00:00:12,430	Dean, it is Thursday, November 13th, we are in the Tom Baker Room of the City County building. This will be the board of City Commissioners regular meeting, but before we start, if Chaplain Chaffee would be so kind as to lead us in prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Commissioners.

00:00:36,000	Um, thank you for your service. It’s an honor to get to pray to the gate to, to pray daily. So can we all stand or pray? So deal, OK. Let’s pray Heavenly Father we thank you and we come to you in faith. and uh we are grateful for your goodness and your faithfulness to us.

00:00:57,330	We repent of our sin, known and unknown. Forgive us because of the price Jesus paid for us. Thank you for your freedom that you have given us We ask for your Holy Spirit to cast out evil and bring your presence of health and wholeness.

00:01:17,800	We ask for your supernatural provision, protection, favor, and health for our leaders as they sured your blessings and courage to follow your desire for us as a city and state and nation. guide and direct us, give dreams and visions for the days and years ahead so that we may be all that you created us to be.

00:01:34,730	Maybe we work to serve you and one another. Enjoy and peace, and may your kingdom come in growing measure on Earth as it is in heaven, and we ask the S in Your Son’s name Jesus. Amen.

00:01:54,600	I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you All right, before we have public comment, I want to note a couple of changes to the agenda.

00:02:21,730	on item on the regular agenda items 3, F, and 3G have been pulled because we needed to get better notice out or proper notice of missed the deadline. So those items will not be heard today. and then just for information purposes only. We’re gonna flip items A and B around in order on the regular agenda.

00:02:43,070	With that noted, this is our opportunity for public comment, public comment is for the consent agenda or anything on the regular agenda that is not a public hearing or anything from the prior meeting. So anyone who wish to speak please come forward. uh, sign in, state your name, and let us know what the topic is. Oh sorry, forgot that. Apologize. We need to call a roll first. Nobody caught me.

00:03:10,230	We’re so excited to be here on a Thursday instead of a Tuesday. We’re just off a little bit. Sorry, can we call roll, please? Comm Risch. Here. Comm Z anchor here, Comm Cleary here, Mayor Schmitz, here Now we’ll go to public comment, so we’re official. Evening, evening I’m trying to figure out your pen. Oh, there it goes.

00:03:44,970	I have a handout if I can approach, drop it off. Certainly. finish filling this Can you, for your, the record, just state your name, sir? Yes, I will. Make sure I keep a copy for myself. There’s only 9 I. a few pages For the record, my name is Carl Jung. I’m a citizen of the City of Bismarck.

00:04:35,700	I’ve appeared before the commission before. Uh, dateline November 13, 2025, Mayor Schmidt’s commissioners and city staff. I do see that Comm Connelly is absent. Uh, thank you for, so which, which topic, I’m sorry, yes, it’s in relation to the strategic plan and city sales tax.

00:05:01,900	I can show you, OK Um, just a minute, is there a sales there hasn’t been a sales tax discussion in the last agenda or this agenda, the last agenda is what I was told. Just a minute I mean, the strategic plant is on tonight, so. Um-hum. Well, we’re talking about in regards to the strategic plan, if you’d like me to delay, I can.

00:05:30,700	but I would like to enter something into the record. Kate just I want to make sure we’re. Yes, I understand, sir. I don’t recall it, so that’s I don’t know if it my understanding is it was on the previous, uh, agenda, but I do know that you’re talking about strategic plans. We are talking strategic plan later tonight.

00:05:58,530	Yes. Good Jason Mayor and Comm, uh, a quick check of the last, uh, couple of agendas, uh, the 2 in October, uh, just doing a, a brief search for the word tax. we had a tax topic related to the CVB lodging tax that was at the uh October 14th Commission meeting.

00:06:42,800	uh, but there was nothing related to have sent sales tax on. Or, or Either agenda in October, uh, other than the lodging tax. Correct. OK. And then I was misinformed. Can I speak regarding this topic for tonight? or do I need to wait? You can speak to the strategic plan. Yes.

00:06:59,900	but, but not, I mean, we don’t have sales tax on our agenda, OK, but I can speak to the strategic plan which mentions I can’t have a picture of part of it here. Um evaluate and implement the infrastructure fee or uh approve Home rule charter amendment ballot language. as part of the strategic plan.

00:07:27,170	OK? Uh let’s start over. Mayor Schmitz, commissioners and city staff, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Uh, our committee, a number of representative of a committee who has brought forth uh uh initiated measure proposal to circulate for signatures to get it on our on the ballot in June.

00:07:48,500	Uh, we’re here to request one thing and then his approval of the wording of our initiated measures so we may begin circulation of the petition under Article 5 of the Bismarck Home Rule Charter. We’re not asking for an endorsement. We’re not asking you to support our idea.

00:08:06,100	We’re simply asking the city to follow the process Article 5 requires. We first submitted our measure on May 23rd and since then we’ve met with City staff, the city administrator, Comm Zenker and Connelly, the city engineer, and we have appeared before this commission. We’ve adjusted our wording and formatting many times in good faith.

00:08:27,970	and throughout this process we’ve been told different things at different times. We asked for a formatting template where we were told the city doesn’t have one. We were told to follow the state template. So we went to the Secretary of State’s office and asked them, They told us the city has its own requirements.

00:08:44,730	And then today, we’re told the template is simply the existing charter itself. Each template, each copy of the petition that we’ve introduced to the city attorney has been based on the measure that we initiated in 2023 and was voted on in 2024. So we understand that the current city attorney is new and did not participate in that process and uh through 2024.

00:09:10,630	But for the citizens, the legal standard has not changed. Last year with the Public Safety and Transit Measure, none of these formatting obstacles were applied. The commission approved the wording and allowed circulation exactly as Article 5 prescribes. Our submissions thus far have been modeled after the formatting we used for the 2024 initiated measure.

00:09:35,230	Article 5 guarantees Bismarck voters the right to initiate ordinances and charter amendments. It requires only two things. submit the full text and receive approval for the wording so circulation may begin. that approval is simply a ministerial duty, not a discretionary one. The city may oppose the measure on its merits, but it may not block the circulation. Under North Dakota Century Code 32-34-01.

00:10:03,500	A writ of mandamus applies when a public body has clear legal duty and citizens have no other adequate remedy. Both conditions exist here. Without approval our wording of our wording, we cannot circulate petitions. Without circulation, we cannot reach the required signatures without signatures, the measure never reaches the voters.

00:10:28,730	This is precisely the type of governmental obstruction, a rid of mandamus is designed to prevent. We want to avoid litigation. We want cooperation and not conflict. but we will also protect the rights of Bismarck voters to use the legal process allowed to them. So tonight, we respectfully ask that you approve of the wording of our initiative measure, so we may begin circulating the petition and allow citizens.

00:10:49,430	not the Commission, not the staff, and not processed barriers to decide this question at the ballot box. So to be clear and transparent, if our wording is not approved for circulation by the next citycom Commission meeting, our committee will file file a writ of mandamus in district court.

00:11:09,800	to compel the city to perform its legal duty under Article 5. We hope that that will not be necessary. We hope that the city will follow the same lawful process used in 2024. Despite changes in the personnel.

00:11:28,900	We believe strongly in the role of citizens in shaping Bismarck’s future, and we hope that you’ll let the people exercise their right to participate in that process. Thank you. Thank you, sir. I’m going just because I want clarification at the moment. I’m going to ask City Attorney actually, I understand they could file the petition.

00:11:55,170	right? The wording is wording, where the city commission doesn’t have to approve this, but we’re asking the City Commission, what the, the city commission does not have to approve it and likely because of what we have planned, I would I would have a hard time approving as long as they, as long as Lara is followed so and we’re asking them to follow the law. That’s all we’re asking.

00:12:11,000	And Mayor and Commissioners, so I have met with Mr. Young and I have looked at his petition several times, and I have been emailing with him just today. And again, I don’t look at the substantive aspect of his petition. I just look at the formatting.

00:12:27,730	The formatting has been incorrect, and I even met with him and told him to use the state legislative manual, the guide that the state puts out because we follow that as well. So there’s really just indentation errors.

00:12:45,900	There’s tax that needs to be underlined because it’s new text within the body of the petition. Some tax needs to be stricken and the most recent one, there was, for example, a subsection D that didn’t match anything that we had in our ordinance currently in the Home Ruch Charter and it wasn’t underlined and I specifically mentioned that to Mr.

00:13:04,470	Young in an email today, and there was, um, a new subsection 3 that was completely underlined, but I don’t know where it goes because the formatting is off.

00:13:21,630	And so I suggested to him that he follow the formatting that we have in Home Rule Charter now with there’s a letter or a number, a letter, and then ind ent so you can follow along. And then following the state manual and general legislative drafting guidelines, we have to overstrike and underline old text and new text.

00:13:46,700	And I’m not arguing that So I, I, so then just work to get I mean I think she’s trying to help you get your compliance in place. So, so I, I, I’m, you know, the city commission can’t say yes or no to this, but we’ve asked, we’ll, we can ask staff to comply, which I believe she’s attempting to. I appreciate that.

00:14:05,900	Uh, we did meet with Erica White from the Secretary of State’s office, and she gave me what they had, and so the city’s formatting is different That’s all she said. That’s all she could help me with. So, uh, I do appreciate your time. Thank you. This is public comment podium is open Thank you, Mr. Chair, and uh Commissioners, my name is Wayne Martinsen.

00:14:39,530	I live northeast of Bismarck, and I got, uh, land in this section 27 of Burn Creek Township, the east half of the east, east half, which is 106 acres, and I’ve been here before and asked you for your help to get that ETA removed off my property. and when that was put on, nobody ever asked me about that.

00:14:57,170	I wasn’t notified by anybody that they just stuck it on there. And it’s time that comes off, so I’m requesting that you guys remove it. I would appreciate it and I’ll sign your deal here and OK. Any questions, I’ll be glad to ask them.

00:15:17,900	Any questions anyone Comm Risch uh, Mr. Mayor, Wayne, um, we do have on our website you can plug in your location and it’ll tell you whether or not you’re inside or outside of the new ETA map. I haven’t seen a new map yet.

00:15:34,530	He, he’s, I believe, I know the parcel and Daniel has already spoken with him and he, he’s right on the edge of the ETA of the new map. And there’s a railroad splits my property. I got some on each side of the railroad track. So I’d sure appreciate it if you guys could remove that.

00:15:51,730	and if that doesn’t work, I got some other neighbors out there that fall into the same category in section 27. They were like their land removed from the ETA too. So we’ll uh see what we can do and hopefully you guys can get that changed. Otherwise, you’ll see me again. Thank you for your time. Thank you. The podium is open. Anyone else who wished to speak, please come forward.

00:16:33,230	A 2nd call a 3rd and final call Seeing no one and hearing no one the public comment period is now closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes with regard to the consent agenda. Move to approve was presented. Any discussion Harry none will call roll Comm Zenker. Yes, Comm Cleary, yes, Comm Risch, Mayor Schmitz, yes.

00:17:02,600	Moving to the regular agenda, um, will you go to again item B first, it’s consider a recommendation from the Vision Fund Committee to support a local match for Flex pace. or interest buydown for new freedom Center, um, Noah, you, you get to step up to the podium. How’s that? All good.

00:17:21,870	Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, uh, before you in your packet, you have an application from New Freedom Family Center. Uh, it’s for a BND Flexpace local match from the vision fund. that was approved back on October 23rd by the vision fund.

00:17:44,270	It’s for a purchase of 1405, I think Skyline, um, the oldest Western, uh, hotel, and it’s to be used as a substance abuse treatment center. um, it’s in the form of a loan payback after the buy down period is over, which is 20 months.

00:18:05,170	Um, for a total term of 80 months, so I will let the project introduce themselves and if you have any questions for them, you can ask them if you have any questions for me, bring me back up. OK, thank you. representing the project Yep. hell, uh, good evening. Um, my name is Joshua Olson, and my wife is NUS uh swindler.

00:18:36,170	uh thank you for the, uh, consideration of the uh um uh, the recommendation of the vision fund, uh, that was, uh, approved, uh, I think last month. Um, uh, for the buydown for New Freedom Center Incorporated, uh, just a real quick, uh, history, and then I don’t wanna speak.

00:18:57,000	take up too much time, uh, uh, just like to answer some questions but New Freedom Center, uh, we’ve been around for 40 years, and this year we expanded to new Freedom Family Center and that um focuses on a different dynamic, uh, complete, uh, way different dynamic. Uh, they’re pregnant and parenting, uh, women, and, uh, um, we opened our doors in August took it slow for a little while, and now we are, we are full.

00:19:21,370	It uh it’s, uh, we got um, it’s consists of the, the motel setting with a little polish on it. Each of the, uh, women in there have, uh, their own individual rooms, uh, uh, a joint most of them, uh, adjoining. uh, to allow for uh the uh the parenting woman.

00:19:45,900	who can bring their, their, their dependence with them, their child. um and, uh, I’m, uh, very proud of this project. Uh, uh, uh, it’s, uh, we are actually full right now. On our, on our way to being full. and uh the building is, uh, uh, a beautiful, beautiful fit and uh other than that um uh, I would like to, uh, answer any questions.

00:20:13,170	I’m very proud of the projects. Sure, and I’ll just follow up because I heard the presentation at Vision Fund. This is for the permanent financing you’re kind of under temporary financing as you bought the building and got it fit up, correct? So now we’re moving to the permanent finance and so the buydown is on the permanent financing for this facility.

00:20:32,430	which is a needed facility in the community. Any que uh anybody else have questions? Comm Risch, Mr. Mayor Joshua, hey, thanks for doing this. This is great. But it’s a big expensive project.

00:20:49,500	How are you able to fund it all? Do you get donations, you get, um, uh, as far as the donations, uh, uh, this, uh, the cash donations, we, we haven’t really, um made a big campaign for that. We, we do get the donations as far as clothing and, and, and toys and and games. And that’s very much needed and that’s helps helped out a lot.

00:21:11,270	Um uh, uh, uh the, a good part of the uh of the funding has come from our own personal finances. uh, it’s, um if I, if I were to tell you why, um, uh, it would take the rest of the night.

00:21:33,900	Uh, I’m, uh real quickly, uh, about 6 years ago, I, I, uh, uh, I was in, I was very sick person and uh. now I’m on borrowed Time, um. and this is a way to give back, I guess. Sorry Thank you. Any other questions? I thank you for bringing it forward, um. Thank you. So, thanks. Move to approve as presented. Second.

00:22:06,370	Any further discussion? Hearing no we’ll call roll Comm Cleary, Yes, Comm Visch, Comm Z anchor, yes, Mor Schmitz, yes. Now we’ll go to what was item A. Consider request to receive presentation from Health Management Associates regarding the community triage center planning project. Renee Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners.

