City Council - Regular Meeting

It is 7:30. I will call the regular city council meeting of May 18th, 2026 to order. We do have a quorum. Please stand for the pledge.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All individuals are asked to either silence or turn off all cell phones, pages, and other electronic devices that may disrupt the meeting. Approval of the agenda. Before we do that, we need to amend the agenda. Uh we need to remove item 9 C under new business. With that, we need to approve the agenda as posted in accordance with the open meeting law. And here in place, all agenda items on the table for discussion. What is the wish of the council?

I'll move to approve the agenda. I'll second. Motion by council member Lunberg. Second by council member Meyer. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? Carries. Approval of minutes. Special work session meeting of May 4th, 2026 and the regular meeting of May 4th, 2026. Approve. What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. Second. Motion by council member Hansen, second by council member Glaze. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed?

Carries. Approval of the bills. Electronic checks 4228 through 4256 and checks 114362 through114437 totaling $810,224 approve. What is the wish of the council? Make a motion to approve the bills. Okay. Um Dave made the motion. Okay. So I will go with motion by council member Glaze, second by council member Goshik.

Any discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. Carries. Awards, donations, presentations, and proclamations. We do have a proclamation tonight and is in regard to Poppy Month. So I'll turn that over to Mayor Zilka.

Okay. I will read the poppy proclamation. Whereas the annual dist distribution of poppies by the American Legion family and the veterans of foreign wars of the United States has been officially recognized by governmental leaders since 1922. And whereas American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and VFW poppies are assembled by disabled veterans and the proceeds of the worthy fundraising campaign are used exclusively for the benefit of disabled and needy veterans and their families. And whereas the basic purpose of the annual distribution of poppies by the American Legion family and the veterans of foreign wars is eloquently reflected in the des in the desire to honor the dead by helping the living. Therefore, I, Greg Zulka, mayor of the city of Little Falls, recognize May as Poppy month and Dubai urge the citizens of this community to recognize the merits of this cause by contributing generously to its support through donation for poppies. 5826 is the day set aside for the distribution of these symbols of appreciation for the sacrifices of our honored living and deceased veterans. I urge all patriotic citizens to wear the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars poppies as mute evidence of our gratitude by the men and to the men and women of this great country who have risked their lives in defense of the freedoms which we continue to enjoy as United States citizens.

Thank you. We'll move on to the consent agenda. Under the consent agenda tonight, we have the animal control report for April 2026. Receive application for 1-day to 4day temporary onsale liquor license. Roar and pour Pinerove Zoo. Approve. Application for exempt permit. Little Falls Fire Department relief association raffle December 1st, 2026. Approve. Application for exempt permit Morrison County Ducks Unlimited Bingo and Raffle June 21st, 2026. Approve. Application for show license helping hands 365. Labor Park August 29th, 2026. Approve. Appoint seasonal golf course and pro shop attendance. Golf. Accept and appoint. Housing and redevelopment authority minutes February and March 2026. Receive letter of resignation. Brandon Cheetah Buri, assistant golf course attendant. Receive post assistant golf course attendant. Authorize Morrison County prosecution report for March and April 2026. Receive recycling report. April 2026 receive wastewater report. April 2026 receive water report. April 2026 receive. What is the wish of the council?

I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Second. Motion by council member Gosh, second by Mayor Zilka. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed carries. Public hearings and letings under letings. First one we have is a 2026 pavement improvements knife river Corporation North Central Streets award. Greg.

Thank you, Mr. President, on May 7th, we opened up quotes for our pavement improvements. This is essentially large areas that we're looking at patching throughout town. Um the loan quote came from Knife River North Central in the amount of $26,564. We did request two quotes. This was the only one that we received. The engineers estimate for the project was $23,825. Uh we are asking the council to approve the quote from Knife River North Central in the amount of $26,564 and that would be charged to the street improvement fund. What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Motion by council member Glaze, second by council member Lojigran. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? Carries. Item two, jeter truck repairs, flexible pipe tools and equipment wastewater. Ratify and confirm. Greg. Thank you, Mr. President. uh through the operation of the uh the Jeder truck, it was damaged and so we are asking council to approve the quote from um flexible pipe and tool out of sock or cold spring in the amount of $13,855.70 that would be charged to collections equipment and repairs and that would be ratified and confirmed. So we did approve this to get it going so that we could get it in their queue to get repaired. Um but that's in the amount of $13,855.70. What is the wish of the council?

