Council Minutes
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS, NORTH DKAOTA
Monday, January 4, 1999
The city council of the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota met in its regular session in the council chambers in City Hall on Monday, January 4, 1999 at the hour of 7:30 o’clock p.m. with Mayor Owens presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; absent: Council Member Glassheim - 1.
Mayor Owens announced that anyone wishing to speak to any item may do so by being recognized prior to a vote being taken on the matter.
FLOOD REPORT BY CITY ENGINEER
Ken Vein, city engineer, reported that copies of the updated flood report, were on the council members’ desks and gave a brief summary of the report. He stated that in the Table of Contents they talked about the five different areas:
1. Technical Work update. He stated that most significant thing that happened since last update is that the Corps of Engineers has signed off on the general re-evaluation report and environmental impact statement and that was last step in getting project officially authorized and that has been completed. He stated that Lisa Hedin, Corps, will be here tomorrow and meeting with them on various topics, including meeting with the DDC. The instrumentation is in place in the four areas shown on listing, the installation of test range section in Riverside Park area is expected to happen weather permitting next week sometime, and will be working on analyzing the impacts of that will be. He stated the Corps is looking at hiring some consultants, to do some additional base mapping, looking at some of the drainage within the diked areas and also looking at hiring a contractor to complete the historical evaluation of all the structures that are impacted by the flood project and levee locations. He reported that with City consultants there was a meeting last month to talk about what’s happening with the raw water intake structures; that there’s an additional engineering technical memorandum that will come out to look at alternative site. The City is working with several local consultants to look at relocation of the infrastructure within the alignment, including sanitary sewer, storm sewer, some of the streets, etc. He stated that Shannon & Wilson is continuing to work on soil strengthening techniques and should be ready in February.
2. Project Financing. He stated the significant thing that have to look toward is under the federal appropriations process and that our congressional delegation at this time is trying to get our project included in the President’s budget as a new start, and we’ll know that more clearly in early February (February 3). He stated they are also working under the State appropriation process and the Mayor is working with a number of staff people on that, and she may want to give an update on what’s happening on State appropriation process.
Mayor Owens stated they don’t have a lot to report at this point, except that they’ve been scanning various newspapers across the state and had some very positive editorials that have been printed and pleased with that. She stated they intend to call and visit in the western part of the state with some of the editorial boards and contact some of the mayors, etc. to see if there are some questions that we can answer for them. She stated that tomorrow they will be leaving for Bismarck to meet with members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and share information with them about Grand Forks and answer their questions about the project, and following week a presentation is being planned for the entire State Legislature on Tuesday, January 12, and information about the flood, its effects on Grand Forks, recovery projects in the city and flood protection project itself will be presented and Legislators will be given a chance to ask questions of the officials present. She stated they will have a display of photos and other information. She stated the funding request will be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee at their meeting on Wednesday, January 20 at 8:30 a.m., the Grand Forks project will be given approximately 30 minutes for testimony and questions from Committee members. She stated that at this time they have been able to answer most of the questions presented by the individuals from across the state, and will continue to put information on line so that any concern that they may have will be answered prior to any of the meetings they go to. She stated she feels very positive and that will be able to answer the questions positively that are put before them, and sees that the State will see fit to fund the Corps approved project.
Mr. Vein reported that with the local funding, that concept has gone through the council at its meeting, and is one of the concepts they need to carry forward to Bismarck, showing that the City is funding this project.
3. Acquisitions. Mr. Vein reported that the Phase IV Voluntary Acquisition Programs has been closed, deadline for signing was December 31, and that 127 offers have been made, 4 files closed, 49 properties have already been acquired for a total of $6.7 million, and that the remaining 73 properties are in some stage of the process. He stated that’s out of an approximate 200 properties that they had on the levee alignment and have gone a long ways on the voluntary program. He stated they have already set for a relocation counseling service provider and are going to be in the process of selecting who that provider would be. There are a number of people who will be part of that selection process outlined.
4. Greenway. He stated that Charles Flink of Greenways Inc. will be in town tomorrow and will work with some of the local officials on this and they have looked at several of greenway activities including cross-country ski rally, snowmobile trail, winter wildlife tour and a greenway day, and Mr. Staley of Park District has suggested that he would take an avid lead in each one of those types of events.
Mr. Vein stated that if there was anything they would like added to please contact him at any time or staff members.
Council Member Lunak asked if they had agreed to a program that was set up so as not to leave some of the people in the dark on Phase IV. Mr. Swanson, city attorney, reported that the program that was approved by council set December 31 application deadline and if proper owner has not signed up by that date, there is no other existing program for them; if they have signed up by the 31st of December, 1998, they have until March of 1999 to sign a purchase agreement, but if homeowner that has not registered, there is no other program available now for an acquisition.
ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 3762, RELATING TO
TOBACCO RETAILERS LICENSE FEES
An ordinance entitled “An ordinance amending Section 21-2804 of the Grand Forks City Code relating to tobacco retailers license fees”, which had been introduced and passed on its first reading on December 21, 1998, was presented and read for consideration on second reading and final passage.
Committee No. 2, Public Safety, reported having considered the matter of ordinance re. fees for tobacco permits, and recommended to amend the ordinance to establish fee at $100.00 per physical site and $25.00 per machine for two-year period.
It was moved by Council Member Bouley and seconded by Council Member Bakken that this recommendation be approved and that the ordinance be amended.
Howard Swanson, city attorney, stated that as he understands the committee’s action it changes slightly the present structure, that presently there are no fees charged but the way the ordinance is drafted, there is a fee potentially for each vending machine and another fee for each off sale alcoholic beverage location, such as bottle shop, and then there is a fee for an applicant and for each multiple location, and as he understands the action of the committee they are reducing that to two fees instead of multiple fees and the two types of fees are $25 per vending machine or $100 per location regardless of the number of locations or classification, so going from a multi step system to a two step system. He stated that the license is not based upon license holder but based upon location of sales.
Upon call for the question of approval of the amendment, the motion carried 13 votes affirmative.
Upon call for the question of adoption of the ordinance, as amended, and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the ordinance adopted.
ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 3763, RELATING TO
PENALTIES FOR SPECIFIED TRAFFIC OFFENSES
An ordinance entitled “An ordnance amending Section 8-1503 of the Grand Forks City Code relating to penalties for specified traffic offenses”, which had been introduced and passed on its first reading on December 21, 1998, was presented and read for consideration on second reading and final passage.
Council Member Beyer stated that because of speeding done at school lights and driving through flashing lights, etc. moved an amendment to the ordinance to increase the penalty for violating any of the provisions of Section 8-0703 pertaining to speed limits in school crosswalks, from $50 to not less than $100. Council Member Bouley seconded the motion.
Upon call for the question of adoption of the amendment, and upon voice vote, the motion was defeated.
Upon call for the question of adoption of the ordinance and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”:
Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the ordinance adopted.
ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 3764, RELATING TO
PENALTIES FOR JUVENILE CURFEW
An ordinance entitled “An ordinance amending Section 9-0503(4) of the Grand Forks City Code relating to penalties for juvenile curfew”, which had been introduced and passed on its first reading on December 21, 1998, was presented and read for consideration on second reading and final passage.
Upon call for the question of adoption of the ordinance and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”: Council Members brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the ordinance adopted.
ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 3765, RELATING TO
ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE
An ordinance entitled “An ordinance amending Section 19-0208 of the Grand Forks City Code relating to adoption of the National Electrical Code”, which had been introduced and passed on its first reading on December 21, 1998, was presented and read for consideration on second reading and final passage.
Upon call for the question of adoption of the ordinance and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”:
Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the ordinance adopted.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS
The city auditor presented and read the investment report as of December 31, 1998. It was moved by council Member Bakken and seconded by Council Member Beyer that this report be and is hereby received and filed. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE BILLS
Vendor Payment Listing No. 98-23, dated January 4, 1999 and totaling $2,028,693.71, all having been audited by the city auditor for payment in accordance with regulations, was presented and read.
It was moved by Council Member Hafner and seconded by Council Member Bakken that these bills be allowed and that the city auditor be authorized to issue warrants in payment of the same. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried and the bills ordered paid.
ADOPT POLICY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF
` PRIVATE VEHICLES
Committee No. 1, Finance, reported having considered the matter of review of policy re. reimbursement of private vehicles, and recommended to approve and adopt as an on-going flat rate policy for City employees using their personal vehicles plus mileage rate allowed in federal statutes through IRS regulations.
It was moved by Council Member Hamerlik and seconded by Council Member Brooks that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
APPROVE PLEDGED SECURITIES
Committee No. 1, Finance, reported having considered with the city auditor the requirements of the NDCC, as amended, which require that pledges made by designated depositories of the public funds be approved in January of each even numbered year and semi-annually, and recommended to report that they have examined the records and found that the First National Bank of Grand Forks has deposited with the Bank of North Dakota in a designated pledge pool: $21,179,697.00, for which a memorandum was attached, and all of which have been pledged as securities for public funds for the members of the pledge pool, which requires a pledge amount of $34,221,934.24, and recommended that these pledged securities be and are hereby re-approved as required.
