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Minutes of Grand Forks City Council/Growth Fund
Authority (JDA) - Monday, June 8, 2009 - 5:30 p.m.____

The city council of the city of Grand Forks sitting as the Growth Fund Authority met in the council chambers in City Hall on Monday, June 8, 2009 at the hour of 5:30 p.m. with Chairman Gershman presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Bjerke, McNamara, Christensen (telecon), Kreun, Mayor Brown, Gershman - 6; absent: Council Members Glassheim, Bakken - 2

AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SOLICIT BIDS FOR DEMOLITION
OF CIVIC AUDITORIUM AND REQUEST PROPOSALS FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF SITE

The staff report from the director of urban development relating to request to authorize staff to 1) solicit bids for demolition of the civic auditorium to bring the site to a developable state; and 2) invite developers to submit by July 15, redevelopment proposals for both prepared site and an unprepared site.

Ray Dohman, rural Greater Grand Forks area, , stated the building is in extremely good shape and should not be torn down, that he is proposing to buy that property and save taxpayers $300,000, would pay $100.00.

It was moved by Mayor Brown and seconded by Council Member Kreun to approve the recommendation.

Council Member Bjerke questioned funding if the building is demolished. It was stated by Greg Hoover, director of Urban Development, that it may come from JDA or from some other unrestricted funds or may come from stimulus money (NSP program), but has not been decided and will wait to see what happens when bids are received. There was also some discussion in leaving that for the developer to come in and demolish as part of the project.

Council Member Christensen stated they are trying to move process along, will have requests for proposals and will be entertaining proposals to demolish paid by the developer or by the City; that this should be brought back to the finance committee to develop what looking for in the proposal - trying to invigorate retail aspect of downtown and conversations about multi use buildings, about UND moving part of their campus down there, have to move forward in the next 3 to 6 weeks to get bids for part of the development process in that portion of the downtown.

Chairman Gershman informed Mr. Dohman that he is welcome to put in a proposal when it comes out and that his proposal will be looked at as well as others.

Upon call for the question and upon voice vote, the motion carried 6 votes affirmative.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Bjerke and seconded by Mayor Brown that we adjourn. Carried 6 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,


Saroj Jerath, City Auditor