00:22:30,900	Um, I’m happy to, uh, share that, um, we have community, um, triage center on the agenda, if you recall several months ago, um, C opioid dollars were utilized to put forth an effort to work with Health Management Associates, um, and, uh, community partners, uh, we have a steering committee, several of members of which are here tonight.

00:22:49,100	So thank you, um, to those that have uh shown up to support the effort. I just want to take the opportunity to introduce Paul Fleisner, uh, from Health Management Associates who will be doing a presentation and then, um, having some um opportunity to ask questions and then discussion if needed. OK Thank you, Renee.

00:23:10,430	Uh, nice to meet you, Mayor Schmitz and Commissioners Paul Fleisner with Health Management Associates, uh, been working in Health and Human Services for about 40 years. Um, most recently, um, I’m working for Health Management Associates, um, which is a national, um Health and Human Services and housing, uh, consulting firm. I’m based out of the Minnesota office and the managing principal for Minnesota, um.

00:23:33,900	work and in the region and started talking with Renee after getting connected and um it was really clear that some of the work that was needed in Bismarck is similar to work I’ve done in my own community. Um, my background is, um, social work and accounting.

00:23:50,500	I was a uh director of Health and Human Services in a county in Minnesota, Olmstead. and, uh, we created a triage center as well. It was a little different, um, and I do this work all over the country the last 4 years.

00:24:06,000	Um, the thing that’s really struck me since I got here is, um, you have some really strong building blocks in Bismarck, and the community members and the community service agencies have done some really good work to position yourself.

00:24:25,630	So wanna walk through what that means, um, you’re probably not familiar with Health Management Associates, but, uh, we have about 20 some offices around the country and we really focus on, uh, the most vulnerable populations and how to serve them. So, um, what we talked about doing for Bismarck was an environmental scan and data review. Uh, we looked at things like your pit counts, which is, um, your homeless numbers and a variety of other things.

00:24:50,800	And we’ve been also looking at things like federal opportunities. There’s a lot of changing things going on and there’s some really timely opportunities, um, as we look at it, uh, for filling some of the gaps you have in your community. Um, and we’ll talk about that in more depth.

00:25:08,000	Um, stakeholder engagement, we’ve been talking with all the key stakeholders in your community. Um, we will talk about governance recommendations for your consideration. Um, some financial, um, considerations as you think about how you might fund. what we’re recommending, um, an implementation roadmap and uh eventually a final report to this board. So, um, we set up a steering committee and a core group.

00:25:34,530	Your core group is, uh, well, we’ll show you that in a second, and we’ll talk a little bit about the project approach. Our key findings related to community needs related to model development and implementation and operational funding because, um funding is the tricky part in all these projects, as you know.

00:25:53,270	And one of the things I know having worked for a, a board of Commissioners for 28 years, is that Levy is the most precious funding, and so I think we have some ideas for you that, um, really helps support this idea in your community that are not necessarily tied to levy as well.

00:26:13,500	So here’s our core team has been your city leaders, and they’ve been really helpful guideposts, and they’ve introduced us to really keep people in the community.

00:26:35,700	And then, uh, a steering committee of all some amazing organizations across your community and, uh, one of the things that strikes, uh, struck us is they have some really shared experiences with the population that you’re struggling to serve, that you see on your streets that law enforcement is trying to work with, but basically because, um, you have some gaps in your service, removing the problem around Bismarck. And so, um, we’ll get into that in a minute.

00:26:55,730	So, one of the first things we did is we asked all these experts in your community to model out what are the people look like that are really following through the gaps. And we do this in a lot of communities. I’ve never had such consistency in any community I’ve ever.

00:27:12,970	So it’s really clear who you’re struggling with in your community, and this is the target population. 33 to 65 years old. They’re either on Medicaid or have no insurance. Home was brought by law enforcement or walk-in. They have moderate to severe substance use issues are co-occurring mental health needs. Um, their main, uh, mental health issues were depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Chronic pain or ongoing unsolved medical issues.

00:27:36,900	and the service needs were immediate shelter, housing case management and follow-up and medical detox. So, as we thought about the model going forward, there’s several things going on in your state, nationally, that, that said, there’s some things in the works that probably will cover, uh, the challenges that you’ve got in terms of uh

00:28:03,630	building out an ecosystem of services that makes sense. For starters, you’ve had some really, um, strong leadership, uh, a group called Mosaic, uh, some clinicians that want to build the first medical detox in your state that’s based in the community. Um, there’s not a single one.

00:28:21,100	there’s a funding source out there that we’ll talk more in a minute, called the Rural Health Transformation Project that um this funding fits for. In fact, we met with some state leaders who they put that particular service in as a priority for that particular funding, and we’ll get into that funding.

00:28:40,870	Another piece that really can help solve some of the challenges you’ve got in your community is the evolution of your mental health center, Dakota, Dakota Western Human Service Center, uh, West Central Human Service, excuse me.

00:28:59,070	Um because your state is moving to the certified Community Behavioral Health clinic model, and I know that’s a mouthful, and it’s an acronym that doesn’t mean a lot to you. We’re going to show you a one minute video to explain it, but um, the, the wonderful thing about that model, it’s integrated behavioral health, um, with case management, um, all your substance use, and it’s also married with physical

00:29:19,330	health. So for, I’ll give you an example because we built one of these in the community I come from, um, about 67 years ago. And it was, it was a game changer.

00:29:35,000	Um, that particular mental health center was about to go out of business and because in Minnesota counties are the behavioral Health authority. I thought our agency was going to have to take it over. It converted to a CCBHC and it’s not just about the money, it’s about that integrated service that’s paid for by Medicaid. Um, and, um, in the last 7 years, they’ve doubled their staff.

00:29:53,630	They’ve got reserves in the bank, and Medicaid has a nice robust payment model for this integrated care and it’s a piece that’s missing in a lot of communities, but it’s an opportunity because your state is moving forward with this.

00:30:16,630	The 1st 4 are already, um, uh, been designated, um, Bismarck was not amongst the 1st 4 Western wasn’t the 1st 4, but I think it’s an area that you might want to lobby for being the second for because it’s a gap in your community. Um, and we’ll talk more about the models, so you’ll see why The area that you’re missing and the where you really need a new partner is around Little Barrier shelter.

00:30:30,800	and there’s some opportunities there that also aligns with the rural Health trans transformation program. So there are ways for you to potentially uh get some funding for that kind of service. And I’m going to talk about some other funding options as well as we get deeper into these models. So I’m gonna share with you a brief video.

00:30:51,630	Hopefully it works Let’s, Community behavioral health clinic. CCBHCs provide comprehensive high quality community-based behavioral health care for children, teens, adults, and seniors, getting people into care quickly with the services they need when they are needed, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.

00:31:32,270	CCBHCs also provide 24/7 crisis intervention services for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. CCBHCs meet people where they are with a range of services and supports, providing access to care and transforming behavioral health systems, one community at a time to learn more. Visit samsa.gov/CCBHC. What is this? I don’t want to do that again.

00:31:56,270	So there are over 500 of these around the country and one of the beautiful things is it’s supported, uh, it has bipartisan support. Now it’s been in Medicaid for, uh, probably about a decade. Um, now there’s bipartisan support to make it Medicare billable, uh, for that 65 and older population.

00:32:18,370	So, um, it becomes a very, very, uh, robust funding and service model that is coming to your community. Um, and so the reason I bring this up is, it’s not something you have to build. It’s not something you have to recreate. It’s, it’s coming, and how do you fit it into what you already have and what you need and what gaps it will fill.

00:32:34,800	One of the biggest is that care coordination, case management, you have a lot of great services, but they’re sort of disconnected. And how do we weave them together? This is going to be one of the pieces for that. Just to give you a little information specific to North Dakota.

00:32:57,870	They started implementing this in 2023, um, and it takes some time, and there’s been a couple of um bills behind it. And that’s why the 1st 4 funded their, they’re planning another group after that. Um, and they’re building some policy and the, uh, funding opportunities around it, but, um, I’ve already given you those pieces.

00:33:20,700	So it’s um, it’s, I think gonna be a transformational kind of thing for your community. So, the gap you have is around the shelter, and right now, for a low barrier shelter, you don’t have necessarily a lead agency. and that’s what really, um, for my recommendations, you have to think about.

00:33:42,600	And as we thought about the governance options, there’s really 3 key options and there are different uh hybrids of this, but for example, city county ownership, sometimes cities or counties have property or properties that they can use, um, and then a provider can come and provide this kind of service. That’s something you want to assess.

00:34:02,730	Um, sometimes it’s just one of your nonprofits. Right now there’s not a nonprofit that’s saying, pick me, um, or you might wanna try to find a private entity. Um, outside ownership that is used to weaving together funding and building these kind of shelters.

00:34:21,600	We introduced the steering committee and core group to, uh, one agency like that. So you might want to consider, um, they’re from another state, but um, you might want to consider a request for proposal to bring in a partner to be that backbone agency. Funding sources and no, I’m not gonna read all that text to you.

00:34:43,430	Um, there’s all kinds of ways to weave this together for shelter kinds of services. Hos right now, if folks are um using uh EDs as their primary care or if folks are stuck in hospital beds, that is costing those hospitals money.

00:35:06,270	Plus, hospitals have to do community needs assessments, as I understand it, some of the community needs assessments for this community, highlighted some of these issues, and so there’s a, there’s a right partnership there. In addition, you have, um, health plans here that, um they’re paying for those ED visits. They’re paying for. So in some communities, and I’ll give you an example, when we created our crisis stabilization center in our, in my community, Rochester, Minnesota.

00:35:27,100	We had, um two health systems, 4 health plans, and 10 counties all contribute contribute to it because they wanted a different front door than an ED or a police squad, uh, as the front door for your behavioral health system and your homeless system.

00:35:46,070	And so, um, payers are definitely, uh, an option to be a partner in this, not take it all on, but as you weave this together, together, that’s how you get a sustainable solution. Foundations and public grants are obviously part of it, but those are usually one time pots of money that can help, but they’re not the solution.

00:36:05,170	Impact investing, I’m not going to go into details, but, um, health plans have things like regulated capital where, um, in other communities, and I can give you, we can give you examples. Um, they’ve invested in real estate, um, and projects like this, they get a return on investment and, uh, and the service gets launched, and it helps that health plan because they’ve contributed that usually

00:36:26,000	positions them well with the state to get Medicaid contracts, and they’ve impacted the clients that are high cost in their plan. So there’s some projects out there like that. So there’s a wide way, a variety of ways to fund these kind of unique partnerships Um I already talked about CCBHCs.

00:36:46,800	I don’t, I don’t think I need to go too much more into details. What I did want to do is, um, there’s also some opportunities in the housing world right now. For example, HUD is changing their priorities. They have been funding permanent supportive housing for quite some time.

00:37:09,700	They are changing now to focusing on, uh, shelter and transitional housing, exactly what you folks need. And so, as I’ve told the steering committee and the core group, um, getting your, uh, continuum of care organization, your HRA housing Authority, um, engaged around that next notice of funding opportunity with the feds around this idea of a low barrier shelter fits really well with federal priorities right now.

00:37:34,800	Um so, um, and, and this, and your shelter also fits with that rural health transformation program. So you’ve got a couple of pretty robust funding streams potentially. If your community can come together and take what we’re suggesting and create an implementation strategy. and there’s funding to be had, which you folks don’t always hear.

00:37:58,270	So I don’t know how much you folks know about the rural health transformation program, but it’s a big deal. Um, North Dakota submitted its application on November 5th. They’re expected to receive $100 million plus. Um in baseline funding, then they can go for some more.

00:38:27,730	Um, there, this is a, this is, and it’s a pretty flexible pot of money focused on rural needs, which your state obviously um qualifies for. It’s a very fast and rapid um, uh process though, so your community can’t wait. A lot of communities are going to get in line for service dollars and and system kinds of development.

00:38:52,870	So, as I suggested to the steering committee today, um, you know, shared letters of support, some lobbying around, what you think are your community needs related to rural health are really important. This might not be the only one, but this is a biggie. So. uh, really encourage you to take a close look at that funding.

00:39:15,000	Next steps in the planning process, um, uh, we have a community stakeholder meeting tomorrow, um, we’ll continue, uh, uh, we’re suggesting that Renee continue the multi-sector collaboration. complete some deeper data and analysis. What I would suggest is you, uh, your community team work closely with hospitals and your health plans to more clearly identify the populations at the highest risk, highest cost.

00:39:40,230	Um and then, uh, outline a phased implement implementation plan. We, we have developed a roadmap for you folks. And, uh we suggest you, uh, take a hard look at that as a board. or Comm, excuse me And with that, um we ask that you receive our presentation as an informal update on our progress.

00:40:06,900	for the community triage center and uh support continued stakeholder engagement and planning led by your public health director, support exploration of things like C-owned parcels and vacant facilities and review zoning considerations for potential location. Support the statewide transition of to the CCBHC model and support access to that rural health transformation program I mentioned.

00:40:31,500	Thank you very much Questions Comm Risch, thank you Mayor Paul. So the triage center, do you envision it to be one relatively large building with places for people to stay and uh officers to help them with their addictions and whatever cases and health-related needs.

00:40:59,270	You know, I, I originally envisioned a very, um, multi-service kind of um center when I first talked to Renee, but you’ve got some of those services already in your community and you’ve got the CCBHC coming. So what I, what we’ve been talking about now is mainly a shelter, a low barrier shelter.

00:41:14,730	You would connect people to those services you’re mentioning. And then that case management from the CCBC we talked about. So I think one of the things that needs to be refined is what size of the shelter. Um, based on Ministry of the margins, it could be around 60 beds, but, um, I think we need to refine that a little bit.

00:41:32,900	But it mainly be a shelter um, connecting to other services. questions Renee, did you have anything you want to add? I did. I did So, um, just to kind of add a little bit on um the, the meaning of tonight’s presentation is to provide you with some information to start

00:41:54,370	thinking about, let you know where we’re at in the process. Obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts and a lot of uncertainties around funding. We’re looking at the real health transformation grant, some CCBHC funding with the state, um, also some homelessness funding, um, actually presenting to the Legislative committee next week on our project, um, and the

00:42:15,630	work that’s going on in Bismarck, um, because there’s some opportunities, um, there as well. And so, um, for your guys’ uh consideration and thought tonight is to kind of think about this information. Um, there will be a final report that HMA is going to be putting together.

00:42:35,000	They wanted to come here, present to you, also meet with our stakeholder group, um, the Behavioral Health Coalition and the Homeless Coalition meeting will be tomorrow to have the opportunity here uh from Paul and the work that we’re doing, provide any feedback, and they will be compiling a report for us, um, with some implementation and recommendations.