It was moved by Council Member Brooks and seconded by Council Member Babinchak that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE PAYMENT OF CLAIM FOR PROPERTY
DAMAGE AT 8½ SOUTH 3RD STREET
Committee No. 1, Finance, reported having considered the matter of claim for property damage at 8½ South 3rd Street as result of police officers conducting search for suspect, and recommended that we pay claim of $249.58 from Insurance Reserve Fund.
It was moved by Council Member Hamerlik and seconded by Council Member Brooks that this recommendation be and is hereby approved.
Mr. Swanson reported that the policy that the City has is not unlike most policies in which there is an exclusion for an intentional act, the insured determined that the officers intended to kick the door in or remove the door in an attempt to locate the suspect, in their opinion and he would concur that it would not be included as coverage under our policy, consequently the finance committee has recommended that the claim be paid through the City’s tort claim fund.
Upon call for the question and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
APPROVE SNOWMOBILE ROUTE FOR 1998-99
Committee No. 2, Public Safety, reported having considered the matter of snowmobile route, and recommended to accept present snowmobile route.
It was moved by Council Member Bouley and seconded by Council Member Bakken that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE BIDS FOR 1999 WATER TREATMENT
CHEMICALS
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of consideration of bids for 1999 water treatment chemicals, and recommended to accept bids as recommended by the water treatment department.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Upon call for the question and upon roll call vote, the following voted “aye”: Council Members Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
DENY BID FOR PLOW TRUCK FOR STREET
DEPARTMENT AND REQUEST REBIDDING OF THE
EQUIPMENT
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of bids for plow truck for street department, and recommended to deny the bid and request rebidding the equipment.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE ROADWAY AND UTILITY EASEMENT
FOR SOUTHERLY EXTENSION OF SOUTH 20TH
STREET R/W
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of the request to authorize proper city officials to execute the document and payment of same, for roadway and utility easement, portion of the SW Quarter of NE Quarter and the NW Quarter of NE Quarter of Section 21-151-51, located at southerly extension of South 20th Street right of way, for and in consideration of the sum of $1.00, Glen and Gloria Gransberg, and recommended to approve and accept the easement.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE SHANNON AND WILSON AS TECHNICAL
CONSULTANT FOR PROJECT NO. 4769, RAW
WATER INTAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of geotechnical consultant for raw water intake and transmission lines, City Project No. 4769, and recommended to approve Shannon and Wilson as technical consultant and enter into negotiations.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
ADOPT RESOLUTION RE. POTENTIAL FUNDING
FOR RAW WATER INTAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of resolution re. process of putting together a loan application for the ND Drinking Water Revolving Fund Program as a means of potential funding for the raw water intake and transmission lines project, project No. 4769, and recommended to approve adoption of the resolution.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
Council Member Klave introduced the following resolution which was presented and read: Document No. 7657 - Resolution.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this resolution be and is hereby adopted. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
AUTHORIZE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Committee No. 3, Public Service, reported having considered the matter of authorization to request proposals for engineering services for University Village infrastructure (CDBG), and recommended to approve request for proposal for engineering services.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Hafner that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
APPROVE RESIDENTIAL ABATEMENT BID PACKAGE
#45 (5 HOUSES)
Committee No. 4, Urban Development, reported having considered the matter of Residential Abatement Bid Package #45 (5 houses), and recommended approval of low bid by MAAC in the amount of $14,765 for five houses.
It was moved by Council Member Beyer and seconded by Council Member Polovitz that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
REFER MATTER OF COST MATRIX BUDGET
AMENDMENTS BACK TO COMMITTEE
Committee No, 4, Urban Development, reported having considered the matter of cost matrix budget amendments, and recommended approval of the transfers of the cost matrix funding.
It was moved by Council Member Beyer and seconded by Council Member Polovitz that this recommendation be and is hereby approved.
Council Members Polovitz and Beyer asked that this matter be referred back to committee for further consideration.
APPROVE RECOMMENDATION ON ADAPTIVE REUSE/
FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE METROPOLITAN
OPERA HOUSE
Committee No. 4, Urban Development, reported having considered the matter of recommendation from consultant (Royce Yeater, YHR partners) on the adaptive reuse/feasibility study of the Metropolitan Opera House, and recommended to approve the following recommendation: Resolve to obligate up to $250,000 of CDBG funds (from those moneys reserved for the Metropolitan Opera House in the Commercial Rehab Grant Program) to be used as the cities financial assistance to encourage the redevelopment of the Metropolitan Opera House. The City should also authorize City staff to provide assistance to the owners in developing a process for soliciting redevelopment proposals. Any release of CDBG funds should be subject to the following conditions: 1. any expenditures of the funds must comply with federal and CDBG requirements. 2. any proposed redevelopment has the support of and is recommended by the Downtown Development Commission.
