CSi Weather…

TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers and isolated thunderstorms in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight.

Lows in the upper 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of

precipitation 30 percent in the Jamestown area, 50 percent in the Valley City area.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Chance of rain showers and slight chance

of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. North

winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy with chance of rain showers and

slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then mostly cloudy

with chance of rain showers after midnight. Lows in the lower

40s. East winds around 5 mph shifting to the southeast after

midnight. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of rain

showers in the Jamestown area, 60 percent in the Valley City area. Highs in the upper 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of rain

showers in the evening. Lows in the mid 40s.

.MONDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 60s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. A 40 percent chance of rain

showers. Lows in the mid 40s.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of rain showers.

Highs in the lower 60s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.

 

Thursday through Friday  rain amounts  ranging from 0.25 to 0.50 inches across portions of the central and James River Valley. However, with the convective nature of the showers and thunderstorms, locally higher amounts will certainly be possible under heavier cores.

Update

The fire danger rating is in the moderate category Thursday.

 

A full version of the burn ordinance can be found at the  Stutsman County website under Departments, choose Zoning, and click on “Burn Ban Ordinance” on the left-hand side of the page.Because of the dry conditions, expect a series of days where burning will be restricted until the countryside greens-up. For more information contact the Stutsman County Emergency Manager’s Office at 701-252-9093

Burn Ban Map

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council  Finance & Legal Committee Building, Planning & Zoning Committee  Civic Center & Promotion Committee  Fire & Police Committee  Public Works Committee met in Joint Session Thursday evening at City Hall, by telephone conference call.  All members were present.

FINANCE & LEGAL COMMITTEE

INFORMATIONAL: Jamestown Community Corrections presentation by Sarah Frohlich.

She said  at this time the agency does not have a current agreement, and she’s looking for an agreement for  2020-21.  She works with Jamestown Municipal Court and community service designations.   JCC bills the city for services, with the city paying a flat fee, the goal for a new agreement. Under the current agreement the city works with JCC on a month by month basis, per the 2018 contract.

No action was taken by the committee.

Removed by request of the JSDC was the JSDC request to recommend the City Council approve $214,285.76 as the Community Match for the Flex PACE Affordable Housing Program for Eagle Flats, LLC in the event the existing PILT agreement with the City of Jamestown would not qualify or be modified to qualify as the community match, $171,428.61 (80%) to be paid by the City from the City Sales Tax Fund and $42,857.15 (20%) from the County.

Considered was the request from ND Department of Transportation to recommend the City Council approve the Wireless Telecommunication Facilities on NDDOT Right of Way Within LPA Jurisdiction Agreement.  The committee recommends tabling until the May meeting, pending additional information.

BUILDING, PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE

Considered was the request for an extension on the building demolition at 202 Business Loop West. The building formerly housing the Jamestown Salvation Army Thrift store.  The building needs asbestos removal and the delay is also because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee recommends the extension.

Considered recommending the first reading of an ordinance to AMEND AND RE-ENACT Section 3, Appendix B, and to ENACT Section 5.1, Appendix B, of the City Code pertaining to subdivision definitions and authority to authorize lot combinations.

Considered recommending the first reading of an ordinance to ENACT Section 12.1, Appendix C, of the City Code to allow the Zoning Administrator to issue building permits over interior lots lines in the City of Jamestown.

The committee recommends approval of the First Reading of both Ordinances.

(Items 1, 2 & 3 are scheduled on the 5pm, 4/23/2020 Special City Council meeting agenda.)

CIVIC CENTER AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE

No items at this time.

POLICE & FIRE COMMITTEE

INFORMATIONAL: Fire department vehicle update.

Mayor Heinrich said the action plan called for the state paying one third the costs, the city one third, and one third from contributions from business and industry.

He said a truck was on hold for delivery until August.  He said the coronavirus pandemic has also delayed delivery.  He added that the city has very firm commitments of $250,000 from business and industry commitments.

He recommends the city verify the purchase of the ladder truck.

He said funding will also come from the Fire Department’s equipment replacement fund, to be replaced, rather than a financing package.  Fire Chief Jim Reuther said, the ladder truck is in the process of being built, and the manufacturer was unable to hold the truck any longer, past May 1, 2020.  He said utilizing funds from the Equipment Replacement is not a problem at this time.  There will still be a balance in that fund, as the $250,000 is replaced.

