00:00:07,730	Chaplain, please. Thought I’d clear something up. I saw Greg Carr the other day, our lead chaplain, I am not him. Just thought I’d clear that up real quick. I know he comes at, at the end of the month, but, uh, don’t tell him I said that. Greg exactly.

00:00:30,900	Let’s stand and let’s pray and then we’ll, uh, say the pledge. Father God, we just uh come before you today. We just, uh, so grateful for, uh, um, the incredible rain that we had over the weekend and I, I pray God that you just, uh, uh, be with all those uh that are out there doing all this

00:00:46,970	construction work on our, on our roadways. We pray that uh they get it in before the winter hits, and I know there’s a lot to be done, so we just pray for protection. I pray for our first responders out there. We’re, we’re always grateful for, uh, them and what they do.

00:01:01,600	Uh, be with this, uh, meeting tonight, be with all these commissioners. Uh, I pray that they, they listen to what needs to be done for our, for our county and uh we do this all in your son’s name, Jesus. Amen.

00:01:21,970	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 appreciate it. We’ll call the October 6, 2025 meeting of the Burleigh County Park Board to order first item is roll call of members. Comm Hermann, Comm Woodcock. Here. Comm Munsen. Here. Comm Schwab. Here. Comm Bam, here. Chair Bitner, here. Bakken. Yeah, Bo’s here.

00:01:57,630	I was reading it. I just skipped it Uh. Approval of the agenda, Comm, moved to approve. Second, motion to 2nd to approve the agenda. Any further discussion? Call the rope. Comm Woodcock. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken? Yes. Comm Schwab? Yes. Comm Baim. Yes, Comm Hermann. Yes.

00:02:21,270	Chair Bitetner? Yes, motion carries consideration on September 15, 2025 meeting minutes. Commissioners, Mr. Chair, I’ve read them and moved to approve. Thank. Motion a second to approve the meeting minutes. Any further discussion? Call the rule Comm Munsen, Comm Bakken, Comm Schwab. Yes. Comm Bae. Yes. Comm Hermann, Comm Woodcox, Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Next item is public comment.

00:02:45,800	Um, this is restricted to Burleigh County residents and landowners. There will be a time limit. Um, we’d ask that you restrict the comments at this time to the county Park board.

00:03:06,370	Does anybody have any public comments to offer for the Park board? Does anybody have any public comments for the park board? 3rd and final call, does anybody have any public comments for the Park board? We’ll close the public comment section. Move on to Kimball Bottom’s feasibility study. Um, who wants to lead off with that. Mr. Chair, uh, we brought this back in front of the group, uh, during our budgeting conversations, uh. you had requested that this comes back.

00:03:28,000	You wanted to read the lease and and see what the options were that we had and so I asked for it to be brought back. OK, I did read the, read the lease, and I don’t see much by way of options. No. So the only option I found was, uh, giving it back and reclaiming it.

00:03:42,900	Right, which would lead us to the same conclusions cost us the same amount of money as. Yeah, so it’s not a vestimates. So, that’s pretty much true. Um, so the question I would have is, what does the Commission want us to move forward? with the permitting side. and getting hard numbers for budget for for cost.

00:04:05,270	And maybe I should just make that a motion. You almost should because I’m not seeing an option, right, right. So, you know, it’s, it’s our I think we’re on the hook.

00:04:24,170	Yeah, I would move, uh, that we ask our engineer to move forward with the permitting and the bidding of that project for Kimball Bottoms. The one question, let me I’ll make that as a motion and we’ll go for a conversation motion the 2nd, further conversation, Mr. Schwab has. Mr. Schwab. I’m looking at this picture here. see, reclamation uh, is that all asphalt laying on the bank? Correct. Looks like it, yes.

00:04:50,730	Well next spring, that bank, not, may not be there. Because I doubt if they’re going to be able to do anything this year anymore. Right. Uh, we’re, we’re at a two-year process just for getting permits. uh, for this process.

00:05:08,500	Um, the last couple years we’ve done the dredging down there, the excavator’s been kind enough for to help us out and get that asphalt out as much as he can get. um but that’s, uh, that’s been a concern of the, of the Core every year. Um, but we do keep removing it as much as we possibly can.

00:05:29,700	right In the study, there was 2 different or 3 different levels of how high to bring it up. We kind of had a low, medium and a high level cost obviously associated with that, that it’s so big it can’t be in this packet, um, the recommendation from the, the group that met prior was you know, not go to the high mark because that’s a

00:05:47,370	500 year mark 100 year mark, um, but we felt the, the next level down for that roughly $3 million was what was good for us and that you wanna just come back up and give us those summary. Different people viewing and what.

00:06:14,730	Good evening, Chair Comm Nick Cullen Houston Engineering, um, I was not prepared to speak this evening, so I apologize, Mr. Munsen, um, yeah, so you have two options. The first one is the 100 year elevation, which goes up to the top of bank. We had our 2011 flood that well exceeded that.

00:06:34,870	and then we have the core reference plane, which is approximately 36,000 CFS and that was $800,000 less than the top bank protection. Now you could choose anywhere in between, but our recommendation at Houston was to do the 100 year to the top of ink. However, that is above the minimum requirements that the core will establish, and it will save you $800,000 if you go less.

