Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session Thursday (Jan 31, 2013) afternoon at the offices of Stutsman Rural Water District, with SRWD Board Members and Manager. 

Video as aired on The Replay Channel below – click on image to view:

Attending from the City of Jamestown were: Mayor Andersen, City Council Members Kourajian, Gumke, Brubakken, and Buchanan, along with City Administrator Jeff Fuchs (for the majority of the meeting) City Attorney Ken Dalsted, City Engineer Reed Schwartzkopf, and City Fire Chief Jim Reuther.

 The joint meeting of the City Council and the SRWD Board of Directors, continued with discussions of water service territories.

 At issue is whether the City of Jamestown, or Stutsman Rural Water District is to serve the area west of Jamestown, in this case, specifically the Titan Machinery building, under construction, across from Jamestown Regional Medical Center.

Thursday’s meeting this week, comes after the City Council and Stutsman Rural Water Users met jointly last Friday to negotiate issues.

Following the joint meeting with the City Council and Stutsman Rural Water District, Board, Friday, the Water District met to discuss topics brought up at the joint meeting, and the Jamestown City Council met in Executive Session this past Monday, discussing issues, being brought forward to Thursday’s meeting.

At this Thursday’s meeting, the city and SRWD picked up on issues, that came from the Rural Water District Thursday morning meeting, and the Jamestown City Council meeting from Monday this week, in Executive Session, with legal counsel.

Thursday, Stutsman Rural Water District re-emphasized that they did not want to give up existing territory, with any future land annexed into the city of Jamestown having the customers remaining with Stutsman Rural Water District.

SRWD’s latest proposal includes Stutsman Rural Water District providing water service to Titan Machinery, for a minimum of 40-years.

There is no provisions concerning fire protection at Titan.

Stutman Rural Water District asked the city provide them with future areas of annexation.

Discussion also included the possibility of the Jamestown Regional Medical Center’s exsisting water service agreement being “grandfathered,” into any future agreements between the city and SRWD.

Also left on the table was the amount to be charged per thousand gallons of water.

When the two entities meet again, boundary map issues will be discussed, and outlined, with quarter sections of land to be determined.

Also at Thursday’s meeting via telephone conference call was outside legal counsel hired by SRWD, Steven Harris of Oklahoma.

The meeting was recorded by The Replay Channel  with replays, following on CSi 67 thru Feb 4.  Now available above ONLINE,  onlhy on CSi.

Later Thursday afternoon the city notifed the media that the city council will meet Friday morning (Feb 1, 2013), at 10-O’Clock at City Hall in Executive Session, to further discuss territorial issues, concerning SRWD.

On a related note…

The North Dakota House of Representatives Appropriation Committee on an 18-2 vote, has passed House Bill 1269, that would allow funding for Stutsman Rural Water District’s planned expansion, between Woodworth and Streeter.

The House Bill was sponsored by committee member, District 29 Republican Representative Chet Pollert, of Carrington.

Representatives from Grand Forks, and Bismarck voted against the measure, which contains $9.97 million in grants for SRWD.

Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen has testified that she could not support the bill, without language to facilitate territory transfers from rural water groups to cities.