August 17, 2010 Regular Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Board of Ward County Commissioners

August 17, 2010

 

The regular meeting of the Ward County Commission was called to order by Chairman Christianson at 9:00 a.m. with Comms. Fjeldahl, Gruenberg, Erickson, and Nybakken present.  Also present were Auditor/Treasurer Devra Smestad, Engineer Dana Larsen, and State’s Attorney Roza Larson.

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the minutes of the August 3, 2010 regular meeting,

August 6, 2010 special meeting and August 10, 2010 special meeting. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad presented the bills.  Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the 2010 Social Welfare bills of $352,269.19, Human Service bills of $49,705.81 and the regular bills totaling $276,096.80. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Chairman Christianson noted the building evaluation forms had been completed by each Commissioner.  He requested Smestad to compute a total for each building for further discussion later in the meeting. 

 

At 9:06 a.m. Auditor Smestad left the meeting.

 

At 9:07 a.m. Auditor Smestad returned to the meeting.

 

Lisa Clute, Executive Officer of First District Health Unit appeared to present the 2011 budget. She stated the total amount requested for 2011 is $945,018, with Ward County’s equalized share totaling $550,406.  Clute noted the mills requested per county are down from 3.24 mills in 2010 to 3.09 mills for 2011.  Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the First District Health Unit budget as presented.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Cindy Hemphill, Finance Director for the City of Minot, appeared to present the 911 budget for 2011. She stated the telecommunications budget was preapproved by the Liaison Committee.  Chairman Christianson noted the budget will go before the City Council on September 2, 2010 for approval. With no further questions or discussion, the Board thanked Hemphill for her presentation.  No action required.

 

The Board then revisited the building evaluation forms, which now featured the proposed sites ranked according to scores tabulated by the Auditor’s office.  The building choices were:  1) new building, 2) Trinity-St. Joseph’s building, 3) River of Life building, and 4) Big M Building.  Chairman Christianson stated he would like the Board to focus on the top two choices.  Comm. Fjeldahl expressed concerns regarding the Trinity-St. Joseph’s building’s renovation costs as well as ownership versus leasing.  He stated he did not want to disregard the River of Life building until there were solid numbers and answers regarding the Trinity property. Chairman Christianson stated he would like the Board to contact Trinity for lease and ownership options for the next meeting.  Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg, to limit the selection for Ward County space needs to construction of a new building and the Trinity-St. Joseph’s property. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Slorby appeared to present his research regarding Wolseth Lots 1 & 2. He stated the minimum purchase price on the lots were $6,000 and $400.  The specials assessed to Lot 1 were the result of a cleanup project, mandated by the First District Health Unit in 2003. Slorby stated the price could be reduced to $834.58 for the two lots if the Board chose to waive the special assessments. He noted that the current landowner, Kingsley, must be notified and has thirty days to take action or could sign a waiver allowing for the sale.  Comm. Fjeldahl noted this would be an “as is” sale of the lots.  Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl, to waive the special assessments on Wolseth Lots 1 & 2 and for Ward County to sell the property to Clara Pister for a total sale price of $834.58 for both lots.  The Board requires Pister, contingent on purchase, to clean up both lots to the standards of the First District Health Unit, within ninety days of purchase.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

At 9:45 a.m., Chairman Christianson opened a public hearing on a request for a moving permit from Chuck Olson.  Director of Tax Equalization Mike Vendsel appeared for comment.  With no one else appearing either for or against the permit, it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to close the public hearing and approve a moving permit for Chuck Olson to move two one story structures from Jim Hill School in Minot to his property located at 202 62^nd St SW, Minot.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.  The hearing was closed at 9:48 a.m.

 

At 9:49 a.m., Chairman Christianson opened a public hearing on the Gross Production Tax Infrastructure Fund Allocation.  With no one appearing either for or against the allocation, it was moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to close the public hearing and to pass on second reading the Gross Production Tax Infrastructure Fund Allocation. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.  The hearing was closed at 9:50 a.m.