It was moved by Council Member Beyer and seconded by Council Member Polovitz that this recommendation be and is hereby approved.
Council Member Beyer reported that the committee’s original motion was withdrawn at their meeting this evening as some of the objections raised as to the building being in private hands and didn’t feel it was their responsibility to do the RFP, and after discussion the DDC set aside $250,000 for the redevelopment of the Met and Urban Development staff can certainly assist the Historic Preservation to write the RFP but it would still be a private RFP since the City doesn't own the building. She stated that it’s just putting in the RFP that $250,000 is available for the development if they meet those provisions.
Council Member Polovitz reported that this building has been designated by Historic Commission and the City as one that we would like to mitigate through this buyout process, etc. but it’s going to take a lot of money to make it work and the RFP will try to bring developers together to see if they can make it cash flow, and may end up doing nothing. He stated that RFP will answer how much private money is available, whether need TIF for tax break, more grant money.
Council Member Beyer stated that what will be in the RFP is that there is $250,000 available if they meet those guidelines, and if they approach City and ask for more, that will be decided at a later time, but now the dollar money City willing to go for is $250,000.
Council Member Babinchak asked whether City was going to have to save the building, no matter what the cost. Council Member Bouley reported that Preservation decided early on that this was a building that they felt very strongly about, and needed to be preserved in the community; that they don’t know that the building is going to stand, there is no requirement out there that it has to remain standing, just giving it our best shot as they can to see if can get something to work with this building. It was noted that the current owners don’t feel that they can do the project so putting it out for developers to look at.
Council Member Beyer reported that the RFP is going to be put out by the Cox family to sell the building, and the possibility of the $250,000 for a new developer would know that’s what the City is willing to put out, and do not have to give them any more after that, but if they come to us with a proposal to put on the tax rolls at a different number, maybe there are other things we will do, but now allowing the Cox family to put the building up for sale knowing that the $250,000 has been set aside for a future developer if they wish to take project on.
Council Member Carpenter reported that part of the CDBG money there is a historical component to it and we do have to consider historical and have done that through some of the agreements with the State and local Commission and this was one of the buildings they identified early on and we haven’t spent out of $171.0+ million dollars a lot of historical, this is something that’s part of the whole package and we have to do some of it and spend some money on it, and this is probably one we are going to be doing it on and quarter of million dollars is a very significant sum to any project that would take place. Council Member Polovitz stated that if this building wasn’t deemed historical it would have been bought out and probably demolished by now, but because it was deemed historical and became part of that mitigation process that is required with the use of these federal moneys.
Upon call for the question and upon voice vote, the motion carried 13 votes affirmative.
AWARD CONTRACTS FOR BUILDING PORTION
OF TESTING AND INSPECTIONS WORK ON THE
AURORA AND ALSO SITEWORK PORTION OF TESTING
AND INSPECTIONS WORK
The Events Center Core Committee reported having considered the matter of owner’s testing agency, and recommended that we award the contract for the building portion of the testing and inspections work on The Aurora to Braun Intertec and the site work portion of the testing and inspections work to Maxim/Interstate and if an understanding can’t be reached on the terms, to call a special committee meeting.
It was moved by Council Member Babinchak and seconded by Council Member Carpenter that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
AWARD CONTRACT FOR BID PACKAGE, CONTRACT
CATEGORY 30, CONCRETE SLABS
The Events Center Core Committee reported having considered the matter of Bid Package 6, Contract Category 30, concrete slabs, and recommended that we award the contract for Bid Package 6, Contract Category 30, which includes the concrete slab on grade, the slab on metal deck and all the super column concrete to Wanzek Construction for $1,840,000, and not take action on the alternate 30-11 at this time.
It was moved by Council Member Babinchak and seconded by Council Member Carpenter that this recommendation be and is hereby approved. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
REPORT ON CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS FOR THE
AURORA
The city auditor read the following contract issue notifications or change orders that were approved at the December 29, 1998 Core Committee meeting:
CIN#125.02 - to increase the footing sizes between bid package 4 and 5 for an add to the ICS contract of $2,957.
CIN#129.02 - to add $2,712 to the ICS contract to cut down the pile tops.
CIN#129.03 - to rotate the piers and add some anchor bolts for an add of $1,304 to the ICS contract.
CIN#136.01 - to add to the ICS contract for $2,197 to deepen some grade beams and add some rebar.
CIN#137.01 - reconciliation and acceptance of the labor allowance ICS had in their contract, which is a deduct of $15,000.
