City Council Meeting Minutes for June 16, 2025
Council Meeting Minutes for June 16, 2025
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025, 6pm
Location: Professional Building
Council Members Present: Mayor Fitzgerald, Flores, Snitker, Norby, Needham, Carattini, A Huttunen (arrived 6:03pm)
Guests: G Koropatnicki, City Super; Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney (arrived 6:02pm); B Eisenbeis, PVFD; Dustin Fanfulik, City Engineer; Del Huttunen, FPHS; Phil Hall
Public Portion called to order at 6pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Public Portion closed at 6:02pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
Regular Council Meeting called to order at 6:02pm by Mayor Fitzgerald.
- Motion to approve Changesto Agenda by Needham, 2nd by A. Huttunen, all ayes, motion carries.
· Motion to Approve May 5 and May 23, 2025, MeetingMinutesby A. Huttunen, 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries.
o 2025 Citywide Cleanup Day: on schedule for July 30, 2025 per A. Huttunen
o Texas 4000 for Cancer arriving 6/24/25 approximately 5 pm. Dinner wb served from 6pm-8pm at Community Center by Ambulance Service, breakfast next morning at 5:30am. Tentatively Mayor Fitzgerald, Snitker, Needham, Flores, and Carattini will do “meet & greet.”
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—meeting minutes attached; see recommendations on rent increases; need approval on recommendations; Ashley Schafer interested in renting Ste 1; need Rob to create lease agreement. Discussed doing $1000/month of repairs until all is updated—need council approval to move forward.Motion by Snitker to increase rents to $2.35 per square foot for new tenants, excluding Ambulance and Sharp Shears (S.S. to be slowly increased—professional building committee to approach and discuss with her); 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries. Motion by A. Huttunen to give 30 day notice to Border Brokers their rent will increase to $360/month as of August 1, 2025; 2nd by Snitker, all ayes, motion carries.
- EmployeesReport/Concerns
o Greg:
- Taking Vacation soon, Norby to cover in absence.
- Crack seal—order 4 barrels as now there is summer help? Motion by Carattini to approve purchase of 4 barrels, 2nd by Snitker; all ayes, motion carries.
- Fire Department—no report—radios are all in at Stone’s; $18g reimbursement coming in 6-8 weeks; Federal grant available to assist with staffing/give stipend to keep volunteers available especially on weekends; working on State Farm $10,000 grant; Monty & Aimee are now Level 2 Firefighters; Pembina has more certified firefighters than other departments in ND; 4th of July, PVFD will have spray house and rides; want to “skin” station and ger repairs due to leaks.
· EngineerReport – Dustin Fanfulik—working on lagoon project preliminary engineering report; looking at bids and possible grants, perhaps one through EPA; possible start date 2027
· Attorney Update—DFA’s 6 month extension has ended; will look into condemnation proceedings/cost/liability to City—can City take property?; water policy was amended Sept 2024 to specify vacant lots getting connection fee, maintenance & repair charge, and mosquito fee; Stoiber to follow policy regarding vacant lots.
· Update&Business: Mayor Fitzgerald
o J.A. Auto parking for business on 2nd & Stutsman—concerned that vehicles he’s working on will get tow notices; 2nd Street is City’s property, but he is exempted as he’s working on the vehicles. Can also park them out in front of his building;
o Put 0.5% sales tax increase on ballot next year to benefit Ice Rink & Rec Board activities? Tabled to next month
o May 2025 Bills& Financials: motion by Carattini to accept the financials as presented, 2nd by Needham, all ayes, motion carries.
o Delinquent Accounts Update: City needs to discourage late/delinquent accounts
o Liquor License Application: GasTrak: motion by A. Huttunen to change the city ordinance to add one additional commercial offsale licens & do first reading of ordinance change; 2nd by Snitker; Role call ayes: Carattini, Snitker, Flores, A. Hutunen; nays: Norby, Needham; motion carries.
o Building Permit: 272 W Stutsman, 361 N 2nd St; Motion by A. Snitker to approve, 2nd by Snitker; Needham and Carattini abstained, 4 ayes; motion carries.
o Golf Passes? New home owners get 1 season of free golf membership; paid for out of Kneeshaw Circle fund; Golf Course will invoice City for them as they’re turned in.
o Request for $20,700 grant for ramp lights submitted—received funds 6/16/25
o Vacant buildings/homes and vacant lots not on the utility billing. Found 80+ more that were not on the Utility Billing. Tabled to next month.
o Building/Zoning Committee—all new construction needs to have backflow prevention; Mayor Fitzgerald appointed Flores to committee; motion by Snitker to approve Flores on Building/Zoning Committee; 2nd by A. Huttunen; all ayes, motion carries
o FPHS discussion on food truck incident—local business was upset about food truck at pop up market, so FPHS will no longer allow food trucks on their property; as long as food truck gets transient merchant license, City has no issues with them parking on City streets. There is no exclusivity/monopoly within Pembina.
o Needham--Emergency Food Pantry—tabled to next month
o Insurance rate changes to bring up to value per NDIRF—motion by Needham, 2nd by Carattini to accept, all ayes, motion carries
o Carattini—request for City assistance for FPHS at Ukrainian Church—need to move shed onto trailer for removal; motion by A. Huttunen to have City assist, 2nd by Needham, 2 ayes, 2 nays, A. Huttunen retracted motion, doesn’t stand; Motion by Needham, 2nd by Norby to have City assist; A. Huttunen and Carattini abstained; 2 ayes, 2 nays, Mayor broke tie, motion carries
o Motion by A. Huttunen to authorize AMKO to take over US Bank bond as the paying agent, 2nd by Needham; role call ayes: A Huttunen, Needham, Carattini, Norby, Flores, Snitker; motion carries.
o Motion by Needham to support grant endorsement letter for D&K Grocery; 2nd by Snitker; all ayes, motion carries.
o J A Auto interested in Masonic Lodge lot; would need to tear down building; get bids for tear down of Lodge, then will notify J A Auto cost of lot with demo. Motion by A. Huttunen to get bids, 2nd by Snitker, all ayes, motion carries
Motion to adjourn at 7:45pm by Needham, 2nd by Carattini.
By: Mayor Fitzgerald
Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor
The next city council meeting will be held on July 21, 2023 at 6pm in the Professional Building.