City Hall 4Jamestown (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s Finance & Legal Committee, Building Planning and Zoning Committee, and Civic Center and Promotion Committee met Tuesday evening at City Hall.

All members were present.

 

WITH FINANCE & LEGAL COMMITTEE BUSINESS:

 

The committee recommends approving   the Amendment to Real Estate Lease between the JSDC and Secretarial Solutions effective August 1, 2016.  The business is now located at the Center for Economic Development in Downtown Jamestown.

The business asked to move to a smaller space in the building.

 

The committee recommends approval of  the request as amended from JSDC for $7,992.90 from Economic Development Funds to reimburse the JSDC for 2015 Real Estate Taxes and Special Assessments paid on various properties, with the City Share to be $7,125.83.

 

The committee recommends approving the First Reading of an ordinance to amend and re-enact a Section of the City Code pertaining to allowable fees for violation of a minor in the purchase or possession of tobacco products to come in line with the North Dakota Century Code.

 

The committee considered requests from Jamestown Tourism, with Tourism Director Searle Swedlund at the meeting for explanations, and answer questions.

 

The committee recommends approving the request of Jamestown Tourism for permission to re-paint the Buffalo monument, and along with that, approved the request of Jamestown Tourism for $8,500 from the Jamestown Tourism Capital Improvement Fund.  Swedlund said the work is scheduled to be performed the week after Labor Day.

 

Recommends approving  the request from Jamestown Tourism to establish a “feed the buffalo” collection box on the site of the monument.  Swedlund said the funds are earmarked for future improvement to the statue.

 

The committee recommends approving the request from Jamestown Tourism for the City to create a dedicated fund for future repair of the Buffalo monument.

 

Considered amendments and the renewal of the enterprise agreement between the City of Jamestown

and Jamestown Tourism effective January 1, 2017.

City Administrator Jeff Fuchs said the city Restaurant Tax collections the first eight months were down 13.5% compared to the same period a year ago.

The Motel Tax collected the first eight months were off 29% from the same period a year ago.

Swedlund said 2016 has been a good year, and 2015 was a better year.

The Visitor Capital Construction Fund was recommended to be handled by Tourism, and be part of the Enterprise Agreement.

Mayor Andersen said the topic will be forwarded to the next City Budget Committee meeting, with the request of $429,250 placed into the budget, which can be adjusted if necessary at that time, and recommended by the committee.

 

Departmental and financial reports were submitted.

 

BUILDING, PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE BUSINESS:

Informational Items.

 

Minutes of the August 8, 2016, Planning Commission Meeting were presented.

 

The Second Reading of an Ordinance, to amend and reenact a section of the Code by amending the District Map to change the zoning of a 4.47 acre parcel within Auditor’s Lot 2 within the NW ¼ of Section 26 and the NE ¼ of Section 27, Township 140N, Range 64 W from Agricultural (A-1) and Industrial (M-1) to Industrial (M-1), is scheduled for the September 6, 2016, City Council meeting, along with utility easements.

 

CIVIC CENTER AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE BUSINESS:

 

Considered termination of the Rodeo Agreement between the Jamestown Civic Center and Roughrider Association, Inc. Civic Center Manager Pam Fosse said the Civic Center and city are taking a loss in hosting the event the past few years.  Currently the agreement is in year five of the seven year agreement.

She suggests the event be self-funding, adding the Civic Center welcomes the opportunity to continue to host the event, and possibly negotiate a new agreement. The termination would be in effect following this year’s event.  Mayor Andersen suggested that the Rodeo Committee approach Jamestown Tourism for grant dollars to offset the short-fall, which was $17,000 last year. She said the event draws a mostly local crowd.

The committee recommends, serving notice of termination to the Rodeo Committee prior to October 1, 2016, with Council Member Buchanan voting in oppostition.

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