City Commission

MEETING MINUTES OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DEVILS LAKE, ND AUGUST 19, 2024 The regular meeting of the Devils Lake City Commission was held on August 19, 2024 with the following members present: President Moe and Commissioners Hach, Knowski, Pierce, and Uhlenkamp. MEETING ITEMS 1) Call to Order 2) Approval of Minutes – July 18, 2024 - Special Budget Meeting 3) Approval of Minutes – July 25, 2024 - Special Budget Meeting 4) Approval of Minutes – August 1, 2024 - Special Budget Meeting 5) Approval of Minutes – August 5, 2024 Commissioner Uhlenkamp made a motion to approve the minutes from July 18 and August 5. Commissioner Hach seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. Commissioner Uhlenkamp made a motion to table approval of the minutes from July 25 and August 1. Commissioner Hach seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. AWARDS AND PROCLAMATIONS 1) Years of Service – Corey Erickson (30 Years) President Moe recognized Sanitation Supervisor Corey Erickson for 30 years of service with the City of Devils Lake. PUBLIC HEARINGS BID OPENINGS VISITORS OR DELECTAGIONS 1) Homeless Coalition Sara Erickstad and Kristi Tollefson from the Lake Region Homeless Coalition presented the Commission with an update on their efforts to bring awareness to homelessness in the community. Ms. Erickstad said they meet monthly. She said Hunger and Homelessness week is the third week in November. Ms. Tollefson said both the Fire Department and Law Enforcement Center have agreed to have boxes as drop off locations for non-perishable food items. Ms. Tollefson said they are working with Lake Region State College and their student groups on a coat, hat, and mitten drive. She added that they are brainstorming ways to provide some meals to the homeless population in the community. President Moe offered to volunteer and challenged everyone to take time to volunteer for this cause. Commissioner Pierce asked if there have been talks on a facility for homeless people. Ms. Erickstad said she had not heard anything regarding that. Commissioner Knowski asked about how they go about counting the homeless population. Ms. Erickstad said they work with the Continuum of Care Coalition across the state and go along on foot. Commissioner Pierce said he learned a lot when he participated in their meetings. 2) Lake Region Corporation Jeff Jacobson with Lake Region Corporation presented the City of Devils Lake with an award from their management team for “Community Partner of the Year”. Mr. Jacobson said the City was selected as this year marks 30 years for the partnership between the City and Lake Region Corporation for the curbside recycling program. He said it is a great employment opportunity for the people they serve and assist. Mr. Jacobson said the downtown garbage cleanup program the last three years has gone well. He said they’ve made a lot of good connections with downtown businesses since the start of the program. He said they also appreciate the support for their daycare service using the Flex-Pace Interest Buydown program. He said the daycare fills 50 slots for the community., President Moe said it is wonderful all that Lake Region Corporation does for the community and that they do really good work. Mr. Jacobson presented President Moe with a plaque to the City of Devils Lake as “Community Partner of the Year”. COMMISSION PORTFOLIOS Commissioner Knowski – The City Engineer said everything was going well in the Utilities Department Commissioner Hach – The City Engineer said everything was going well in the Sanitation Department. He said the Stromquist Paving project just got started, the west side mill and overlay will be starting tomorrow, and that all but one block has been completed for the south side watermain replacement project. The City Assessor said the State Board of Equalization went well with no appeals from properties in City limits. He said they are moving forward with Vanguard to get property information out on the internet so anyone can access it. He said they are hoping to have it all completed and rolled out by October 1. He said this will make things much more transparent. He added that the Planning and Zoning Commission is holding three public hearings on Thursday morning at 7:00am. Commissioner Uhlenkamp – The City Engineer said everything was going well in the Street Department. Commissioner Pierce – The Fire Chief said all the purple streetlights have been taken down. He said they are still working on the ARFF transition and are looking to fully take over the mission on September 1. Commissioner Pierce said the Law Enforcement Center Board is meeting on Wednesday. President Moe – The Police Chief said the Police Department won the battle of the badges blood drive contest with the Fire Department. He said it was a good turnout. He said he and the City Administrator met with the Superintendent at the School District regarding the financial arrangement for the SRO program. He said it will be a continuing conversation. The Police Chief said there is testing set for the applicants for the Detective Sergeant position on September 5th and that they hope to have the position filled by the end of September. The City Administrator said the Special Assessment Commission will meet tomorrow morning to certify the assessment list. The City Attorney said everything was going well. 1) President Moe – Letter on Property Tax Referendum President Moe expressed some concern with the upcoming election and ballot Measure #4 to eliminate property taxes in the state. He said he sat through a webinar with the North Dakota League of Cities and heard concerns that people around the state had. He said he has concerns regarding the lack of an identifies solution from the state if the measure were to pass. He said a lot of things as they know it now regarding how the City finances itself would go away. President Moe said the biggest concern from him was that