I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Motion by Mayor Zilka, second by council member Hansen. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed carries. Third item, lagoon lime excavation, Kim and Dirt Diggers water award. Greg.

Thank you, Mr. President. Every year we look at cleaning out one to two of the lagoons up at the uh at the water plant. We use this lime to treat the water before it gets sent out in the distribution system. We requested quotes from two contractors, Northern Outdoor Services out of Piers and Kim and Dirt Diggers out of Little Falls. Kim and Dirt Diggers was the low quote in the amount of $6,000 and we are requesting approval of this uh this quote and that would be charged to the water department waste removal. What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Motion by council member Hansen. Second by council member Glaze. Any discussion?

Yes. Uh couple people brought up to me uh just how that goes out and who awards it. Uh like uh the city engineer here. It's his brother, Mr. Kinman Dirt Diggers. So, how does this all come about? Uh, I know at one time Cl used to do this and you just uh do you just put it out for the two people, Piers and Kinman, and nobody else in the area?

So, those are the two quotes that we went on for. Yep. Um, I had Andrew actually get the quotes, so I don't see them until they're they're in. So, I don't know what those numbers are until they're in and done. Um, but yes, those are the two ones that we've requested. Mainly, we want to make sure that um we've done a lot of work up there to stabilize the banks. Um, previously there were uh the usage to move the lime out was a basically a manure pit and so it would spray water at the sides and it would eat that away and so our slopes actually went from about a 3:1 to closer to a one one. Um, and so we had a number of years where we did a lot of projects to flatten those slopes, put concrete on them and make sure that they don't get um eroded anymore. So that's why we we only reached with a couple of contractors that we trust to make sure that they don't damage them any more than what they have been. Um and those are the two quotes that we were that we received.

Do they still use that lime out on the fields? They do. Okay. Yep. Council President, if I may, um this So are we renting the excavator or are we renting with 20 hours? 20 hours is what it's over two days, two 10our days. So, we're renting the excavator and the operator to run it and the operator. Correct. Okay. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I

opposed. Carries. Next item. Wage compliance monitoring services MKC Inc. 2026 wastewater treatment facility project phase two. Greg.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, as you're probably aware, we have our wastewater uh, phase 2 project going on. Uh, we received some PFA funding assistance for that project. One of the requirements for the funding is wage compliance and monitoring. Uh, we reached out to MKC Incorporated out of Stillwater. This is basically what they do is the wage monitoring and such um to get a price on what it would take for them to monitor um our our project here. Uh that price came in at $14,820 and that would be charged to the wastewater treatment facility phase 2 construction project. What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion to award.

Second. Motion by Mayor Zilka, second by Wiligrin. Wiligrin. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed carries. Next item, construction testing services Braraw Intertech 2026 wastewater treatment facility project phase two. Greg,

thank you, Mr. President. Um, similar to our wastewater project that we've got going on just the previous item. Um, this is for construction testing services. We reached out to Bronn Intertech and ITT for construction testing. Uh we are recommending the council go with Brun Intertech for a couple of reasons. Um they have additional time slated in there for um structural steel mainly bolt tightening. Um and so this would be charged to the wastewater treatment facility phase 2 project once again much like the previous item. Um as well as the other other testing requirements that they will have as far as soil testing, concrete testing and structural te steel testing. Um, so we would ask the council approve Ron Interex proposal in the amount of 14,000 or excuse me, $7,863.

What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion. Second. Motion by council member Ligrin, second by council member Lundberg. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed. Carries. We have no old business, so we'll move on to new business. Um, first item under new business tonight is the right of first offer and first refusal. Purple Carrot Parking lot, 105 Ker Street Northeast, authorized. Alex,

thank you, Council President. So, we have been requested by the Little Falls Food Co-op or also known as the Purple Carrot Market to enter into a first offer and first refusal agreement with them regarding the parking lot that we own just north of their um location. a lot of their vendors and uh partners within the co-op realm. They want to ensure that there's going to be adequate parking moving forward and also that is going to be the access point for their deliveries to get into the co-op. So, they're not pushing for sale of lot or anything on that regard, but they just want to make sure that should the city wish to sell this parking lot at any point, they would have the first right to that to match any offers that were given so that they can essentially make sure that they continue to have parking and access for their deliveries. It's a a good request. I personally don't see a need for or a future endeavor to remove parking from downtown because those are very difficult to add, but uh it does give them a longer term solution with their vendors and it gives them a a comfort there. So, we're looking for city council to authorize the execution of the first right of offer and first refusal with uh the Little Falls Co-op.

