JSDCJamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation Executive Board, heard from CEO Connie Ova, who said the JSDC has spent about 99 percent of its annual budget for the year, $400,000, with two months left in 2013.

She requested a modification of the budget of $25,000.

She said the money would come from the JSDC’s General Fund with no need for additional funding from the city of Jamestown or Stutsman County.

Ova said unexpected costs were recorded in legal expenses, miscellaneous expenses, travel, training and office equipment.

The legal expenses included $4,300 in fees spent researching and responding to an allegation of a violation of the North Dakota open meetings law brought by The Jamestown Sun.

In February, The Sun filed a legal challenge concerning an executive session meeting of the JSDC on January 30th.

The newspaper reports that the challenge alleged the executive session violated North Dakota open meeting laws by taking votes and reviewing the CEO evaluation in a closed door meeting. The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office has not issued an opinion on the challenge at this time.

On another topic, the area of budgets was also noted as an area of improvement.

The executive board recommended Ova receive a 4 percent raise based on her 2013 salary of $83,856 per year.

The JSDC Executive Board also learned that it may be forced to purchase an additional share of the building it occupies, The Center for Economic Development in downtown Jamestown, which houses the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce, the JSDC, and the South Central Dakota Regional Council, sharing the building since 2006.

JSDC has 50 percent ownership while SCDRC owns 32 percent of the building, with the rest held by the chamber.

If the Regional Council moves from the building, the other entities would have the option to buy its share at the appraised price or the building would be placed on the market to the public.

No decision has been made by the Regional Council on a possible move.