Police, Fire, and Streets all rely on property tax revenue in the General Fund. He said he asked the City Administrator to provide notes on some impacts the City could see or would look at if the measure passes. The City Administrator said the biggest impact the City would see would be dependent on the state legislature’s decisions in the next session if the measure passes. He said the timing of the replacement payments would heavily impact communities, especially smaller ones that are used to receiving all their property tax revenue in February, which finances the rest of the year for them. He said the City should have enough cash on hand to weather that storm. The City Administrator said much will depend on what other sources of revenue the state makes to political subdivisions would potentially be eliminated as they attempt to find the money for the replacement payments. He said some that have been discussed are state aid distributions and Prairie Dog infrastructure allocations. The City Administrator said if Prairie Dog was eliminated, the City would not be able to move ahead with as much steam as it has been. He said it may force the City to down the road look at the cost share formula for special assessments. He said it could force the City to look at finding additional revenue streams like franchise fees. The City Administrator said the City would probably look at diverting revenue sources like interest earnings allocated to Water and Sewer equipment reserves that keep utility rates lower to the general fund, which would impact utility rates. He said staff would try their best to make sure the City Commission had the information they needed to make a decision. President Moe said he intends to write a letter to the editor to help educate what some consequences could be for the City if the measure passes. Commissioner Pierce said he supports a letter to educate. OLD BUSINESS CONSENT AGENDA NEW BUSINESS 1) Cost Participation and Maintenance Agreement – ND 19 from US 2 to West of 2nd Avenue NW The City Engineer said the agreement is for micro surfacing work to be done on Highway 19 next year. He Said the City is responsible for 10% of the project, which will be near $13,000. Commissioner Pierce made a motion to approve the Cost Participation and Maintenance Agreement. Commissioner Hach seconded the motion, and the motion was carried on a roll call vote. 2) Cost Participation and Maintenance Agreement – ND 20 from US 2 to Firebird Lane The City Engineer said the agreement is for work along College Drive from Highway 2 to Firebird Lane. He said they are looking at revamping the school zone near the high school and adding a new crosswalk and flashing beacon for people that want to cross College Drive. He said they intend to eliminate the school zone adjacent to Sweetwater Elementary due to little utility. He said they will still have a flashing beacon for the crossing there. The City Engineer said they are looking at a road diet along College Drive from Highway 2 to 6th Street NE. He said there are plans to take College Drive from a four lane to a two lane with a center turn lane. He said they intend to put temporary striping down for the first year then put permanent striping down the following year. The City Engineer said the project will be nearly $2 million and the City will be responsible for 10%. Commissioner Pierce motioned to approve the Cost Participation and Maintenance Agreement. Commissioner Uhlenkamp seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 3) Pay Estimate #8 – Kemper Construction – WM 28-23 & 29-23 The City Engineer said the pay estimate is for work completed on Watermain Projects 28-23 & 29-23 in the amount of $174,466.56. The City Engineer recommended approval. Commissioner Uhlenkamp motioned to approve the pay estimate. Commissioner Pierce seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 4) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #996 – Definitions 5.24.010 Commissioner Pierce recommended approval of Ordinance #996. Commissioner Uhlenkamp seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 5) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #997 – Minors Prohibited 5.24.150 Commissioner Knowski recommended approval of Ordinance #997. Commissioner Hach seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 6) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #998 – Misrepresentation of Age 5.24.151 Commissioner Uhlenkamp recommended approval of Ordinance #998. Commissioner Pierce seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 7) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #999 – Presumption of Licensee’s Innocence 5.24.152 Commissioner Pierce recommended approval of Ordinance #999. Commissioner Uhlenkamp seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 8) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #1000 – Delivery to Certain Persons Unlawful 5.24.153 Commissioner Uhlenkamp recommended approval of Ordinance #1000. Commissioner Knowski seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 9) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #1001 – Licensees Prohibited 5.24.155 Commissioner Pierce recommended approval of Ordinance #1001. Commissioner Knowski seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. 10) 2nd Reading of Ordinance #1002 – Violations 5.24.230 Commissioner Knowski recommended approval of Ordinance #1002. Commissioner Uhlenkamp seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously. CITIZEN COMMENT INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1) July Financial Update LIST OF BILLS Commissioner Knowski made a motion to approve the list of bills 24-16. Commissioner Hach seconded the motion, and the motion was carried unanimously on a roll call vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:21pm. __________________________________ __________________________________ SPENCER HALVORSON JIM MOE CITY ADMINISTRATOR/AUDITOR PRESIDENT OF CITY COMMISSION