00:42:54,500	I do want to say, um, I would like to come back in January and we may have some more asks for you at that point. Um, one of the things to potentially think about would be the governance structure.

00:43:13,730	Um, I know that, um, that the slide that um Paul had shown that there were 3 options a city county ownership of 501c3, um, potential, uh, ownership or a private entity, and outside ownership. And so, um, that might be something that we would come back to seek direction. What are your thoughts unless you have comments tonight and you’d like to share.

00:43:30,800	Do you want it to be any one of the above, or is there one you want to completely X off and that would help our, our planning, um, to continue to uh streamline some of the recommendations that get brought forward back to you in January.

00:43:46,370	So just some things to maybe think about and then the opportunity to ask questions, um, if you have anything. Comm Zenker Yeah, I don’t think there’s anything right now that I would, I’m gonna ask your last question first because it’s easier, um, I don’t think there’s anything right now.

00:44:04,630	I think that we would, I would, I wouldn’t like to see stricken, cuz we don’t know have all the details, right? And, in my mind, it’s, it’s still a, it’s a working document, so to speak, and, and we don’t know what the final players are gonna be, right? So there is one thing that I would, I would ask is, and to go back to the presentation where the center that you talked about earlier

00:44:22,270	sir, where you had multiple jurisdictions? Is there a chance we could, because if we, if if we get this done, right, if it moves forward and it happens, I’m sure there’s gonna be other communities around us, other counties around us that are gonna wanna be part of that, um,

00:44:38,270	so does it, is it a good idea now to reach out to those surrounding areas to because it’s the biggest thing is gonna come down to is 5 people that staple make a decision how we’re gonna fund this thing. Yes.

00:44:53,100	Right? And we have some limitations with 1176 and those types of things, you know, how to get that done, and I’m sure there’s gonna be, um, support throughout the communities, but if we can make that footprint bigger and we can get more, more, um. a better solution for multiple communities than what they’re going through right now.

00:45:10,700	I, I think it would be better off for all of us. Right. And I think, um Mayor and Comm, Comm anchor, um, Paul and I actually had a conversation about this um earlier today, and just talking about plans for Bismarck and looking at us as the region, the regional hub, um, Bismarck and Mandan.

00:45:29,430	Obviously there’s a lot of people that are coming from Mandan to Bismarck for services, um, because this is where the services are, um, and so there, there would be potentially opportunity for that, um, where I could certainly see, um, right now I know it’s Bismarck because we’re taking the lead.

00:45:44,370	I appreciate the leadership to be able to kind of move something forward, um, but certainly would see that as an opportunity. I don’t know about maybe even regional, like we have regional region 7, we’re in different regions. We’re in region 7 in Bismarck.

00:45:58,270	Um, so it’s Kidder County and the surrounding areas that would be um in our area. So our, our regional human service centers are also an opportunity if we do the CCBHC model and every region or regional humaner center becomes a certified behavioral health clinic.

00:46:19,630	Um, there would be those regional centers, like you said, and that would be the opportunity then, um, whether rather than Fargo sending individuals here, they have their own center. They’re actually one of the four. It was my aunt Dickinson, Fargo, um, and Williston, that got the first pilot, um, funding. Comm.

00:46:40,000	It should just to expand on that, I, it’s a fabulous idea because right, our police, we do the same thing, our fire, we do the same thing, so it’d be a consistent, um, anchor point so to so to speak for South Central North Dakota. I think it’s fabulous. Great. Mr. Cleary. I just to kind of piggyback on what Comm Zenker already said.

00:46:56,970	I think that like creating, I mean, I know we have a great stakeholder group, but it’s very, very like local centric and I think that as we see in other areas of what we do, Bismarck tends to be where people come for services, and we are happy to provide them, but I think like communicating with that bigger region is a good idea, not only for the

00:47:17,330	sake of building it, but I think also for the sake of funding it, when we’re looking at those state dollars and we’re making those asks. I think the state always looks at, you know what’s reaching the most people, where’s the biggest value.

00:47:32,370	and I think we really can like show them how important this is for the region, not just for Bismarck, because we do service such a big area, um, I know that Renee and I have talked about governance types, um, I feel like the city of Bismarck as a whole really leans on our 501c3s a lot in this like area when you look at the list of partners that attend these

00:47:50,470	meetings that are in these coalitions. They’re almost all 501c3s, um, whether there’s somebody that’s I think that now is a great opportunity to look at what we’ve figured out and where we’re gonna be out in January when this is wrapping up and is there a 501c3 locally that wants to build on something

00:48:10,100	that wants to collaborate with another 501c3. I think there’s a lot of opportunities with that. When you talk about land or buildings, um, a lot of like local entities are more willing to, you know, give those up or donate or sell to 501c3s, um, so I think there’s a lot of value in that, but I don’t

00:48:29,470	think that we’ve really even looked that much into. like the concept of a third party entity or bringing somebody in that’s already doing it really well somewhere else. So, I mean, I guess I would like to hear more about that too, so I think we’re at a good place.

00:48:43,170	We’ve made a lot of progress and it’s nice to see this progress. Renee and I’ve been talking about this for 3 years, so, um, it’s exciting, but hopefully we can just keep going, um.

00:49:02,000	are you wanting a motion from us to you want to continue? So we have, I put a suggestion most to help you out with the language, but um you don’t have to read it verbatim. I’m kind of looking for my, yes, I’m looking to uh get some direction to move forward.

00:49:22,100	All right, well, I would motion that Renee, uh, in coordination with the Health Management Association in cooperation stakeholder feedback into the final report and return with recommendations for the City Commission consideration in early 2026. And then I would just add that we, um, do that kind of regional outreach before you come back as well, just to kind of see where that gets us to. Wonderful.

00:49:40,800	So, my only comment is, is there were 3 governance models there, but I would suggest that don’t be afraid to maybe think of outside the box and maybe there’s some combination because it could easily be that the governmental body does one piece of it and the service providers does the operational piece, as an example. OK, wonderful. Yeah, I would any other discussion? I’ll roll.

00:50:02,630	Comm Cleary? Yes, Comm Risch, Comm Zenker. Mayor Schmitz, yes, and thank you for the work. Thank you. Thank you. Item C is closer Item C. Public hearing on application for a Class F-1 alcohol license by the Hall Family Enterprises doing businesses, golf, etc. at 5111 Airport Road.

00:50:28,470	This is a public hearing. Anyone who wished to speak to this topic, please come forward. A second call for public comment. A 3rd and final call for public comment. Hearing nor seeing anyone, a public comma period is closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve is presented. Second. Any discussion? He none will call a roll Comm Risch. Yes, Comm Zenker.

00:50:57,170	Yes, Comm Cleary, Mayor Schmitz, yes. Item D is public hearing on Ordinance 6644 annexation of lots, 11 to 12 to to 12, block 2, lots 14 to 19, block 3, lots 12, block 4. and lots 1 and 1 to 2 and 35 to 38, block 5 of Silver ranch, 5th edition, and the Adjoined rights away.

00:51:21,170	or Davies Drive. Go ahead, Daniel. Good evening, Mayor Commissioners. So this is a request from Investor Incorporated, uh, for the annexation of this area within Silver Ranch 5th edition. Uh, the plot of Seanch 5th edition was approved by, by you on July 8th of 2025. Uh, it is actually almost about ready to record.

00:51:38,070	We got the last signature a few hours ago. So tomorrow morning we’ll record the plot of Sore Fifth edition. Uh, this annexation, uh, includes about 16 lots. Uh, there was a previous annexation that you had approved in Silveranch Fifth edition, uh, which would be needed to be recorded for this one to become contiguous, um.

00:51:55,330	so you can see the map right here. This is in the northeastern portion of our community. Uh, it would be extending the boundaries of the city limit further to the northeast.

00:52:09,170	Uh, so it looks like it’s floating out there a little bit from the map right now, but, um, the previous annexation is shown in the, uh, lighter blue color that you had already approved, and so that one would be recorded first and then this one second. Uh, to, uh, extend the city limits in that direction.

00:52:28,430	So the Punning zoning Commission did consider this annexation uh after September 24th meeting, uh, and based on the findings containeder staff report, uh, recommended approval, uh, with the condition of that previous reproved annexation is recorded first, um, that I mentioned that would be ordered a 6626. Uh, so for the record, and you had already read this, but I’ll repeat it.

00:52:44,000	Um, the annexation will be for lots 11 to 12, LeBlanc 2, Los 14 to 19, block 3, that’s 1 to 2, block 4, and lots 1 and 2 and 35 to 38 B block 5 of Silveranch Fifth edition and adjacent rights of Way of Davis Drive and Hverson Avenue Extension. Do you have any questions for me? Any questions OK.

00:53:03,870	So a public hearing, anyone wish to speak, please come forward. Thank you, May and Comm Laynon Nimmer Swanzena engineering, representing Investorre. Uh, yeah, just a little bit uh Da what Daniel presented. We had already previously asked for an annexation, those 1st 12 lots, one of which is a storm water lot, was approved.

00:53:23,900	This is just an expansion of that first phase that we’re trying to get in, uh, still this fall, doing some work out there right now and then hopefully in the spring, we can wrap it up.

00:53:35,800	Uh, let’s gets us one step closer to be able to get in that second access point back into Silver Ranch 3rd, which is where the bulk of the lots are, um, but I can certainly answer any questions if you have them. Any questions? No? Thanks. Thank you. Public hearing, anyone who wish to speak, please come forward. A second call for public comment A 3rd and final call for public comment.

00:53:57,170	Seeing nor hearing no one, public comment period’s now closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes? Um, we move, we approve ordinance 6644 at annexation of parts of blocks 2 through 5, Silver ranch 5th edition. 2nd. Any further discussion Here we call roll Comm Zenker. Yes, Comm Cleary, Yes. Comm Risch, yes, Maerser Schmitz, yes, moving to item E.

00:54:26,530	Public hearing on Ordinance 6646, and annexation in order in 6647. His only MAP amendment for a agricultural to conditional RAM 10 and residential RM 10 residential, R 5 residential, and Public. in the William Blackstone edition. Daniel. Good evening again, Mayor Commissioners.

00:54:47,270	So Michael Ward is requesting approval of the zoning map Amendments, Major subdivision finally and annexation of William Blackstone edition. Uh, there’s a few other components and conditions of this request that I will get into as well as I go through this.

00:55:03,270	Uh, the area of this subdivision is in, it’s northwest of the city of Bismarck along the west side of Tyler Parkway north of Fifty-seventh Avenue North Northwest. It’s part of the southeast quarter of Section 7 of Hayreek Township. Uh, this would be an urban residential development with a 118 lots and 9 blocks. Uh, I think about 10 of those are developable. Uh, the rest are, are, are various, uh, undevelopable lots.

00:55:21,430	The majority of this area would be dedicated for single family homes, uh, and would be zoned R5 or R10, um, the R 10 zoning district allows a little bit greater lot coverage, which is the reason for, for that request in, in that area.

00:55:39,530	The, um, there is one conditional RM 10 light, which would be in the northeast corner of the subdivision, uh, the conditions on this lot would be that it could not exceed 48 40 ft in height. None of the buildings could exceed 40 ft in height and the density to be limited to 10 dwelling units per acre. So you can think of town homes or, or, or such in, in, in a configuration to fit that multi-family lot.

00:55:54,000	Uh, the also there would be a public lot uh toward the center of the development. Uh, this would be dedicated as a neighborhood park, uh, the Bismarck Parks and Recreation Districts and developer have signed a park development agreement for this site, uh, which is included in your packet as well for your, your own consideration.

00:56:13,230	I believe the park will be called Vandewal Park, um, and they don’t, the development agreement also includes a trail, a shared trail, uh, that would be extending through, uh, the northern lot.

00:56:29,700	Uh, you can see on that side it’ll be a lot 2 block one, about a half mile of Surge Trail that would align with the city’s Active mobility plan, um, during uh with trails through coolies, uh, so there is a separate development agreement um, as well, uh, that would be for your consideration that was given in the packet.

00:56:55,470	Uh, and this would govern a temporary access that is provided to Tyler Parkway through lot 12, block 9 in William Blackstone edition. And what this would do is it would give emergency access that secondary emergency access that we need for this number of lots, um, in, in a temporary nature, uh, ultimately there will be a separate access point to the south that would connect to an extension of 5 Seventh Avenue Northwest.

00:57:14,100	Uh, however, in lieu of that being there at this time, one of those lots would be used for temporary access. Uh, the agreement that you can see in your packet spells out the terms and conditions, how long that will last, uh, what, um, the, the physical condition of that axis will be, uh, so you could, you could see that the,

00:57:29,500	it would be removed as soon as that additional access is added and then the home on lot 9 and the 2 Jamie Jason Jason Holms on the lots of North and South could be built at that time as well. Um, so this particular development has been in the pipeline for a couple of years.

00:57:43,070	Um, the applicant has worked through issues with wet mitigation with the Army Corps of Engineers and other technical issues over this time. Um, the staff have been, have been working with them on this process, staff from both the city and, and the county as well, um, and so we’re here today.

00:57:59,500	Uh, the planning and zoning Commission originally tentatively approved the preliminary plot back in January of 2024. Um, and so it’s been sitting in this, um, process for, for, for between that time and uh August of 2025 when it went to a public hearing with the planning zoning Commission.

00:58:19,170	Uh, they continued the hearing initially and then it was continued to September 24th, um, that of 2025 and the planning zoning Comm at that meeting recommended approval of uh Wayne Blacksson edition and all of the other components of that I’ve mentioned. Um, there are two technical conditions that staff, um, and the plan and the planning zoning Commission are recommending to be included.

00:58:36,330	One is the inclusion of temporary turnaround easements at the end of the right of Ways. I can see, obviously this is a first phase of a multi-phase development, um, until those other phases come in, uh, the engineering department needs to see a means for, uh, turning around emergency vehicles at the ends of those roads, roadways.

00:58:53,530	So that’s our standard process having those dedicated separate easements outside of the plat and then they could be released when the um when the subdivision continues in the future phase.

00:59:13,100	So that’s one condition and the other condition would be an easement or a right of way dedicated from, uh, the subdivision to the fifty-seventh Avenue Northwest for utilities, um, to go through the west side of Tyler Parkway. Those could be done, uh, by time of recordation. That’s when we would recommend this be completed. So, I will read the full uh recommendation that was made by the Planning and Zoning Commission based on the conditions and the findings of the staff report.

00:59:29,630	That is the approval of the zoning map amendment from the A Agricultural zoning District to the conditional RM 10 residential R 10 residential or 5 residential and public zoning districts.

