Go carts are illegal on city streets; violation penalty will be the same as the Golf Cart Ordinance; age requirements will be the same as Golf Cart Ordinance; there will be a parental responsibility clause; motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to accept the ordinance with the changes indicated; role call vote: Ayes—Needham, Carattini, Snitker, Norby; Nays—Flores, A Huttunen; motion carries.
o City Propane tanks—repairs are for tanks owned by propane co.; City is responsible for lines from tanks to buildings and for regulators; City is also responsible for repairs related to water heaters, furnaces, etc. Propane companies’ sole responsibility is maintaining the tanks and alerting to leaks. City receives discounted rates from Northdale. Tabled until we get more bids/info.
o Rear wall of Professional Building has been repaired—need to put in flooring & cove base cost of $662.08 with refund from Menard’s plus will get another refund. Motion by Snitker, 2nd by Needham to allow purchase and repair of floor. All ayes, motion carries.
o Ice Rink—no meeting
o Cemetery—no meeting
o Library—no meeting;
- Professional Building—no meeting
- Daycare Committee—Tanya got cited by State because sandbox wasn’t repaired and filled—A Huttunen was going to take care of it, ran out of time. Koropatnicki got quotes from Trails End to rebuild and refill sandbox; motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to go with more expensive repair/rebuild and have City pay for it; all ayes, motion carries. Motion by A Huttunen, 2nd by Carattini that City covers $211.36 kitchen sink repair, but in the future, Daycare will be responsible per lease to pay for repairs, role call vote: Ayes--Needham, Carattini, Flores, A Huttunen; Nays—Norby, Snitker; motion carries.
- Employees Report/Concerns
o Koropatnicki
- RDO quote for new payloader lease—motion by Snitker to go with option #1, 2nd by Carattini; all ayes; motion carries.
- Halcrow’s fixed the Community Center toilets
- Need to start thinking about the furnaces in the Professional Building—they’re 22 years old and need constant monitoring; switched maintenance companies due to lack of commitment.
- Fire Department—Blaine went to oil spill class, very educational; State wants to do special training in Pembina next Spring; radio reimbursement is behind due to number of requests—may see the money in November. The hanging heater in the fire department needs to be repaired/replaced—would city pay for it? Advised to bring quote to next meeting. 10/22/25 PFA having free will baked potato and chili meal to try and raise $32,000 for Ford Quick Response unit—having a lot of issues with it.
- Engineer report—2 page questionnaire to help fund Pre-Engineering Reports for lagoon due by 10/31/25; searching grants for lagoon project; hopes to have Preliminary Engineering Reports ready by November meeting.
o 1% Special Sales Tax amount to support children’s activities/sports through Ice Rink-Golf Course-Rec Board and support ambulance & fire department; motion by Carattini, 2nd by Snitker to accept as worded and place on 2026 ballot; all ayes; motion carries.
o DFA Condemnation proceedings—PVFD may get the building for new firehouse
· Update & Business: Mayor Fitzgerald
o September 2025 Bills & Financials—Motion by Carratini, 2nd by Needham to approve; all ayes, motion carries.
o Delinquent Accounts Update
o Past due to send to property taxes certification letter: motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to include only accounts past due $500 or more; all ayes, motion carries; letter to be revised and sent to County Auditor.
o Water/Sewer/Lagoon rates—losing $, people with no or minimal usage do not pay Lagoon fees; sewer is in the hole due to low revenues compared to costs (all expenses weren’t accounted for in the past when calculating what the charges should be); water is losing $ because wages weren’t allocated correctly and all expense for running water weren’t accounted for in the water account. AMKO Advisor Osowski will help figure out what the rates should be and also determine why 4 of the bonds weren’t “special assessed” on the property taxes as they were supposed to be. Info to be presented in November. Auditor would like to consolidate the sewer and lagoon together (revenues and expenses would still be segregated, but only one fund), as well as all the water-related funds consolidated into 1 water fund with each type of revenue and expenses accounted for within that fund. This will simplify the books even further. Snitker asked that a proposal for this be presented in November.
o Liquor License: GasTrak—motion by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini to accept application from GasTrak; all ayes; motion carries.
o Building Permits: 362 Renville St—motion by Needham, 2nd by Snitker to approve; all ayes, motion carries. 453 W Stutsman St.—motion to tentatively approve building permit contingent on getting detailed drawing and specs for the shed; 2nd by Carattini, all ayes, motion carries.
o Gaming Permit: Pembina Firefighters Association Raffle permit—Motion to approve by Snitker, 2nd by Carattini, all ayes, motion carries.
o Lisa Rotveld, RRCHDO, putting manufactured homes (doublewides) in Kneeshaw Circle for sale, with long-term land lease by each potential homeowner to go to the City-will open up apartments to people who don’t want to purchase and homes that are 2 stories as people who don’t want to deal with multiple levels will move in and sell their home; Spark Building Initiative—need lots to build 2 new $350,000 homes on—will City or anyone donate?
Motion to adjourn at 8:01pm by Needham.
By: Mayor Fitzgerald
Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor
The next regular City Council Meeting will be held on November 17, 2025, 6pm at the Professional Building