February 6, 2007 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 January 16, 2007 regular Commission meeting. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then presented the bills. Appearing for comment were Kluck; Jail Commander Penny Erickson; and Chief Deputy Dave Bosh. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the Social Welfare bills totaling $105,716.51 and the bills totaling $303,768.21. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Brief discussion was held on a request from the Souris Basin Planning Council regarding a Community Development Block Grant for MG Grains. Smestad informed the Board that the Souris Basin Planning Council had requested to have the CDBG request removed from the agenda at this time. No action was taken.

      Social Services Director Dan Richter then appeared. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Social Services Director to spend up to $1,500 for purchase of a laptop computer for the Independent Living Coordinator. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Director of Tax Equalization Don Siebert then appeared. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Lee to approve the following plat applications: Steven Peck for Outlot 1 of NENENE Section 17, Margaret Township (157-81); Matthew Grigsby for Outlot 4 of SWNW and NWSW Section 4, Margaret Township (157-81) and to approve seven applications for abatement of taxes and/or corrections of error of assessments; and two applications for Homestead Credit. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then presented three bids for sanitation services for the Courthouse/Jail, Highway Department and Emerson Apartments. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to award the contract to the low bidder, Waste Management.  After further questioning, it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to table the bid award until further information could be obtained about service fees. Roll call on motion to table: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Owen Larson of the Oppen Family Guidance Institute then appeared.  Mr. Larson informed the Board that the Oppen Family Guidance Institute was willing to sell the Oppen Family Guidance building to Ward County for $45 per square foot, or approximately $2.5 million. Larson further reported that they would consider 10 equal payments on a contract for deed effective July 1, 2007. The sale would include all undeveloped land (approximately 7 acres), all buildings and parking lots. After brief discussion it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to acknowledge the offer of the Oppen Family Guidance Institute and to have the Board and the Social Services Director tour the buildings. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried. Chairman Watne set a date of February 20 at 1:00 p.m. for the Ward County Board of Commissioners, Social Services Director Dan Richter and Larson to tour the Oppen Family Center buildings, with Richter contacting Human Services to let them know of the planned tour.

      Smestad then presented items for Board action.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to receive and file the following correspondence: State Land Dept. – oil impact grants; Minot Fire Dept. – fire inspection; ND Water Commission – NAWS contract; Domestic Violence Crisis Center – annual report; NDACo – membership and cards; Rocky Skarsgard – letter; NDACo – HB 1420 and SB 2331 regarding confined animal feeding operations. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to accept, approve and authorize the Chairman’s signature on contracts with Makoti Development Corporation and Ward County Council on Aging. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Social Services Director to request donated leave for a Social Services employee. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to approve a request from Passport Township for a duplicate warrant in the amount of $110.26. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve an application for a raffle permit from Habitat for Humanity Northern Lights for March 3 – 6, 2007 with prizes totaling $225.00. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the pledge securities, investments, and checking accounts through December 30, 2006. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      IT Coordinator Leonard Tennyson then appeared regarding the 2007 Technical Support Services Agreement between Ward County and the NDACo. After much discussion it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Watne to have the State's Attorney re-write the contract which would allow for the county to expand the hours beyond 520 per year. After further discussion the motion was withdrawn.  It was then moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the contract for the County to pay NDACo a fee of $24,440 for 520 hours of services, plus travel expenses, with travel time (in lieu of mileage) set at $47.00 per hour; hotel accommodations at the rate of $50.00 per night per NDACo employee; meals at the rate of $25.00 per day per NDACo employee and any other actual travel expenses; with additional time (beyond the 520 hours) set at $47.00 per hour. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.  Chairman Watne suggested that further study be conducted throughout the year prior to the 2008 budget process to determine if a full-time person would be necessary.

      Discussion then was held on the Rice Lake Sewer District special assessment. Appearing for comment were Van Grinsven, Kluck and Rice Lake Service District Attorney Pete Hankla. After much discussion it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve a transfer of the land to the Rice Lake Sewer District, contingent upon the Park Board and County land being removed from the service district, if legally possible.  The motion was then withdrawn. Moved by Comm. Lee to approve a transfer of the land to the Rice Lake Sewer District, contingent upon the Park Board and County being removed from the service district, if legally possible. Motion died for lack of a second. It was then moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to clarify and to authorize the transfer of real property between Ward County, the Ward County Park Board, and the Rice Lake Recreational Service District/Rice Lake Sewer District. Kluck then appeared for comment. An amended motion was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to not allow any further assessments against Ward County property at Rice Lake unless the Ward County Board of Commissioners gives their agreement. The motion was withdrawn after discussion and Comm. Gruenberg called for the question. Roll call on the motion to transfer the land to the Ward County Park Board: all voted yes; motion carried.  A Ward County Park Board meeting was then set for 8:00 a.m. on February 20,2007.

      At 10:08 a.m. the Board recessed.

      At 10:18 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.

