Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s  Finance & Legal Committee,  Building, Planning & Zoning Committee  Civic Center & Promotion Committee,  Police & Fire Committee, and Public Works Committee met in Joint Session on Thursday, at City Hall.  Council Member Buchanan joined by phone.

FINANCE & LEGAL COMMITTEE

Considered was the request from Michael Harris, IDK owner, to allow the sale of alcohol in sealed mason jars by establishments licensed to sell alcohol.

Mayor Heinrich said this item should be in the information gathering mode, right now, and consider going forward.  Council Member Buchanan asked if an Ordinance change is required or a Resolution.

City Attorney Leo Ryan said the temporary moratorium allows for such sales.

The committee will take up the request, later in the meeting under item number seven on the agenda.

The committee recommends approving  a Resolution to approve and authorize the City Administrator to enter a Municipal Advisor Agreement with Dougherty & Company LLC, for the issuance of improvement warrants for Refunding Improvement Bonds of 2020 (Paving District 19-41, and to schedule the sale at the July 6, 2020, City Council meeting.

Considered was the request from ND Department of Transportation to recommend the City Council approve and authorize the City Administrator to enter the Wireless Telecommunication Facilities on NDDOT Right of Way Within LPA Jurisdiction Agreement.  City Attorney Ryan recommends tabling.  He said it has not be well received by city attorneys across the state, and to be put on the June Finance & Legal Committee meeting.

The request was then tabled.

Considered was the request from the JSDC to fund The Preliminary Design Report and Surveys for a potential Greenhouse tenant, at SEPA, in the amount of $21,000 from the Economic Development Fund with the City Share to be $16,800 and paid from the City Sales Tax Fund.  The committee recommends approval.

The Committee recommends the introduction of an ordinance granting a continued franchise agreement with CenturyLink, to December 31, 2025.

The committee  considered  approval and authorizing the City Administrator to enter the FEMA-4475-DR Public Assistance Grant Program Subgrant Agreement with the State of North Dakota Department of Emergency Services for reimbursement of costs incurred during the fall 2019 flood event. The City Attorney said he hasn’t had a chance to review the material.

The committee recommends the item be contingent upon review by the city attorney and authorize the City Administrator to sign the agreement.

The committee considered recommending the introduction of an ordinance to amend and re-enact Section 2-59 of the City Code, during a proclaimed emergency, to allow the mayor to restrict or relax ordinances listed, or related to the regulation of alcohol, provided that the City Council acts within 30 days or the mayor’s order terminates.  City Attorney Ryan says the ordinance allows the mayor to take into consideration and issue an executive order, allowing  flexibility, pending crafting an ordinance change to address the issue. The committee recommends, accepting the introduction of the ordinance.

The committee then recommended the approval to extend the temporary moratorium  pertaining to the retail sale of alcoholic beverages, to September, 2020, City Council meeting.

Considered recommending approving the promotion of the Sanitation Foreman position. Deputy City Auditor, Jay Seveum said after advertising for the position, twice, there were no responses.

He said discussions centered on approaching city employees,Tyler Michael, and Sean O’Neil, for the position. Seveum recommends, promoting Sean O’Neil to the position, which was recommended by the committee.

Informational: Staff submitted the data for the State Fiscal Year 2020 State Aid transit grant application.

 

BUILDING, PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE

The committee recommends approval of the Minor Subdivision, Preliminary/Final plat of Hollaar Addition, Lot 1, Block 1, being within the City of Jamestown, Midway Township, Stutsman County, ND, a replat of Lot 20 and south half of Lot 21, Block 6 of Residence Park Addition, within the NW Quarter of Section 25-140-64, City of Jamestown, ND.

Considered recommending a non-refundable $200.00 application fee on requests for lot combinations, as recommended by City Building Inspector, Tom Blackmore.  The committee also recommends approval.

The committee considered recommending approval and to authorize entering into a license agreement with Fort Seward Reconstruction Committee, d/b/a Flags Across America, Fort Seward.  The committee then recommends approval of the license agreement.

Considered was recommending authorizing the replacement and approving the purchase of a digital IP phone system for City Hall in 2020 from Dakota Central, at a one-time cost of $2,375 from the 2020 building fund, and a monthly fee of $485.40 over 60 months for a total amount of $31,500 over six years. Mayor Heinrich said an advantage of the system, is being an internet phone system, that each phone will have its’ own phone number, and allows more flexibility in using the phone system.

He said the city will look at having the cost reimbursed and applied for under Pandemic Funding availability. The committee recommends approval.

Approved was recommending authorizing the advertisement for request for information for an audio-visual system for City Hall. City Administrator, Sarah Hellekson said the city will recommend needs, for the system, and a consultant will be considered to work with the city.

INFORMATIONAL: The public hearing and second reading of Ordinance No. 1532, introduced by Council Member Phillips, to enact Section 12.1, Appendix C, of the City Code of the City of Jamestown, ND, to allow the Zoning Administrator to issue building permits over interior lots lines, is scheduled at the May 21, 2020  City Council meeting.

CIVIC CENTER AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE

Consider a request from Jamestown Tourism for $15,450 from the Jamestown Tourism (BCTF) New Projects Fund to build a new website.  Council Member Buchanan noted the importance of the Tourism web site. The committee recommends, approval.

The committee recommends recommending approval and authorizing the City Administrator to sign the North Dakota Department of Commerce Main Street Initiative Community Action Plan which is offering grant funding, enabling larger grants to be obtained from the state.

INFORMATIONAL: Frontier Village update. Searle Swedlund said authorities are following guidelines under North Dakota Smart Restart, in reopening the Village buildings, for the upcoming summer season.  He said about half the Village vendors are expected back this summer.  He said the Village in conjunction with the National Buffalo Museum will operate under reduced hours to better manage the budget.  Frontier Village is expected to be open on June 1, 2020.  He added that the Frontier Village is having the artifacts cataloged.

POLICE & FIRE COMMITTEE

Discussed was  the Stutsman County Drug Task Force vacant position.  Mayor Heinrich said currently Jamestown Police does not have an officer on the Task Force.  He added that the city council in 1990 authorized an officer to be placed on the Task force, to be paid with a fund provided from an antidrug organization, until the funds run out.  Police Chief Scott Edinger said, no officer has been on the Task Force due to not having enough experience or knowledge of the position to be accepted on the Task Force.  He said the police department needs all the current officers to be on patrol.

He said it’s possible to have a full enough staff soon, and by November this year have applications to the Task Force.

The committee  recommends the item be forwarded to the June committee meeting, pending additional information.

INFORMATIONAL: Fire department vehicle update.  Mayor Heinrich said no new additional information is available at this time.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

INFORMATIONAL: Update on the Main Street Road Diet timeline and process for signal removal assessment of traffic flow beginning in June, 2020 (Ben Aaseth, Interstate Engineering, Consultant for NDDOT) The project is to be bid in August this year, and after a fall 2020 start, it should be completed by mid 2020.  A June 1 date is planed to bag traffic signals, with stop signs installed on the side streets.   The study will take several weeks to complete.

Recommended was approving a Change Order to Scherbenske, Inc., on 2020 Water Main Improvement Project 19-61, for a net increase in the contract price of $10,132.94, with a completion date of November 10, 2019.

The bids for the Sanitary Sewer Main Lift Station Engine Generator were opened Thursday afternoon.  Assistant City Attorney, Abby Gerioux said irregularities were noted in two bids.

The low bid of the two bids opened, was $285,500 from Advantage Electric.

The other bid was $309,000 from HiLiner Electric.  A bid from Curtis Electric will be reviewed.

The committee delayed awarding the bid to the June City Council Meeting.

INFORMATIONAL: Water Department Annual CCR, will be sent to Jamestown residents, indicating water testing results.

INFORMATIONAL: City Engineer project updates. James River tree removal funding grant applications have been sent to the State Water Department.  If approved, completion of the tree removal from the Anne Carlsen Center to the south limits of Jamestown would take place in two years, in 2022.

INFORMATIONAL: Recycling collection update, annual program and contract review.

Ralph Friebel said the participation rate in 2019 was  70-percent, not including the weeks when the recycling bins normally collected in the alley was curbside, with the bin numbers not readable.

INFORMATIONAL: Garbage collection update. The large branch pile at the landfill stemming  from last summer’s wind storm is refilling, and will need attention soon.  The cost for shredding is about $50,000.

Residents are reminded to keep bin clearance to at least four feet away from structures and the recycling bin.

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