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Minutes/Committee of the Whole
Monday, January 23, 2006 - 7:00 p.m.

The city council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, January 23, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers in City Hall with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were: Council Members Hamerlik, Glassheim, Gershman, Kerian, Kreun - 5; absent: Council Member Brooks - 1.

Mayor Brown announced that when addressing the committee to please come forward to use the microphone for the record, and advised that the meeting is being televised live and taped for later broadcast.

Mayor Brown commented on various events held during the past week and upcoming events:
Downtown Grand Forks Historic District was entered in the National Registry of Historic Places and this is the official list of the nation's cultural properties worthy of preservation, and the downtown buildings and owners are eligible for additional assistance, preservation grants and federal tax benefits; and is good to see national recognition of that value.

We were saddened by the death of Mayor Nelson in Warren, that he was a good partner in the region and his funeral will be Friday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Warren at 2:00 p.m.

Council Member Christensen reported present.

2.1 Catwalk and rigging for Alerus Center.
Charlie Jeske, Alerus Center, stated they were looking at an expansion of their
north end rigging, that initially there were plans to do it but was never completed, that there is an 8 to 10 ft. void that is not complete and on the south end of the building when drop curtains to do an arena set or reduced set, don't have a platform location for a spotlight - is to expand our grid work and put a platform on the southend for spotlight locations.

The deputy auditor stated funding would be from the surplus sales tax funds in the Alerus Debt Service Fund, and is there for capital improvements; not any further cost to taxpayers.

Council Member Christensen stated it has recently come to our attention with Canad Inn expansion, that this request and the ring road could be facing $1,250,000 worth of expenditures for the Alerus, that the City gave the Alerus $250,000 for concert fund in the 2006 budget, and asked what the balance was in that fund. Mr. Jeske stated they have depleted $35,000 for last year's shows that were brought in, that the Commission has asked for a report and they will give full report in February for Commission to see where the money has gone, etc., balance is $215,000.

Council Member Christensen stated he knew they were making an effort to get smaller concerts that would play to a 3,000 or 4,000 person audience and that maybe necessary, but reminded the council that we also have a payment coming out of our excess Alerus sales tax dollars in the area of $3.2 million to the Water Treatment Fund, and would like to know when making payments if that payment can be made from our excess revenues this year or if we don't have a payment scheduled this year, because we have been presented with report that says we have $430,000 in the fund; and asked if could get some information before Monday as to status of that payment and what the expected excess in this fund will be in light of our excellent sales tax collections. Ms. Jerath stated they would get that information.

Council Member Kreun stated we have different funds that are set aside for different projects in the Alerus Center, and ring road is a concept and doesn't think would be expending any funds in the near future.

2.2 Grand Forks Flood Protection Project - Transfer of remainder of 71 4th Avenue South to Garry A. Pearson and Rose Kitzan._______________________________
There were no comments.

2.3 Appointment to the Civil Service Commission.
There were no comments.

2.4 Appointment to Grand Forks City Planning & Zoning Commission.
Council Member Kerian asked how many candidates were there for these positions; Mayor Brown stated he didn't have that information with him and would get that info. for next week.

Council Member Christensen stated we have a Planning and Zoning Commission that is a very important body and will be addressing greater issues that they began this evening - the extension of our zoning jurisdiction from two to four miles. He stated there are 3 positions open, one individual who has been on the Commission for 20 years, one for 30 years and both have served in exemplary capacity and have given many hours in their public service for this community, and another individual who has been on the Commission for 10 years; these people are not elected but appointed and they make some important decisions on small and major issues; that the mayor and council have been looking for people to step forward, that mayor considers and decides, that public service takes time but is an essential component for those living in this community - would like people to throw their names in the hat if so inclined - call the mayor or council member so get more people involved in making decisions for the group. Mayor Brown stated that if not on the Commission there are other opportunities to serve and will keep name on the list.

Council Member Glassheim stated concern about one of the nominees who has worked with a major developer in town for many years and to have a major developer on a commission that regulates major development of land, very hard for that person to be objective and certainly has the appearance of conflict by just being on the inside; the commission is judicial body and when developers put things before them they make judgments about them and that is a concern.

