In the last regular meeting of 2014, the International Falls City Council recognized parting members Councilors Gail Rognerud and Paul Eklund.
Both will end their council service on Dec. 31. Rognerud has served on the Falls City Council three months short of 30 years, beginning April 1984; Eklund has served 10 years beginning January 2005.
An open house is planned for their last day of service from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the council chambers at the Falls Municipal Building. A brief ceremony is scheduled for 1:20 p.m.
Their service was recognized by council and staff Dec. 15. Councilor Cynthia Jaksa was absent from the meeting.
City Administrator Ken Anderson thanked the two councilors for their commitment to the community and their support of city staff.
City Attorney Steve Shermoen called Eklund and Rognerud remarkable public servants. “The community is fortunate to have people of your quality perform a thankless job,” he said. “The city should be proud of your service.”
Falls Police Chief Mike Musich said the two councilors have always treated him and his officers with respect.
Meanwhile, their fellow councilors also recognized their service. Councilor Pete Kalar said the two have provided him with support, encouragement and knowledge as he learned the duties of councilor.
Mayor Bob Anderson said he appreciated the service Rognerud and Eklund have provided to the community and noted he had worked with both of them on their election campaigns.
Eklund said serving as a councilor has been a privilege and honor, and he thanked his East Ward constituents for electing him four times. He noted when he first joined the council it was made up of nine members, forcing him to take part in two elections.
He said the city is lead by an amazing team of people.
“I am not going away,” he said. “I will be back in some way, shape or form.”
Rognerud said she was proud and thankful to be a part of the special people who work for the city and listed a number of activities, accomplishments and even controversies during her tenure.
The camaraderie of fellow councilors and city staff has been an important part of the last 30 years, she said.
And, she had some advice for the new council: “Respect the past and build for the future.”
In other business last week, the council approved the 2015 budget and levy. The $2.1 million levy represents a 2 percent increase, or $42,000, over the 2014 levy.
Mayor Anderson said he voted to approve the budget and levy with reservations, reiterating he opposed a 2 percent increase, favoring instead a 1.5 percent increase, which would collect about $31,000 more in 2015 than this year. He also said he had reservations about some of the spending items.
The council also approved a renewal of a loan for Citizens for Backus/AB which was originated in 2009. The current principal of the loan is about $22,300 at 3 percent interest.
The council met in special session Dec. 18 to wrap up year-end issues involving job changes and other human resources issues.
Administrator Anderson told The Journal the council approved a reorganization and shift of duties to three different positions as a result of the resignation of Rich Christie as water commissioner in September.
Part of the water commissioner duties were assigned to Public Works Director Gary Skallman with an increase of $1.50 per hour effective Jan. 1 to cover the additional duties.
The street and water commissioner titles were combined, and will be performed by Street Commissioner Dennis Jonson, with a $3 per-hour increase to cover the additional duties he will assume, reported Anderson.
A working foreman job description was created and must be approved by the 49ers labor union. The hourly wage is recommended at $29.50. If approved by the union, the job will be posted internally. This position will assume some of the day-to-day duties the water commissioner had previously performed, said Anderson.
An increase in the part-time patrol officer hourly rate was approved, said Anderson. That rate has been $21.49 per hour since before 2006, and was increased to $22.58 per hour effective Jan. 1.
The city administrator salary was increased by 2 percent effective Jan. 1, a $1,660 increase for the year, said Anderson.
A 1.5 percent increase for the economic development position, held by Shawn Mason, had been approved earlier this year, said Anderson. However, an incorrect base salary had been used at that time. The base salary the increase is based on is $50,875, the annual salary she received effective Jan. 1, 2014.
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The Littlefork City Council Thursday approved a motion to host fingerprint scanning services for state employees in the area, as part of a program to speed up background checks for employees.
In order to cut down on the time it takes to complete a background check, the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2015 will require applicants to submit to a fingerprinting and photo ID service.
Littlefork will serve as the site in Koochiching County for these services, city Administrator Sonja Pelland said. 3M Cogent is providing all the fingerprint scanning equipment, maintenance, and support, she said, and the city will receive a fee for each scan completed.
“It’s good for us, and great for the Littlefork Medical Center right there,” Pelland said. “It’ll also bring people to town.”
The technology from 3M Cogent will allow the DHS to complete about 90 percent of the background checks within a few hours, according 3M. The system will be rolled out in January, and is expected to be fully operational in April.
In other business, the council approved its 2015 tax levy and budget in a Truth in Taxation hearing, which took place before the regular council meeting. The tax levy of $106,000 didn’t change from last year, Pelland said. The general fund budget of $425,583 is slightly down from last year’s budget of $427,984, she said.
The budget decrease is because of a decrease in the parks and recreation budget, Pelland said. They had budgeted for improvements in Lofgren Park last year, and aren’t doing them in 2015.
In other business, the council approved a proposal from CliftonLarsonAllen for auditing services for the city. The LMC has used them for auditing for years, Pelland said, which really helped sell them to the council.
“The LMC has been happy with CLA, so we’re kind of going on their recommendation,” Pelland said. “They weren’t the highest or lowest price, but the price is guaranteed for three years.”
The city’s previous auditing firm was Miller McDonald Inc. from Bemidji.
The council also awarded a bid for cleaning and televising sewer lines to Ritter & Ritter Inc. of Aitkin, for a total of $35,972. The project will start this winter, Pelland said, and hopes to be completed before April.