00:06:56,170	What, what impact would that? um, decision have on the permitting it? shouldn’t have any. It shouldn’t have an impact in terms of permitting. So we can make that decision later on, depending on, depending on the funding. So the question is just um get going on the Perate. Uh, absolutely.

00:07:18,100	And Permitting and fundraising or the, the grant applications to all the different agencies. Our goal is to get 50% of this paid by other agencies, not just all Burleigh County cash. um, but that’s a lot of work on Houston’s part to get all of those applications out, um, so I would amend my motion to include the grant applications, um, as well.

00:07:42,100	I amend my second uh accordingly. OK. OK. Question. Yes. Uh, what is the urgency that the Core has in all of this matter. The, the core has been sending us, um, requests to have this done for the last several years. strongly worded requests.

00:08:03,470	The last one got a little more strong, um, and so it’s time we need to get back to the core with our plan, um, ASAP. So. I think the Core has been and Dave will answer this question better than I, but uh we keep moving, removing as much asphalt as we can in the core.

00:08:25,800	uh, appreciates that. um, but we still need a long term solution. so I don’t, don’t I don’t think that’s an unreasonable, um request you You know, the I guess we don’t know if we’re doing dredging again in the spring, but obviously if we are, we’d be looking at removing some additional asphalt.

00:08:45,600	Comm Whitco, um, before we vote on this, uh, where did you get your shirt with that big Indy issue? We got a Guy over here that puts up his cup out here with the fighting, whatever they are, hawks are go I like your shirt. No, that’s not Thank you. All right, let’s, uh, let’s don’t bother answering.

00:09:04,270	Uh, we do have a motion to second any further discussion related to this. Karro. Comm Bakken. Yes, Comm Schwab. Yes. Comm Bam. Yes. Comm Hermann? Yes. Comm Woodcox. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Thank you.

00:09:29,900	Um, any other business for the Burleigh County Parkboard at this time? Seeing none I’ll Adjourned the Burley County port Thank you, gentlemen I, uh, Harrison diversion part of the, uh, spending? Yes, yes, they are. OK Do you want that? Yeah. Well, we, we ought to be in line for a chunk. Yeah, I would think. They were, they were on the report that that Nick sent out. They were one of the items. Huh? OK.

00:09:48,000	Thank you. I don’t want to hear this 2800 from them or something. OK. I have about 2 others. We give them 700 grand and we cap out at 50. I think that is that right? Yes, it is. It was. Ohh. Uh I didn’t.

00:10:19,070	What an astonishing return on investment there I um I just hope that that money that we contributed to garrison diversion not being diverted to the Fargo water project because uh if it is, that’s even more of a thorn on our side, I would think Well, we don’t know where it’s going.

00:10:35,530	But like I said, we give them $700,000 roughly a year, more than probably more than that now, and we’re capped out at 50 as far as a grant for a project in, in this county. Yeah. Yeah. Oh what a waste Um OK, no worry about that. um I don’t know. Yeah, I’m gonna call the October 6th, 2025 meeting of the Burleigh County Commission to Order. First item is roll call members.

00:10:54,800	Comm Woodcock, yes, Comm Munsen, Comm Bakken. Yes, Comm Schwab, Chair Bitner. Next approval of the agenda. Moved to approve. Second, Motion second to approvelegen. Any further discussion. See, noncultural. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab Yes. Comm Woodcock? Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, and carries Consideration of September 15, 2025 meeting minutes and bills.

00:11:24,230	Comm Schwab, I think you did the bills. I did the bills and I have one that I wanted to discuss, but we have to pay it, but in other business, we’ll do that. And I looked the minutes over. and they looked like we did our job last time, so.

00:11:53,500	I moved to approve That good To the second to approve the medicine the bills any further discussion? Call the. Comm Bakken, Comm Schwab, Yes, Comm Woodcock, Comm Munsen, Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Item number 5, Public comment. This is restricted to Burleigh County residents and landowners. There may be time limit applied.

00:12:16,070	Does anybody wish to speak during public comment section on items that are not on the agenda. Once again, does anybody want to speak public comment Freedom’s not on the agenda. 3rd incli call, any public comment? Thank you. I’ll close the public comment period and move on to the consent agenda, Comm, there’s abatements for your consideration.

00:12:42,100	Move to approve and a motion in a second to approve any further discussion, call the roll. Mr. Schwab. Yes. Comm Woodcoxox. Yes. Comm Munsen. Comm Bakken, Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Next is Sheriff Leeben. We got a couple of items, North Dakota DOT grant and a police youth Bureau agreement. Welcome to. Good evening, Mr. Chair. Commissioners, both items just basically housekeeping.

00:13:03,600	Uh, every year we sign a police youth bureau gra uh contract with Bismarck and Bismarck Police Department, um, auditor Sliskowski has that. Basically, we fund one salary of a police youth worker and for that we get the services of the police youth Bureau.

00:13:29,630	Very straightforward, Be going on forever and uh I believe Mark has that paperwork that’ll need to be signed by him and Chair Bitner. That’s the first item I have. Um, if you want to cover them both in one motion, I’m OK with that. I’m doing separate. OK. OK. I’ve moved torov. Second, OK, this is a motion in a second to approve the police youth Bureau agreement? Yes. OK.

00:13:48,800	Any further discussion? Caro. Comm Woodcock. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes, Comm Schwab. Yes. Chair Bittner. Yes, motion carries. Mr. Chair and Comm, the next item is the 2025, 2026 Department of Transportation traffic Safety Grant. Again, this is a yearly thing I come before you.

