The International Falls City Council Monday agreed to contribute up to $10,000 to help fund a study to consider how Rainy River Community College and the Falls School District can collaborate to create a stronger education system in the community.

The council agreed on a 4-1 vote to provide up to $10,000 for the study, estimated to cost from $75,000 to $100,000, based on two contingencies: That the amount of city’s contribution will match money provided by other entities; and that the focus of the study be broader than the grant application discusses.

Councilor Cynthia Jaksa voted against the motion saying that she believed it was inappropriate for the city’s finite economic development fund to be used for an education study.

In addition, she questioned the need for the costly study when ways to collaborate and strengthen the relationship between the two institutions could be developed through meetings.

Mayor Shawn Mason and Councilor Tim “Chopper” McBride also said they questioned the cost and scope of the study, but said that the results of the study could be considered economic development and provide opportunities to improve the effect on the community of the two institutions.

The funding was sought in a letter to the mayor signed by Sue Collins, president of the Northeast Higher Education District, of which RRCC is a member, and Jeff Peura, Falls district superintendent.

The letter said a study would be commissioned “to explore opportunities for collaboration and recommend action strategies that would ‘deepen the relationship’ between the education systems in International Falls.”

The Blandin and Bremer foundations are also being asked to contribute $35,000 each to the study.

Mason said she wants the study to consider how the two education institutions can work together to grow stronger and increase enrollments.

But Mason and other councilors said they would prefer to fund a study now that could result in making the two school systems more viable than investing later in saving RRCC from closure and the loss of other pieces of the education infrastructure in the community.

Councilor Gail Rognerud said she felt more comfortable funding the study when other entities “have skin in the game.”

Councilor Paul Eklund said if the study is about collaboration, funding the study collaboratively is a good place to start.

In other city business, the council agreed to fund remodeling of the administration office in the Falls Municipal Building. The cost is estimated at $127,500.

Jaksa said a reduction in staff and water leakage issues justifies the expenditure. The remodeling will provide a customer service window allowing the reduced staff to more easily handle the public’s needs while at the same time allowing for water leaks caused by failing mortar between bricks to be repaired.

The council also approved sending a letter to International Joint Commission representatives outlining concerns about a recommendation brought forward by a task force to merge the International Rainy Lake Board of Control and the International Rainy River Water Pollution Board.

“While we support responsible regulation including reasonable limits on the use of the resource, we are concerned about multiplying the already confusing and over-lapping jurisdiction authorities with oversight responsibility,” says the letter.

Letters of concern about the recommendation have also been sent by the Koochiching County Board, Boise Paper, Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club and the North Koochiching Sanitary Sewer Board.

The council approved extending to 2014 a commercial loan the city provided to Keith and Brenda Horne of Northland Distributing.