AUGUST 21, 2012 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

Minutes of the Board of Ward County Commissioners

August 21, 2012

 

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

 

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

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the minutes from the August 7, 2012 regular meeting. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Smestad presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the 2012 Social Services bills of $7,144.75, Human Service bills of $65,902.81 and the following regular bills totaling $528,898.49.  Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Larsen appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the resolutions and authorize the chairman to sign the contract for the ER Bridge Projects. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve Ward County to transfer the following property listed on the 2011 Foreclosed Property List located at 814 2^nd Ave NE (Torbensons Second Addn North 100 Lot 4 Block 2, Minot City) to the City of Minot for the agreed upon price of $1.00 or other consideration. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Larsen provided update on FEMA appeals and time line for the appeals process.           

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve the drafted letter to be mailed to Ward County Cities, Townships, Schools and Emergency Response entities to collect an assessment of county needs in an attempt to gain additional funding when presented to the State of North Dakota. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to authorize Ward County to Request for Qualifications or Proposals for services to complete the environmental assessment, abatement, and management of the demolition process. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize Highway Department employee’s to donate leave for a fellow co-worker. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Schooling appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to authorize the Chairman of the Commission to sign the approval letter for the Emergency Management Planning Grant (EMPG). Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to add property owned by Al Schall (OLT 24 of SWNE NWSE NESW SENW, S29-155-82 Nedrose-S4) and Scott Reinicke (LOT G of OLT 2 NESE, PLS 10x181 on SE Side, S12-155-84) to the home acquisition list. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve Ward County Emergency Manager to apply to the State Water Commission for cost sharing of the properties owned by Schall and Reinicke for home acquisition. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Cody Roteliuk City of Sawyer Auditor appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve $61,419.60 to be drawn from the low income pool of the CDBG DR funds for home acquisitions in Sawyer at 305 2^nd Ave NW (RUTHS ADDN TO SAWYER N110’ L3 B2) and 502 Dakota Ave N. (RUTHS ADDN TO SAWYER POR S OF RIVER LS SUB LOT A & HWY LT 1 BLK 1) Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Jason Zimmerman appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve combined request for release of funds and environmental certification for Ward County Acquisitions and Demolition publication in the Minot Daily News paper. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve release of CBDG DR Funds for home acquistions. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve and sign the administrative document for the CBDG funds by the Vice Chairman for each project. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Larsen appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve request to seek proposals to update Ward County website to provide more functionality and higher security measures. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Betty Braun Ward County Recorder appeared.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve request to order, from Easi File, a new plat cabinet and have the funds come out of the Document Preservation account. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Helseth appeared and provided clarification and information regarding the Energy Controlled Service contract with Xcel Energy.  The contract has no end date and will run concurrently until either party requests the cancelation of the contract with a required 6 month notification.

 

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

 

 

Two Year New Construction

 

Remove Disabled Veteran’s Exemption

Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Vendsel presented bid from Kenneth Kruse to purchase property at 621 7^th Ave NE, Minot (SPRING LAKE PARK ADDITION LOT 7 BLOCK 1) in the amount of $7,500.00. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Erickson to accept the bid of $7,500.00 with an October 31^st completion date to remove existing structure(s) and have property cleared of debris and weeds. At such time if stipulations are not met the deed would revert back to Ward County and $3,750.00 of the purchase payment would be retained by Ward County. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

County Planning and Zoning Administrator Amber Turnquest appeared. Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the following plat applications:

Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, Seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the Special Use Permit for Alton Johnson and Mountain Metals for the following property: Sublot 3 of Lot C of Outlot 6 of W2SW Section 34-156-84, Kirkelie Township for 10 years ending in August 31, 2022 with option to renew. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Auditor/Treasurer Devra Smestad appeared. Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to receive and file the following correspondence: SWCA – Environmental Assessment; Carroll Erickson  - Cloud Seeding Updates; ND Dept of Health – Terminated Permit; Carlson / McCain – Environmental Assessment; ND PERS – Health Care Utilization Report; Brian Bjella – Cenex Pipeline 10 Year Plan; Swanson & Warcup – July Bill; ND Dept of Trust Lands – 2012 Fall Grant Round; City of Minot – Rezoning and Annexation; 2013 Budget Meeting Schedule – August 22, 2012; Vision West ND – Planning Session Flier. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to receive and file monthly reports including financial reports. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve requests for duplicate warrants in replacement of checks assumed lost or mutilated to Jennifer Olson, in the amount of $25 and Luzac LLC, in the amount of $64.96. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the applicant Souris Valley Bowmen, Gaming Site Authorization renewal application. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Erickson, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the application for local raffle permit by St Mary’s Church. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the signing of a new ACH Origination Agreement to raise the current level from $300k to $500K. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to approve the budget amendment requested by the Ward County Sheriff’s Department to allow the Wal-Mart donation of $1,000 be used to purchase officer protective equipment, account 00159-01420-4019. Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried. 

 

Moved by Comm. Christianson, seconded by Comm. Erickson to ratify the following resolution to increase 9-1-1 Fees:

            WHEREAS, the emergency services communication (9-1-1) system is critical to public safety in Ward County; and

            WHEREAS, the monthly fee on “assessed communications services” (telephone exchange access service, wireless service, active prepaid wireless service, and voice over internet protocol service) imposed pursuant to North Dakota Century Code 57-40.6 is essential to the operation and maintenance of the emergency services communication system (9-1-1); and

            WHEREAS, the current fee limited to $1.00 per month per “communication connection” (telephone access line, wireless access line, unique voice over internet protocol service connection, or functional equivalent uniquely identifiable by a number , internet address, or other designation) was implemented by resolution of this board and approved on June 11, 2002 by the voters of Ward County;

            WHEREAS, the revenue from the current fee is insufficient to adequately fund the maintenance and operations of the emergency services communications (9-1-1) system, it is proposed that the fee maximum be increased to $1.50 per “assessed communication service” however the county commission could impose an amount less, but no more than the maximum; and

            WHEREAS, North Dakota Century Code section 57-40.6-02 provides a process of imposing 9-1-1 fees by governing board resolution and approval of the voters.

            THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Ward County Board of Commissioners proposes an increase of the existing monthly fee, and directs that the following measure be placed on the county ballot for the statewide General Election scheduled for November 6, 2012 and shall become effective January 1, 2013.

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the fee shall be collected by the “assessed communications service providers” and paid to the County within thirty (30) days after collection from the subscriber or customer unless the provider has fewer than ten subscribers or customer in a jurisdiction, in which case the provider may pay the proceeds quarterly.  An assessed communications service provider may retain the actual costs of administration in collection of the fee, not to exceed five percent of the fee collected. 

 

Roll Call: all voted yes; motion carried.

 

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Christianson to approve the following payroll amendments: Ken Eraas - Weed Control/Sprayer – Level 15; Chuck Weiser  - Weed Control/Sprayer – Level 15. Roll Call: all voted yes, motion carried.

 

At 10:30 a.m., with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THIS 18th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2012.  

s/ John Fjeldahl –Chairman, Ward County Board of Commissioners

ATTEST: s/ Devra Smestad - Auditor/Treasurer, Ward County