00:14:14,700	Uh, we budget for the overtime we receive from Department of Transportation in the areas of traffic safety, uh, speed, seat belt, distracted driving, and impaired driving. The total budget is 24,680. Uh, that one would be need, need to be signed electronically by Chair Bitner, Comm Bakke and Auditor Sliskowski. Moved to approve.

00:14:38,630	Second motion 2 to approve, and I just called that contract up on my screen. Uh, we did talk about this ahead of time. Any further discussion, called the room. Drescher Schwab. Yes. Uh, Comm, uh, Woodcox. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes, Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Thank go ahead and we’ll go ahead and get that signed.ach.

00:14:58,970	Uh, Kelly, I want to commend you and your staff. I know, uh, when, uh, we had the bridge shut down, uh, last week with that, uh, accident with the tractor that was on there. Um, I saw quite a few Burleigh County sheriffs, uh, deputies, uh, doing their job. So, uh, a lot of traffic rerouting.

00:15:18,800	I, I, I don’t think there was a part of town that was not impacted by that, so, uh, with that bridge closure, so I, I, I think that also underscores another point of contention is accessibility trying to transverse the river in Burleigh and, uh, uh, Morton Counties as well, but, uh, kudos to your staff and, and

00:15:37,270	your deputies for really weighing in on that and doing a good job. Much thanks, I’ll pass it on. Thank you. Did that contract is signed on my behalf, so whoever else needs to sign it. Perfect. I should go ahead and do so. Thank you. Thank you, Doc. OK, next item is county engineer Hall.

00:15:59,630	We got 4 items authorization to advertise for bids, developer waiver requests, annual fee schedule and township maintenance agreement. Welcome, Marcus. Good evening, Commissioners. The first item I have on the agenda as part of the approved 2026 county, uh, budget, uh, the highway department had requested the purchase of 3 new mortar graders.

00:16:17,900	Uh, these motorgras will be purchased under the five-year total cost bid with a guaranteed repurchase price at the end of the five-year period. In order for us to get ahead of the increases that always come at the end of the year and to start the process because it takes quite a while to get these motor graders into

00:16:34,370	our fleet. Um, we’d like to start the, the advertising process at this point. There is a proposed resolution in your packet. Uh, I would recommend approval and I’d be happy to answer any questions. Move. motion the 2nd to approve the authorization to advertise for bids any further discussion, call. Comm Munsen. Yes, Comm Bakken.

00:16:56,270	Yes, Comm Schwab. Yes, Comm Woodcock, Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Under the current, the next item, under the current pavement policy we required developers to pave adjacent section line roads and constructed and replace at least one roadway that connects to the existing paved road system.

00:17:23,530	Uh, we’ve gotten a request in Burt Creek Township from SPLJ LLP, um, there is a map, a couple of maps in your packet that’ll show you the location of that. Uh, this particular, uh group is proposing a 5 lot subdivision right on 26th Street just north of 123rd.

00:17:42,730	Uh, they, they have just started the process as far as the plating process goes, and generally speaking, they like to see if the waiver is going to pass before they continue on with the planning process. So, um, the one thought with this, just so you know, they are not proposing any internal roadways, so they will be required to do adjacent, uh, loss will have to have shared driveways.

00:18:01,900	We require that as part of the process to eliminate, to limit the number of access points onto our highway system. Uh, so as part of that, uh, there, as always, there are two resolutions, um, or one resolution in your pack, but basically two steps, basically the state, uh, we’d like to go

00:18:19,000	forward with this, allow them to do the planning process. Uh, however, this does not eliminate from at some point in the future, them being responsible for helping to pay for that pavement. So Marcus, uh, how many access points will there be for those shared lots? I believe at this point we were looking at 3 axis points.

00:18:36,070	So Thank you. Moved to proof Second, motion second. Is that approve both resolutions or just. Uh both? Both of them. Yeah. Amman to both, yep. OK. Motion a second to approve both. Any further discussion? saying unculural. Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab? Yes. Comm Woodcock? Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Chair Bitner? Yes, motion carries.

00:19:03,270	The next item on the agenda is the highway department is seeking approval of the 2026 Highway Department fees. Uh, this fee schedule we like to put together as quickly as we can in order to get that out to the township so they can start reviewing it and if they have any questions, uh, they can get back to us on this

00:19:18,900	particular, uh, um, fee schedule, there’s two really main points that always get changed every year or at least looked at. One is the, the maintenance fees with the townships. OK, so back in the 22, 23 winter. We had a lot of snow at that time.

00:19:35,500	We did get reimbursement from the state at that, uh, the townships in the county K of made agreement at that point that we would leave our fees with the township the same for 3 years. This will be the last of those 3 years. Um, in 2026.

00:19:53,000	Uh, so at this point we’re proposing no changes from the f ee schedule that they have currently. In addition to that, uh, as part of the state law, we’re required to readjust uh uh individual equipment rates. Uh, the state basically gives us those rates. That’s not something that we adjust.

00:20:10,100	We just tell them these are the pieces of equipment that we have, and they give us the rates. So, um, that is, uh, the resolution, the, the fees are included in your packet. There’s a proposed resolution. I’d recommend approval. Happy to answer any questions. Second, motion 2 to approve the annual fee schedule. Any further discussion? All the rule. Comm Woodcock, Comm Munsen? Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab, Yes, Sharon Bitner.

