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February 20, 2007 Regular meeting minutes
The regular meeting of the Ward County Commission was called to order by Chairman Watne at 9:05 am with Comms. Fjeldahl, Gruenberg, Erickson, and Lee present. Also present were Auditor/Treasurer Devra Smestad; County Engineer Roger Kluck; and State's Attorney John Van Grinsven.
Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to approve the minutes of the February 6, 2007 meeting with changes. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Smestad then presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the Social Welfare bills totaling $69,035.84; Human Service bills totaling $34,233.32 and the bills totaling $120,405.54. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Bill Kolb, Wayne Paulson, Hardy Lieberg representing the ND Medal of Honor Memorial appeared to request a $20,000 donation to the memorial. State's Attorney Van Grinsven also appeared. It was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to have the State's Attorney review the legality of the County donating funds to the ND Medal of Honor memorial, to have the Auditor/Treasurer review which fund could be used for the requested $20,000 donation, and to report the information at the next Commissioner meeting. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
At 9:44 a.m. the Board recessed.
At 9:51 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.
Director of Tax Equalization Don Siebert then appeared. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following plats which were recommended for approval by the Ward County Planning Commission, the Water Resource Board and the respective Township Boards: Charles Badke, Rice Lake; Delmar Nelson, Elmdale Township; AZ Properties II, LLP, Sawyer Township; and Carmi Braasch, McKinley Township; to approve three applications for abatement and/or corrections of errors of assessments; and one application for Homestead Credit. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Smestad then presented items for Board action.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson for the Ward County Board of Commissioners to go on record in support of the ND Legislature funding the North Dakota State Fair Grandstand project (HB 1009) in full by sending letters of support and having at least two Commissioners make a personal appearance at the Committee hearing on this bill. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the following correspondence: Terry Traynor – property tax reform; Auditor/Treasurer Smestad – to US Congressmen re: letter of support for Trinity Health; US Dept of Commerce – Census LUCA program; ND Emergency Management Assn – annual award nominations; Engineer Kluck – letter to Jim Buzzell re: Kenmare hotel; City of Minot – public hearing; Engineer Kluck – call for bids; First District Health Unit – notice to remove, Barnes County – invitation to Commissioner’s Day; ND Assoc. of Oil & Gas Producing Counties – Oil statistics book & impact funds; Rep. Dawn Charging – HB 1420; Rocky Skarsgard – letter; NDIRF Rep Aberle; NDSF Manager Wagoner – HB 1009. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Comm. Lee then requested status of the sale of the County owned property in Kenmare. Smestad informed the Board that she had spoken to the potential buyer and informed him he had until the end of February 2007 to purchase the property and that he also had the option to purchase on contract for deed through the County.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the monthly statements, including financial reports.
Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to: 1) recognize Local 1157 Minot Firefighters Union as a public spirited organization and 2) approve a raffle permit for Local 1157 Minot Firefighters Union for May 10, 2007 with prizes totaling $9,074. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following budget amendments: 1) increase the Sheriff's Office travel/training account by $7,000 as reimbursed by a grant and 2) increase the Emergency Management’s miscellaneous account by $8,569 as reimbursed by FEMA funds for the 2005 Rain Disaster for payment to Willis and Surrey Townships. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Gruenberg to receive and file information about the County Officials Academy. After discussion, Comm. Gruenberg withdrew his motion. Comm. Erickson informed Smestad that he will attend the training, and Comm. Fjeldahl will inform her at a later date if he will attend or not.
Smestad informed the Board that the current Otis elevator service contract will expire in May and inquired if the Building Committee or full Board wanted to meet with Otis representatives prior to a new contract. Board consensus was for the full Board to meet with the Otis representatives.
Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to accept, approve and authorize the Chairman’s signature on the 2007 County Cafeteria plan. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Lee to approve the following application for payroll amendment: Kimberly A Potter – Social Worker III – Social Services (new hire.) Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Comm. Lee then requested if the Building Committee had met regarding the occupancy issue of the Ex-Serviceman’s Room. Chairman Watne informed the Board that the Building Committee hadn’t met yet, but would do so before the next Commissioner’s meeting.