The net effect of the change orders is a deduct in the amount of $5,830.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR
Mayor Owens reported that during the flood the council had so many things to rush through and may still have some but would appreciate it if referral items, esp. if controversial matters, be placed on council referral agenda and then go back to committee, so that public is aware of those items.
APPROVE ESTIMATES, VARIOUS PROJECTS
The city auditor read the following estimate summaries for various projects: Regular Monthly Estimates of $1,801,347.56; CDBG Estimates in the amounts of $99,780.28 and $67,693.99; Flood Related or FEMA coverage, $470,403.76 and $59,790.20 for a total of estimates of $2,499,015.79.
It was moved by Council Member Klave and seconded by Council Member Beyer that these estimates be and are hereby approved and that the city auditor be and is hereby authorized to issue warrants in payment of the same. Upon roll call the following voted “aye”: Council Members Brooks, Polovitz, Lucke, Hamerlik, Bouley, Carpenter, Lunak, Klave, Beyer, Babinchak, Bakken, Hafner, Martinson - 13; voting “nay”: none. Mayor Owens declared the motion carried.
APPROVE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION, VARIOUS
PROJECTS
Communications were presented and read from the city engineer certifying that the contractors had successfully completed the construction of the following projects in a satisfactory manner, and recommending acceptance by the council: Project No. 4591, Upgrade Lift Station #29; Project No. 4825, Paving District No. 559.
It was moved by Council Member Babinchak and seconded by Council member Bakken that these recommendations be and are hereby approved. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
INTRODUCE MANAGER OF TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT
Mayor Owens introduced Roger Foster, new bus superintendent, welcomed him to the city of Grand Forks and that they look forward to working with him.
REFER VARIOUS ITEMS TO COMMITTEE/COUNCIL
Various items were presented to the city council for their information and/or consideration.
1) Council Member Hamerlik reported that the Urban Development Committee pulled the cost matrix from the agenda, that there are a lot of changes as they see it today and encouraged council members to be at that meeting or perhaps at committee of the whole.
2) Council Member Polovitz asked what status was of Congressional 1 and 2. Mayor Owens reported that Grand Forks Homes, Sally Page, asked that they not put a formal committee together so honored their request, however, they did gather several people: Janell Kerr, Board of Realtors; two bankers, Dwaine Espegard and John Nustad; two council members, Council Members Brooks and Hafner; staff John Schmisek, John O’Leary, Rick Duquette and met as they wanted to pull pieces together and each one of those entities is working with Grand Forks Homes because it is their project, and they will be contacting some of the council people to give information. Council Member Martinson suggested that they bring an appraiser into that group, and also a broker. Mayor Owens stated that those are people who will come but not an authorized committee, just a group to try to work together; that now it’s at Grand Forks Homes, but will make note of that. Council Member Hamerlik asked if Urban Development rescinded their motion, and Council Member Beyer stated that Grand Forks Homes pulled their request and that Grand Forks Homes might be coming back with a different proposal, and held in their committee. She stated that the Committee had stated that this item was not going to be discussed at this meeting and if made motion to reconsider, didn’t feel it was fair to what went out in the media. Joel Manske, Urban Development Office, stated that Grand Forks Homes is also interested in hearing from the realtors and appraisers in the industry and they have scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, January 12, at 7:30 a.m. at Grand Forks Homes Board meeting and will invite all the realtors interested in input in this project and spend some time discussing resolutions to the project.
4) Mayor Owens referred the matter of annual contract amendment for chief of police for pay increase to finance committee for consideration.
5) the matter of release of funds budgeted for UND Enhanced Student Recruitment Program was referred to finance committee for consideration.
6) Council Member Lunak stated that number of people appear at council meetings and wish to debate but can’t because way our city government is set up and can’t voice their opinions, should allow them to come here and talk any time they would like to on any issue rather than railroading them through without any debate.
Mayor Owens stated when an item is referred back to committee for further review that’s left for discussion at that point and same with city council, however, if choose to do that can ask, but in the past it’s not been done. Council Member Beyer stated that lot of the issues are to be discussed at committee level and then placed on council agenda, so if it’s an issue that we send back to committee have discussion there and if people want to come back and want to be heard, then they will be. It was noted that Ms. Page had pulled her request so that’s why it went back to committee.
ADJOURN
It was moved by Council Member Bouley and seconded by Council Member Hamerlik that we do now adjourn until Tuesday, January 18, 1999 at the hour of 7:30 o’clock p.m. Carried 13 votes affirmative.
Respectfully submitted,
John M. Schmisek
City Auditor
Approved:
________________________
Patricia A. Owens, Mayor