A lease package was reviewed.

Then the committee considered the purchase of the fire department vehicle, which was recommended.

INFORMATIONAL: The second reading of an Ordinance to establish residency qualification for employees, is scheduled at the May 4, 2020, City Council meeting.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

INFORMATIONAL: ND Department of Environmental Quality 2019 Safe Drinking Water Act Award of Compliance, was read by Council Member Brubakken.

Considered were the bids received for Seal Coat, Patching, Construction & Reconstruction District 20-41.

Considered the bids received for the 2020 Watermain Improvement District 20-61.  The bid was moved to the May City Council meeting without recommendation.

Considered the bids received for the State Hospital Water Line District 20-62.

The City Council at the following meeting  except were noted, will act those items.

Recommended was the approval of the Resolution of Governing Body of Applicant for a loan application under the Clean Water Act to fund the Bio-Gas Project at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and authorize the City Administrator to execute and file the application with the ND Department of Environmental Quality on behalf of the City.

INFORMATIONAL: City Engineer project updates were given to committee members without discussion at the meeting.

INFORMATIONAL: Recycling collection update.  Alley collection will resume.

INFORMATIONAL: Garbage collection update.   Alley collection will resume April 27.

The City wide clean up was cancelled.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

Jamestown (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session Thursday evening, by telephone conference call.

RESOLUTIONS:

< similar ladder truck

Approved was the purchase of the aerial fire truck on hold through May 10, 2020 at Heiman Fire Equipment, as recommended by committee, and the City Attorney draft the specific language, in the Resolution, as recommended at the Committee meeting, held previous to the Council meeting.

Awarded the bid for Seal Coat, Patching, Construction & Reconstruction District 20-41, to Scherbnske, in the amount of $1,961,147.50.

Awarded the bid for the State Hospital Water Line.

Rejected the bid for Sanitary Sewer Main Lift Station Engine Generator, and to re-advertise.

Approved the request for an extension on the building demolition at 202 Business Loop West. Melland Building.

Approved the hiring for the Operations Director position. Council Member Brubakken recommended the position be offered Syed Ahmad. The position oversees, the Waste Water Treatment, and collection, and the landfill and sanitation collection. A $1,000 moving expense was included in the approval.

ORDINANCES:

A FIRST READING: Concerning an ordinance to AMEND AND RE-ENACT Section 3, Appendix B, and to ENACT Section 5.1, Appendix B, of the City Code pertaining to subdivision definitions and authority to authorize lot combinations. No action was required.

 

A FIRST READING: Concerning an ordinance to ENACT Section 12.1, Appendix C, of the City Code to allow the Zoning Administrator to issue building permits over interior lots lines in the City of Jamestown. No action was required.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Central Valley Health District, will host the next Stutsman County  COVID-19 Response news briefing on Friday April 24, at 2:30-p.m.

Presenters will include:  Central Valley Health District, Jamestown Regional Medical Center, and Sanford Health in Jamestown.

The meeting airs live with replays on CSi TV 10 -The Replay Channel & CSi 67.   To view the briefing online, view it here at CSiNewsNOW.com or go to the CSi LiveStream at Facebook.

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his daily COVID-19 News Briefing Thursday afternoon at the State Capital in Bismarck.  He was joined by Sen. John Hoeven to provide an update on the latest federal actions related to the public health emergency.

April 23, 2020

11-a.m

Positive COVID-19 Test Results
Results listed are from the previous day.

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID

  • Woman in her 80s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.

COUNTIES WITH POSITIVE CASES

  • Burke County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 2
  • Cass County – 18
  • Grand Forks County – 8
  • Mountrail County – 2
  • Richland County – 1

 

BY THE NUMBERS

16,330 – Total Tested (+741 individuals from yesterday)

15,621 – Negative (+711 individuals from yesterday)

709 – Positive (+32 individuals from yesterday)

**Please note: After investigation, two previous cases from Cass County were found to reside out of state and were removed from the total number. 

65 – Hospitalized (+3 individuals from yesterday)

18 – Currently Hospitalized (-5 individuals from yesterday)

269 – Recovered (+40 individuals from yesterday)

15 – Death (+1 individual from yesterday)

 

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

For the most updated and timely information and updates related to COVID-19, visit the NDDoH website at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Burgum said North Dakota has received guidance that it can use the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to help cover the surging costs of unemployment insurance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

North Dakota has received $1.25 billion from the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27.

