Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session,  Nov 15, 2012 – now showing CSi 67 & Online Here – to discuss the Stutsman Rural Water issue.

The meeting was open to the public. The Stutsman Rural Water District, board and staff were invited to attend.  The Rural Water District representatives, however, did not participate in the open meeting.

The water district’s representation was on hand elsewhere at the Quality Inn  and available, if the city council made a formal motion for action, which it did not.

The City Council has met three times closed Executive Session, for the purpose of consulting with the City Attorney concerning territorial service claims by Stutsman Rural Water District.

At issue is a claim by Stutsman Rural Water that Jamestown was expanding its water service into territory Stutsman Rural Water has rights to serve, in the area of the Titan Machinery facility under construction near Jamestown Regional Medical Center. The area is in the one mile extraterritorial limits of the City of Jamestown.

Replay now showing on CSi Cable 67 or online below.  Video runs 73 minutes.

 

At Thursday’s meeting, in lieu of a joint meeting between the city and Stutsman Rural Water District, Jamestown Mayor, Katie Andersen gave a presentation on the district including, the establishment, the legal agreement between the City of Jamestown, and Stutsman Rural Water District, public testimony, letters of condition, and correspondence between the city and the rural water district.

There were no comments from the legal council from either the city or the rural water district at the meeting, relative to specifics of the current contract, or items at issue.

The city did not indicate any future meeting plans.

A contract between The City of Jamestown, and Stutsman  Rural Water District  in 2010 contained language including  city expansion issues.

 But when the city announced it would award bids for water and sewer service to the Titan Project, the  Rural Water System District  threatened a court injunction to prevent the city from servicing Titan with city water.

Thursday’s City Council, open meeting was attended by about 20 individuals, who expressed concerns about negative effects of the controversy relative to future development in Jamestown. 

 Andersen said the city is seeking resolution and compromise, but has thus far only been able to communicate through letters between legal council for the two entities.

 The meeting was recorded by CSi TV – The Replay Channel. Viewers can find the replay on CSi TV 67, the channel for Jamestown City Government and online above.