August 19, 2008 Regular meeting minutes

The regular meeting of the Ward County Commission was called to order by Chairman Erickson at 9:00 a.m. with Comms. Fjeldahl, Gruenberg, and Lee present.  Also present were Auditor/Treasurer Devra Smestad; State's Attorney John Van Grinsven; and County Engineer Dana Larsen.

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the minutes of the August 5, 2008 regular meeting. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Lee to approve the Social Welfare bills totaling $279,843.10; Human Service bills totaling $55,109.92; and the regular bills totaling $124,748.37. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Lisa Clute, First District Health Unit then appeared to present their 2009 budget request. It was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to set Ward County’s portion of the 2009 First District Health Unit budget at $475,133. After much discussion Comm. Fjeldahl called the question. Roll call on calling the question: Comms. Lee, Fjeldahl and Gruenberg voted yes; Comm. Lee voted no; motion carried. Roll call on the original motion: Comms. Lee and Fjeldahl voted yes, Comms. Gruenberg and Erickson voted no; motion tied to be revoted at the next full Board meeting.

 

Chris Meyers, Juvenile Court Director then appeared. It was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to authorize the Juvenile Court to install a lock on the Juvenile Court door nearest the courtroom. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Emergency Manager Al Reynolds then appeared.  With Minot City Chief of Police Jeff Balentine appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the recommendation of the 9-1-1 Budget Committee and WCERC Steering Committee that the balance of the 9-1-1 system fee funds ($496,000) dedicated to the upgrade of Central Dispatch be re-obligated for the procurement of warning sirens for cities in Ward County, and Rice Lake; and that the City of Minot’s system also be considered for funding. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

With Reynolds and Balentine still present it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize the hiring of a Public Safety Awareness Point (PSAP) manager for Central Dispatch to be funded 100% through the County 9-1-1 fees.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad informed the Board that Bruce Bibow, Rasmuson Appraisal Consultants, was out of town and would deliver the final appraisal of the Minot Daily News property on Wednesday August 20.

 

Corrine Anderson and Pete Lien with OTIS Elevator then appeared. With Building Services Supervisor Ron Overly appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to ask OTIS to find the parts needed for the Jail elevator and order them so that Ward County can have them on hand in case they are needed. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Architect Wayne Whitty, Anderson, Wade & Whitty, then appeared regarding the outside detention center recreation floor. Also appearing for comment was Overly. It was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to direct Overly to work with Whitty and begin testing the recreation floor to locate the area that is leaking. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

At 10:46 a.m. the Board recessed for the Social Service Board meeting.

 

At 11:34 a.m. the Board reconvened with Comms. Fjeldahl, Gruenberg, Erickson and Lee present.

 

Director of Tax Equalization Don Siebert then appeared. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve four applications for abatement and/or corrections of errors of assessment; four applications for disabled veteran’s exemption; one application for two-year new construction exemption; and two applications for homestead credit. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented items for information and action.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the following correspondence: Fleck, Mather & Strutz – Cenex pipeline; ND Dept. of Health – MAFB corrective action permit; Terry Traynor, NDACo – discussion paper on two fiscal measurers; First District Health Unit – Notices to remove (2); City of Minot – annexation. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the monthly reports, including financial reports. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to: 1) approve the following requests for duplicate warrants in replacement of checks assumed lost or mutilated: Comfort Inn in the amount of $165.00; Janet Faul in the amount of $50.00; and Jennifer Smith in the amount of $50.00; 2) approve the following budget amendments for the Sheriff's Office: increase the Sheriff's Office travel account by $302.50 (reimbursement from the City of Minot) for a hotel room – Task Force Training and increase the Sheriff's Office salary budget by $913.42 (a saturation patrol grant) for saturation patrol; and 3) receive and file information regarding the ND Association of Oil & Gas Producing Counties annual meeting on September 25, 2008. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented information to the Board regarding the upcoming NDACo Annual Conference in October.

 

Discussion was held on the Liaison Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday. With State's Attorney John Van Grinsven and Minot City Finance Director Cindy Hemphill appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to recommend the County request $60,000 a year for the Minot City Prosecution contract. Roll call: Comms. Lee, Fjeldahl and Gruenberg voted yes, Comm. Erickson voted no; motion carried.

 

 

The Board then discussed items to be placed on the November ballot. With Van Grinsven and Engineer Dana Larsen appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to place a measure on the ballot regarding the establishment of a Local Advisory Study Committee. Roll call: all present voted yes, except Comm. Erickson who voted no; motion carried.

 

It was then moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Lee to place a measure on the ballot regarding an increase in the Farm to Market levy from 10 mills to 15 mills. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Discussion was then held on the two proposals received for a salary study. It was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the salary studies; and request the Chairman appoint two commissioners to check references of the two companies. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

With Personnel Director Colleen Houmann appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following applications for payroll amendment: Heather M McMains – Social Worker II – Independent Living; Mary Novak – Substitute Librarian – Library; Tami Gravesen – Substitute Librarian – Library; Diane G Erickson – Parent Aide – Social Services; Michelle Demchuk – Library Associate I – Library; Dawn Bullinger-Boehm – Human Service Aide II – Social Services; Ingvald Hanson – Seasonal Highway Maintenance – Highway Department; Lawrence Zimmer – Seasonal Moving/Maintenance – Highway Department. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

Larsen then appeared with items for information and action.

 

Moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to grant permission to Dakota Midland Grain to haul legal weight loads, not to exceed 105,500 lbs., on County Road 23 from US 2 to the entrance of the Dakota Midland Grain facility (0.5 miles) year round. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

It was moved by Comm. Lee, to advertise for bids the farm land lease at Rice Lake through a display ad in the Minot Daily News. Comm. Lee withdrew his motion to allow time for review of the lease and any needed changes before advertising.

 

Discussion was then held on building space needs.

 

With Van Grinsven appearing for comment it was moved by Comm. Lee, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to direct the State's Attorney to prepare a ballot measure seeking approval for a 5 mill – 5 year building fund levy. Roll call: Comms. Lee, Fjeldahl and Gruenberg voted yes, Comm. Erickson voted no; motion carried.

 

It was then moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the 2009 preliminary budget. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried.

 

At 12:55 p.m. with no further business it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to adjourn. Roll call: all present voted yes; motion carried and the meeting adjourned.

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 2nd DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2008.

 

s/ Carroll W Erickson, Chairman

Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

s/ Devra Smestad, Auditor/Treasurer

Ward County