Under guidance provided by the U.S. Treasury Department late Wednesday, states can use the CARES Act funding to cover expenses associated with economic support provided in connection with the COVID-19 crisis, including unemployment insurance costs that aren’t otherwise reimbursed by the federal government.

Burgum noted that Job Service North Dakota has already received more than 60,000 unemployment claims since March 16 – roughly three years’ worth of claims – and has paid out $105.8 million since that date, including $51.3 million from the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and $54.5 million from the federally funded Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.

Burgum said, “Allowing states to utilize CARES Act funding to cover unemployment insurance expenses will help employers avoid huge increases in unemployment insurance premiums as they reopen and the economy gets back on track. We’re deeply grateful to Sen. Hoeven, Sen. Cramer and Congressman Armstrong, as well as President Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for their efforts to secure this important flexibility.”

At the governor’s press briefing Thursday, Senator John Hoeven spoke about how he worked directly with the Administration at Burgum’s request, including raising the issue directly with President Trump and Secretary Mnuchin in phone calls and with Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia during a conference call last week with North Dakota business leaders.

For more information on the state’s COVID-19 response, visit www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus or www.ndresponse.gov

 

The North Dakota Department of Health’s Coronavirus website has been updated to improve navigation and provide new resources. The changes follow:

 

North Dakota Medicaid is hosting a webinar on Friday, April 24, from 1 to 2 p.m. Central Time to provide an update to providers, partners and other stakeholders on its response to the pandemic and answer any Medicaid-related questions pertaining to medical services and COVID-19.

The webinar will be available through Microsoft Teams at https://bit.ly/2VuRo8B or by phone at 701-328-0950, conference ID code 429118138#. Attendees can join from any computer or mobile device. The webinar will be recorded and available for later viewing on the department’s website at www.nd.gov/dhs/info/covid-19/program-policy.html.

The meeting will begin with an update on the impact of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on the Medicaid program. North Dakota Medicaid officials will provide an update on the federal disaster Medicaid state plan amendments recently approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other meeting topics include the impact of North Dakota’s hospital and nursing home surge plan on Medicaid and a simplified enrollment process for qualified service providers who provide home and community-based services to older adults and people with disabilities. Results from a recent COVID-19 Medicaid provider survey will also be shared.

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations, including auxiliary aids to participate, can contact Stacey Koehly at 701-328-4807, toll-free 800-755-2604, 711 (TTY) or skoehly@nd.gov.

North Dakota voters will be receiving their ballots by mail for the June 9th primary election. County commissions in all of the 53 counties have authorized Vote by Mail for the election as a measure to reduce the public’s risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Governor Doug Burgum signed Executive Order 2020-13 on March 26, 2020 strongly encouraging counties to use Vote by Mail for the June 9, 2020 election. The executive order suspends the requirement for counties to have at least one physical polling location. In response, every county has decided to administer the primary election by Vote by Mail only. Reservation counties have worked with tribal governments in their county to secure agreements to support Vote by Mail. This means no polling locations will be open for the primary election and all ballots will be issued through the mail.

All eligible voters will be receiving an application in the mail from the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office. If you do not receive an application by May 11th, contact your county auditor. The voter will complete their application and mail it to the county auditor using a postage-paid envelope. Once the auditor’s office receives the application and verifies the information is filled in correctly and has been signed, a ballot will be sent.

Voters can return their ballots by mail to the county auditor’s office or deposit the ballot at a secure mail ballot drop box location. Each county will have a secure ballot drop box; contact the county auditor regarding the location. Voted ballots need to be returned by mail by June 8th or at the secure drop box by 4 p.m. on June 9th, primary election day.

An ExpressVote assistive voting device will be available for voters needing assistance with their ballot. Contact your county auditor to make an appointment, as most county courthouse have restricted public access.

 

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring Thursday issued guidance for ag-related businesses to ensure continuation of the food supply chain, while maintaining a healthy workforce.

“The role of agriculture is clear,” Goehring said. “Ag-related businesses are critical and essential to providing for our most basic needs. I encourage producers to take the proper precautions and mitigate risk to ensure their operations continue to run smoothly.”