00:20:31,900	Yes, carries. The last item I have is every year the Burley County Highway Department enters into an agreement with the townships on road maintenance, um, and this basically clarifies the rules and responsibilities of each party.

00:20:51,730	This, this agreement has been used for about 10 years, 10 years plus, pretty much unchanged in those 10 years. Um, there are two resolutions that I’d like you to prove. Um, the first is, as the county board and approving entering into the agreement as the county board with each of the townships out there. And then the second one is as unorganized township supervisors, uh, agreeing to enter into an agreement with the county.

00:21:13,600	So there’s two resolutions, um, and that would require you uh journeying and then coming back in as the unorganized townships. Happy to answer any questions you have. Any questions, Commissioners Can we do all of the unorganized at one time or do we have to do it.

00:21:32,900	Yeah, we can do all the unorganized at one time. Um, just need two separate ones for the townships and then the unorganized townships. And will we approve the unorganized townships. Resolution. We have to. We have to open. We have to Adjourn. I’m sorry to have, so. Yeah. Moved to approve the, uh, the county side of your resolution.

00:21:55,730	Second, have a motion a second. Is anybody from any townships want to appear to have any, uh, input on the township road agreements. Anybody from the townships 3rd call, anybody from the townships? OK. Now motion a second to approve any further discussion, call the rule. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes, Comm Schwab.

00:22:14,430	Yes. Comm Woodcock. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes. Motion carriers, um, will temporarily Adjourn as the Burle County Comm will convene as the unorganized township of supervisors. Mr. Chair, Comm Woodco, so called. Oh. Comm Bakken? Yes. Comm Schwab. Yes. Uh, Comm Woodcoxck? Yes.

00:22:44,270	Comm Munsen, Chair Bittner, same here Now, I would like to approve the unorganized townships Road agreement. Second. Motion 2nd to approve the unorganized township agreement. Any further discussion? Caldwell. Comm Schwab. Yes. Ms. Woodcock. Yes. Comm Munsen? Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. We’ll Adjourn as the unorganized township supervisors and reconvenors of the Burleigh County Comm. Marcus, I have something for you.

00:23:09,470	This is a late breaking thing. Is Mitch in the room also. OK, would you and Mitch take a look at this? and, uh, get it back to me before, um, other business. It’s late breaking thing, but there’s a deadline of October 10th for responding. Thank you. We’ll deal with it during other, other business. Other business. OK.

00:23:30,170	OK Next item is number 9, auditor Sloskowski. Establishment of minimum sales price for property acquired by the county through tax deed proceedings, nonpayment of real estate taxes, approval of the 2026 meetings calendar in the North Dakota’s Secretary of State Memorandum of Understanding. Go ahead, Mark.

00:23:58,630	Yes, Chair and commissioners, uh, so I guess we can just take this one at a time. This, uh, at this time every year, we have uh the, all the different properties that are on a delinquent tax sale list is required by state law for the Commission to approve the minimum sales price that is allowed um to be, to be accepted for each, each

00:24:14,070	of those individual properties, so we, uh, communicate with the tax director and, uh, and be it on uh what also on what they owe in specials and in back taxes in order to establish a minimum amount that we’ll be willing to accept on these properties. Commissioners, um Mr. Chair, Comm Woodco.

00:24:35,900	Why does Burleigh County have a couple of them on there? What are those? So, those are properties that have, that, uh, went to tax sale and did not sell, and so they default to the county. Probably something like stormwater and stormwater ponds and different things that we got stuck with.i for $1? Yep.

00:24:54,700	Properties that, yeah, like uh Chair Bittner said, or they’re completely covered with easements or they have so much in specials that it’s not worth buying. In other words, dead weight And when we approve the list so. Motion second to approve the minimum sales list. Any further discussion? Call the rope.

00:25:15,970	Comm Wood Docks? Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken? Yes. Comm Schwab. Yes. Chair Bner. Yes, port and ferries. Second one is the approval of 2026 meetings calendar. Um, so we went ahead and, uh, spoke with the city to try uh lock these down prior to your approval just to make sure that they are indeed available.

00:25:38,430	You’ll notice that there is one date in there. Let me try to pull it up here. We had to push it all the way to a Thursday, September 10th.

00:25:54,070	because it conflicted on on Monday, there’s a a holiday and they have meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, but they’re lig guest on in on Thursday. So other than that it’s relatively typical. Now also, what you might notice is that the uh budget hearing on prior years, you would notice that that would be held at 8:00 a.m. That has been now changed to 5:00 p.m. as requested. Good.

00:26:20,530	So are we good on, uh, Thursday, September 10th or would we want to have an earlier in the week meeting and move the time up. Say 1 o’clock, 2 o’clock. 40, Thursdays. No, I, I’d be OK either way myself. Yeah, I don’t I I I don’t have any I’m just throwing it out there as an option that Doesn’t bother me.

00:26:41,430	If we want, if, if the calendar were looked like we needed to get something done a little bit earlier in the week. Um because Thursday kind of throws. Yeah. The regular pacing off a little bit, so that was just my only thought on it.

