February 16, 2010 Regular meeting minutes

Minutes of the Board of Ward County Commissioners

February 16, 2010

 

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

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2010 regular meeting. Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad presented the bills.  Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the 2010 Social Welfare bills of $335,938.05, Human Service bills of $52,045.53 and regular bills $478,949.92.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Highway Engineer Dana Larsen appeared to present several items.  First he provided background on the FEMA map modernization and a project to collect LiDAR and Aerial Photogrammetry.

 

Next, Larsen provided an update on 2010 construction projects.  Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the request to bid the overlay of CR 23 and CR 25 by Sawyer, and CR 19 and CR 16 by Logan which will be paid for by Farm to Market and General Construction Funds.  And, to approve the request to bid the overlay of CR 10A from CR 10 north into Burlington which will be paid for by General Construction Funds.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Finally, Larsen set the next Highway Committee meeting for Friday February 26th at 7:00 a.m.

 

City of Minot Assessor Kevin Ternes appeared.  It was moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken, to approve the following, a complete copy of which is available in the Auditor/Treasurer’s Office: 4 applications for abatement or corrections of errors of assessment; 2 properties are inside the floodway and are not buildable and need the value adjusted to reflect that status; 10 structures escaped assessment due to a split error and need to be added to the tax roll for 2009; 2 properties had inaccurate land measurements and the valuations need to be adjusted; 3 properties owned by tax exempt entities and need to be removed from the 2009 tax roll; 2 properties qualify for the two-year new construction exemption; 1 property contains some land which is a detention pond; 2 qualify for the disabled veterans exemption; 3 qualify for the homestead credit exemption; 1 mobile home is on permanent foundation and will now be assessed as real property.

 

Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Comm. Fjeldahl suggested information be acquired to address building space needs.  After discussion, it was decided that input be gathered from Trinity, St. Leos, River of Life Church and Cenex and presented at the March 2nd Commissioners meeting.

 

Smestad then presented items to the Board.

 

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the following correspondence: District Court – invitation to breakfast with local legislators; ND Insurance Department – flood insurance; ND Department of Health – Minot Municipal landfill; ND Attorney General – opinion and documentation; Courthouse Facilities Improvement Advisory Committee – grant award; North Prairie Rural Water – rate increase and annual meeting.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

There was then discussion regarding the ND Attorney General’s December 10, 2009 letter regarding the alleged violation of the Open Meetings Law, as well as the Open Records and Meetings Opinion 2010-O-01 dated February 5, 2010.  Comm. Fjeldahl provided information on his conversations with Assistant Attorney General Mary Kae Kelsch who prepared the opinion.  He also stated that there should have been a special meeting to draft a response to the Attorney General’s office.  Mike Rose of the NDSU Extension Service, State’s Attorney Roza Larson and Jim Lee of Max, ND, appeared for comment.  Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to draft a letter clarifying the Commission’s answers to the questions posed by the Attorney General’s office.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the contract with the Ward County Historical Society.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following applications for raffle permits: Minot Gun Club on 2/16/2010 to 8/22/2010 with prizes totaling $5,358 and Triple R Saddle Club on 8/15/2010 with prizes totaling $1,385. Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

County IT Administrator Jason Blowers then appeared to give an update on the IT department including security updates, software inventory and review of NRG contract.

 

State’s Attorney Roza Larson then appeared for comment on the disposition of Sheriff’s evidence.  This will be handled through the Court and State’s Attorney’s office.

 

Comm. Gruenberg then addressed the Social Service Board meeting time which was changed at the February 2nd meeting.  After gathering input, it was moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Erickson to change the meeting time to 8:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the following applications for payroll amendments: Dave Schlecht – Juvenile Detention Officer – Juvenile Detention – Level 14; Bradley Score – Correctional Officer – Sheriff’s Department – Level 14; Joseph Paulson – Correctional Officer – Sheriff’s Department – Level 14.  Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

State’s Attorney Roza Larson and Recorder Sheila Dalen then appeared to discuss an employee who transferred from the Recorders to the State’s Attorney’s office.  The pay for this employee was taken out of the Recorder’s budget until the error was discovered.  It has been corrected for 2010 and steps are being taken to make the adjustments to the 2009 budget reports.

 

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl to adjourn the meeting at 10:29 a.m. 

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 2ND DAY OF MARCH, 2010.

 

s/ Bruce I. Christianson

Chairman, Ward County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

s/ Devra Smestad

Auditor/Treasurer, Ward County