00:59:48,530	The major subdivision final plat titled William Blackstone Edition, the annexation of all of the proposed plot and all of Tyler Parkway for Fifty-seventh Avenue Northwest to the northern boundary of the Platte, including the granting of a waiver to reduce lot widths with buildings at, at, um, I’m sorry, lot widths at building lines outlined in the attached waiver request appro val of the neighborhood park agreements and approval of the development agreement regarding temporary access on lot 12,

01:00:05,530	Block 9, with two conditions. Now, the first condition being a temporary turnaround easements at the termin of Holberg Drive, Burning Lane, and James Wright Avenue are provided prior to Platt recreation.

01:00:25,800	and that a separate dedicated right of way or separate easement to the city of Bismarck for all municipal services from Fifty-seventh Avenue Northwest to the southern boundary of the Plattus provided prior to Platt recreation. Uh, I know the applicant is here as well, so you don’t have to repeat that motion whenever you make it. You could just refer to it. Um, so the, the applicant is here if you have any specific questions about, about their development.

01:00:39,100	Thank you, Daniel. Any questions for him OK thank you Again, this public hearing, so we’ll I’ll put up the public hearing and the applicant can speak. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Commissioners. My name’s Bob Martin. I’m, uh, an attorney. representing the Ward family, most so an in-law, the developer requeststers, my father-in-law.

01:01:04,630	Um, so this is sort of a family affair, uh I am I don’t know if maybe I’ll just give you a little bit of background on this. We originally started this process, uh the Ward family had been basically selling raw land for a number of years to several different developers in the Bismarck area.

01:01:26,000	Uh, at one of the last approaches by a developer, um, my partner, Michael Ward is my partner as well as my father-in-law had requested uh to provide legal services essentially for the development procedure, and we were told that wasn’t going to be possible, and that got him thinking. Well, you know, I’m pushing 80.

01:01:45,430	At that point, he was pushing 80. Now he’s 83 Um what are we going to do with all this land? You know, we can keep trying to do raw land sales, but, uh, the kids, the kids being 50, 50 48, 40, and two twins of 41, so not really kids, but that’s why

01:02:04,500	he calls them. Um, looking to look to the future, what’s going to happen with these holdings. Um, not everybody wants to be a farmer forever in the land, and there’s a lot of property involved.

01:02:22,630	There’s actually the overall proposed development right now, or Section 7 is in front of you for the first phase, but we intend to go to Section 7 to Section 12, to the remainder of Section 11 and then south along uh Burt Creek Road, the Ward family also owns 3 quarters in Section 13. So it’s quite an extensive project that will eventually join up with Misty Waters subdivision.

01:02:41,430	They own the land right up to that, and then south along uh Burt Creek Road. We intend to develop that entire area, maintain the farming operation on 3 sections of land that they hold up in. by wing in a lean and uh Richmond Townships.

01:03:04,230	So it’s sort of a generational plan, uh, um, my partners is been to try to get this first phase through the various commissions and committees and working with the different governmental agencies. It’s been a, a, a learning process and I want to personally thank Daniel in the planning and zoning staff. They’ve been incredibly helpful.

01:03:20,000	I mean, when we started this, we had no idea how complicated it was going to be and how much time it was going to take. We actually, uh, I was looking at some notes. We, we had our initial approval to start the project, uh, back in April 5th of 2023. So we’ve actually been at this as of tonight, about 2 years and 7 months. in trying to get the annexation through, and there were a number of delays, uh.

01:03:40,630	uh the Army Corps of Engineers was mentioned. That was a significant part of it. Um, the stormwater waste management plan had to be updated, uh. and also I should thank on the record, Houston Engineering for the excellent services they’ve provided us in, in shepherdy Sherparius through this process. There was sort of our Sherpas.

01:04:03,000	um the overall project is going to provide, as was mentioned, approximately 113 additional lots to the city of Bismarck’s tax base. Uh, there’s also going to be extensive infrastructure required part, part of the uh the, the way the land splits, we can’t rely on a gravity sewer, so we’re going to have to have a force lift main.

01:04:27,000	So, but altogether, the estimate at the time that we started this project was $10 million in infrastructure that will be donated to the city of Bismarck as well. And then each lot, of course, will have the capital charge connection fee. um, as the road improvement plan falls into place.

01:04:44,100	So there’s a significant financial advantage to the city, to its tax base, and to the dollars coming in. Um, there will be uh, at least the first stretch of 11 lots to the north side of Van der Waal Park. We intend to spec house, and we’re going to have uh what we call cottage homes.

01:05:02,900	The lot’s a little smaller, but each will have a front porch fronting on Vandewald Park. It’ll be an extraordinary view and we’re, we’ve obtained the services of uh JLG architects as landscape architects, as well as Houston Engineering. We’ve always said that it’s not just a matter of slapping some lots together and putting a trailer home on it.

01:05:23,370	We want this to look good. We want this to be a beautiful part of the city of Bismarck, and that’s why we’ve been so concerned about the aesthetics. Um, we do have the agreement in place with the Park Board for Van Waal Park.

01:05:37,500	Uh, you probably noticed a, a number of names on the various streets and the name William Blackstone itself is in honor of the English jurist. Every street that we have been allowed to name is named after a district judge that I’ve had the privilege of working with or Michael Ward has had the privilege of working with.

01:05:52,970	And of course, Vander Wald Park is for Chief Jerry. I mean, he’s been an institution as long as I’ve been practicing law. Um, in fact, out of the 68 appearances I’ve had at the North Dakota Supreme Court, 67 were before him.

01:06:09,500	So it’s been a long-term relationship and it’s a great privilege to me to be able to honor him, you know, in his twilight years with the naming of a park in the street after him, and he was excited about it too. I, I couldn’t use Vandewald Drive because it’s already been taken.

01:06:26,270	And Jerry Drive had Soundex issues and they thought Chief Dr drive was too confusing. So we had to settle on Chief Jerry Drive. But, uh, I like it. It works well with the Vano Park area. Um we have there has been some pushback.

01:06:43,900	Uh, it hasn’t been a smooth sailing all the way through, uh, Nes across the street were concerned because originally the the lot to the northeast that was designated originally as RM 30. They were concerned about the possibility of a multi-family dwelling, uh, distorting their view of that type of nature. So we voluntarily agreed to the condition to reduce that to the RM 10 zoning.

01:07:04,100	which has been described to you with the restriction of no more than 40 ft in height. So we’ve tried to accommodate them to that extent and uh uh I, I can understand you don’t want to have anything that’s going to potentially adversely affect your property values, even if it is across the street. So we’ve tried to accommodate that.

01:07:21,630	Uh, but there, as I said, there, there has been pushback and we’ve tried to address that as it’s come up, and we’ve tried to work with, uh, the, the commu the uh, well, the planning and zoning staff and the commissions in addressing that.

01:07:36,630	And I think it has been successfully addressed, but I’m sure there’ll be more comments given to you tonight. I’ve, every one of these hearings I’ve been at, um, both before, uh, the planning and zoning Commission, uh, there’s, uh, when it came to the point of public comment, there’s been pushback and sometimes vehement or vocal pushback and it’s uh

01:07:55,230	I’m not a stranger to conflict, I’m a trial lawyer. It’s just, you know, we all, we all handle that differently. My training and such was to uh counterattack, if you will, to uh try to push back hard. I’m giving up on that one. It’s uh, it’s a zero-sum game at this point.

01:08:15,170	Um, we’ve complied entirely with all of the laws and regulations and codes. We’ve complied entirely with every thing that the planning and zoning staff is requested. Um, I know that, I think, Mr. Mayor, you had mentioned at one point you were concerned about the proposed development being so far to the northwest.

01:08:38,630	But, uh, under the statutes and rules and codices of governing this type of thing. They, the proposal is actually 22% contiguous to the city of Bismarck. which means it’s unambiguously contiguous is the the wording used, and that’s been acknowledged by the PNZ staff as well.

01:08:55,330	So, and I would say that you’re concerned about it being an outlier is temporary given what the family’s plan is with the rest of the acreage. I I can address that later if we need to discuss and it probably wasn’t as much directed at your development as the developments that are out there were outliers.

01:09:11,100	Oh, yeah, yeah, there’s there’s been some, there’s a lot of, uh, one that are going to eventually have to be backfilled in to the north. I mean, along 83, especially when you drive down, you can see a lot of the different county ones that are out there. But Bismarck is Bismarck is going to grow.

01:09:24,900	That was what prompted us to get involved with this in the first place was the uh the 2045 plan. need of of 1.9% per annum growth for the next 20 years.

01:09:40,370	And we want to be a part of that But I just, like I said, we just don’t wanna put up block housing. I want this to look good. I, I worked in Bismarck for 11 years. I had a law practice here.

01:09:57,000	Um, I was with the state’s attorney’s office for 3 years after I closed my private practice, and I’ve always been very proud of Bismarck, how well the city maintains its properties how such pride people have in their properties. And one thing I was glad to hear about is the idea of a, of the homeless uh this is a tangent. I’m sorry, I should stay more focused, but just quickly. it hurts me to see homeless people in Bismarck. Uh, you drive down, you park.

01:10:14,500	by the courthouse and you see people with their, their shopping carts and their beds set up on the Provident building terraces and a gentleman in a wheelchair with no leg who was outside of um the block just north of, uh, of, uh, the blarney stone in that area.

01:10:35,000	I, it hurts me to see that. That, that isn’t the Bismarck I remember. That’s not the Bismarck where my oldest daughter was born. Uh, so I’m glad that something is being done about that. But we want to add To be part of the problem. We want to be part of the solution.

01:10:55,630	Um Personally this is, uh, for my, my firm, this has been a five-year project. We’ve did a quiet title action starting in November of 2020. That was just wrapped up this spring as part of the process and then again the the initial annexation was approved back or the initial Platt, the movement was improved in in April 5th of

01:11:16,500	2023. My clients, my in-laws have invested over $200,000 in getting to this point. So it with all of that, I’m just going to say, do you have any questions for me on any aspect of this? Any questions Hum.

01:11:39,700	I would ask your vote in the affirmative on the annexation of the William Blackstone addition to the City of Bismarck. Thank you This is a public hearing. Anyone else wish to speak, please come forward. A second call for public comment. A 3rd and final call for public comment. hearing nor seeing anyone. Public comment period’s closed. Commissioners for your wishes Comm Zinker.

01:12:17,270	Mayor, Commissioners, um Daniel, maybe you can come up and just explain the temporary access just so it’s on the record. I mean, it’s in our document, but. I think just for anybody watching or the people at home that everybody understands what the word temporary ends is not a permanent temporary solution? Yes, thank you, Kris Zzenka, be happy for that opportunity, right? Because it’ll be, it’ll be a public information item,

01:12:34,000	so people need to be aware of it. The, um if we can see the screen again, can I get a screen on? OK, great. So it’ll be a lot 12, um. see if I can zoom in here. It’s a little bit, a little bit zoomed in.

01:12:56,970	It’ll be lot 12, uh, you can see the little hand there. So this will be allowed as a emergency services only access to the development for, uh, because we do require anything over 30 units, uh, yeah, does require two points of access. Uh, so if there’s a blockage at any other point, our vehicles need to be able to get through.

01:13:14,500	So that’s the purpose of that access. Uh, as this whole area develops and builds out and eventually connects to the south, that will go away, um. so that will only be there temporarily and then that lot can be built on with a home and lots of North and South are also restricted until that removes is removed, they would

01:13:32,170	be too close to that roadway otherwise, um, so that, that’s where that temporary access will be until, uh, it is no longer needed. And we don’t have a timeline or term on that. It’s, it’s one of the development to the south comes so we get the secondary access, right? That’s great.

01:13:49,730	It’s triggered by the development, not of time. Further questions Commissioners, what are your wishes Can, can I ask one question about the applicant real quick since we don’t know the timeline.

01:14:13,730	Um could we get an approximate timeline? I mean, we’ve done a lot of things where we’ve helped developers with, you know, 10 years for assess uh Axidity and those types of things we’ve been, uh, they’ve been very gracious and, and lived to those.

01:14:28,630	So do you have an anticipation of what that addition is? Are you gonna, maybe you’re not even going south or you’re going north? We’re actually intending to go north at the request of Bismarck Public Schools that they, we were originally going to go south to Fifty-seventh Avenue, North West End further to the west, we have a potential commercial that we were looking at, including as part of the annexation, but BPS requested that we go north so they can incorporate the possibility of a public school.

01:14:47,970	uh, elementary school So it our spirit of this has always come in trying to work within the different actors involved rather than in opposition and you know, this, I mean, to be completely frank, the public schools a big draw as well for people who have purchased lots around that area.

01:15:06,100	It’s again part of the aesthetics. It’s going to be like a, a 13.4 acre green space on top of the building. So, and, and it’s also going to be, I’m very proud about the trail system that we’ve negotiated with the Park board because that’s going to connect to the public school, as well as to

01:15:21,530	Danwwal Park and the two planned major area parks. Uh, idea with our landscape architect with JLG was to have, uh, every house within 5 minutes’ walk of a park or a green space.

01:15:41,270	So, um like I said, aesthetics, it’s important to us that this looks good, that this fits well in not simply be a matter of converting it into blockhouses. 2, I’m not trying to avoid your question, Comm. I’m sorry, I should have been more, more direct, but um, our next phase is to the north. It’s the best that I can do with that. No problem.

01:15:59,530	Any other questions for me before I sit back down? I could use the exercise gain up and down anyway, but. maybe I can ask Daniel this question. Maybe he can’t answer it. I don’t know. if they’re, if there becomes a secondary axis to the north as a result of going north. because this, could this go away then? It would make that be a secondary condition.

01:16:21,430	The engineer behind you is shaking his head yes. OK, good. Well, one of them is, one of them is the, the consulting engineer is, but that doesn’t mean anything Onor of Winnie Gabe’s consent to that. I, I’m just trying to find those. I, I get where you’re coming from. Yeah. Yeah.

01:16:42,270	Mayor Commissioners, regarding the secondary access, I, I, I think the the concept of it being, uh it’ll be gate controlled and it’s only fire can have access to it, so it won’t be used by the general public, so really are uh risk as far as the city’s concerned of having that out there for a longer period

01:16:55,170	of time is pretty minimal. It really doesn’t matter a whole heck of a lot. I think the agreement, if I’m not mistaken, um, is, is silent on where the secondary access comes from as soon as that secondary axis need is met, uh, according to fire and whatever that regulation might look like, or

01:17:08,900	fire code might look like in the future as well, um, is when this could just be removed and reclaimed and turned into towels so date uncertain but really the risk is, is minimal because it is gated and only used for emergency personnel. OK, that, that probably helps us. Thanks, Gabe.