00:27:02,270	I’m good either way, but that was just, oh, this Tuesday? Cause Monday’s a holiday. Right, right. So, if we did, Tuesday at two or. As the Oder or something to see if we have that an option available? We can check to see what times are available, and if you want, you can approve this whole calendar except for that one, and then I

00:27:16,700	can come back and, and shoot you some times and dates that work. I would move to approve that with the September 10th date tentative. Second, in limbo OK, motion of the second and the auditor will get back to us on any further discussion, call the rule. Comm Comm Muns Munsen. Comm Bakken.

00:27:35,470	Yes, Comm Schwab. Yes. Comm Woodcox. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, Motioncurious. And then the, uh, final one is the, uh, North Dakota Secretary of State Memorandum of Understanding. So, uh, if you read that in your packet, it’s basically that essentially we agreed to run the election in coordinances with the Secretary of State’s office.

00:27:56,600	to approve. Second, most of the second to approve the memorandum of understanding. Any further discussion? called Ru. Comm Bakken. Comm Schwab. Yes. Comm Woodcock? Yes. Comm Munsen? Yes. Chair Binner? Yes, Motion carries.

00:28:18,530	Um, Mark, one of the question, um tentative election sites, uh, what are we looking at for a number of election sites. I believe we have 18 election sites. In fact, one of them, which I’m very excited about, we were able to switch on Hillside Aquatic Center, um, had many issues with accessibility issues and all that kind of stuff with that particular property.

00:28:35,000	So we were actually able to move that one and that’ll be before you guys for your approval here in December, we’re moving that over to Bismarck Baptist, which is only a few blocks away and it, it’s a very, very good, very accessible, very accessible. Thank you, yeah. OK I’m gone Finance director, interim treasurer Jacobs.

00:28:54,800	We’ve got Budgeman Amendment for Sheriff’s Department repairs and Maintenance and Burleigh County vendor Policy. Welcome, Lee. Good evening, Chair Bittner and Commissioners. Uh, the first item is a budget amendment for the sheriff’s repairs and maintenance, uh, line item.

00:29:18,270	Basically, the backstory there is that we received a grant for a generator, so the generator’s been installed and the grant money’s been received, um, in the past when we had these kinds of transactions where there was an expenditure that was fully covered by a grant. We sort of treated it as a non nonhappening, so we would book the expense. and then we would reverse it. and that’s fine for our bottom line.

00:29:38,100	That’s not gonna impact our bottom line to do that, um. but one of the things that we’re, we’re trying to do is improve our data environment and that includes getting an understanding of grant funded, uh, grant revenues, grant funded expenditures, and that type of thing, so, uh, with this particular transaction, we, we booked both sides of it, so

00:29:59,600	we booked the expenditure and the revenue so what that did is that pretty much blew the sheriff’s budget for that line item and again it’s it’s a tax neutral amendment because the expenditure is totally paid for by uh by a grant.

00:30:24,000	So what, what we’re asking with the proposed resolution is to amend the Sheriff’s repairs and maintenance budget by adding $47,550 E again that’s not gonna increase the tax levy, it’s just a mechanism to provide for better accounting data. Right, just to repeat this, 2025. Correct. Budgets, OK. I don’t see any problem with that, Comm. W, to prove. Second, motion to second. Jesus doesn’t want to get out of here.

00:30:45,430	The motion is second to approve any further discussion, called the rule Comm Schwab. Yes. Comm Woodcoxck. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Go ahead. The second item is relating to a, a vendor policy.

00:31:04,530	One of the other things we’re doing is we’re, we are assembling an accounting manual and one of the places we’d like to start is with the accounts payable, and, uh, so what we did is we reviewed the vendor terms and the county’s payment practices, and we think there’s two policies we could adopt that would increase our efficiency and

00:31:21,230	reduce our, uh, maybe our legal liability, a little tiny bit, and then would also earn us some additional interest revenue, so the first policy change we’re requesting is or the first policy change is to request.

00:31:40,870	net 30 terms from vendors, so that means that we would have 30 days from the invoice date to pay the bill. So some of our vendors, um, terms require us to pay upon presentation.

00:32:03,170	That’s not really possible for us because we have to bring it back to this board and so we’re kind of late in those cases, and I think our vendors understand that and we haven’t, none of them have complained. We haven’t gotten any late fees or anything like that, but this would just be I just think this would be easier, more transparent, and it would give us a little bit of liability protection in the sense that we would be within the terms of the invoice.

00:32:20,370	Um, the second policy change would be to strongly encourage the use of electronic payment, uh from us to our vendors so we would encourage our vendors to accept electronic payment from us and so currently we’re in the habit of paying bills every 2 weeks.

00:32:46,270	So it’s just a cycle and um we’re not really paying attention to when the invoice is actually due. It’s just commission approves the bills. We stuff envelopes, we, we, we pay the bills and so I had asked, um, staff, and by the way, this wasn’t my idea.

00:33:07,370	This was, um, we, we had a, accounts payable, uh, tech did a lot of work on this and our deputy finance director did a lot of work on this, um, so what when they brought it to my attention, I asked them to look at invoices where we’re paying early. and then estimate how much interest income we would earn if we paid at the due date, left the money invested in our money market and paid at the due date.