Mr. President, I'm just uh wondering if Purple Carrot members can vote on this. Yes, you can. So long as you are not receiving any financial um benefits from the Purple Carrot, if you're just a member, you are able to vote. Okay. Thank you. What is the wish of the council? I'll make a motion to authorize. Second. Motion by Council Member H. Meyer. Uh second by council member Hansen. Any discussion?

Yes, Mr. President. Um I understand what they're trying to do here. However, I fail to see any advantage to the city taxpayer whatsoever. Um there's no advantage for us willingly handcuffing our options on that lot for anything in the future. The future's a long time. We don't know what's going to happen. So, it's there. They're adjacent to it. They can use it. I I think that's good enough. I I don't see the advantage to giving them first dibs on it should it first come come up for sale. Um, we don't know what kind of offer we might get on that for a business development. And I could see this potentially causing some obstacles with that.

Um, council president, I I have a question. Okay, so somebody comes in and offers so much money for that parking lot. Do they get the right of first refusal? they can pay what somebody else offers and they get the parking lot. Is that where we're coming up with? So, it would be their privately owned. I doubt if we'll ever sell it in my time on earth, but I'm just saying I I don't have a problem with it as long as, you know, they match whatever else somebody offers us. So,

I don't see how it would tie our hands because it says under the agreement, the co-op would have the opportunity to submit an offer or match the material terms of a third party offer before the property could be sold. It doesn't say we promise not to sell it to anyone but you. It pro it says if somebody makes us an offer, we're going to let you know so you can match or go above it. Right. That is basically what it says.

Point I was trying to get Yeah. I don't think that ties our hands or is any disservice to the taxpayer. I mean, somebody comes in, wants to build a something big there, and offers us a huge amount of money. We let the car purple carrot market know about it, and they're like, "Well, thanks for letting us know, but we can't afford that much." That's kind of where it would end. I don't think it would tie our hands at all. Or what if it's not that much money, but the they wanted to put a $3 million building on it that generates property tax revenue. and not keep it empty. That makes sense.

Any other discussion? Well, to take that a step further, so say somebody comes in, just we're throwing number generic numbers around $20,000 they want to pay. We we would go to the purple carrot. say they're offering us $20,000 for this lot. And then is it just those two parties exclusively that you know the party that made the first offer and then the purple carrot or is this say okay we decided to sell the slot collectively we can have other parties make an offer

with the first right let's say there was negotiation we could say three parties came forward and we liked party B we would then take their offer to purple carrot and they would have that first right against that I see your point. Any other discussion? You read none. All those in favor? I opposed. No. I I All right. Let's uh four to four. Let's do a uh roll call vote, please. Lunberg.

Hi, Liren. Hi. Wait, wait. No. Are we doing yes or no? All those in favor? Okay. Sorry, I'm not in favor. Okay, so no. No. Apologize. Lilrin, yes. Meyer, no. Zilka, yes. Canafla, yes. Glaze, yes. Hansen, no. Gochek, no.

Fails. Okay, moving on. Item B, grant administration and reimbursement agreement, Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County. Authorized. Sony.

Thank you, Council President. The city of Little Falls received a grant from the state of Minnesota Tier 2 Housing for $220,000. We are desiring to enter into a grant administration and reimbursement agreement with Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County. Habitat shall use the grant funds to support the construction and development of four single family homes located within the corporate limits of the city of Little Falls to be completed by December 31st, 2030, approximately one home per year. And the agreement presented details how we will track uh disperse track and disperse funds to Habitat for Humanity over the course of this project. The city the city shall have no obligation to reimburse Habitat for any amount in excess of the grant funds. So it will not cost us any additional funds just what we are getting from the state and we are looking for council to authorize the agreement as presented.

What is the wish of the council? Mr. President, I will make a motion to authorize. I second it. Motion by Mayor Zilka, second by council member Glaze. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? Carries. Any announcements? Hearing none, then we will recess to a scheduled closed meeting pursuant to Minnesota statute 13D.05, 05 subdivision 2B, preliminary consideration of allegations against City of Little Falls employee. Let's see.