01:17:28,600	OK, Commissioners were your thoughts Mayor Commissioners, I’ll make a motion to move his approved as presented. I’m not reading that whole thing. I’m, I don’t blame you. Second, that’s what everybody’s hesitation was. Who’s going to read this? So you don’t read the whole paragraph right. Just I’ll check it. Oh, OK.

01:17:45,870	I think we have a 1 and a second. Is there any further discussion? He nomal call roll Comm Mc Cleary? Yes, Comm Risch. Yes, Comm Zenker. Yes, Mayor Schmitz, yes, moving to item H.

01:18:07,100	Consider request to discuss the 2026 Jointows Agreement with public health and actually it’s not truly a joint powers agreement. It’s a contract for services. So, but, uh, Renee, you wanna Sure, so, um, I have Mayor and Commissioners. I have this item on the agenda tonight for discussion.

01:18:29,530	Um, usually we have the contract, um, that goes into, um, over to Burleigh County, um, after they’ve approved the budget amount and I wanted to have the opportunity to have some discussion on that before we do anything with it for 2026, so. Comm Clery, I promised Renee that I would, um, it least attempt to take the reins on some of this for her. So, um, because her and I have discussed this a lot.

01:18:45,530	I think every budget cycle we kind of go back and forth with the county as to who’s going to pay, what percentage, what the joint powers agreement is going to look at like and I feel like this year within our discussions, we’ve taken a lot more of an opportunity or time to really look at like the

01:19:03,000	legality of what the GPA looks like and what it means for the department and for Bismarck and within our discussions, it’s kind of come to the point or realization that the joint powerers agreement, like you said, is not truly a joint powers agreement because with the joint powers agreement, it should have its own board of

01:19:26,000	Health which pre previous years, um, Renee and I have attempted to establish, and it just has always come back to, um, that we were going to continue to do, do it the way that we had been doing it, which is the City of Commission acts as a

01:19:41,530	Board of Health and then the Burleigh County acts as a Board of Health, but when you read the sentry code, that’s really not how a joint powers agreement is structured. So with the way that it’s currently set up and our joint powers agreement is really more of a contract for services.

01:19:58,000	and the city of Bismarck, the City Commission is technically and by law, the Board of Health and I think just with our discussions and then listening to the county’s discussions every year when they talk budget and dollar amount and what they’re wanting to see for services for public health, um it just doesn’t seem like we’re

01:20:21,530	at the point where there needs to be a joint powers anymore, um. I think that my preference at this point is that the city of Bismarck operates as its own public health, and kids still contract for services to Burleigh County as for what they might need, um, individually or act in any way

01:20:42,500	that we can, and it can be more of a line item by line item thing that they need as they’re building their own public health unit, um. I think when we look at things that we do collaboratively with the county.

01:21:03,230	We are always looking to make sure that we’re being fiscally responsible and we’re collaborating to save citizens’ money, um, and then also that it’s like the best use of services for the citizens. And I just don’t think we’re at the point where public health, the, the collaboration is getting us there.

01:21:21,370	I think when we look at the fiscal dollars, we’re spending the citizens are spending more money, the citizens of Bismarck, um, because of how the tax breaks out, um, and then also I think that between what the public or public health does in Bismarck versus what the county commissioners are wanting for public health.

01:21:42,170	I think there’s a big difference in level of services there, and I don’t want to see our level of service go down with, with the citizens have expected just because we’re trying to cut things to appease to the county when they’re only paying 25% of the budget, so I guess the conversation that Renee and I have been having and the mayor has participated in some of his do we just not do the GPA

01:22:01,970	anymore. And because they, the county has talked about having their own, and I think maybe we’re at the point where we just let them go do that, and if they need to contract for specific services for us in the meantime, or we need to be month to month with some services.

01:22:17,600	We can have that conversation, but um, I guess I would like to see the appetite, um, from the rest of you as far as just not doing the status quo with the GPA for 2026. Well, I’d like to change the term. It’s not a joint powers agreement. It’s a contract for services.

01:22:34,070	They’re contracting with us for their, for our services to cover their public health needs. And state requirements. And state requirements. So regardless of that, but I, you know, the Coycom Commission made it I think quite clear in their budget hearings this fall that their intention was ultimately to not utilize the services of the current public health unit that

01:22:57,170	resides in Bismarck and is called Bismarck Burhleig Public Health. And so when that timeline is, I think their intention was by 2027, likely, um this might just be the opportunity to give them, like, if you want to stand it up, you can.

01:23:16,870	We’ll provide services on a month to month basis or or on a line item basis, um, Renee has done a fair amount of work to look at the budget and how it may or may not have an impact to our budget.

01:23:33,800	and uh knowing what she’s done, the whatever shortfall there might be would be temporary because there are some actions that will result going forward probably within the next 6 to 12 months that alleviate that change in funding need. Plus we’d probably be able to retain most of the grant money because we’re providing the the service to this population of the city of Bismarck.

01:23:53,070	So did I state that correctly So it’s, it’s really what is our desire, what I don’t want to do is I don’t wanna leave anybody out, so like there’s individuals in the county who are getting home health services. I want to make sure that we can still at least make sure that’s offered.

01:24:07,370	to be provided to them no matter what at least until they have some resolution at the county. Go ahead. Um, yes, just to kind of add, um, and as far as the like financial impacts and stuff, Renee has has broken everything down for me multiple times.

01:24:25,600	I think this is the most recent copy, so I, we can certainly get this to all of them, I think, to, um, but, uh, she’s done a lot of work in that regard. And then, yeah, to your point, I think that in their budget discussions it sounded like they, they want to be done with the sharing of services, um, but that they maybe don’t feel like they’re prepared to do that.

01:24:44,800	in 2026, that they’re, they’re trying to figure out what that looks like for the county, I guess my preference would be that maybe we use 2026 as like a. like.

01:25:07,170	buffer year where we don’t have the full embodiment of an agreement and that we just are contract for services, um, like the home health I think is a very easy thing that we could go month to month with, um, it can be literally budgeted, you know, charged by the hour or by the patient, etc. the other big ones would be, um, like the sheriff’s, um, like health and physicals that we do for them.

01:25:24,870	That’s something that we could, you know, charge for the service instead of it just being built in, um, and then the rural schools, uh, if they want us to continue to do the rural school nursing. That’s something that we could just, you know, budget out individually.

01:25:41,530	It doesn’t have to be a part of a larger agreement, um, and then it could be month to month and Renee and I were even talking if if like the county as a whole doesn’t want us to do rural schools, but there’s a specific school that wants us to do it.

01:25:55,270	It’s like, obviously we can offer that service to schools too. We used to offer it to Bismarck public schools before they ended up having their own entire process too, so I mean, I think that there would be like kind of almost like a grace period where we still offer whatever needs to be offered in the rural areas, but

01:26:12,470	it would just the, the budgeting breakdown and they have the $600,000 in their budget, which is the 25% that they would pay for the GPA, so it’s not that they couldn’t use some of that funding to contract for services for us and then other parts of that funding can go

01:26:28,270	towards building their own health unit, so I think it’s almost like a, like a buffer year. instead of just doing the same thing that we did last year.

01:26:47,630	Richer Mayor, maybe Clery Comm C Cleary or Renee, but there’s the $600,000 is in this proposed agreement, but you just said that they might use some of that for, uh, contract services or, or, or, or do you think they’ll just pay the $600,000 in this transition phase. Basically, my suggestion would be that we don’t sign the GPA as it stands that that that money is still in their budget. They can use it.

01:27:07,330	to build their own public health unit, but also while they’re doing that, because that’s not something that they’re going to be able to do like January 1 and like have it done and ready to go that they can use some of that set aside funding in their budget to still utilize our services as needed.

01:27:25,500	And I think Renee’s team is very comfortable with like going month to month with that as, yeah, as I’m just gonna add on to that. I know that um we had talked about this, obviously, like Mayor had said that this has been brought up, that they want to do this on their own, um, so thinking

01:27:42,100	about how that would impact us as a local public health department, um, keeping our services at the city limits, and so, um, not going out into the county, um, would be eventually the, the service area, um, the home health clients that we have now, there would be like, Comm Cleary said, uh, transition period if they would

01:28:00,330	be willing to contract us to continue to provide those services in the county. We could continue providing care for home health so they’re not completely left without any care because a lot of the public health nurses are there source of a once a week visit to not have to go to long-term

01:28:15,870	care facilities. Um, so there would be, um, some of those types of things, um. I also, um, maybe wanted to mention just for clarification, um, the joint powers Agreement, so Fargo, Grand Forks, and Public Health, um, are the three city entities that have city departments and um operate as a city department and their

01:28:40,730	contracts, um, with the county. Um, the difference between us, we are the only public health unit in the state that operates with the City Commission as the Board of Health. Uh, Fargo and Grand Forks actually followed the Joint Powers Agreement.

01:28:56,370	um, as it is in the um entry code that they have that separate board of health that has the health advisory. There is a city Comm from the county and the city Comm or county Comm on their board, but there’s also kind of an advisory capacity uh that serves as their board of health, um, and then the governing bodies make the final policy

01:29:11,700	decisions. And so that is the difference if, if anybody gets questions um about that, um, I want people to know that, um, Comm Cleary and I did try to bring that to the county Commission on, I think twice, and it got denied um before with Comm Matthews and then um with Comm Munsen as

01:29:27,800	well. Um as my portfolio holder on the county side. And so, um, we do have a, as a city entity in a city department, have the ability to operate as a city health department because that’s how we are operating now.

01:29:46,470	It would just change our some of our operations internally, um, and the, and the services, um, who we provide, um, the services too. Um, so a lot of things to think about, um, the one thing I also wanted to mention is a lot of people think that you’re, you work for the county. I am a city.

01:30:03,100	I want to make that a statement that I am a city employee from the city of Bismarck, Jason Tomonic is my, um, supervisor and reports to the City commission, um, cause I think that sometimes I get pulled between the city and the county, um.

01:30:20,600	as far as direction goes, um, but so that people are aware, um, I am a city. We are a city department that contracts with the county. there’s not the action tonight, but it needs to be at least one Commissioner’s anchor So I’ll throw something out there that it, it, since it’s, it came up tonight and we talked about that triage center, we wanna be regional, right? I

01:30:40,530	think it’s, and it’s very critical for us to acknowledge that the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the detention center is part of that core group that’s that’s helping.

01:31:01,100	So, trust me, I completely understand where everybody’s coming from, but we’re going to need the county and that commission to be a partner with all of us when we uh when we do this triage center, that’s gonna be a regional, right? So, I mean, if I think, I think we need to put the onus on them as to what they want to do. but they’ve said it more than once that at public meetings.

01:31:16,630	So I completely understand where you’re coming from. Um, but I, I think they need to give us their plan, so we know how to react instead of speculating as to what their plan is.

01:31:35,500	Um, if they wanna, if you wanna use the, the 2026 as that buffer thing, I think personally we should just, we should tell them or ask them to tell us what they want so we can plan for 27 and, and just keep this thing status quo for this year, because we need that they’re going to, whoever the 5 people are on that board after the 26th election and those types of things could change. Um.

01:31:56,630	we need their partnership to get that regional triage center accomplished. We have to have it. because if they, if they for some reason would tell and God forbid they do this, they tell the, the sheriff’s department and theory Coty detention, not to be part of the core group for the triage. That’s a critical piece to that.

01:32:17,500	to that system We, and I think they want it, right? And I, I think we need to snowplow through this thing. and figure out a way that that we can make all of this work. Um if we wouldn’t have the presentation on the triage center earlier today.

01:32:37,600	I, I would be right with you, but I’m, I’m a little skeptical. Well, and, and. And Lord knows if I need to yell at somebody, I will, but right? So, and, and, and I think, you know, the purpose is we just want to have this conversation.

01:32:49,530	So we had the conversation, not that, not that a, a direction one way or the other or more so that we can let the county know like we, we’ve heard you We wanna, and maybe the right way, as you said, Comm Zinker is, hey, we’ve heard you. We need to know where you’re going.

01:33:04,100	Let’s have it as a I mean it, let’s continue the contract. I think we need to change the phraseity because whatever, whatever that is right because so that, you know, here’s the contract. we’ll continue to provide services. If you tell us you don’t want to, then we’ll figure it out.

01:33:20,000	Then, yeah, react. I think we need to ask them what they want so they can, or, you know, put it in writing, black and white. I don’t want to read it in minutes our minutes or their minutes or whosever minutes. I want it formally done so there’s no finger pointing at the end.

01:33:34,730	Does that make sense? Yep. No, I think that’s great comments and so Yeah, I, if I could add, cause I definitely get what you’re saying. Obviously we wanna still be cooperative and maybe down in the lot like down in the future when they feel like they’re at the point where they have their own public health

01:33:51,470	unit and they’re comfortable doing that on their own, then we’ll have the ability to actually be collaborative that with them as like two separate units in the hopes that we would also be collaborative with Morton County and Mandan, you know, in that same capacity.

01:34:08,600	I don’t want it to be like we’re forcing them, so if that means that we still have a contract, but it is a contract for services. I think that that like the the big sticking point for me when Renee and I were going through all of this is that it’s referred to as a joint powers agreement, and it

01:34:22,430	really isn’t one. And it, I think that if they want to still continue to call it a joint powers agreement, and they want to be part of like the bigger picture decision making as to what we offer within public health, then it needs to be a joint powers agreement.

01:34:38,500	We need a real Board of Health. We need to like we can move that way. I’m fine with that. I, I’ve asked for it in the past, but if they don’t want to do that.

01:34:51,270	they don’t want the Board of Health, they don’t want it to be a true joint powers agreement, then I think it should go to be a contract for services. It can be, uh, just like the joint powerers agreement, you can get out of it. You just have to give notice, um.

01:35:07,900	that sort of thing, uh, because then they can use that as a way to figure out, because I think that they’ve been asking the question for years, what, how do we do this by ourselves, uh, because they aren’t happy with not getting to make. more of the decisions as to what public health looks like, but like Renee said, in the current structure that we’re in the city makes those decisions because it’s a city department.

01:35:26,000	So I mean, I think that if we give them the option of we can continue with a contract, but it’s a contract for services, unless you want to create a Board of Health and have a true joint powers agreement.

01:35:43,700	we can give them that option, um, and then if they don’t want that and they want to contract for just services until they’re up and running. I, I mean, I think that we would be fine that way too. Like I said, Renny’s already run all the numbers. We can figure it out if we’re not getting that 600,000 from the county.

01:35:57,000	There’s other ways that we, um, shift and make things work within our department. So, um, I, I’m fine if we want to be reactive instead of telling them what we’re doing.

01:36:16,170	I think that’s totally fine, uh, cause I do still want to be a good partner with them, even if this ends up with two totally separate public health units. I think that we can still be a great partner, so. Comm. Yeah, and I think, I think that’s fine. I, we just need to ask them cause there’s a still a couple thorns in the side about didn’t ask about the public health bill and those types of things.