00:33:23,900	And the conclusion was we would have earned about $5800 in additional interest during the first six months of 2025. Um, so maybe 12,000 a year. So that’s one advantage and then the other advantage is that we can schedule these payments in advance, so we just put them in a file, upload them to Wells Fargo, and then they

00:33:45,270	make the payment whenever we schedule it and I think if you can picture that, you know, when, when this board approves bills were the next day feverishly stuffing envelopes and trying to get the bills out, um, if we do it electronically, I think that smooths out the workload a little bit and we’re

00:34:03,370	kind of doing a little bit. each day as we go. So I think we’ll get some efficiencies there. And then what it’s gonna allow us to do in combination with the net net 30 piece is just schedule all those payments out and then keep that money invested, um, as long as possible.

00:34:19,900	There’s a proposed resolution in the packet. I’d be happy to answer any questions. Commissioners, before you get started, um, he did go through this at great length with me, and, um, I want to make sure to thank the additional staff that worked so diligently on this. I think it makes really good sense for the county.

00:34:37,600	and, um, the only thing, the only concern I would have is that we make sure and notify the vendors that this is the policy change and this is what we’re doing and you know, Comm Bakke.

00:34:53,900	Um, Lee, is there any concerns about, uh, increased fees with electronics cause I, I know like most people do, it’s like a lot of businesses are going to 3% discount if you pay in cash versus with a credit card I’m kind of equating it to to that a little bit. Are there any increased fees with going electronic versus what we’re currently doing. I believe some of the, I’m gonna look for guidance here.

00:35:13,370	check Less than a check. OK, so that fee would be offset anyway, correct? That’s what we think. OK. And regarding the, you know, the terms on the actual invoice, those are all negotiable.

00:35:33,700	I mean, if somebody came to us and said they’d give us a discount for early payment, we could do the math on that and, you know, make a decision. Yeah, that was my only concern with that. Yeah, I guess if there’s that flexibility built into it. I don’t have any issues whatsoever. Moved to approve? Both. Second, Motion of second to prove both the accounts payable. and the electronic payment policy. Any further discussion? Paul the rule.

00:35:53,900	Mr. Schwab Yes Chris Woodcock. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken? Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Mr. Chair, um, this will come up. Quick question. Uh, you’re going to be here for another half an hour or so. Yeah, sure. OK. I have, I had on 13. I’m, I’m going to need your help on that. So. OK. OK.

00:36:12,270	Thank you. OK, thanks, Lee HR Director Binder, state’s attorney, retention and recruitment follow-up discussion and follow-up information requested by the Burleigh County Comm at September 15, 2025. Commission meeting. Review and approval of the revised Auditor job description and recommendation for auditory auditor salary effective April 1, 2027. Welcome.

00:36:40,430	Thank you, Chair Bittner, Commissioners, um these are both items are follow up. Um, one is, uh, only a month old. The other one is quite a bit old. This, the state’s attorneys, uh stipend or whatever we wanna call it.

00:37:03,470	This was brought by a state’s attorney lawyer back in December of 2023, and I did include that original memo, um, she was given permission or approval to go ahead and work with myself to try and come up with some type of stipend or some type of equity to make the the state’s attorneys whole that had experienced this, um, we looked at caseloads, um, we looked at average caseloads.

00:37:28,000	We looked at what kind of hours over time what would have happened had we had the stipend all along. The stipend is usually what we do for other positionians when they’re doing. extra work, double duty, um.

00:37:50,430	due to the turnover in the department we really only have the 12 the 6 attorneys and then our state’s attorney and I did ask for state’s attorney to be included in there, um, because our state’s attorney was the one doing most of the a lot of the double caseload as well. and and she did a lot of the, the cases that were the hard cases, the, the ones that she wouldn’t want the new attorneys to do.

00:38:12,170	So I’m bringing this back um I’m not quite sure what we wanna do. I apologize that it is so late. There were other things that took our our time. um, that were at the time more pressing.

00:38:31,530	and I’d like to apologize to the state’s attorneys, the assistant state’s attorneys for not getting back to them sooner on this to get them a resolution. I don’t know if state’s attorney lawyer wants to add anything. Mr Chair, which, which, which venue you think you would like, you would prefer You say there’s two choices? Well, had we, had we done a stipend, there was like a back stipend that I calculated.

00:38:57,530	and this is a stipend for years. This is not just one year. This is from 2019 to uh 2023 is where the, the stipends were calculated. In 2023 we were at half-staff barely from what the state’s attorney needed and we are still the, the positions we’re turning over still are the assistant state’s attorney toos.

00:39:24,800	It seems like we get him out of law school, they passed the bar, we train them and then they move on. because of our, our caseload is, is one reason why a lot of them are moving on.

00:39:41,330	It’s just too much Um, we have managed to keep a, a few of our assistant state’s attorney twos, um, and one or two very experienced ones that I would actually hate to lose. um, and there’s one that is listed on here as well that is been with us for a long time. so I’m not quite sure what to do. I, I realize it’s old, but the problem still persists.

00:40:03,730	I don’t, I don’t really know how we can go all the way back to 2019 though. I I just wanted to point out that it’s my understanding this is a 14 position. apartment and you’re operating at like 6, so we’re less than half staff.

00:40:26,700	and they’re, they’re, I believe there is justification. I’m not sure what that amount is, but some additional statement I, I do have an issue with going back all the way to 2019, um. you know, un unless Julie wants to chime in on that.

