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December 4, 2012 Regular Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Board of Ward County Commissioners

December 4, 2012

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

Smestad opened nominations for Chairman. Comm. Gruenberg nominated Comm. Nybakken as Chairman. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Weppler for nominations to cease with a unanimous ballot cast for Comm. Nybakken as Chairman. All voted yes; motion carried. Smestad passed the gavel to Chairman Nybakken.

Comm. Fjeldahl nominated Comm. Gruenberg as Vice Chairman. Moved by Comm. Weppler, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl for nominations to cease with a unanimous ballot cast for Comm. Gruenberg as Vice Chairman. All voted yes; motion carried.

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

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Weppler to approve the minutes from the November 20, 2012 regular meeting and the November 28, 2012 special meeting . Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Smestad presented the bills. Moved by Comm. Walter, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve 2012 Social Welfare bills of $39,964.83 and the regular bills totaling $1,348,452.64. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Highway Engineer Dana Larsen appeared. Moved by Comm. Walter, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the (8) eight Resolutions for ROM and ER Projects:

Job #	Project #	Project Type	Company	Total Cost
14	ROM-300(115)	Bituminous Overlay	Bechtold Paving	$395,485.24
15	ROM-300(118)	Bridge Replacement	Meyer Contracting	$476,216.65
16	ROM-300(119)	Grade Raises CR13	Foothills Contracting	$991,999.25
17	CER 5138(058) CER 5138(059) CER 5138(060)	Grade Raise CR 10 Grade Raise CR 10 Grade Raise CR 10	Rachel Contracting	$1,715,776.99
18	CER 5146(053) CER 5146(054)	Grade Raise CR16 Grade Raise CR16	Gratech Company	$725,040.03
19	CER 5154(053)	Grade Raise CR20	Gratech Company	$524,737.07
20	CER 5162(050) CER 5162(051) CER 5162(052) CER 5131(053)	Grade Raise CR22 Grade Raise CR22 Grade Raise CR22 Grade Raise CR13	Meyer Contracting	$1,691,302.90
21	CER 5166(052)	Grade Raise CR24	Martin Construction	$2,652,900.00

Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Walter to authorize the Chairman to sign (18) eighteen Reimbursement Requests for emergency repairs made in 2011, and the preliminary engineering for the permanent restoration in 2012 & 2013 on Ward County Emergency Relief (ER) Projects. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Weppler, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to allow county employees to donate vacation leave to help employee Robbie Boucher. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Requested by Comm. Weppler, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to table the motion to approve the resolution to reduce YMCA Bond interest rate. No representative was present for comment. States Attorney Roza Larson appeared. Larson recommended signing only upon finalization of the bank.

Moved by Comm Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Walter to approve the updated contract with JLG Architects. Contract is a standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Architect without a Predefined Scope of Architect’s Services. Contract includes description for the new construction of the Ward County office Building, Ward County Jail Expansion, and Ward County Courthouse remodel. States Attorney Roza Larson appeared for comment. Architect Don Davison appeared for comment and presented the anticipated draw schedule. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Sheriff Steve Kukowski appeared. Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to approve the budget amendment in the amount of $7,464.12 to be deposited into the Ward County Sheriff’s Department account 00159-01420-4019 for the purchase of in-car cameras. The money is a grant from the Department of Transportation. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Fjeldahl to receive and file the request to start a Sheriff Office fund which would be used to provide flowers, cards, etc. for the births, funerals, injury or illness of employees and their family members. The account will be monitored by the Sheriff’s department and funding will be provided by donations. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Tax assessor Julie Straabe appeared for Director of Tax Equalization Seth Hagen.

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to approve applications for abatement and/or correction of errors of assessments:

The following properties qualified for the Disabled Veterans Credit Exemption:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Exemption %	Old Taxable Value	New Taxable Value
Donald Mandingo	1601 Laurel Ln NW, Minot MI 15C47 040 089 0	2012	100% (5 months Only)	$3,906	$3,403
Carl & Susan Godsell	3210 19^th Ave NW, Minot HA 09299 000 001 2	2012	100%	$5,859	$459
Damen Pochop & Tracy Seidler	620 13^th St SE, Minot MI 18177 010 004 0	2012	100% (9 months only)	$6,939	$4,050
Thad & Amanda Manuel	2004 Ida Mae Ct, Minot MI 15050 010 002 0	2012	100% (9 months only)	$8,829	$4,050

Removal of the two-year new construction partial exemption:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full
Scott & Pearl Gillespie	1259 34^th Ave SW, Minot MI 22B11 000 014 0	2012	$91,200	$122,500

Following property built a garage without a permit and was not assessed:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full	Old Taxable Value	New Taxable Value
Frank D. Sowitch	1018 4^th St SE, Minot MI 24037 040 010 2	2011 2012	$81,600 $90,300	$91,600 $100,300	$0 $0	$4,122 $4,514

Properties added to the 2012 tax rolls:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full	Old Taxable Value	New Taxable Value
Park Place Development	17 16^th St NW, Minot MI 22382 030 009 2	2012	$0	$7,800	$0	$351
Park Place Development	23 16^th St NW, Minot MI 22382 030 014 1	2012	$0	$72,800	$0	$3,276

Property removed from the 2012 tax rolls:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full	Old Taxable Value	New Taxable Value
Ward County Auditor	814 2^nd Ave NE, Minot MI 24451 020 004 1	2012	$21,400	$0	$963	$0

Properties purchased by City of Minot due to flood buy-out:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full
City of Minot	429 15^th St SE, Minot MI 19213 001 109 0	2012	$70,400	$52,800

Properties damaged in the 2011 flood:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full	Old Taxable Value	New Taxable Value
Timothy & Arlene Nelson	701 11^th St NW, Minot MI 14476 190 004 2	2011	$136,200	$91,600	$6,129	$4,122
Donald & Jeri Grant	Rice Lake RL 10002 000 002 0	2011	$47,000	$41,200	$2,115	$1,854

Mobile Home qualifies for military exemption:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full
John & Serena Ruckert	4904 Hwy 2 E, Minot NE5100062	2012	$4,000	$0

Mobile Homes removed from the 2012 tax rolls:

Property Owner	Description	Valuation Year	Old True and Full	New True and Full
Sean Farrell	5110 Hwy 2 E Lot A-30, Minot NE5103366	2012	$3,000	$0
Frank Antoneli	5110 Hwy 2 E Lot B-39, Minot NE5100667	2012	$10,700	$0

Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Tax assessor Julie Straabe appeared for Building Inspector Mike Larson.

Moved by Comm. Walter, seconded by Comm. Weppler to receive and file the request from the City of Berthold to take over their building inspections. States Attorney Roza Larson appeared. Larson recommended entering into a joint powers agreement per township and cities before moving forward with any approval. Ward County would therefore not be liable for errors. Commissioners suggested this go before the Building Inspector and Tax Equalization office before final approval. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Auditor Treasurer Devra Smestad appeared.

Moved by Comm. Weppler, seconded by Comm. Walter to approve the Board meeting times for 2013 be set for the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 9:00 a.m. Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Walter to authorize the Chairman to sign notice of 2013 meetings and agenda order of business for the Board. Roll call vote: all voted yes; motion carried.

Discussion was held for appointments of Commissioners & others to various boards. Chairman Nybakken requested preferences be emailed to him by December 11, 2012, so he will be ready to appoint positions at the regular commission meeting on December 18, 2012.

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg to receive and file the correspondences: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Annual Report; Mitch Holbach – Jail overcrowding. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Walter to approve the Deeds and Contract for deed for tax foreclosed properties sold at the auction. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Gruenberg, seconded by Comm. Walter to approve Quit Claim Deed for tax foreclosed property redeemed by owner. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Weppler to close the Ward County Courthouse on December 24, 2012 and reopen on December 26, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. for Christmas holiday. Roll call: all voted yes; motion carried.

Moved by Comm. Fjeldahl, seconded by Comm. Gruenberg that the payroll amendments be approved: Alan Walter – County Commissioner – (Level 99); Shelly Weppler – County Commissioner (Level 99); Anastasia Coley – Correctional Officer (Level 16); Jason Sanderson – Patrol Deputy (Level 19).

Moved by Comm. Walter, seconded by Comm. Weppler to table the motion to set the rate of the 911 Fee until the next regular Commissioner meeting on December 18, 2012. Commission requested to review the breakdown of the funds needed to cover costs.

Smestad invited the new Commissioners to have an orientation in each office of the Ward County Courthouse to meet staff and become oriented with department heads. Comm. Weppler and Comm. Walter plan to set a date.

Sheriff Steve Kukowski appeared to discuss the Trinity Hospital Jail Food Service Contract. The projected contract fees have increased by 30%. Kukowski feels that is excessive. The 2013 budget has been set without the new contract expectations. Commission suggested advertisement for bids for the food services.

At 10:52 a.m., with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Events

December 4, 2012 Regular Meeting Minutes