The International Falls City Council Monday supported a partnership with Koochiching County to relocate an animal holding facility and pledged $5,000 toward architectural services.
The city-owned holding facility now is in a construction zone as workers rehabilitate the North Koochiching Area Sewer Treatment plant. The location makes it difficult for volunteers with Borderland Humane Society, which manages the facility, to safely access the building, and noise and vibrations from the construction are placing stress on the animals held there, explained Councilor Tim “Chopper” McBride, who also serves as executive director of the sewer treatment plant.
“We don’t want to see someone get hurt and it’s not good for the animals,” he said.
McBride told the council that meetings with county officials have identified a site for a new holding facility on tax-forfeited, county-managed land adjacent to Menards. The proposal calls for the county to give the property to the city.
In addition, he said the proposal calls for a climate controlled, functional facility with indoor and outdoor dog runs and the potential to develop a dog-walking park nearby.
Current estimates place the cost for the facility at $200,000, but McBride said he wanted to further discuss the type of structure needed prior to the city committing additional money.
“We don’t want to do it piecemeal,” said McBride. “We want it done right.”
He said water service is available at the site, electricity would need to be brought in and a holding tank for sewer would be added.
Councilor Gail Rognerud noted that preliminary discussions with county officials call for the city and county each to contribute $30,000, with the Borderland Humane Society adding to funding. In addition, she said officials are hoping for “generous” contributions from the public.
In other business Monday, the council agreed to accept a recommendation to hire, based on interviews scheduled for June 25, a director of community and economic development.
McBride, president of the city’s Economic Development Authority, said the EDA had received 11 applications for the new city position and had narrowed, based on experience, the field to two finalists, Paul Nevanen and Shawn Mason.
Nevanen serves as the director of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority; Mason serves as mayor of the city.
Mason abstained from Monday’s vote and said she had abstained from all EDA and committee discussion on the position and had left meetings where it was being discussed.
Councilor Paul Eklund said the position attracted good applicants and generated good discussion during the EDA review of the applicants.
“This is a great step for the city of International Falls to take to move further on economic development,” he said.
The city position was recommended by the city’s EDA Board, made up of council members. The annual salary for the position is $40,000 to $55,000, depending on qualifications, plus benefits. The position would perform technical, administrative and professional work supporting the city and the EDA in implementing current and long-range planning goals and programs related to economic development, community development, housing, infrastructure, land-use planning and related work as apparent or assigned by the council or the EDA, according to the job description.
Nancy Lee, county public health nurse and coordinator of the Statewide Health Improvement Program, discussed Monday with the council the program’s initiative which is intended to create sustainable, systematic changes in communities that create widespread, lasting results.
This year’s goal is to implement policies and practices that create active communities by increasing opportunities for walking and bicycling, following up on previous year’s efforts.
Mason urged Lee to consider getting involved in the development of the dog-walking park, noting that when dogs are walked, their owners are, too.
Mason also noted that several projects underway and planned for the future, such as walkways as a part of a proposed housing development on the Donahue property, will help to encourage healthier lifestyles.
The council heard Monday that a groundbreaking ceremony for a planned warehouse project and celebration of a state grant to be used to further its development is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. July 2 on County Highway 155. She said Gov. Mark Dayton is scheduled to participate.
The first council meeting in July was rescheduled to 9 a.m. June 29 because of conflicts with the International Pulling for Peace tugs of war and the warehouse groundbreaking ceremony on the regularly scheduled meeting date.
The council heard the first reading of an ordinance awarding Bowman Asphalt Products a contract for a street improvement project on Industrial Avenue and Sixth Avenue West from Highway 53 to 17th Street. Council officials are expected to donate land for the project.
City Attorney Steve Shermoen noted that this, as well as the county’s participation in relocating the animal holding facility, is another example of how the city and county work together for the betterment of the community.
Councilors noted that very soon the city’s website will feature videos of the city council meetings, including Monday’s meeting.