00:40:49,100	I Well, when I presented this nearly two years ago, um, we were talking about how in 2019 is when it started. November of 2018 was the last time we were fully staffed and by January of 2019, we had lost six attorneys, so there were 8 of us that were doing the work of what we had positions for for 14, but if you look at our statistics,

00:41:06,170	just the incoming cases was more than that, and there were multiple attorneys that were putting in way too much overtime. And when I say that, I’m talking about working 80-hour to 96 hour weeks, not 2 weeks, weeks, so they were putting in the work of two people every week, and

00:41:22,370	that’s why we went back to when we were down that many attorneys and doing that much extra work, um, and so that’s the information that I presented. What you want to do with that, that’s gonna be up to you. Well, you know me, I want to be fair.

00:41:39,530	I mean, I, I definitely want to be fair to people. Right I just have some reservation. Go ahead, Comm Wood Comm. There’s two charts in here. One’s the bottom line is 344,000. The other one is 124,000. 2 things.

00:41:56,530	What’s the difference between these two and where would we take this fund from uh, our general fund or The one is if it was over time and we only calculated like half the overtime because these were exempt positions, so they are expected to work some overtime, but working in other position worth of overtime is excessive, so that was the first scenario.

00:42:19,430	The second scenario was if we would have gone back and given them a stipend based on the positions that were open like a 5% stipend, that’s what the second chart is. Um, the third chart is how much budget money was given back to the general fund every year. in salaries and infringe benefits. We’re aware of that. Yeah. We had, we had. money, more money than this returned every year. Yeah sure.

00:42:42,500	Yeah. Yeah, it’s, it’s been, that’s not a question. I mean, that’s unfortunately Um, no, I, I would just like to clarify, these are um the statements that you’re talking about, those are current employees, not we’re not talking about, yes, they’re current employees only.

00:43:03,230	and you’ll see that there’s like a, a colored chart where the numbers are kind of diagonal, um. that goes with who was in those positions at the time for those different years. So we had um Gabrielle Gabe Ger, she came on in 2023, so she didn’t get anything from 2019 to 2022. OK Mr.

00:43:30,900	Chair, Comm Munsen, um, so what about 24? That’s not on your list. So that’s a whole another year in here. That is a whole another year. Um, and I didn’t include 2024.

00:43:51,170	because we were sitting a little better, but our attorney experience was still off because the, the attorneys that we were able to get were right out of law school, and that’s the case this year as well. So we had him as temporary law clerks, got him right out of law school, waited for them to pass the bar and then we swore them in. as attorneys So I, I’m in lack of a better word, I don’t know what recommendation to make because this is old.

00:44:12,000	but we should probably set a policy. is really what we need to do for our staff whether we’re paying half of the time and a half overtime or if we’re paying your second chart, however, that was calculated a flat fee. It’s a 5% stipend, 5%, but it goes back the 2019 to 2023. It doesn’t go to 2024.

00:44:40,270	I, I think the stipend makes sense, um. and, and the fact is I think what I read here is that um there’s an average of 45 hours per week is considered normal.

00:45:03,730	And so I don’t, I don’t know how I didn’t read into how the numbers actually came about, but you know, if if the policy, I think the policy should be, well, some overtime is obviously expected. All of our department heads, um, are called on from time to time to work excess hours and, and it’s, it’s extreme situations like this that you know, that got us here.

00:45:24,600	So I think maybe some of the policy might be setting that benchmark for what expected over time would be, and then figuring out the above and beyond that but, some of this is just the amount of hours they put in is ridiculous. So maybe going back and looking at what the position looks like and addressing it that way.

00:45:44,370	down the road is gonna make more sense. So I, I, I fully in favor of figuring out some pathway to catch them up right now, but we need to look at this long term because we can’t be in this same rut of. No.

00:46:00,370	Running up against the wall like this, and you know, is it an incentive package with staying after your, for a period of time, I don’t know, Pam. It’s just that we got to figure out something to so that we’re not training them and then they’re leaving. Exactly. So we have to figure out a little bit more something comprehensive.

00:46:20,100	And in, in my memo, I did recommend the stipend route because that’s been our precedence over the overtime route because like I said, these are exempt employees and we don’t want to set that precedents for our exempt employees after a certain amount of hours. they get overtime because exempt employees are paid by the project getting the work done, not paid by the hour.

00:46:41,500	Well, I, I, the stipend part is much more agreeable to me Yeah. And I do think that we should be looking at you know, maybe an adjustment in that policy moving forward.

00:46:59,730	I would have, I would have no problem with the stipend amount over here because quite frankly, just recently I got one of those windfalls that was kind of in that neck of the woods, and I was thrilled with it myself, but you know. And the stipend was calculated using 5% of the position salary for those open positions every year.

00:47:21,070	So I took the state’s attorney one, those open positions, the state’s attorney two open positions and the senior state’s attorney did the average salary of them and then calculated the 5% on top of that to get these numbers per year. To me it seems like, like, like that would be the very least we can do at this point. Doing nothing is not an option. Correct.

00:47:47,700	So, when you go to the stipend route when you create a policy is there, what is that expected then over time, if you will, or extra hours and is there different levels of you know, as states turn a lawyer just stated, there’s some employees that are willing to do 96 hours a week.