01:36:32,970	So I think I don’t know if we make the motion to formally ask him at this, at this scenario, or if we set it up for, um, at, at our next meeting that we talk about it at however we wanna do it, but we need to send a formal ask to the Coycom Commission as to what their intentions are for

01:36:50,630	2027. I think with it being November, time is of the essence too, um, uh, Comm Munsen does have public health as an agenda item on their agenda for Monday. So if we want to be the decision to be tonight that Renee and I go there and kind of explain to them.

01:37:10,100	what like what we need to hear from them, um, because I, I, but I don’t know where they’re at. I don’t I don’t know. I mean, I think we could send, so, so a we’re still in 2025. So we’re still operating.

01:37:30,370	The, the, the thought would be we’re gonna be basically status quo going into 26. It’s just that, you know, a, I think we as we could go approach it something as Comm Zenker, I think, has already said. Hey, we know you’ve expressed a desire to have potentially a change to how public health is handled in your in the county.

01:37:46,370	We need to have it in writing what your plan is, and here’s a contract to continue the services as they have been and for 2026 as they were in 205. It’s a contract, if they read the, if they read the agreement, it clearly says contract in the agreement.

01:38:05,100	It doesn’t reference Joe Powers agreement. I’m looking at it says Jot powers agreement right at the title. The title does, but not the contract, not the tax. So I would be inclined to say let’s send them an actual letter because I also agree with Comm Zenker. We need it in writing him back.

01:38:22,630	like 100%. We need to have formal communication back and forth. because it’s not good, right? We could all sit down and try to hammer it out, all 10 of us.

01:38:37,270	Fine, if we could do that in a couple of hours, but I don’t think we can cause there’s always something that comes up, right? So let’s just, let’s ask him formally what their intentions are so that we you know, because they gotta put it on their radar too, right? We don’t, we don’t want to get to budget time of next year and say, well, you said last year you’re going out or

01:38:50,970	you know how that other stuff works. So this is exactly what you said. Here’s your contract. Here’s a formal ask of what you’re gonna do. We’re good for 26, let’s move forward. Tell us what we’re, tell us what you’re going to do for 27 so we can make decisions.

01:39:06,470	And we should probably put a date in there of like February 28th or March 15th. So, so, so it’s ahead of our budgeting season. Yeah I would probably January, to be honest. Well, I’m, I’m OK with that too. But Renee, you’ll be at the meeting on Monday because it’s on the agenda, right? Public health. I don’t even have this discussion.

01:39:24,000	No, it’s not necessarily. OK. Cause I don’t think they’ve requested that she be there. I think that it’s just on their agenda because their portfolio holder wants to have a conversation about public health, so. uh, maybe they’ll be making decisions at that. I’m not sure.

01:39:39,530	Well, and I don’t, I don’t think Rick, so if it’s on there, right, with all the public comment, we go up at the beginning of the meeting, the two of you, you make public comment. They’re really not prepared for what you’re going to say.

01:39:53,970	So I don’t, I think from a professional courtesy standpoint, we just give them the in writing, it’ll happen at their, their next December meeting or whatever, and we can have the communication going back and forth instead of quote unquote. throwing a couple of days that makes about, I think, right? So. No, I think that makes sense. OK, so do you have direction? Um, do you want a motion? Tell me again.

01:40:13,100	Call me Who’s doing the letter and what will, what’s the letter, not coming from me? No. Semi, I think it probably needs to come from the city, so admin. Yep. So, as you stated earlier, Jason Tabone is your direct report, so Jason probably could write that. You’re welcome, Jason.

01:40:36,100	Jason, do you have, you know what we need? Mary Commissioners, yes. I think we’ve got a, a plan moving forward, and we will put something together for their, uh, probably their first meeting in December. Well, or, yeah, I mean, it’d be prior to get to them. The agenda is set, but, um.

01:40:52,230	So, do you need a motion on this contract or not, or just. No, I think that if we are OK don’t send the one that you that you have a draft, so do not send that one is my direction, because what I would do is bring it to you. It’s been on the consent agenda and then it goes over to them.

01:41:05,500	So at this point we’re not sending them the draft, correct? OK. Until we get a response from them, yeah. Thank you. OK, thank you. All right. I I consider request to receive an update on South Bismarck flood control project. Gabe’ impatiently waiting.

01:41:53,800	All right, Mayor and Comm, I’m here to talk to you, give you an update on our South Bismarck flood control project. I haven’t had an update here in the last, uh, probably since session was completed uh this last year. Um, so with that we’ll get right into it.

01:42:09,100	A little bit of a, of rehash of some of the, of where we’ve been so that we can talk about where we’re going. Uh, this is our 2024 FEMA adopted or City of Bismarck adopted FEMA floodplain mapping that we added some properties, uh, in South Bismarck to the flood plain uh, approximately 1000 structures in South Bismarck, according to the FEMA’s mapping product includes schools, uh, the other things listed here on

01:42:28,470	our map, so we’ve been diligently working on trying to fix this and try to find ways for us to remove those properties from the flood plain. Uh, the first option that we had was a improvement that would put uh some infrastructure in the south of Bismarck drainage ditch, uh, including primarily improving the get this highlighter going.

01:42:48,530	laser pointer Uh, there we go. South Washington Street gate structure and a pump station here as well as that improvements along the ditch and then improvements on South 12th Street and a pond on what is airport property that would then allow us to have a smaller uh South Washington Street Pump Station.

01:43:07,870	As we further developed that concept. Uh, we were able to look at that and and remove many of the properties from the flood plain if this was constructed. We have received a $50 million grant from FEMA through its flood mitigation assistance program, uh, that would be put towards the construction and design of set improvements.

01:43:24,270	but as we continued working with the airport and FAA in particular, uh, we, we’ve uncovered additional risks associated with that option, including uh bird strikes, uh, for having that property or the, the pond on airport property.

01:43:42,630	So there’s risk associated with continuing with that alternative because in the end, FAA could say that that’s not consistent with what that property was purchased for and therefore they would not approve the land use change. we’d be kind of stuck with, with the design that we can’t implement.

01:43:54,800	So at that point in time we moved to the the graphic on the right with a similar con cept of moving um water uh from the South Bismarck drainage ditch. And this example, it would, it would have created a new, uh, Bismarck Expressway conduit for that water to to be routed, eventually making its way to I’ll turn this next slide here, uh, making its way to, uh, Clem Kelly Ballfield and then a new

01:44:13,500	outfall into the Missouri River. This concept still would have had a pump station and a gate closure structure on South Washington Street, but you can see many of the other improvements that were planned along the ditch, uh, would not have been needed because we were intercepting the water and uh discharging that to the

01:44:29,630	river through a different conduit. As we further identified this option we had conversations with Bismarck Parks and Recreation department or? district, uh, and obviously they were, uh, not surprised less than enthusiastic about us taking uh some of their parkland and turning it into or turning ball ball fields into a

01:44:48,730	stormwater pond, so we came back with options that would, uh, reduce the or eliminate the size of the, the ponds, but in doing so, we have to increase the size of the pump and increase the size of the infrastructure in order to do so.

01:45:03,530	So we’re seeing a net increase in costs associated with that change, but it is in an effort to minimize the cost to the adjacent landowners. As we then worked into other coordination. DOT is a stakeholder.

01:45:18,900	If we build an improvement on Bismarck Expressways, that’s their highway through our community as we worked with them on what this flood, uh, you know, conduit would look like, a large series of, of reimbursed concrete box culverts. Uh, they had requirements that we would have to follow, uh, that would meet state cro uh stream crossing standards as part of the North Dakota Administrative Code.

01:45:33,630	So what we would have liked to be a conduit to take floodwater. They also needed that conduit to appropriately address stormwater events up to the 10-year event in this particular instance, uh, for us to do that once again we, we can, it just increased the costs associated with that improvement, increase the box culvert size, put additional inlets, etc.

01:45:50,370	that increase the overall cost of what this project would, would look like, uh, to construct. uh, the last item I’ll have is some of the stakeholder engagement we had with some landowners, um, in addition to trying to minimize, uh, I guess the the cost increases on the DOT rights of way.

01:46:07,370	We also looked at just disturbance to traffic in general. And so can we put some of this infrastructure on private property, uh, so we have very good conversations with Kirkwood Mall representatives as well as Iy Ford on the next slide, uh, but obviously if there’s, uh, improvements on someone else’s property that might come with a likely comes with the expectation for

01:46:24,230	compensation and and mitigation for whatever those impacts are. So, um, if you’re seeing a common thread, it’s that I’m telling you bad news over and over again in terms of things that cost more money and things that were, were still evaluating and trying to find ourselves a solution that will still work to address the flood plain mapping.

01:46:40,230	uh, as we work our way into then kind of this whole concept, uh, to construct this entire package of the improvements on South Washington Street, uh, some improvements on the South Bismarck, uh, Channel, uh, to improve conveyance, and then the South, uh, the Bismarck Expressway, uh, interceptor line, uh, we got to a tune of

01:47:04,800	$172 million too, it was all in price to do that. And that was before we added the additional mitigation components on, uh, Parks Re property and before we accommodated the DOT’s request for additional, um, uh, storm sewer sizing, uh, for their infrastructure.

01:47:22,970	So this project, well, we might say 172 million is definitely trending further north than that, um, into the upwards of $180 to $190 million is what our most recent estimates were. What we have then is our project funding, uh, on this graph, it shows our FEMA partners showing the 1st $50 million in blue there.

01:47:42,230	We were successful in this last legislative session to secure some dollars through a House bill appropriation, a Senate bill or House bill, uh, could be 1020. Uh, you’ll see that $17 million for, for that.

01:48:01,900	What we ran into during legislative session was, uh, I guess, concerns with the amount of pipes and conduits and storm sewer related infrastructure while technically required for FEMA’s addressing the residual flood plain that’s going to be behind this wall or behind this *** or behind this levee, so it’s not uncommon to every other flood protection project.

01:48:17,170	In our situation, we have a very small line of defense of just a gate structure and the rest of it’s the residual floodplain that we have to address. You’ll go to other communities that are addressing flood control, and they might see a whole series of levees that are constructed with a very minor component that is the storm sewer infrastructure that might be behind there in a pump station.

01:48:30,800	So from staff’s perspective at the Department of Water Resources, it, it looks a lot like a storm sewer project and that gave them reservations so that, uh, influenced, uh, the, the dollar amount that was then recommended through, uh, their appropriations bill through, and so we ended up with $17 million of construction, and if nothing changed, we would go back to them and ask for another

01:48:49,430	allotment in the 2027, uh, session and something to the tune of $50 million. There’s also the $49 million that would be our local cost once again, still working out this $172 million estimate, which we know is, is going further north than than what we would like.

01:49:05,430	Uh, we’ll note that the FEMA dollar is capped, that is $50 million. That is the maximum amount that that program can award. So even if the project increases costs, that FEMA dollar does not increase, um, at all.

01:49:22,100	So this leads us to what else could we do? So, so we really kind of took a step back uh come this summer just to reanalyze some of the options that we may might have discarded, some of the options that we’ve thought were, were not as effective as, as others and really kind of dusted off everything again and re-looked at everything that we possibly could with a fine tooth comb.

01:49:36,000	And where, where we landed is that we, we believe we can still do an option here that would limit the uh improvement area to the South Washington Street, um, closure structure as before, but uh as well as originally intended when the South Bismarck drainage ditch was constructed. It’s a right of way that’s wider than the ditch itself.

01:49:53,000	So there’s areas, uh, if you’re, if you’re down there, there’s the trail, there’s a kind of a lot of flat space, open space before you get down into the ditch, uh, itself.

01:50:05,230	So this concept here would be looking at the available real estate that the city already owns and then maximize what we can for storage within that conveyance area, this option would also remove the box culvert, the triple box culverts that we have on 3rd Street and at Wachter Avenue and replaced them with bridges and when we replaced those box culverts with bridges, this entire ditch section really becomes a large storage pond.

01:50:22,900	And so that storage pond would act similarly to what we’re trying to see from the conduit, uh, that would have been on Bismarck Expressway or that we were proposing on the airport property of just storing the water in a manner that we can minimize the the size of the pump station.

01:50:36,230	Now granted it’s still a larger pump station here than what would have been previously programmed or thought through, but uh the concept here is going through and removing as much of that, uh, material as we can to increase the storage capacity of the South Bismarck drainage ditch.

01:50:54,630	Our goal is to still get to something like this where we’re, we have our flood plain existing on, on the left side, and we’re trying to get to something on the right, um, just notice or just, just to note this shows up in our Pul product project floodplain because this was the graphic that we submitted to FEMA for our grant application that had

01:51:09,370	that airport alm. So under this new situation, we would not have obviously a uh a hole dug on that area, so it’ll be more similar to something like this. So as we work through our elevations, uh our goal is to get that, uh, uh, somewhere between 33.

01:51:26,900	5 and 34, uh, is kind of what we’re shooting for if we can get to that, we’ll find our map and our inundation would be somewhere around here. Try to remove as many structures as we can, uh, but as you can see there will still be, uh, rain events still be, I should say, flood risk associated with the

01:51:39,470	river event um, according to FEMA’s methodology that would still be in this, this area, but as we work our way up into elevations, this is just a half foot increment as we get to 34.5 on the left and then eventually 35 on the right.

01:51:56,900	Uh, we’ll see that just increases that the bathtub just fills up with water. The current flood plain elevation is 36, so that would get you to, if we did nothing, that’s what the 36 map looks like.

01:52:10,370	So to reduce it, but only reduce it a foot, um, doesn’t really meet the project goals of trying to remove as much of this property as we can from the floodplains. We’re trying to find that right little Goldilocks location that is still engineeringly efficient but removes as many properties as we reasonably can, um, from that floodplain. So this slide is to address the FAA regulations because we will still have water in the, the drainage ditch.

01:52:33,170	We, our goal is to have a drawdown period within 48 hours from when the rain event is completed to have that area uh removed if I circle we’ll look in the next slide. What we propose is not really moving the bottom of the channel.

01:52:47,530	The bottom of the channel will stay where it is, so no really changes will happen there. What we’re trying to do is add more capacity to, uh, the rest of the channel. So we’ll still have a low flow sort of um elevation that’s represented by that 1627 line.

01:53:04,270	So you’ll see that within that drawdown period, the, the existing conditions and proposed conditions are pretty similar. So obviously if it rains, there’s, there’s that drip ditch will fill in, but then it will get below that, the tip, the current channel, uh, and so the, although we might be adding storage, that storage would only be utilized, uh, initially and then would not be utilized and would not

01:53:18,170	be in our opinion, an FAA wildlife attractant uh because it’s no worse than what it is up to today. Uh, we as, as I noted before, because this is the city’s property, uh, most of this, uh, we’d have limited adjacent property impacts.

