Falls City Council to discuss weighty issues Tuesday

International Falls City Council will face a hefty agenda with a few controversial items when it meets Tuesday.

The council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the Falls Municipal Building. The council offers an opportunity for public comment at the beginning of each regular meeting and concludes with reports by administration, department heads and members of the council.

The council is scheduled to hear from Boyle an to prevent what the agenda calls a vehicle “bypass/road to the foreign trade zone.” The item refers to an appeal of an earlier court ruling which favored Koochiching County in a suit brought by the city against the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the county. The appeal was launched over a ruling by MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, who said that the county did not need the city’s approval to designate county state aid highway status on a road within city limits.

The agenda item also involves a recent offer by MnDOT to “turn back” a portion of Highway 332 to the county with $3.5 million. The county needs the approval of the city council to move forward with the turnback because a portion of the road that would be designated as a CSAH is within city limits. The state Legislature must also redefine the status of the road before the action can proceed.

The agenda will include a report by city Attorney Joe Boyle. Boyle, in a report to The Journal Thursday, noted that on Aug. 18 an offer had been made to the attorney Jay Squires, representing the county, to settle the litigation and asked the county to join the city’s request to seek federal funds for a road to the foreign trade zone east of Ranier.

“Only after it is clear whether or not federal funds are available to build a road to the foreign trade zone can the issue of ‘turnback funds’ be considered,” Boyle wrote to the county’s attorney. “The city suggests that the county and city representatives sit down privately with their counsel and representatives of both (U.S. Rep. Jim) Oberstar’s office and our state elected officials to determine the best approach to build the road to the foreign trade zone to ultimately end this litigation.”

In the report to The Journal, Boyle wrote, “As of this minute, the county’s Attorney Jay Squires refuses and evidently the county board refuses to call Congressman Oberstar with us to seek federal funding for a road to the foreign trade zone rather than build this bypass.”

In the report, Boyle said a road to the FTZ would meet the following needs of the community:

• Vacate the Burner Road portion of Highway 332 benefiting Boise Inc., its employees, and the whole area economically;

• Not build a vehicular bypass around the downtown and Highway 53 businesses, which is contrary to the legislative intent of Highway 332 (a bypass was opposed by 900 petitioners, the Falls Chamber of Commerce, and a large majority of the public participating at all public meetings);

• Improve the community’s economic future by having a first-class truck bypass continue from the existing north easterly turn of Highway 332 to the foreign trade zone, which would serve the second busiest rail port in the United States;

• Provide a quick escape and bypass route for the lake residents coming from the south.

Boyle reported to The Journal that Squires questioned the need to contact Oberstar, who serves as chairman of the House Transportation Committee. During the conversation with Squires, Boyle reported that Oberstar’s office contacted him “reporting progress on this council’s and mayor’s lease with the National Park Service.”

The city is negotiating for a lease with the park service to house the headquarters of Voyageurs National Park in a building that would be owned by the city on waterfront property between Rainy River and Highway 11 East.

“I believe Congressman Oberstar can help us if we work together,” Boyle wrote in his report. “I pointed out to attorney Squires that we are not requiring the dismissal of the case on appeal at this time, but only a desire to work to attain the four goals stated herein and to call Congressman Oberstar to seek his help.”

In other business Tuesday, the council will discuss how an annexation proposal moved forward by the Ranier City Council and approved by the county board will impact the operation and management of the FTZ.

The FTZ is entirely within the area described in Ranier's annexation proposal. The proposal will be considered by an administrative law judge who will conduct a public hearing on the issue.

Members of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority Board at its August meeting raised the question of how annexation — should it be approved — would impact the FTZ. The FTZ is now being marketed by the KEDA, which is funded by the county and city, and governed by a board made up of city, county and at-large representatives from several areas in the county.

The council is also scheduled to:

• Consider a recommendation to adopt a preliminary 2010 proposed budget and property tax levy.

• Formulate a response to Koochiching County’s proposal for renewal of a fire protection services contract.

• Hear from LeeAnn Meer, Friends Against Abuse, about the Servants of Shelter project.

• Hear about Advanced Life Support Regulatory Board licensure inspection.

• Hear a recommendation to adjust the assistant building official position’s salary.