00:48:10,870	That can’t just be a standard stipend like the neighbor, you know, the person sitting in the desk next to him, that’s doing 50 you know, so how do you calculate that? How do you reward that person that’s willing to do the work. Or does the next person, yeah, does the next person stop at 50 because I can get my stipend at 50.

00:48:26,630	I don’t, I don’t want to create that either. I, I know Julie’s got phenomenal people, um we just have to figure out how to make this policy reward those that are 96 hours a week. And I think it was the tenured employees, and they didn’t do it because they wanted to.

00:48:48,700	They did it because they felt they had to. They had an obligation to right so it’s like rewarding them is probably the wrong term for that. They’re, they’re just. They’re earning it.

00:49:08,370	They’re earned their job and going above and beyond it because that’s what’s required at the time because that office needs to function, so, um, it’s not a question of rewarding them as much as we need to figure out a better equitable path across the board. in policy So based on that conversation, this, this um this second table the 124,000.

00:49:36,070	That does take into account additional hours that individuals worked versus, you know, that, that’s the 96 hour person was getting more of a stipend than the 50-hour person, is that accurate? Yeah, because usually you’re, you’re 96 hour people. are the ones with more tenure like our assistant state’s attorney too right on top, Justin.

00:49:57,370	who is here and he’s clambering in the corner there because he’s, he’s not one for attention, but he’s back there, um Julie was the other one. She’s elected, but still she was doing the job, two jobs actually. Um, Dennis Ingels the other senior.

00:50:17,170	uh, Mary Melick is the 2, attorney 2, Daniel Vandechek was an attorney one at the time, and Isaac Lee was an attorney one at the time, and Gabe Ger came on as a senior, um, and she came on late in 2023, but she has picked up a lot, a lot of cases, so our seniors are, are actually doing the work now as well.

00:50:35,800	OK, so if we hang on a second, so if we um if we approve this stipend, this, um at those amounts. Are you, are you anticipating an additional work on policy to to correct that and nail it down more. I know everybody’s been busy.

00:50:56,100	Yeah, I, yeah, I think at this point, because we’ve, I’ve been up here a few times in the different departments asking for stipends because they’re working a job and then another job, um, and I think we just have to set a policy on is it a percentage? I don’t know if we can go by ours.

00:51:18,530	I think it’s got to be a percentage of salary I, I think we need to just work harder on that and, and come back again with with with an update to the policy manual. Hey, Commissioners, what do you wishes? Um before where does that leave us for 2024? I didn’t get to calculate 2024. You’ll be, you’ll be back again next month. Well, that’s speeding. Well, I, I, you know, that’s probably fair. Yeah.

00:51:47,870	That’s fair. She hadn’t had time, you know, you need to understand she’s been she’s been as swamped in her department as as. Right, but it’s been in hers too. My point to that is, do we want to clean this all up at once, or leave 2024 separate and mail it. Address it in the same fashion.

00:52:06,600	Oh, I see your point. Yeah, so, because if, if we’re going to do the stipend, then we’ve set a precedent, so any motion, I would hope would have the same requirements for 2024 and then it’s just a housekeeping. Right.

00:52:27,100	So the question then, Pam, is, can you calculate 2024 the same way you did these other years. Yes, I can. OK. So, if we said pass this stipend chart. Yeah. Including your calculations for 2024. And that would get us, that would be my motion.

00:52:54,270	So, um, let’s, I would move to approve the stipend chart with the addendum, the 2024 will be, um calculated with the same methodology as this type and chart and add it on when that’s completed. Which chart are you talking about? The second, the second one, second chart. Mr. Chair. Mr. Williams, I’ve visited with State’s attorney.

00:53:13,530	It’s been my portfolio for a long time, but off and on, but, uh I know how many hours she’s putting in, and I’ve tried to, uh, get her out of there early, early, early, and she just won’t do it. So, I would prefer the, the first chart, which is real significant difference in, in her particular, uh, uh, line, but I would prefer that one rather than the 124. I second that motion M. Chair. Commissionercussion.

00:53:36,370	We’ve had trouble getting attorneys forever that I’ve ever been here, and, and could this be enveloped into a, a policy when we hire somebody that this may be available because we’re, we’re always trying to get our attorneys we’re trying to get them up compared to the market and everything else, we’re competing with the other

00:53:55,630	counties too, so. Well, I think, I think, I, hang on, I think once that policy is developed, it will apply to everybody moving forward as well as it’s more tension, isn’t it, Pam? Yeah, it’s more of a retention tool. Yeah.

00:54:09,630	Cause once they pass the bar, that’s when we lose them after we’ve trained them up and. Yes. And they leave. Yeah. It’s really no different than the back, the blue grant. The only thing is the back of the blue grant is being funded by the state of North Dakota.

00:54:28,100	Julie, can you talk to the state of North Dakota about this? I would love to, but they are putting their resources on the recruiting of rural attorneys and rural jurisdictions, so they, they don’t really care about us. We have real parts of Burleigh County. We’re good. Yeah. Mr. Chair. Mr. Woo.

00:54:51,100	I do think, I do think this first chart, uh, reflects more in what they put out, put in all these hours, all these hours, I think this, this amount more reflect what they have done over the five years than the other chart. And where if didn’t get an answer, where would this come out of? What fund, what general fund or, or. You would have to come out of the general fund.

00:55:05,500	That’s where all the the excess went in, the surplus went back into the general fund. I’m sorry. Good point. