Council approves committee recommendations: life insurance, telecom plan, fee schedule and airport grant

The International Falls City Council on Thursday approved a package of administrative items forwarded from the Committee of the Whole, including employee life insurance renewal, a telecom plan for public safety, updates to the city fee schedule and execution of a Minnesota Department of Transportation airport grant contract.

Councilors voted unanimously to renew the city’s 2026 life insurance provider with Sun Life. They also approved a T‑Mobile government plan described as the “bridal point R980 plan” for the fire and ambulance department; Chief Manasseh indicated no questions about the plan.

The council approved the 2026 business license, park, recreation and other fee schedule as presented after a brief amendment request to correct an attorney letter reference on a data-request fee item. Councilor Kaler amended his motion to exclude that single item until it can be reprinted with the attorney’s letter, and the council approved the rest of the fee schedule.

The council also voted to execute Minnesota Department of Transportation Airport Maintenance and Operation grant contract number 1060327. Council members indicated the grant had been discussed previously in Committee of the Whole and that staff had reviewed the contract.

Other administrative items approved without recorded dissent included temporary traffic control (a seasonal stop sign near a school) and the scheduling of a special Sept. 22 meeting for preliminary budget and levy work.

All Committee of the Whole recommendation items as presented were approved in unanimous votes recorded in the Sept. 15 meeting minutes.