The guidance documents issued include best practices to protect against COVID-19 and recommendations for:

  • Farmers markets
  • Farm deliveries
  • Dairies
  • Processing, manufacturing, agribusiness and agricultural operations
  • Continuity of business plans

To view the guidance documents and for more information on COVID-19 and agriculture, visit www.nd.gov/ndda/covid-19.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Minot assisted living facility is suing North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and the state Health Department over an executive order that prohibits the use of an in-house beauty salon for its residents. Somerset Court says the executive order issued last month in response to the coronavirus is “without sufficient justification or rationale.” It’s the first such lawsuit filed against the state related to COVID-19 executive orders.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Next week, April 27- May 1 is Severe Summer Weather Awareness Week,

and on Thursday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Stutsman County Emergency Manager and 9-1-1-Coordinator Jerry Bergquist said the purpose of the event is remind residents of the various type of severe weather possibilities, in the summer, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and more.

During next week’s awareness activities, on Wednesday April 29, about 11:15-a.m., the outdoor warning sirens will be activated for three minutes, as each siren is evaluated that it’s working properly.

He said that during the testing the typical warning venues during an actual severe weather event will not be activated by the National Weather Service, but will be during an actual sever weather event. On April 29, the internal notification procedures will be tested, and reviewed.

Jerry encourages that people sign up for the Stutsman Alerts notifications, powered by Everbridge.

Sign up through the Stutsman County website, and select the weather warnings you want to be notified about.

He added that those living in mobile homes should arrange for another location to go to in the event of a tornado warning.

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Public Works informs residents that city crews will begin flushing fire hydrants in the SE areas beginning Monday, APRIL 27, 2020 and will continue the work throughout the City during normal working hours until completed.

Please be aware of the possibility of lowered water pressure when flushing of hydrants occurs in the various areas.

 

In world and national news…

NEW YORK (AP) — More evidence is emerging that far more New Yorkers have had the coronavirus than the number confirmed by lab tests. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that a state survey of around 3,000 people found that 13.9% had antibodies suggesting they had been exposed to the virus. Cuomo cautioned that the data was preliminary. The sample of people tested was small and people were recruited for the study at shopping centers and grocery stores, which meant they were healthy enough to be out in public. But Cuomo said knowing how many people have antibodies could potentially help set policy on when to reopen parts of the state. More than 263,000 people in the state have tested positive for the virus.

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (AP) — Before the coronavirus outbreak, many states had only a modest supply of protective medical equipment. An Associated Press review of more than 20 states found that many were still storing items that were left over from an influenza pandemic a decade ago and long since expired. Many states had not freshened their supplies because of a decline in public health funding and a growing dependence on just-in-time delivery in the health care industry. But states have found it difficult to get supplies quickly because of a global competition among areas that have been hit hard by the virus.

 

DETROIT (AP) — Hundreds of workers at Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other companies have offered to work in a wartime-like effort to stem shortages of protective medical gear and equipment. Even though most of their factories are shut down to slow the spread of coronavirus, they have stepped up to help fill a critical shortage. Many would get most of their pay even if they stayed at home. Ford worker Cindy Parkhurst says she’s helping to make face shields with hopes that they find their way to the hospital where nurses treated her mother with compassion after a stroke 15 years ago.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Few Americans say they regularly look to or trust President Donald Trump as a source of information about the coronavirus pandemic. That’s according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 28% of Americans say they regularly get information from Trump about coronavirus and only 22% say they have high levels of trust in what the president is telling the public. Confidence in Trump is higher among his supporters. Still, only about half of Republicans say they have a lot of trust in Trump’s information on the pandemic.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional oversight of the coronavirus rescue effort is quickly expanding. The House is voting Thursday to create a new subcommittee to track more than $2 trillion in coronavirus aid, adding another layer of oversight as President Donald Trump’s administration spends the money. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the new House Oversight and Reform subcommittee is necessary to root out fraud and abuse. The new panel will also examine the government’s response to the virus. Republicans opposed the creation of the committee, saying it duplicates other work and will be politicized by Democrats.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A nearly $500 billion measure helping businesses and hospitals cope with the coronavirus’ devastation is edging toward House passage. Many lawmakers were wearing face masks and scarfs as they met to consider the measure on Thursday. The package is headed toward certain, overwhelming approval later in the day. That would send the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature. The Senate approved the legislation Tuesday. But partisan divides remain over the legislation. Republicans complained Democrats had delayed the original version of bill, which included only money for small businesses. Democrats ended up winning more money for small businesses and hospitals.