wbPM4CSi Weather….

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 10 TO 15. WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH.

.FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S. NORTHWEST WINDS

15 TO 25 MPH.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. SCATTERED FLURRIES AFTER MIDNIGHT.

LOWS 20 TO 25.

.SATURDAY…CLOUDY. SCATTERED FLURRIES IN THE MORNING, THEN A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 30 TO 35.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. LOWS 20 TO 25.

.SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 25 TO 30.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 20 TO 25.

.MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. HIGHS IN THE MID

30S.

.MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW.

LOWS 20 TO 25.

.TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. HIGHS IN

THE MID 20S.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 10 TO 15.

.WEDNESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 15 TO 20.

 

THE NEXT CHANCE FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL

ARRIVE MONDAY AND INTO TUESDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE

AREA. THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM IS STILL VERY UNCERTAIN AND AMOUNTS

ARE UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown city crews will begin attempting to remove/scrape ice from residential streets and avenues beginning Friday morning, January 27, 2017 during normal working hours – 7:00 am – 3:30 pm.

One motor grader will be working in each quadrant of the City.

Please be aware of large ice chunks and equipment in the roadways during this time.

PLEASE NOTE:

The above schedule is contingent upon changing weather conditions and snow accumulation totals.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s Police & Fire, and Public Works Committees met Thursday evening at City Hall.  Council Member Brubakken was not present.

 

POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEE BUSINESS:

The committee recommends  entering into a Mutual Aid Agreement Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Bismarck Fire Department and the City of Jamestown Fire Department.

City Fire Chief Jim Reuther said he was contacted by the Bismarck Fire Chief for assistance in the time of need.

He said the fire departments assist in such areas as haz-mat assistance.

Informational: The Second Reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact Articles of the City Code pertaining to the Fire Protection Code is scheduled for the February 6, 2017 City Council meeting.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE BUSINESS:

The committee recommends adopting Resolutions pertaining to establisning theSeal Coat, Construction and Reconstruction District 17-41 as follow:

  1. To direct the City Engineer to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of the district
  2. To accept and approve the plans and specifications, as prepared by the City Engineer, for the construction of the District.
  3. To declare it necessary to construct the district and to direct the City Administrator to publish notice of a public hearing concerning the district.
  4. To direct the City Administrator to advertise for bids for the construction of the district.

The committee recommends entering into an engineering services agreement with Interstate Engineering, Inc. for design and construction of the 2017 Water Main Replacement Project District 17-61,a residential area near Nickeus Park.

The committee recommends adopting an amendment to the Land Use and Transportation Plan for the area south of I-94 and West of US 281 South, the area includes modifiying the area with the proposed road between Menards and JRMC.

The committee recommends adopting a Resolution authorizing the submission of a loan application for a Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, for construction of Sanitary Landfill Cell 4A, from the North Dakota Department of Health and the North Dakota Public Finance Authority.  This is the first cell in the expansion, including infrastructure.

An update was given the status of the JRMC / Menards Road Project.  Mayor Andersen said legal services are moving forward with landowners, including John Correll and the Anne Carlsen Center, and Liechty Associates, including where appropriate plats, annexation, along with progress on designs allowing construction to start the end of June beginning of July this year.

Another update was from Interstate Engineering, Inc., on the Preliminary Engineering and Construction Alternatives for the Wastewater Raker Building and Equipment.  Darrell Hournbuckle said the project is behind schedule due to issues with the land and additional wastes coming in from other sources.  He said a decision should be made by next month.

The committee considered entering into a Services Enterprise Agreement for Recycling Collection with Renaissance Recycling, LLC.  Mayor Andersen said a name change from Renaissance Recycling is coming.

Other changes in the original contract concern the term of the agreement, and renewal options were noted.

The committee discussed the original term of contract with a five year agreement with a five year renewal, and an amended 10 year agreement and 10 year renewal, or a five year renewal. The ten year option allows for financing options by the recycler.

Council Member Buchanan pointed out icy conditions at the current drop site location on First Street West, and that the future drop site be better maintained, whether there or elsewhere.

The committee moved the options to the February 6, 2017 City Council meeting without recommendation.

Joan Morris said the City Beautification Committee will establish a committee to educate the public on recycling and asked for a city representative to be on the committee, possibly Council Member Brubakken.

Citizen K.C. DeBoer indicated a steep learning concerning recycling, and suggested that the recycler not be penalized the first year of operation due to inappropriate items placed in the curb side recycling bins.

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 67, followed by replays.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant/Executive Advisory Board met Thursday at The CSi Tech Center, at Historic Franklin School.

On the agenda for grants requests were: Fort Seward for staffing, National Buffalo Museum for: Staffing, White Cloud Days, and the Video Orientation Project.  Frontier Village requested grant dollars for Staffing, and a Horse Grant, and Dakota Anglers.

 

Fort Seward, represented by Dale Marks requested, up to $10,000 for staffing of the Interpretive Center.

The Board granted $9,350, to staff two individuals, Tom Norman and Jane Norman.

