April 5, 2011 Regular Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Board of Ward County Commissioners

April 5, 2011

 

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

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the minutes of the March 15, 2011 regular meeting.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the 2011 Social Welfare bills of $45,078.24 and the regular bills totaling $317,278.51. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Highway Engineer, Dana Larsen appeared. Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to appoint Comm. Christianson and Comm. Fjeldahl as the alternate to serve as representatives from Ward County at the upcoming Oil and Gas Impact meetings. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Dana Larsen updated the Commission on the 2011 Flood Projections in Ward County.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to bid the 2011 crack sealing and roadway striping projects. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the purchase of a Plotter Printer not to exceed $8,000.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

At 9:40 a.m., Vice Chairman Fjeldahl opened the public hearing regarding the Dakota Midland Grain Tax Exemption of 50% for five years.

 

Director of Tax Equalization Mike Vendsel presented the exemption request. Ted Warehime appeared and discussed the reasoning behind the exemption. Kevin Claussen from the Surrey School District appeared in opposition.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to close the public hearing at 9:47 a.m.   Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to grant the tax exemption to Dakota Midland Grain for the additional storage bins on a graduated scale with the first year being in 2012 at 50%, the second year at 40%, the third year at 30%, the fourth year at 20%, and the fifth year at 10%.  Comm. Christianson, Erickson, and Nybakken all voted yes; Comm. Fjeldahl voted no; motion carried.

 

Weed Control Officer Derrill Fick appeared. Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the pay scale change for the seasonal sprayer from level 14 to level 15 with the option of hiring past the 10% midpoint. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

IT Administrator Jason Blowers appeared. Jason updated the Commission on the Sheriff’s Office computer hardware and software needs, the cabling, networking, and phone switch project, the website, the servers being updated in 2011, and the Ward County Public Library reception of the Gates Grant.

 

Director of Tax Equalization Mike Vendsel appeared. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve the following applications for abatement and/or correction of errors of assessments:

 

The following qualify for disabled veteran exemption:

 

The property owner qualifies for the homestead credit exemption:

Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad then presented items to the Board. Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson to receive and file the following correspondence: City of Minot – Rezoning & Annexations; NDDOT – US 83 & ND 23 intersection safety improvements; NDDOT – County Rd oil Impact meeting follow up;  Russ Reid – Federal funding of Ward County Infrastructure improvements; Lisa Jahner – At-risk youth program funding; Central Power – environment reviews of proposed constructions; NDDOT – 2011 Flood Damage; NDDOT – Emergency Repair Guidelines. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to receive and file the 2010 Inventory Summary of Purchases. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the event permit for the Minot VFW for a wedding on April 16^th. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve Recorder Sheila Dalen request to attend the NACo Annual Conference and that the registration fee and additional hotel nights requested be paid for by the Commissioners Contingency Fund. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve a budget amendment in the amount of $500 to the Sheriff’s Department services account #00159-01420-4019 with the funds received from Hess as a Crime Prevention Grant. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to approve a budget amendment in the amount of $7,700 to the Sheriff’s Department training account with the reimbursement from the State for hosting a State wide training. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.        

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to have Auditor/Treasurer Smestad represent Ward County at the Annual NDIRF Annual Meeting if a Commissioner is unable to attend. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Nybakken to designate Colleen Houmann as the Title VI Coordinator for Ward County. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Christianson to re-advertise for the vacant position on the Special Assessments Committee.  Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Nybakken, seconded by Comm. Erickson that the following payroll amendments be approved: Beverly Anderson – County Recorder – Temp. Admin. Asst. – Level 14; Anthony Jaramillo – Sheriff’s Department – Senior Correctional Officer – Level 18; Chelsea Kopp – Sheriff’s Department – Correctional Officer – Level 16; Patrick Luks – Sheriff’s Department – Patrol Deputy – Level 19; Tyler Podolski – Sheriff’s Department – Patrol Deputy – Level 19; DiNell Polsfut – Social Services – Social Worker III – Level 19; Mitchell Flanagan – Director of Tax Equalization – Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator – Level 19. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

The Commission discussed scheduling the next building space needs meeting.  Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl to expand the citizen’s Committee from 10 members to 12 members and to appoint Simonson and Linda Anderson as the additional members. Motion dies due to lack of a second.  

 

The next building space meeting will be Thursday, April 21^st at 9:00 a.m. 

 

The Commission asked that the letter inviting the10 selected Citizen Committee members be sent out following the meeting.  The letter is to include the next meeting date and advising the Committee that following this meeting a complete tour will be given to apprise them of specific needs for each individual department.

 

 At 10:48 a.m., with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.    

 

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 19^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2011. 

s/ Jerome Gruenberg

Chairman, Ward County Board of Commissioners

ATTEST:

s/ Devra Smestad

Auditor/Treasurer, Ward County