September 4, 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.

 

Chairman Watne informed the Board of additions to the agenda.  Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the agenda as amended. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the minutes of the August 21, 2007 regular meeting and August 22, 2007 budget hearing. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the Social Service bills totaling $14,386.09 and the regular bills totaling $85,933.58. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Minot City Information Technology Manager Carleen Larsen; Ward County Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Denice Boe; Minot City Finance Director Cindy Hemphill; and Ward County Information Technology Manager Leonard Tennyson appeared regarding the proposed software upgrade for the City and County. After discussion it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to table the matter until the September 18 meeting to allow for further research. Roll call: Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted no; motion to table failed. After further discussion, it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to enter into an agreement with the City of Minot to purchase new property tax and assessing software, subject to the legality of a ten year re-payment plan, and to review the current agreement between the City of Minot and Ward County for the services relating to the AS/400 computer system technical support. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Erickson who voted no; motion carried.

 

With Larsen, Boe, Hemphill and Tennyson still present, discussion was then held on the Board’s action from the August 21, 2007 meeting which authorized the Chairman’s signature on a contract with Cass County for programming services of the New World property tax system.

 

At 10:04 a.m. Comm. Lee left the meeting.

 

At 10:05 a.m. Comm. Lee returned to the meeting.

 

It was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to have the City of Minot draft a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement for the Cass County programmers and have Ward County forward it to Cass County for their signature, after which Minot City would allow Cass County the necessary access to program Ward County’s 2007 tax statements. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Erickson who voted no; motion carried. Hemphill requested that Tennyson forward a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement to the City of Minot to expedite an agreement with the Cass County programmers.  Hemphill further agreed to revisit access to the AS/400 system for Leonard Tennyson.

 

Chairman Watne requested that the review of the City/County agreement for the services relating to the AS/400 computer system technical support be forwarded to the Liaison Committee for further review.

 

Dave Gowan then appeared to appeal the denial of the Ward County Planning Commission of his request for plat approval and zone change in Section 24-155-84 (Burlington Township.) Also appearing for comment were Director of Tax Equalization Don Siebert, County Engineer Roger Kluck, property owners Mark Hamilton, Steve Kukowski and Steve Dupre, and members of the Ward County Law Enforcement Training Center: Minot Police Department Chief Jeff Balantine, Captain Al Hanson and Ward County Captain Todd Keller. After much discussion it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to have the Commissioners review the property prior to making a decision to approve or disapprove the request. Roll call: Comms. Lee, Fjeldahl and Erickson voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg and Watne voted no; motion carried. The Board agreed to meet at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday September 5, 2007 at the Ward County Law Enforcement Training Center to review the property.

 

At 11:05 a.m. the Board recessed.

 

At 11:15 a.m. the Board reconvened with all members present.

 

Siebert again appeared. Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the following applications for abatement and/or correction of errors of assessments: Mason Cool, MI 11.A08.000.0120, increase the 2007 true and full value from $17,400 to $48,600; the following applications for two-year new construction exemption: Richard Marby, MI 11.A43.000.0040, reduce the 2007 true and full value from $53,600 to $35,800; Geraldine L Olesen, MI 11.A43.000.0060, reduce the 2007 true and full value from $73,000 to $32,400; Mechel Morrow, MI 11.A32.000.0140, reduce the 2007 true and full value from $73,000 to $46,600; Tamara Volk, MI 11.A32.000.0110, reduce the 2007 true and full value from $73,000 to $41,400; the following applications for disabled veterans exemption: Max Nieser, MI 22.293.020.0010, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $127,800 to $7,800; Roger Sand, MI 14.375.020.0100, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $92,200 to $7,000; Rodney Kraus, MI 26.418.000.0010, 60 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $173,000 to $101,000; Paul Stumbaugh, MI 22.500.050.0140, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $105,000 to $7,000; William Boomer, MI 23.021.850.0120, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $88,400 to $7,000; Michael Costa, MI 11.941.000.0110, 60 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $188,000 to $116,000; Fred Coleman, MI 35.930.010.0100, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $248,400 to $128,400; Raymond Skorheim, MI 35.735.000.0070, 80 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $158,600 to $62,600; Brendon Lausch, MI 22.061.060.0090, 70 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $157,800 to $73,800; Jeffrey Bock, HA 00.002.400.0390, 70 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $104,000 to $39,400; Gary Walks, BN 00.001.101.0230, 100 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $93,800 to $4,400; James Ruelle, NE 31.009.900.0220, 50 percent exemption, reducing the 2007 true and full value from $94,800 to $58,600; and the following applications for Homestead Credit: Vernon Olson, SW 00.001.002.0032, 80 percent credit; and Harold Storbeck, SR 00.000.500.0170, 80 percent credit. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the following plat applications as recommended by the Water Resource Board, the respective township boards and the Ward County Planning Commission: Darrell Zaback for Outlot 8 of portion of Outlot 7 Section 11-155-82 (Nedrose Township); Mark Kratzke for Outlot 2 of W2SE, Section 23-151-83 (Rushville Township); Phyllis Bock for Outlot 2 of NESE Section 22-157-84 (St. Mary’s Township); and Myron Feist for Outlot 7 of NENE Section 9-153-81 (Sawyer Township). Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented items for information and action.