Comm. Fjeldahl then presented information about HB 1051, relating to a 3½% budget cap, state paid property tax relief credit, and change in Homestead Credit limitations. Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee for the Ward County Board of Commissioners to send letters, and make personal appearances, opposing HB 1051. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Greg Hagen of the Souris Basin Planning Council and Kluck then appeared. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Chairman’s signature on a contract for a Community Development Block Grant for the MG Grains project. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Comm. Lee then requested that Van Grinsven report on the current Attorney General’s investigation into the Commission regarding open meeting records. Van Grinsven appeared for comment. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to have the Commission Chair provide each Commissioner with a copy of the response to the Attorney General’s office. Roll call vote: Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted no; motion failed.
At 10:36 a.m. the Board recessed for the Ward County Social Service Board meeting.
At 11:26 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.
Kluck then presented items for Board action.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to schedule the Annual Farm to Market hearing for April 3, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. in the Ex-Serviceman’s Room. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Kluck presented the Board with the bid results for the Intermodal Site construction work, which came in under budget by approximately $300,000. No action was taken.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to have the media informed of all County Committee meetings and to have a clerk present for record keeping. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Gruenberg who voted no; motion carried.
Kluck then set a Highway Committee meeting for 8:00 a.m. on March 19, 2007.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to move the March 20, 2007 meeting to March 27, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. due to the County Officials Academy on March 20-21. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Kluck then updated the Board on the 55th St (CR 12A) and 27th St (CR 19) grade separation projects. Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to authorize the County Engineer to: 1) go forward with the CR 19 (27th St) and CR 12A (55th St) concept study, concept report and traffic study on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $100,000 total; and 2) conduct a traffic study of CR 12 east of 55th St, for planning for the Lafarge Dakota plant near Surrey on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $19,300 total. Roll call: Comms. Fjeldahl and Watne voted yes, Comms. Lee, Erickson and Gruenberg voted no; motion failed.
After further discussion it was moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Watne to authorize the County Engineer to: 1) conduct the CR 19 (27th St) and CR 12A (55th St) concept study, concept report and traffic study on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $100,000 total; 2) conduct a 42nd St grade separation concept study, concept report and traffic study on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $35,000; and 3) conduct a traffic study of CR 12 east of 55th St, for planning for the Lafarge Dakota plant near Surrey on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $19,300 total. An amended motion was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize the County Engineer to: 1) conduct a 42nd St grade separation concept study, concept report and traffic study on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $35,000; and 2) conduct a traffic study of CR 12 east of 55th St, for planning for the Lafarge Dakota plant near Surrey on a hourly, not to exceed, basis up to $19,300 total. Roll call on the amended motion: Comm. Lee voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg, Fjeldahl, Erickson and Watne voted no; amended motion failed. Roll call on the original motion: Comms. Erickson, Watne and Gruenberg voted yes, Comms. Fjeldahl and Lee voted no; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to authorize Engineer Kluck and Comm. Lee to meet with the City of Minot regarding the transfer of CR 12 from Minot to Surrey over to the City of Minot. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Engineer to accept the low bid of Craft Builders, in the amount of $7,810.00, for the following repairs at the Highway Department building: fix the basement leakage and water damage; replace the front sidewalk and make the building handicap accessible. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Watne, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following budget amendments: 1) increase Highway Department capitol improvements from $400,000 to $829,302.25; 2) increase Farm to Market construction from $1,274,830.00 to $1,543.830.00; and 3) increase general highway construction from $576,236.00 to $898,092.39 with the overall increase of $1,020,158.64 being allocated from the under-spent highway funds of 2006. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Assistant Chief Engineer Dana Larsen appeared briefly for comment. Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to authorize the County Engineer to replace the heating and cooling system in the main Highway Department shop. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Engineer to accept the low bid of DLT Solutions, Inc. in the amount of $1,632.60 for GIS software with the funds to come from Capital Improvements. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Watne to authorize the Engineer to accept the proposal of Materials Testing Services, in the amount of $2,626.00, for boring holes on CR 12 in order to determine resilient modulus for sub-grade and existing base course. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.
Kluck then presented the Board with informational items.
At 12:26 p.m. with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 6th DAY OF MARCH, 2007
s/Darlene Watne, Chairman
Ward County Board of Commissioners ATTEST:
s/Devra Smestad
Ward County Auditor/Treasurer
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