 

The National Buffalo Museum represented by Manager, Ilano Xinos, requested $3,000 to advertise the 2017 White Cloud Days activities to be held July 8, 2017.

The event includes, the parade, Classic Car Show, Mini Art Hunt, Crafts, Food and other vendors.

The Board granted the full amount.

 

It requested $5,609 for staff funding, for seasonal staff wages and Gift Shop Assistant.

The Board granted $6,038 which includes taxes.

 

$10,000 in a request, for continued construction of the museum theater, consisting of the film and Theater Project, production of a theater-quality museum orientation film, and construction of a 300 square foot museum theater for visitors to view the film, along with renovations to the first room of the museum was fully granted by the Board.

 

Frontier Village represented by Tina Busche, requested, $37,970.23 for overall budgeted operations.

After a lengthy discussion concerning maintenance, and overall accountability of how and where the dollars are spent, the Board voted to approve $25,778 dollars with the stipulation of monthly documentation of expenditures, and from what areas of the budget.

 

Also requested was $11,700 for a Horse Grant, for Stagecoach and Pony rides, from Memorial Day to Labor Day which was approved with the stipulation of accountability of the number of rides provided and the cost of each ride.

 

 

Dakota Anglers represented by Lynn Lambrecht requested $1,000 to bring a fishing personality to the Sport & Recreation Show to be held February 3 and 4, 2017 at the Jamestown Civic Center, for a fishing personality, Josh Klein.  He will host three seminars to be held during the show dates.

The Board granted, granted the full amount, with the stipulation that there is an accountability of the attendance numbers.

 

In other business, the Board discussed the County Mill Levy Expenditures for tourism entities.

Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund pointed out the necessity of verifying to the county, the entities of the Jamestown Arts Center, and the Stutsman County Museum.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The leader of the Standing Rock Sioux is urging President Donald Trump to reconsider his push for completion of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline.

Tribal spokeswoman Sue Evans says Chairman Dave Archambault requested a meeting with Trump in a letter sent Wednesday, warning that relations between the new administration and the Native American community have “gotten off on the wrong foot.” It’s not clear if Trump has received the letter.

Trump signed an executive action Tuesday ordering the Army Corps of Engineers to quickly reconsider its Dec. 4 decision to stop pipeline construction to allow for a study to determine the environmental impact of routing the pipeline under a North Dakota reservoir.

The tribe gets its drinking water from Lake Oahe and worries about a pipeline spill.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Standing Rock Sioux leaders have briefed North Dakota officials including Gov. Doug Burgum on efforts to clear out a camp near the reservation that for months has housed hundreds and sometimes thousands of Dakota Access pipeline opponents. Burgum spokesman Mike Nowatzki says the governor didn’t offer any state aid during the five-hour meeting Wednesday night at the tribe’s casino, but “we’re exploring all of our options.” He declined to elaborate.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Senate has killed a bill that would have exempted feminine hygiene products from sales taxes.

The  bill had minimal support by the Senate Wednesday with only three votes in favor.

The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Larry Luick would have exempted tampons and sanitary napkins from sales and use tax. If approved, the bill would have been put into effect in June.

The topic has received national attention in the past year or so, with several states introducing legislation for an exemption.

About 11 states currently have an exemption for feminine hygiene products.

 

In world and national news…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Donald Trump is claiming that he and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto (PAYN’-yuh nee-EH’-toh) agreed jointly to cancel their planned meeting, because of disagreements about who will pay for Trump’s promised southern border wall. Trump told Republicans at a congressional retreat in Philadelphia, “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless.” Trump said he had “no choice.” The Mexican government announced the cancellation after Trump tweeted that unless Mexico is willing to pay for the border wall, it should cancel the meeting.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Donald Trump is moving ahead with a probe into what he says was widespread voter fraud — but Republicans in Congress may not be on board. A spokesman says Trump is signing an executive action Thursday to launch an investigation into what Trump says were millions of illegally-cast votes in November. But House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (CHAY’-fits) broke with Trump, saying he sees no evidence of voter fraud in the 2016 election and that his committee won’t investigate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Border Patrol chief is telling agents that he’s been forced out of the agency. That word comes from a U.S. official. The official says Mark Morgan told senior Border Patrol agents about his ouster during a brief video conference this morning. Morgan said he was asked to leave — and rather than fight the request he opted to resign. The development comes a day after President Donald Trump moved ahead with an ambitious plan to build a wall at the Mexican border and hire 5,000 Border Patrol agents.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The former head of President Donald Trump’s transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency says he expects the new administration to seek significant budget and staff cuts there. Myron Ebell left the transition team last week. He tells The Associated Press that his specific proposals to the White House remain confidential. But asked what he personally would like to see, Ebell replied that slashing the agency workforce by half would be a good start.

ATLANTA (AP) — A new report shows that widespread rain is gradually relieving the ongoing drought in the Deep South. Just a handful of counties in Alabama and Georgia now are seeing extreme drought conditions. A national report on the drought released today found that rain drenched a large part of an area that has been abnormally dry, from northern Louisiana to the Carolinas and Virginia.