 

Chief Deputy Dave Bosh appeared for comment regarding the hail damage claim to Bremer Insurance. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to receive and file the following correspondence: Bremer Insurance – payment for hail damage; Minot Park District – 2008 preliminary budget; Eaton, Van de Streek and Ward – Mikkelson section line closure consent; and North Prairie Rural Water – contract with Surrey City. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

With Kluck appearing for comment, it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the letters from the ND Department of Transportation regarding the Safe Routes to School program and the Director’s Task Force Transportation Enhancement projects. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Discussion was then held on the NW District Court order for Ward County to pay the bill of Custody Investigator Hannah Balaban. With State's Attorney John Van Grinsven appearing for comment, it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to allow the bill to be paid on the condition that the plaintiff and defendant are Ward County citizens; and request the judge to authorize Ward County to pursue reimbursement from the participants as allowed by the North Dakota Century Code. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

 

Chairman Watne informed the Board that she had been appointed to the NDACo Resolutions Committee and plans to discuss the matter of state bills being paid by the County. Comm. Lee requested that the Courts paying rent to the County also be discussed.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve a duplicate warrant for Patricia Halvorson, in the amount of $25.00, in replacement of a check assumed lost, mutilated, defaced or destroyed. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the application for event permit for The Klub Minot for a grand opening of the Shop Condos at 5226 North Broadway on September 28, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., serving beer and liquor. Roll call: all voted yes, except Comm. Lee who voted no; motion carried.

 

Personnel Director Colleen Houmann then appeared regarding an Employee Assistance Program. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve an Employee Assistance Program with The Village, at a cost of $30.00 per full time equivalent employee; and to budget the $6,000 in the insurance fund and reduce the insurance interim amount by $6,000. Roll call: Comms. Gruenberg, Erickson and Watne voted yes, Comms. Lee voted no and Comm. Fjeldahl interrupted the vote for clarification and then voted no; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented the 2008 preliminary budget. It was then moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to accept and approve the 2008 preliminary budget as presented with changes to the insurance interim amount. 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 to approve the following payroll amendment: Collette Scharpe – Finance Officer – Auditor/Treasurer Office – Level 7 to Level 10. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Watne to accept and approve the pledge securities, investments and checking accounts through June 30, 2007. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize the Chairman’s signature on amendment #01 to Ward County’s Community Development Block Grant Program Financial Award for MG Grains. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad requested to set a date for the City/County/School/Park Board Liaison Committee meeting. Comm. Erickson, Chairman of the Liaison committee, set September 12 at Noon.

 

Kluck then appeared and presented items for information and action.

 

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the County Engineer to accept the low bid of Dakota Fence for labor and materials to install 1300 linear feet of guardrail, on County Road 12 through Livingston Coulee, in an amount not to exceed $39,453. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to authorize the County Engineer to request the Water Resource Board share 50 percent of the cost for the production and installation of a box culvert on Puppy Dog Coulee located west of Minot on County Road 14. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Kluck then presented informational items.

 

The Board briefly discussed the building space needs. Kluck was requested to contact the architect to inquire on the status of the soil testing of the Chumas lot and to provide the architect with the Engineer’s report on available parking spaces around the Courthouse.  It was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the Engineer’s report on the available parking around the Courthouse. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

At 12:19 p.m. with no further business, it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg to adjourn.

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 18th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2007

 

s/Darlene Watne, Chair

Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

 

s/Devra Smestad, Auditor/Treasurer
Ward County