      Moved by Comm. Lee to remove the previous motion dealing with sanitation service bids from the table. Roll call to accept the low bid of Waste Management for the Courthouse/Jail ($240.00/month); the Highway Department ($67.88/month); and the Emerson Apartments ($67.88/month) for  a total of $375.76 per month. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Chairman Watne informed the Board that she had been requested to appoint a commissioner to an Intermodal Facility Construction committee, through the Minot Area Development Corporation, and that she had appointed Comm. Fjeldahl to that committee.

      Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following applications for payroll amendment: Deborah Chapman – Lead Case Analyst – Regional Child Support; Ricky Melchert – Equipment Operator – Highway Dept. (new hire). Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Comms. Gruenberg and Fjeldahl then gave a report from a committee meeting regarding the Social Services Board members. Van Grinsven also appeared for comment. After much discussion, it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to address the terms of the Social Service Board members by 1) appointing a five member board, all being elected County Commissioners; 2) replacing the Board members with their successors completing any unexpired term; and 3) setting terms on a staggered three year rotation, per state law. Roll call: Comms. Fjeldahl, Lee and Watne voted yes, Comms. Erickson and Gruenberg voted no; motion carried.

      Chairman Watne then presented a request from Trinity Health for a letter of support for a telemedicine initiative. Moved by Comm. Watne, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Ward County Board of Commissioners to send a letter of support to North Dakota Congressional Representatives for the Trinity Health telemedicine initiative of networking 12 rural community hospitals and clinics to the PAC (picture archiving and communication) system. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      The Board then briefly discussed a copy of the most recent fire inspection report and the Fire Inspector’s concern over needing another exit door in the Ex-Serviceman’s Room. Chairman Watne referred the matter to the Building Committee for further review.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl for the Ward County Board of Commissioners to go on record in opposition of HB 1420 and its companion, SB 2331, regarding confined animal feeding operations, and to allow any of the Commissioners to testify against the bill. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Smestad then had the Commissioners draw for their terms on the Social Service Board with the following terms being set: Comm. Fjeldahl for a one year term; Comms. Lee and Watne for two year terms; and Comms. Gruenberg and Erickson for three year terms.

      Moved by Comm. Lee to change the occupancy sign of the Ex-Serviceman’s Room to read: “Maximum occupancy of 50 people.” Motion died for lack of a second.

      Kluck then presented items for action.

      Emergency Manager Al Reynolds appeared briefly for comment on a Homeland Security grant to fence the Highway Department yard.  Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to reject all bids for the fencing of the Highway Department and the survey of the yard to re-establish the property lines. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to accept the recommendations of the personnel committee to change the Road Supervisor position from exempt to non-exempt status. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to offer the position of Road Supervisor to Brian Walters contingent upon Walters obtaining his Commercial Drivers License. After discussion Comm. Gruenberg withdrew his second and the motion died.

      It was then moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to follow the County Engineer’s recommendation to hire Rick Melchert for the position of Road Supervisor. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Watne to approve the following application for payroll amendment: Rick Melchert – Road Supervisor – Highway Department – Level 8-1 to Level 12-1, effective February 6, 2007. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee to authorize the County Engineer to purchase a new computer from Dell in the amount of $2,382.00. Motion died for lack of a second. It was then moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the County Engineer to purchase a new computer from Dell, in the amount of $2,382.00 with the old computer being given to the Ward County Weed Board. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

       Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the County Engineer and Assistant County Engineer to attend the National County Engineer’s Convention in Milwaukee on April 22-26, 2007; and authorize the County Engineer to send two employees to the North American Snow Conference in St. Paul on April 22-25, 2007. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve a request from the State Water Commission for approval of a permit for their NAWS line going to Berthold, with the requirement of an additional bond to cover any damage to personal property. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Kluck then informed the Commission that interviews for consultant of the grade separation project for 55^th Street and County Road 19 would be held that afternoon with the interview committee consisting of the County Engineer, Assistant County Engineer, the City Engineer, and the City Public Works Director.

      Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize a permit from North Prairie Rural Water for a new water line on County Road 15 from Burlington towards County Road 8, with the stipulation that only two miles of work can be done at a time, and that the two miles must be reconstructed, with the exception of grass seeding, to the satisfaction of the County Engineer before they can continue work. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

      Kluck informed the Board that he had begun work on a survey and plan for County Road 12 between Gravel Products and Surrey that would have controlled access, turn lanes and the removal of the speed zones. Comm. Lee suggested that the County consider turning the road over to Minot City, similar to County Road 14 near the Super Wal-Mart Center. Kluck was directed to place the topic on the next Highway Committee agenda. No further action was taken.         

      Van Grinsven then briefly appeared to present the Commissioners with an Attorney General’s opinion, 2001-L-22, dealing with loans for the construction of a new courthouse. No action was taken.

      Chairman Watne then asked that a date and time be set for discussion of the space needs of the County. A meeting was set for February 21, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in the Ex-Serviceman’s Room. Chairman Watne requested that all Commissioners and Van Grinsven be in attendance.

      Comm. Fjeldahl then presented the Board with a cost estimate and funding formula for funding from the Court system and informed them that it had been submitted to the NDACo. No action was taken.

      At 11:46 a.m. with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 20th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2007

 

s/Darlene Watne, Chairman
Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

 

s/Devra Smestad

Ward County Auditor/Treasurer