Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News ) — The Jamestown City Council’s Finance & Legal Committee, Building, Planning & Zoning Committee, Civic Center & Promotion Committee, net Tuesday afternoon (Jul 24, 2012) at City Hall.  All members were present.

 

With Finance & Legal Committee business:

 The committee recommends on a 4-1 vote approving the request from Cherry Berry for up to $54,000 in Economic Development funds to provide for a Flex-PACE Interest buy down, to open a Cherry Berry plus a sandwich and coffee shop, which will be located in the former Master Bakery building, with the City Share to be $43,200 and paid from the City Sales Tax Fund.

Council Member Charlie Kourajian voted against the approval, which will be on the August City Council meeting Consent Agenda.

The state Flex Pace interest buy down reduces the interest the developer pays on the start-up loan by up to 5 percent. The buy down is paid for with a $100,000 grant from the Bank of North Dakota and a $54,000 loan from JSDC.

The JSDC loan incurs no interest until the start-up loan of up to $500,000 is repaid and then 2 percent interest while the Flex Pace loan is repaid over two years.

The Jerry’s Furniture owner said his business did not get financing and pointed out that a TCBY store is nearby the proposed Cherry Berry location. Council Member Charlie Kourajian pointed out other competing businesses in Jamestown.

The project organizer, Kal Patel said the jobs will pay between $8 and $8.50 per hour, mainly part time with some full time jobs. He said the square footage of the building is sufficient for the business. He said Jamestown is being looked at as a location based on the availability of a Flex Pace buydown.

He said his product line will be different than what is offered at other stores, such as TCBY and Dairy Queen. He said a local bank has approved the financing, of about $400,000.

The Stutsman County Commission, on Tuesday approved its share of funding.

 The committee recommends approving the request from JSDC for $320,000 in Economic Development funds to provide for operating expenses for the 2013 budget, with the City Share to be $320,000 and paid from the City Sales Tax Fund.

The committee recommends approving the request from the offer from Tim Dabill to purchase Lots 1 & 2, Block 2, Beverly Hills 6th Addition and Lots 18 & 19, Beverly Hills 3rd Addition, in the amount of $6,000, subject to the buyer paying for all costs of surveying and approval of a re-plat prior to the deed transfer.

An addition to the previously approved request is Lot 18.

 The committee recommends recognizing the Don Schwind Benefit as an other spirited organization and to grant the issuance of a raffle permit with the drawing to be held September 15, 2012, at the Corner Bar.

 The committee discussed authorizing the issuance of a gaming site authorization to the Jamestown Hockey Booster Club, Inc., for February 13, 2013, at the Gladstone Inn & Suites.

The committee recommends approving the request from Alpha Opportunities to conduct a Chalk Talk/Chalk Walk on the new sidewalk on Business Loop East.

The event is to bring attention to the new walking path in that area.

 The committee considered the request from Stutsman Harley Owners Group for a fireworks permit at the Dazzle Parade.

The request is to shoot off fireworks from the business’s float in the parade. City Fire Chief Jim Reuther is not in favor of the permit, due to paper products on site, adding he hasn’t been contacted about the issue.

The committee voted to table the request, pending the business meeting with the fire chief.

 Monthly departmental and financial reports, were presented.

 

With Building, Planning, & Zoning Committee business:

Planning Commission minutes of July 9, 2012, were presented.

The committee recommends approving the final plat of Urdahl Addition, a Replat of Lots 11,12,13 and 14, Block 2, Mill Hill Second Addition.

Discussion was held on the Building Development Ordinances, requested by Mayor Andersen.

She said the Ordinance needs to be revisited and recommendations are being looked for, in order for Jamestown to be competitive with other cities, regarding Special Assessments.

Mayor Andersen suggested a public input meeting at next month’s Building, Planning, & Zoning Committee meeting for developers.

The committee recommends advertising for the public input session on August 21, 2012.

Informational:

A public hearing and Second Reading of an Ordinance to change the zoning of Lot 1, RTS First Addition, from A-1 (Agricultural District) to M-1 (Limited Industrial and Manufacturing District) is scheduled for the August 6, 2012, City Council Meeting.

A public hearing and Second Reading of an Ordinance to change the zoning of Lot 13 & Lot 14, Block 1, Prairie Park Addition, from C-1 (Local Commercial District) to R-2-A (One to Twelve Family Residential District) is scheduled for the August 6, 2012, City Council Meeting.

The committee discussed approving the final plat of Titan Addition, a parcel of land within Government Lot 2 of Section 4, T139N, R64W, City of Jamestown.

Mayor Andersen moved to send the item to the City Council without recommendations, which passed unanimously.

 

Civic Center & Promotion Committee business:

Discussion concerned an evaluation prepared by Prairie Engineering, P.C., relative to the various scopes of work to upgrade the current cooling tower at City Hall and an upgrade of the current chiller at the Jamestown Civic Center.

 City Administrator, Jeff Fuchs said the City Hall cooling tower is leaking, and patching is no longer useful.

He presented options. Fuchs said with the summer season coming to a close, he suggested putting the items in the 2013 budget.

Mayor Andersen suggested an option, to be considered in the 2013 budget, which passed unanimously to be recommended.

 With the Civic Center chiller unit, the committee recommends an option to be reviewed at the budget time.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67 followed by replays