October 2, 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; County Engineer Roger Kluck; and State's Attorney John Van Grinsven.

 

Smestad presented additions to the agenda.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the additions to the agenda. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Comm. Lee then issued a public apology for his use of the term “lazy” when discussing county employees at a meeting last month.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the minutes of the September 18 regular and September 25 special meetings. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the Social Service bills totaling $14,170.17 and the regular bills totaling $147,085.36. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Dr. Kim Krohn, Medical and Program Director at the UND Center for Family Medicine then appeared. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to enter into a Personal Service Contract with the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Center for Family Medicine, for licensed physicians to provide coroner services to the County for the year 2008 in the amount of $25,000. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Fred Mueller then appeared before the Board to request that the Commissioner’s reduce the amount of property taxes on his property located at 220 S Broadway and remove the penalty and interest assessed against his property for the year 2002 through 2006. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to table a decision until the next meeting and request the State's Attorney and Mueller to research the state statute that allows the lowering of taxes due to depreciation of the property, or other valid cause, and also to allow time to research the ability to charge penalty and interest on penalty and interest. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Dave Gowan then appeared regarding his appeal of the Ward County Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny his plat application and zone change request. Director of Tax Equalization Don Siebert and Van Grinsven also appeared for comment. After much discussion, it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to reverse the decision of the Ward County Planning Commission to deny Gowan’s request for plat application and zone change for Elk Park Addition Section 24 of Burlington Township (155-84.) Roll call: Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted no; motion failed.

 

It was then moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to receive and file correspondence from Dave Gowan regarding Elk Park Addition, Burlington Township (155-84.) Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

With Siebert present it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following plat applications as recommended by the Water Resource Board, the appropriate Township Boards and the Ward County Planning Commission: Craig Birdsall for Carpio Township; Tim Klimpel for Willis Township; and Kent Underdahl for Linton Township. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve: two applications for abatement of taxes and/or corrections of errors of assessments; two applications for two-year new construction exemption; eight applications for Disabled Veteran’s exemption; and one application for Homestead Credit. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Emergency Manager Al Reynolds then appeared. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the installation of T-1 lines to link the interoperable communication system towers together and to authorize using 50 percent of 9-1-1 wired funds and 50 percent of 9-1-1 wireless funds to pay for the recurring costs associated with the T-1 line. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Reynolds then presented the Board with an update on the 2007 Fiscal Year Homeland Security Grant awards and introduced the new Homeland Security Planner, Roy Saul.

At 10:05 a.m. the Board recessed.

 

At 10:15 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.

 

Smestad then presented the Board with items for action and information.

 

With Kluck appearing for comment, it was moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Lee to receive and file the following correspondence: Deputy Lenertz; Engineer Kluck; State's Attorney Van Grinsven; Engineer; Minot Police Captain Kukowski; and an anonymous letter. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve and authorize the Chairman’s signature on a ND Traffic Safety – alcohol incentive plan contract. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve and authorize the Chairman’s signature on an agreement between Ward County and Ackerman-Estvold Engineering and Management Consulting, Inc. for the Robinwood Estates Paving District No. 1. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following applications for Special Event Permits: one for Minot VFW Club Post 753, Inc.; and two for M&S Concessions, Inc. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve an  application for Sunday Event Alcoholic Beverage Permit for the Minot VFW Club Post 753, Inc. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

 

With Van Grinsven appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to declare the Minot Curling Club a public spirited organization. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve an application for raffle permit from the Minot Curling Club. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

With Van Grinsven appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve a site authorization request from the MSU Beaver Boosters at the North Dakota State Fair Center – FFA Building. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no, motion carried.

 

With Personnel Director Colleen Houmann appearing, it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Chairman’s signature on The Village Business Institute EAP Full Service Contract for Services Employee Assistance Program for 2008. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried. Comm. Lee requested that his name be removed from the list of eligible employees.

 

Smestad then presented the Board with a list of various boards who have terms expiring in December of 2007. With Kluck appearing for comment, it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to advertise two positions on the North Central Human Services Advisory Committee and two positions on the Ward County Water Resource Board, with the stipulation that the Water Resource Board applicants live in the 1984 flood plane designated areas. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to receive and approve tax foreclosure appraisals made October 2, 2007 and direct the Director of Tax Equalization, with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office, to evict persons living in the residences and to post no-trespassing notices.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following application for payroll amendment: Katie Rodman – Property Clerk – Auditor/Treasurer’s Office (new hire.) Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Discussion was then held on the 2008 final budget.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson that the Ward County budget for calendar year 2008 be adopted.  Roll call: Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted yes, Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted no; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg that the resolution regarding the 12 month budget and levies for 2008 be adopted. Roll call: Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted yes, Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted no; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson that the 2008 budgets for other county connected entities be approved and tax levies spread against the taxable property of Ward County.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Kluck then appeared to present the Board with items for action and information.

Copies of the budget may be seen in the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the recommendation of the Highway Committee to deny the request of residents of Norma to pave County Road 3 from County Road 2 to the County line on the basis that those requesting the paving are residents of Renville County. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

 

With Van Grinsven appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee to cease any activity on the publicly platted property adjacent to the Speedway parking lot due to lack of ownership by Ward County. Motion died for lack of a second. After further discussion, it was requested that Kluck conduct research to see if anyone is paying property taxes on the property in question and report back to the Board with his findings.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to authorize the Engineer to request bridge replacement funding from the ND Department of Transportation at their annual meeting during the ND Association of Counties Convention. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to accept the low bid of Bechtold Paving for the asphalt placement for the road widening project on County Road 12 between County Road 19 and Gavin Yard, and for the turn lane near Surrey for the Lafarge Dakota Cement plant. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Kluck then presented various items of information.

 

Comm. Watne set a date of October 15 at 1:00 p.m. was set to tour the County North building and informed the Board that the Architect and Engineer would have a report containing their recommendations for space/storage in the current courthouse in about a month.

 

Comm. Lee requested that the next regular scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 16 be moved forward to Monday, October 15 at 9:00 a.m. Board consensus was to move the meeting forward to October 15 with proper notice being given to the Department Heads and news media.

 

At 11:30 a.m. with no further business, it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to adjourn the meeting.

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 2nd DAY OF OCTOBER, 2007

 

s/Darlene Watne, Chair

Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

 

s/Devra Smestad, Auditor/Treasurer
Ward County