Council Minutes

Minutes of Grand Forks City Council/Committee of the Whole
Monday, May 27, 2008 - 5:30 p.m._________________ __

The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, May 27, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Hutchison, McNamara, Glassheim, Gershman, Christensen, Kreun - 6; absent: Council Member Bakken - 1.

Mayor Brown commented on various items during the past week and upcoming events:
Congratulations to all graduates, to your families and wish you well in future endeavors.
Thanks to the American Legion, Dr. Col. Norm Byers for a stirring ceremony yesterday to commemorate Memorial Day, was touched by the editorial "Are We Worthy of These Warriors"; thanks to those who attended and the woman who played Taps did a wonderful job.
This week we have an exciting speaker coming to town on Friday brought to us by the Local Young Professionals and the Chamber, Rebecca Ryan, who is known as the mother of the National Young Professionals Movement. Her message is one of how to engage the younger work force and is an important message for any business but a critical issue for our community and for our state. Call the Chamber for more information about this great opportunity.

2.1 Application for exemption of remodeling improvements to residential building at 418 N. 5th Street.___________________________________
There were no comments.

2.2 Resolution relating to Refunding Bonds: Authorize the city auditor to approve the terms and conditions of sale and call for the sale thereof.
The city auditor reported that finance committee met on this last Wednesday and made a
motion to approve; this action is simply the resolution for future bond calls and allows him the ability to do that. He noted that the actual financings of the specific bonds will be coming to the COW on the 9th of June. Christensen stated they are giving Mr. Schmisek the ability to call these bonds based upon model that Mr. Schmisek and Springsted has developed, and this resolution will be in effect for one year. He stated because of the interest rate sensitivity that seems to be going on in the market right now esp. with municipal bonds would give Mr. Schmisek the ability to make the call, but council would have to decide on sale.

2.3 Budget amendment - Bond Fund 3804 - Cirrus.
There were no comments.

2.4 Bids for Project No. 6123, Dist. 636, paving and street lights on 40th Ave.S. (S. Washington St. to Clearview Dr.)_________________________________
There were no comments.

2.5 Bids for Project No. 6253, Dist. 634, 28th Ave.S. Reconstruction (S. 10th St. to Chestnut St.)___________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.6 Bids for Project No. 6270, Near Northend Pedestrian Underpass Rehab Project.______________________________________________________
Al Grasser, city engineer, reported an updated staff report had been distributed to the
members, and that about a year ago council allocated $182,000 for community development
block grant monies to fund this project, is a qualified project for the area. Bids were opened
today and low bidder was Opp Construction in the amount of $164,657.50. The project consists
of pedestrian underpass on Gateway and is remodeling, replacement of some sidewalks and
bikepaths, repainting the tunnel with anti-graffiti paint, replacing the poly-carbonate shelters on
the surface, replacing the lighting with LED lights, external and internal.

2.7 Bids for Project No. 6292, Lift Station 19 Forcemain.
There were no comments.

2.8 Bids for Project No. 6280, Stockpile Restoration at S. 20th St. and 40th Ave.S._______________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.9 Plans and specifications for Project No. 6271, Dist. 98, 2008 Seal Coat Project._____________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.10 Budget amendment - Police Department.
There were no comments.

2.11 Public Works Dept., street division bi-directional tractor bid.
There were no comments.
2.12 Redevelopment of 1424 Belmont Road.
There were no comments.

6. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Kreun agreed with the Mayor's comments about this weekend and special people that we have in our military and has huge gratitude for them

2) Council Member Gershman shared a story that happened this weekend; that we have had some controversy at the University with the swastika, and that he received a call from Ed Vanyo on Friday who was driving by the Jewish Cemetery and noticed that there weren't any flags; he explained to Mr. Vanyo that there are very few relatives that live here anymore of the people who are buried in the cemetery, and Mr. Vanyo asked permission (which he did not need to do) to go in and put American flags on graves of veterans in the Jewish Cemetery - that speaks of our community, was a wonderful gesture and can't thank him enough for his sentiment and for those wonderful people who gave so much for our country, and wanted to personally and publicly thank Mr. Vanyo.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Gershman and seconded by Council Member Glassheim that
we adjourn. Carried 6 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,

John M. Schmisek, City Auditor