December 19, 2006 Regular meeting minutes

 

     The regular meeting of the Ward County Commission was called to order by Chairman Watne at 9:00 am with Comms. Fjeldahl, Gruenberg, Erickson, and Lee present.  Also present were Auditor/Treasurer Devra Smestad and County Engineer Roger Kluck.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the minutes of the December 5, 2006 regular and December 13, 2006 special meetings. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then presented the bills. Kluck appeared briefly for comment. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the Social Welfare bills totaling $167,806.62 and Human Service bills totaling $47,253.61 and the bills totaling $164,806.62. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

      Darin Langerud of the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board appeared to present the ND Weather Modification annual report. Also present were Chief Meteorologist Mark Schneider and Ward County Weather Modification Board member Jerome Behm.  Earl Allen also appeared for comment.

      Chief Deputy Dave Bosh and Deputy Larry Hubbard appeared regarding a memorandum of understanding with the City of Minot for a Joint Crisis Negotiation Team. State's Attorney John Van Grinsven also appeared for comment. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize the Chairman to sign the memorandum of understanding and to authorize the Sheriff’s Office to pursue working on similar agreements with neighboring counties.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Sheriff Vern Erck then appeared about correspondence from William Christen acting as a clergyman in the jail. Erck informed the Board of the incidents leading up to the letter of dismissal being sent to Christen. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the correspondence from William Christen in regards to jail clergy. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then presented items for Board action.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the following correspondence: Dept. of Transportation regarding two contract awards; Minutes from the Law Enforcement and Coroner meeting; Judge Mattson regarding guardian at litem; Sheriff’s Office press release; and Henry Bodmer regarding Weather Modification. Comm. Lee questioned if further action was needed in regards to the letter from the Coroner.  Smestad informed the Board that an initial meeting had been held with the request that one or two Commissioners join the committee.  Comm. Erickson volunteered to join the committee. Roll call to receive and file the correspondence: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following applications for 2007 liquor licenses: Grain Hopper; M&S Concessions; Minot Country Club; Minot VFW Club Post 753, Inc; Judy Rice; Laddie, Inc. dba Speedway; and The Klub Minot for liquor, beer and wine, on and off sale; from Kenmare Country Club for beer and wine, on and off sale; and from Superpumper, Inc. for liquor, beer and wine, off sale. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve an application from the Souris River Basin Longbeards for a raffle from January 20 to May 12, 2006 with prizes totaling $1,125.00. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to: 1) receive and file the monthly reports, including financial reports; 2) approve a request for duplicate warrant from Joan Lanners in the amount of $141.68 and from Douglas Rural Fire Department for $4.98; and 3) to authorize the Auditor/Treasurer to cancel checks over one year old. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Chairman’s signature on the ND Youth Correctional Center agreement for 2007-08. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to accept and authorize the Chairman’s signature on contracts with the cities of Burlington and Surrey for housing of prisoners. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Gruenberg who abstained; motion carried.

      Committee appointments were then discussed. Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to change the terms of the Social Service Board from three to two year appointments. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following appointments of terms expiring December 31, 2006: All Seasons Arena Commission – Rudy Zupetz for a one year term; North Central Human Services – Lenore Scheresky and Molla B Romine for two year terms; and Water Resource Board – Loren Zimmer and John Pietsch for three year terms. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to appoint Larry Holbach to a five year term on the Minot City Planning Commission. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to appoint Darlene Watne to the un-expired term on the Ward County Public Library Board effective until June 30, 2007. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Brief discussion was then held on the combining of the Personnel and Human Resource committees. No action was taken.

      Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to accept and approve the updated Discovery Benefits Services agreement. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the action of the County Auditor/Treasurer in making the following sales and authorizes the issuance of tax deeds or contracts thereon: Minot City, Unplatted Por Sec 10-155-83, SESE Lying No. of Terrace Heights, 4^th Addition less Lakeside 4 & 7 Addns. for $20 – cash; Minot City, Minot Vista Addition, Lot 11 less E4’ for $20 – cash. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Comm. Lee then questioned if a transfer of the Kenmare tax property had taken place.  Kluck and Smestad appeared for comment, with Smestad to conduct more research into the matter.

     Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to table the survey of correctional facilities until more information on who is collecting the data can be obtained and the Sheriff has reviewed the survey. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following year-end budget amendment: place $121,480 from the FEMA Township payments (2005 rain disaster) into the 2005 Emergency Management miscellaneous account; and the following year-end budget transfers: from Emerson Building to General - $15,000; from Road Operations to General - $40,000; from Gambling to General - $24,000; from Rice Lake Paving District to Special Assessments District Finance - $4,043.37; from Kings Court Paving District to General - $18,511.59; from Emergency Fund to General - $14,980.55; from Homeland Security to General - $8,346.73 and from Farm to Market to Road Operations - $389,449.50. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then presented notification from NDACo in regards to the ND Newspaper Association adjusting public notice rates.   Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg that the Board send comments to the Office of Management and Budget, who is to review and adjust the rates for newspaper public notices, that a 20% increase is too excessive. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Watne who voted no; motion carried.

Kluck again appeared regarding contract and contract bond for the County Road 18 bridge replacement and County Roads 13 and 20 overlay projects. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to authorize the Chairman and State’s Attorney’s signatures on the contracts and contract bonds. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     Smestad reminded the Board of a meeting with the North Dakota State Fair, to be held December 19 at 1:00 p.m.

     Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following application for payroll amendment: Michael Ihla – Correctional Officer – Sheriff’s Department (new hire). Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to pre-approve and authorize the Auditor/Treasurer to pay the year-end bills. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Kluck then presented items for Board action.

     Kluck presented the Board with a map indicating the townships for which the County does maintenance work. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the map of township maintenance. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     Discussion was then held on the 55^th street bridge project. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to direct the Highway Engineer to obtain proposals for hiring of an engineer to design the project. After further discussion Comm. Lee withdrew his motion. It was then moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to have the County Engineer meet with the City of Minot and begin the process of advertising for an engineer to do a full concept study of both the 55^th street  and 27^th street projects. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     At 10:27 a.m. the Board recessed for the Social Service Board meeting.

     At 11:00 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.

     Discussion was then held on the building and space needs. Chairman Watne informed the Board that she had met with the director of the North Central Human Services and was told that the North Central Human Services would be moving out of the Oppen Center at the end of June and that there was a possibility that Social Services would be able to obtain more space at the Oppen Center.

     Regional Child Support Director Larry Van Ness appeared in regards to proposed legislation that would move Regional Child Support from a County level to a State level. It was then moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to schedule a meeting between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Trustees and Director of the Oppen Center in regards to what they would be able to do regarding the space needs of Social Services. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

     Chairman Watne then questioned what to do about space needs in the Courthouse building. Appearing for comment were: Kluck, County Recorder Sheila Dalen, Juvenile Detention Administrator Allison Hughes, District Court Administrator Dixie Knoebel, and State's Attorney John Van Grinsven.  After much discussion, Chairman Watne requested that the Board begin meeting with the Department Heads and re-evaluate the space needs.

     Comm. Lee then recognized former Comm. Reinarts who briefly appeared.

     At 11:52 a.m. with no further business, it was moved by Comm. Lee to adjourn.

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 2nd DAY OF JANUARY, 2007

 

s/Darlene Watne, Chairman
Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

 

s/Devra Smestad