 

Highway Engineer Dana Larsen appeared to present several items.  Larsen presented the Board with a copy of the contract with Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson for engineering services for the construction on the Carpio Bridge project.  The estimated engineering cost on the project is $108,923.49, and will be paid by the ND-DOT and reimbursed by the Air Force.  Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken, to approve the contract and authorize the Chairman to sign.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Next, Larsen presented an update and price quote on the CR 10 box culvert near Des Lacs. The wooden extension on the current 9X10 concrete box culvert washed out.  The Highway Department is repairing the outlet with a precast box culvert, which can be installed once it is shipped sometime in September.  The work will be done in house, but will need to hire a contractor with a crane to set the box culvert. The site is on a Farm to Market route and is not eligible for FEMA assistance.  Larsen stated the department has sufficient funds to repair the site.  No action required.

 

Larsen presented a list of expenditures from Road Operations for work on Farm to Market Program between January and July 2010. Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to transfer $921,848.09 from Farm to Market to Road Operations.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Larsen asked the Board for guidance on handling the unpaid bill to Thunder Mountain Rockfest in the amount of $4,278.80 for Mag Chloride Treatment.  State’s Attorney Roza Larson recommended Larsen keep submitting the bill for payment.  She added that the issue may become a civil matter.  No action required by the Board.

 

Larsen presented a letter from Hartland Wind Farm concerning the development of a new wind farm in the Berthold area.  Hartland was looking for comments regarding the project.  Larsen stated he would be sending a letter and was inquiring if the Board had any comments as well. Comments included expected standards of road maintenance, low-to-no environmental impact, and to make certain Ward County’s standards on these issues were understood by Hartland.  No action required by the Board.

 

 Finally, Larsen spoke regarding a budget amendment request for remodeling the bathrooms at Old Settlers Park.  Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg, to approve a budget amendment for the Ward County Park Board for the amount of $4,212.00, which was a grant from Garrison Diversion Conservation District.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Mike Mueller of the Souris Basin Planning Council appeared to request approval of a one year extension of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for MG Grains.  He stated the project needed to create twenty jobs to close out the grant.  Comm. Fjeldahl questioned what would happen if the extension was not approved.  Mueller stated MG Grains would default on the grant and would have to repay the funds to the North Dakota Department of Commerce.  Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve a one year extension of the CDBG to MG Grains. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Vendsel appeared again. By movement from Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl, a full and complete copy of which is available for review in the office of the County Auditor, the Board approved the following: one application for abatement of taxes and/or corrections of errors of assessments, one application for two-year new construction exemption, and four applications for Disabled Veteran’s credit exemption.  Roll call: all voted yes: motion carried.    

 

Smestad then presented items to the Board.

 

She noted to the Board the dues and annual meeting date for the ND Oil/Gas Producing Counties.  Comm. Fjeldahl commented he would like clarification on the boundaries for Enbridge Berthold Station.  Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to receive and file the following correspondence:  ND Public Service Commission – Enbridge –  Berthold Station upgrades; Mark Schneider – cloud seeding operations;  SWCA – environmental assessments; Roscoe Bridge – bridge infrastructure projects; City of Minot – annexation and rezone; ND Dept of Health – permit to construct fiberglass manufacturing facility;  NDPERS – health care utilization report;  Brian Bjella – Cenex pipeline 10 year plan; Minot Engineering Department – Washington School sidewalk project; ND Oil/Gas Producing Counties – Dues and annual meeting; and approve the payment of those dues in the amount of $305.63.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to receive and file the monthly reports and financial report.  Roll call:  all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the maintenance agreement for the LiveScan Station at the jail.  Roll call:  all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following applications for payroll amendments:   Staci L. Haugen – Office Assistant III - Ward County Social Services – Level 9 (new hire); Kim Hendrickson – Property Tax Clerk – Auditor/Treasurer – Level 12 (new hire); Chuck Weiser – Seasonal Weed Control Sprayer – Weed Control – Level 14 (new hire)(seasonal); Ken Eraas – Seasonal Weed Control Sprayer – Weed Control – Level 14 (new hire)(seasonal).  Roll call:  all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Colleen Houmann, Human Resources Coordinator, appeared with copies of departmental salary information for the Board for the budget hearings on August 18, 2010. Smestad reminded the Board the budget hearings began at 8:00am.

 

           

Comments were made to arrange a meeting with Trinity for lease and purchase options as well as to meet with River of Life Church by the end of September regarding the lease for Social Services.

 

It was noted the next meeting date would be September 7, 2010 at 9:00am.

 

At 10:16 a.m. with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 7^TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2010.

 

s/ Bruce I Christianson

Chairman, Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

s/ Devra Smestad

Auditor/Treasurer, Ward County