01:53:40,430	We would still need to secure permission from Bismarck Public Schools, uh, for the construction of the pump station on their property in this vicinity we’ve had conversations with schools and schools is willing to continue to entertain that discussion.

01:53:57,500	We have an informalized anything with a purchase agreement or anything along those lines until we settle up on our, our concepts The last item that I wanna touch on is some of the downstream impacts. Uh, one of the requirements uh for abstaining, or obtaining our construction permit from the Department of Water Resources is looking at what the downstream impacts are for your project. We don’t want to take our flood problem and move it somewhere else.

01:54:15,100	Uh, if those during their, uh, reoccurrence intervals or or the frequencies, uh, if the impacts are less than 10 of a foot during that event, uh, there’s, there’s no notification that’s required and really no, no mit ig ation that’s required either. If there’s something between 10 of a foot and I believe I don’t know if it’s on that sheet or not. I think it’s.

01:54:31,600	uh half a foot, yeah, here we go man mandatory mitigation, um, up to 0.5 ft. So if we, as part of the project impacted and, and raised the water surface elevation downstream by 0.5 ft. We would have to do mitigation in that scenarios to to mitigate whatever that impact would be.

01:54:48,800	So the areas that we have listed in green on the right map here show the increase that is greater than 10 of a foot, uh, thankfully most of that property is ours. It’s a lot cheap excuse me, it’s the wastewater treatment plant.

01:55:02,330	It’s uh the open area that, that is the channel as it makes its way down to Tavis Road and and out to the river eventually. I do want to highlight a couple and just kind of give some perspective. Anything in blue is our existing 100 year inundation and anything in red is that proposed 100-year inundation.

01:55:20,970	So while we may be raising it 10 of a foot in most of that area, it is just the bank or the, the in slope of the ditch currently and so yes, this property is flagged or would be flagged if this moved forward, but it’s really hard to even find where that red line is, but we

01:55:35,800	recognize that there is an impact, so we’d have to provide notification to to those landowners, uh, might want a little bit more than notification potentially for any landowners where you can actually see some of that impact, um, but those are still things that we’re still working

01:55:47,600	through and we, we’ll try to get that to be underneath a 10 of a foot so that really that impact is is marginal and really below even the notification thresholds.

01:56:03,100	So with all said and done we think that this revised project, uh, would cost something around $100 million instead of the $172 plus so that’s kind of that’s the good news.

01:56:13,100	So it said gave you a lot of bad news, then I said, hey, we had a different project and now the good news is we can still address the floodplain issues, uh, that we have in our map, we can do it at a more reasonable cost, uh, we would still use the same $50 million that FEMA authorized the the the state authorization for, uh, through House Bill 1020, we would go back to the states still in the 27 legislative session to ask for an additional uh request.

01:56:29,630	but both that request as well as our local cost share, as you can see, is drastically reduced with this option. Now granted, that means that it probably doesn’t do a lot outside of that system.

01:56:45,730	So we have looked at some of the benefits outside of um the flood protection and while the, the drainage ditch might still, uh, get to the same peak elevation in that drainage ditch elevation then propagates throughout the system. We will definitely find under if this was constructed, the duration of that peak to be less.

01:57:00,270	So instead of flooding that intersection for 2 hours during that rain event, maybe it’s only flooded for an hour, but it’s still to the same elevation, so a lot of our floodplain maps won’t show, uh, a change in, in elevations, but it will be flooding for less time, which is also a benefit that’s harder to to quantify, uh, but it’s not, uh, as if we’re putting this

01:57:15,370	infrastructure and it’s not doing anything. It’s just maybe not showing itself in the same way that an improvement on expressway or South 12th Street would have otherwise. So my last slide here is kind of our next steps. My ask for you today is to approve this concept.

01:57:29,700	Really we’re to the point that we got to start designing something our grant with FEMA is to con to finish the design phase of a project. They didn’t have interest to say they didn’t care. They were OK with whatever project we wanted to do as long as we followed their steps.

01:57:43,370	And so they’re more than willing to work with us on which options and alternatives we want to evaluate, but we do have a, a time stamp of by February of excuse me, July of 2027 is when our grant expires, and we want to make sure that we have fulfilled that grant with performing uh enough design work and uh

01:57:58,900	modeling to get our uh Clomar our conditional letter of map provision so that we can finalize that piece with FEMA and that would put us in a good spot to then request our construction share from the state for to authorize the the dollars that were already authorized in the 25, 27

01:58:14,370	biennial as well as put us in a spot to ask for additional dollars in the upcoming legislative session. So with that looking for any questions you may have, looking for a confirmation that you’re OK with proceeding this direction.

01:58:31,370	I’d anticipate if so we’d have a scope, uh, modification with our consultant team to kind of put us to get to that Clomar level and potentially even a couple steps past there with with the design package pursuing that South Bismarck drainage ditch centric improvement. Comm Risch, Mr.

01:58:49,630	Mayor, um, Gabe, so the plan is to essentially expand, widen the drainage ditch and but not make it any deeper. Are you going to make the banks on the sides of the drainage ditch taller. And then I’ve got a question about that big purple spot up at the top there and next to University Drive.

01:59:03,000	So I zoomed in here, uh, obviously the text is a little wonky there, but that dashed line, Comm Risch, Mayor, uh, Comm, is the existing stormwater ditch that’s there, this existing stormwater channel. We would reshape the bottom, make sure that it’s, it’s flowing the way it should, but eventually we evidently would not change the elevations dramatically of of the bottom of it at all? No.

01:59:24,630	So, it’d just be cutting out the, the embankment material that’s there. So our proposed line, if I get this one here. You’ll make it a little wider. Correct.

01:59:41,800	That’s, that’s really the extent of what we’d be doing is making Well, I was down there last summer when we had a pretty significant rain event and right off University Avenue, the, the big culverts water was almost coming over the road when I went by. And I think one of the current issues is it’s silted in so bad and there’s cat tails and, you know, reduces the amount ability for the water to go through there.

01:59:59,070	So, mayor and Comm, Comm Risch, usually when, uh, and I can let Michael Mart speak to this, um, the maintenance schedule, but in our, in our history of, of that ditch, uh, really the amount of cat tails of the vegetation that’s there or silt when we get those big gushers, a lot of that evacuates out of the system, so

02:00:12,730	it’s not that there’s a growing material that’s, that’s somehow impeding the ability for the water to get out. A lot of those reeds, uh, just kind of flip over and, and the whole thing flows when it’s at full strength or at full flow, um, so it is a common I guess misconception

02:00:26,070	but really the, the, the growth that’s in there really isn’t impeding the ability for stormwater to go through because of the, the amount of volume of stormwater that’s trying to get through there, uh, a couple of cattails really isn’t gonna be able to slow that down. Zer That Mayor Comm just to expand on that a little bit.

02:00:43,270	The biggest problem is that it’s flat It’s only 2% grade from, from where it comes out of the drainage ditch at, at, uh, I walked her by there until it goes to Tavis Road. I mean, it’s just super flat, it doesn’t flow.

02:01:00,270	When you look at it, when it’s full, full, you can just see that water barely trickling across. It should be more of a. gusher, so to speak, when it’s full, but that’s the, that’s one of the major reasons it takes so long for that.

02:01:17,370	Is that OK? Yeah, and, and Coche and would note that to the, the Red River that goes through Fargo has more slope to it than this drainage ditch. So when you think of a slow moving, meandering channel, that’s what we have here. It just doesn’t meander a whole heck of a lot.

02:01:31,230	But then to further when we, when we do have the flood event from the river, that the gate structure, that’s also why the big pump sys system is in to help evacuate that water more quickly than just because you couldn’t move it through anyway and. Correct.

02:01:47,800	Yeah, that, that’s Mayor and Comm, that is the exact purpose of that South Washington gate structure is to when, when the gates are closed and the river is high, we still will get a a storm event in Bismarck, and we need a way to pump that water out from our system so we don’t flood ourselves because we’re trying to protect ourselves from the river and then we end up getting flooded by a storm event. So other questions Mr.

02:02:03,330	Mayor, where would the $20 million come from? Would that be special assessed or? Mayor Comm, Comm Risch, at this point in time we have not identified where the $20 million would come from.

02:02:22,230	We, we don’t anticipate a budget ask in 206 to really dip into that construction component that will be the the question that we’ll ask in our 27 budget because by that point in time we will have to identify what that source is, uh, at this point in time, it will be easier to decide what that number is once or where that number is funded from once we

02:02:32,900	know what that number is. So I think right now if it’s a $50 million ask, it might be a bunch of funding sources, sales tax could be property tax, could be, uh, utility, uh, stormwater revenue, uh, the lower that that number gets from terms of local match is concerned, the more likely

02:02:48,870	we could just utilize maybe one of those sources, so I’m not going to say it’s not going to be special assessments, but that definitely could be one of the sources, uh, that was how we funded other flood improvement projects, uh, when we did flood protection projects in about 20, after the

02:03:00,100	2011 flood was through a special assessment boundary for all the water that drained to the really the South Bismarck drainage ditch. So those would be decisions that don’t have to be made tonight and would likely be made during the 27 budget proceedings.

02:03:17,070	Comm Zaker Mayor Zaker Mayor Comm Mayor, uh, we can always ask the state to put in the 60% of the project since we already got 50 million from the from the feds. I mean, that’s, we will have a bigger, we’ll have a ask that’s probably more than what’s showing right now. For more things than just this, by the way. So.

02:03:32,970	I’ll make a motion to approve as presented. Thank you, Gabe. Second. Any further discussion You know, I also want to thank Gabe. I know Gabe was able to bring both commissioners, all Comm Zinker, even more so, but shared with me, so I knew where this was headed, but uh thanks for the work on this, um, I’ll

02:03:50,630	call roll Comm Risch? Yes. Comm Zenker. Yes, Comm Cleary, Yes, Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Item J. Consider a request to pursue North Dakota Department of Transportation Urban Road, and Urban Regional Road programs, projects. K man Commissioners, uh, I’ll have an item here that is the DOT solicitation for their urban program.

02:04:20,330	So we have the urban road program and the Urban Regional, Urban roads is for our functionally classified roles that I would consider as ours. So those will be, uh, corridors like South Washington Street corridors like, uh, anything really in our downtown area, 43rd Avenue, uh, anything that’s, uh, an arterial road or collector road that’s on the functional classification

02:04:39,730	system is eligible for funding. Uh, the project that I have, I, I should back up to and say for 2030 solicitation is what we’re talking about. So it is a kind of a long ways out.

02:04:53,730	Um, this is also pending a passage of a new highway bill that would fund some of these programs, so DOT is requested that we still program projects, uh, with the expectation that there will be a funding bill that would, uh, fund these sorts of improvements. Uh, DOT is anticipated that there’ll be about $5.2 million available for fiscal year, 30 funding.

02:05:12,800	What I would like to do is propose a project on Main Avenue, which would uh, do a concrete pavement repair project primarily between uh Memorial Highway and Washington Street. Uh, it’s a corridor that was originally constructed in the 50s. Uh, our most recent work there was in 2008 with some stimulus dollars.

02:05:29,500	What I like about this project is that it doesn’t fit well into our special assessment policies really at all, because on one side of the road is the railroad tracks and the other side of the road’s a park and there’s just a lot of road out there and not a lot of adjacent properties that fit well into our assessment policies.

02:05:43,800	Uh, we typically don’t allocate our federal dollars that we might receive in our MPO area to maintenance projects for, for fear that we’re given uh one property owner a heck of a deal by subsidizing their project at 80%, but then the next person that happens to live on a similar concrete road, uh,

02:05:57,730	really no federal dollars invested in there, so I, I try to be strategic about where we would recommend using those dollars, and I think this is a really good candidate that, uh, would create some really high special assessments for those adjacent properties because we really wouldn’t be able to

02:06:09,270	bring the railroad in as a benefiting property for many of these, these improvements. So uh, scope would be put back what’s there, generally speaking, but also we’ll open ourselves up to other opportunities.

02:06:24,600	There’s some asphalt shoulders throughout this corridor, we might ask if that’s necessary or is this maybe a spot that we would want to put curb and gutter. Uh, the intersection of Bell Street, Rosser and Main Avenue is kind of a wonky type thing.

02:06:40,530	I might look at either Lane configurations or or intersection improvements, including but not limited to a roundabout potentially at that location would be things that we’d want to explore as we do our project development, uh, what really starts here with just asking permission if this is something we can start expl or ing and advocate to the MPO that we should use, uh, what I would anticipate would be all of that balance of the $5.

02:06:54,270	2 million could be put towards this project for either a really robust, uh, put back what’s there, um, and tweak what we need to or uh a more modest improvement, uh, that includes some more strategic investments in some intersection traffic control. to take any questions you may have on this project or the direction we’d be going.

02:07:12,430	Any questions Move to, you just want it, you wanna wait for the whole thing, Gabe or E’s, either’s fine. I’ll make a motion to approve this as presented. Second. Any further discussion Our role Comm Zenker? Yes, Comm Cleary, yes, Comm Risch, Mayor Schmidtz, yes. The other part of this program is the urban regional program, uh, which is the DOT’s regional system within our community.

02:07:38,170	Uh, you’ll find that these are the roadways like expressways, State Street, 7th Street, 9th Street, and University Drive that are DOT facilities, arterial roadways, but they happen to reside within the community of Bismarck. Uh, these are projects that, uh, we would need concurrence from the DOT to program.

02:07:54,870	These aren’t really our dollars to, to advocate for, even if the MPO says this is the greatest project ever. Um, it’s not our choice. It’s goes into the DOT’s hopper of projects and they get to decide what this priority is relative to the other priorities that might be throughout the state that would use those same funds,

02:08:07,900	um, and as you can about imagine the improvements that are happening right now in Mandan Memorial Highway have used up a lot of the statewide resources, and it might not be our region’s turn for a while until we probably have some projects in Grand Forks and Fargo and my aunt and

02:08:21,270	everywhere else get caught up because of the, the influx of dollars that was required to construct, uh, the strip project over in Memorial Highway. So we have a couple of modest projects here that uh we’ve had before. I just want to refresh our, our applications.

02:08:35,870	One would be a regional roadway sign replacement project, uh, that looks at kind of the regional highway system and replacing uh the signs that they’re typical mill and overlay projects or concrete pavement repair don’t address signage, uh, so it’d be like something nice for us to just ask, are these signs needed? Are they the right size?

02:08:48,500	Are they the right thing? Uh, and, uh, work with the DOT on that sort of project. The next one I have is an evaluation of storm sewer, uh, at 7th Street and 9th Street.

02:09:06,630	Uh, this is the intersection of Ninth Street, 7th Street here, uh this is a project where I don’t know what we want, but it’s something that we know that there’s, uh, something less than desirable happening and, and, and more frequently than we’d like it to be occurring as well.

02:09:20,500	I know when, when we do have a rain event that occurs, even a, a pretty marginal rain event, uh, the system at 7th Street and the pumps that are there is unable to keep up with the amount of rain that makes its way there. Uh, so we’ll have initially police cruisers out there to stop traffic and hopefully we don’t have a car inside the, the belly of the, the underpass, but sometimes that’s what happens.

02:09:35,970	And then until public work s c re w s can get out with more, uh, road closed barricades and, and the like until the the waters recede. So I don’t have a necessarily a pro or a solution just yet, but we’re definitely know that there’s a problem.

02:09:47,270	That’s what we wanted to have the DOT help us evaluate, um, to look at what sort of solutions might be out there. And the second to last project is a intersection signal replacements for some of the ramp traffic signals at Tyler Parkway and I-94, uh, showing their age.

02:10:07,600	We’ve actually had to do a um certified some welds on some of this infrastructure that’s out there, um, so we know that it’s, uh, past its point of uh service life and we’d like the DOT to help explore funding, the replacement of that infrastructure once it gets to the end of its service life. the last project that I have is a State Street Trail rehab from the Capitol grounds.

02:10:24,000	uh, near the Capitol grounds up to Calgary Avenue. This is the existing trail that was constructed in 2003, uh, that, I guess really hasn’t been touched too much. We’ve done some Parks and Rec has done some crack ceiling on it.

02:10:37,430	More recently, we’ve done crack ceiling, but doing a more robust mill and overlay of that asphalt section that’s there for the trail and replacing that. Many of the ramps were replaced from the DOT did their safety improvement in 2023, but didn’t touch the areas in between the ramps.

02:10:50,900	So we just wanna make sure that we have a safe roadway for our, uh, bicycle and pedestrian users to use. This application was also sent through our transportation alternatives program that the DOT solicited for previously. We’re trying to give the DOT the same project but in multiple uh funding potential so they can fund that in whatever way they think is most appropriate.

02:11:05,700	And I guess with that we take any questions on those projects, but look for uh a motion to approve those 4 questions. that Second Any discussion He none will call roll Comm Cleary? Yes, Comm Risch. Yes. Comm Zenker. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Next item K. Consider request from administration department to provide final draft of 2025 strategic plan.

02:11:35,070	Doug. Good evening, Mary and Commissioners, Gabe said roundabout and it perked me up a little bit I’m not from here and not used to so many straight streets. So I like roundabouts. Um if you recall, uh, last month, I presented the rough draft. And, uh, had a couple of requests of the commission.

02:12:01,230	So tonight, um, I’m asking you to consider what you received as the final draft for the strategic plan. Um, this does not mean that we are done with the work to implement this plan. This is just you all accepting what is currently presented to you.

02:12:18,900	Um I’m gonna review for those listening and for those in the crowd, uh, some of the high points, um, of what, what occurred during this process, but before I get to that, I would certainly want to thank a few people. First, I want to thank the Commission for, uh, giving this direction for us to move forward.

02:12:35,430	This is a very important project. It provides direction and accountability for our organization. So it’s a very um thoughtful for you guys to, to make this important and for allowing me to lead this project. Uh, second, I want to thank our consultant Patrick Ibarra from the Majaanda group.

02:12:54,270	I know he’s watching or will be watching the recording of this. Um, he is the king of one-liners. Um, I didn’t, it was really fun listening to him. He felt like he did a really great job managing. the meetings on the, the 3 or 4 times he was in town.

02:13:13,730	He was able to pull over 150 staff together to get input on the good, the bad, um, from, from the perspective perspective of our frontline employees from across the organization, which helped us to develop our strategic plan. And most of all, I want to thank the strategic Planning Committee, um, that would, you know I’m gonna list who served on that as Renee Mack. Lukeeegle, Jason Stugelmeyer.

02:13:33,100	Sandra Kraft, Gabe Schell, K K Klinn Os, Sarah Berner, Steve Solway, Katie Jake and Leeann Schmidt. And then our former finance director, Demitri Chernyak, and former community development director Ben Ehreth.

02:13:53,600	Um it’s a very smart group of folks in that room, and I learned a ton, and we got to where we are today because of the work that they did. I just kind of helped put everybody in the room. So they’re, they’re a great group of directors and a great group of staff, and we should be very appreciative and thankful that we have them leading our community. Um get back to kind of the process.

02:14:08,330	Patrick was here 3 or 4 times, 4 times in person. And, uh, the first time he came, he met with you commissioners. He had conversations with you and then you met with staff, got some input about, like I said, where we are as an organization.

02:14:26,530	Uh, some of it was um, refreshing and some of it led us to where we are with some of our recommendations with what we want to do moving forward. Um the vision, Miss, and values. I’ve mentioned this to you in previous meetings, but I will just go over it quick.

02:14:47,500	Uh, our new vision for the City of Bismarck is that Bismarck is a dynamic dynamic community committed to an extraordinary quality of life. Quality of life came up, you know, kind of to the surface over and over as we try to figure out what it is in Bismarck that keeps people here and draws people here. Our mission is together, we will deliver exceptional public service.

02:15:03,270	That’s what our organization does. We work with people, we work with each other, and, and we provide that service that makes our community a worthwhile place to live for our citizens.

02:15:20,370	Values, uh, there’s a little preamble to what our values are, but we have 5 values and, um, our values will reflect who we are and guide how we serve, rooted in our commitment to Bismarck’s vision of an extraordinary quality of life for, uh, city administrator. And our mission to deliver exceptional public service together. These values define the way we work, lead, and connect with our community. So those values are service, stewardship, respect, care, and innovation.

02:15:45,430	And then, you know, we kind of go in tears. First, you have Vi, Miss, values, and we have our, uh, strategic focus areas, uh, for this strategic plan, this iteration, our strategic focus areas, our infrastructure and development, economic vitality, safe and healthy community emerging issues engaged in informed community, desirable lifestyle and organizational excellence.

02:16:13,730	Um, a little bit of history This is our 3rd strategic plan The first one was in 2012, and I’m just gonna kind of lay out the track record and hopefully this will lead to some discussion about our implementation. In 2012, um, we had our first strategic plan.

02:16:31,900	It was actually with Patrick Ibarra. He led that effort. Uh, it was kind of disrupted. We had a big natural event in 2011 that kind of put a halt in the process and kind of put a hiccup in our step of carrying that forward or implementing it.

02:16:50,230	And then in 2019, we had a really big project for the, um, the next strategic plan and, uh, I got to be a part of that group and it was led by our city administrator at that time, our current city administrator, and then we had a, uh, COVID event, which kind of altered how we implemented that as well. So you.

02:17:08,170	we’re not going to alter the strategic plans where I’m going that we’re, we need to change, um, not necessarily change, but we need to be very diligent in how we’re implementing this.

02:17:24,230	And I would love for Comm Zenker to talk a little bit about that and what his feelings are because this is something he is mentioned over and over and over to me and then I will elaborate. Thanks for not stealing my thunder, Doug. It’s always appreciated.

02:17:42,530	So I think this is critically important, right? What our strategic plan to that, the, the previous one was about us reaching out to the community and those and getting that feedback. This is more us um, and our employees working on our business, right? Not in the business working on it.

02:18:01,100	And one of the big things that came back from when Patrick talked to the 150 employees as some knew that we had a strategic plan, but a lot didn’t know that we, that we had one and, and the good thing is, is that they were just doing their job, providing the services that they do as they expect to every day, which, which is fantastic.

02:18:17,170	But I, I think that we need to make sure that our department heads, um, and I’ll put the, the the burden on, on Doug since it’s, it’s his, is to make sure he’s communicating with the department heads, that it goes down to our team that’s, you know, boots on the ground, so to speak, right? They live it, they do it, um, there, they’re our number one salesman if we, if we’re in sales, because

02:18:34,700	they’re providing the services, they, they know what needs to happen on a daily basis when, when, uh, Gabe brings up his pictures of 7th and 9th flooded, right? It’s not us that take care of it. It’s, it’s our team that’s got the boots on the ground.

02:18:52,870	So I think it’s, it will be critically important, um, the other thing I think we’ve talked about it before, is that Doug brings us back every quarter and gives us an update of, of what’s happening, right? Sometimes we lose focus as to as to what our strategic plan is, and I can, I can probably say that, um, I still have the

02:19:10,000	one that we did the, the last time I was on it, and I’ll replace it Um, but it’s right here, because if we follow our strategic plan, our city is going to be vibrant for years to come. And thank goodness for our employees that we have because they’re the ones who get it done.

02:19:25,870	So, um I, I just think these are, these are critically important. for us, for our own businesses, um, because, as Mr. um, uh, Martin from the War development said they like, they like our city and they want it to be, you know, they’re hiding an architect for landscaping for

02:19:45,700	crying out loud. So we need to make sure that we’re doing the right thing for the future, uh, because this is, this is gonna move, it’s a moving document, as you can see, that someone’s gonna have to upkeep, Doug, and then make sure we’re getting communications back from our, the rest of our department heads.

02:20:00,100	and it’s us as commissionerers to make sure that we, we hold our department heads in our portfolios responsible for it. We don’t without a strategic plan, we don’t have a triage center. Come on, we don’t have a new police station.

02:20:18,530	um we don’t buy back 100-year fire trucks right? So I think that right, then that’s what, that’s what we need, that’s what we need to do. So is that good? Do you want me to elaborate more? I just keep rambling? What do you, you can keep going. I can take it. And I’ll take any questions you got too, so. I’ll answer your questions and then continue if you don’t.

02:20:35,330	No, I mean, uh. Go ahead and then I think then we should have, hopefully there’s a little bit of discussion at the end because I know one of the things that Comm has referred to already as kind of that report back and. Yeah.

02:20:47,800	And I know I’ve shared some of my thoughts on how we do some of that too. So just to kind of get into the implementation and what we’ve done so far with that is Comm Zenkerer and Kayenn and I have sat in on meetings with a, a contractor that is going to work on developing a management solution for us which will provide some accountability across the organization.

02:21:05,370	Um, it will allow for directors and supervisors to provide, um, inputs into a dashboard or an update into the strategic plan, which will be online and they’ll allow me to schedule those inputs and make request an automated request to directors to give us an update. Um, we’re not always going to get updates.

02:21:27,170	Obviously, some things are scheduled out in 2027, but we should see progress on some items very quickly. So that’s something that we weren’t able to fully implement the last time we had a strategic plan. We, we got almost there and then we got disrupted.

02:21:43,270	But so that contract has been signed and we have a meeting next week, uh, with that contractor to, um, just kind of a welcome meeting and then kind of get the ball rolling there.

02:21:58,630	So we have that in place that will allow for uh reporting that will allow for a public facing dashboard that’ll allow for an internal facing dashboard so you or anyone in the city can see the work that we’re doing. Um, and then one of the questions I had for you was not only to meet with your departments, which you did, and I received some feedback on that, and that’s all been put into this final draft.

02:22:12,500	But then as the mayor alluded to, you know, what exactly do you want for me to do to report back to you. And if you have ideas for what you’d see on like to see on other aspects of implementation, I’m welcome, we would welcome those comments also. Go ahead, Comm.

02:22:30,630	I guess maybe, um, keep the plan updated on what progress is being made, what, what, what’s been started, the stages of them, and then, you know, somebody’s got to keep that up. Yep. Yeah. Comm Cleary. Yeah, I was just going to say I think that we’ve set ourselves up really well to actually be able to implement.

02:22:47,270	I like even like looking at this and how every like departments are assigned so we know who’s like the lead on an objective. We know when we want it to happen.

02:23:04,270	We know we can see its status, so I think just like keeping those things updated like and having it be a true like living document, I think is is so valuable because you can really like track the progress and maybe see as we move through it like what what’s not getting done, what needs to be worked on more, um, if like focus needs to shift, so I think that that like the way that it’s set up, I think makes a ton of sense,

02:23:20,330	so I think just continuing to update it and keeping it a living document is, is super valuable. So Commissioneriner’s already recommended or made the comment like quarterly a report that, you know, encapsulates a summary. Yes.

02:23:40,330	And into this particular projects if there’s something specific that come out, but I would also like to see, like in our memos when we have things on the agenda and there’s a particular action item in that memo that has been that is addressing one of our strategic initiatives that we call that out as a separate etor or we can get a new capsule or title for that, but I think that also helps show

02:24:01,370	not only to us as commissioners, it reminds us that we’re we’re addressing our staff is addressing that particular initiative, but it also shows it for the public more clearly because we get to have that in the public view, uh, a lot, a lot more frequently than so I mean, I think that’s from my

02:24:17,430	perspective, uh, what I would like to see from a report back as well as, as well as just the quarterly update and then we can do that for sure. And then hopefully our departments that we have in our portfolio are talking to us to let us know how they’re doing independently too.

02:24:32,430	And, and you probably need to ask them if they’re doing that or Jason has to ask his, who are his directors as well, you know, make sure you guys are being updated too. Yeah. OK. Any other feedback for Doug? I, I’m, I’m thrilled that we have this.

02:24:48,900	I think it’s really going to set us up for the future. I just, and Mayor, if I could just, um, I, I just want to say too that it was a great group of people. We have, we have such a talented group.

02:25:04,970	Um, it was a lot of fun, sometimes Patrick had to reel me in to keep me focused too, but I mean, it’s just, when you, from a leadership perspective, when you get into those meetings, and I got, I was very, very fortunate to be able to do this twice.

02:25:21,630	The dynamic people that we have that work for the City of Bismarck is, um, first class, and we should be very proud of who we have um, that those boots on the ground getting that done. So I just wanna say that. Anything else Doug, you’ve got, do you have what you need? Uh, yes, motions are approve last thing. OK. Well, I’m making, I’m adoptive strategic plan. OK. So, any further discussion Harryn we’ll call roll Comm Cleary? Yes, Comm Risch. Yes. Comm Zenker. Yes, Mayor Schmitz, yes.

02:25:47,630	Thank you for the efforts. Um, do we have any other business for the city commission at this point before we go into executive session. hearing none, uh, I would ask if there’s a motion, if someone would make the motion to enter into executive session.

02:26:11,700	I would move that we enter executive session under North Dakota Century Code Section 44-04-19.2 regarding contract negotiations, negotiations strategy under NDCC section 440419.1. Se. Any discussion hearing on no call roll Comm Rischch Call. He’s, she’s calling roll. Will she call me? Yeah. Oh, that’d be yes. Comm Zenker. Yes, Comm Cleary,