Council Member Gershman disagreed with those comments, that he doesn't have a problem with Mr. Adams being on this board because he brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience; he called attention to the Mechanical Board and Electrical Board who regulate all the mechanical and electrical issues and those people are all in the business, that we have boards like that throughout the city and they are so dedicated and don't get anything for this, they do it as public service, and sees no difference in having one member out of 13 members on the commission who happens to be no different than mechanical, electrical or plumbing people, who sit on our boards, and knows Mr. Adams is a person of high integrity and will be exposed to some of the other sides of the issues.

2.5 Appointment to the Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority Board.
There were no comments.

2.6 Appointment to the Grand Forks Events Center Commission.
There were no comments.

2.7 Create special assessment district of Sanitary Sewer Project No. 5948, Dist. No. 440, Promenade 3rd Resubdivision._____________________________________________
2.8 Create special assessment district for Watermain Project No. 5949, Dist. No. 289, Promenade 3rd Resubdivision.___________________________________________
2.9 Create special assessment district for Storm Sewer Project No. 5950, Dist. No. 441, Promenade 3rd Resubdivision.____________________________________________
2.10 Create special assessment district for Paving Project No. 5951, Dist. No. 618,
Promenade 3rd Resubdivision._______________________________________
Council Member Christensen asked who is developing this area and cost. Cindy
Voigt, asst, city engineer, stated the Housing Authority is the developer. Mr. Christensen asked if we have a loan from the City to the Housing Authority for this project and if they are using that money to pay these specials; and would like status of this project, status of our loan, the proposed payment schedule before we go further into debt or extend further monies because the money we used to pay for this is part of the federal low interest loan.

Greg Hoover, Urban Development, stated what they have done is for Promenade first phase, made a $765,000 grant for infrastructure, are providing construction financing up to $1.3 to $5 million from our line of credit with Fannie Mae; they are current on their payments back on their line of credit, have18 homes sold and 10 more under construction, sales and interest have remained steady; no money has been allocated for this program, and need to prepare themselves for phase II.

Council Member Kreun stated they are looking for funding mechanisms to offset some of these costs but if there aren't any, there would be special assessments as in any other housing district,
at this point without any CDBG funds allocated, are not asking the City for any funding other than would like to continue the construction loan money because we are current and that is working very well - this gives us the option to move forward to create these special assessment districts and if have to charge special assessments or if find another funding mechanism, we could use those funds at that time.

Council Member Christensen stated costs for the projects is $838,600 and asked if could get a report as to how we would be paying for this. Council Member Kreun stated that the City is not going to be responsible for this directly, other than through special assessments or funding mechanism, this isn't going to be a burden and subsidized by general tax dollars.

Council Member Christensen asked if this is going to come out of our infrastructure fund. Mr. Kreun stated they are not looking at those funds at all, we want to find other funding mechanisms that the federal government made available and will look at that next week in Bismarck to see what we can come up with, but if that doesn't work, this potentially could have special assessments like any other development. He stated they are going to Bismarck to see if we can continue this project, actually been very successful project, and 51% of home owners are low to moderate and is entry level housing at its best.

2.11 Plans and specifications for Project No. 5829, Dist. No. 617, paving Southern Estates 4th Addn. (4300 block of S. 25th Street and 43rd Ave.S. from S. 20th Street to S. 25th Street)._____________________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.12 Plans and specifications for Project No. 5940, Dist. No. 260, paving S. 20th St (40th Ave.S. to 44th Ave.S.)____________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.13 Street Department street sweeper bid.
There were no comments.

2.14 Cost Participation, Construction and Maintenance Agreement with NDDOT for Project No. 5671, Point Bridge Rehabilitation._____________________________
Ms. Voigt stated cost of on-going maintenance will be 50-50 for each city.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Christensen stated that this is the 4th anniversary of the commissioning of the Dave Barry lift station, January 23, 2002, that it was on public radio this evening and they went into actions of the city, mayors and those gathering for the commissioning, ice fishing and potluck at Sacred Heart; Mr. Barry wrote three stories after he was here..

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Gershman and seconded by Council Member Hamerlik that we adjourn. Carried 7 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,



Saroj Jerath
Deputy City Auditor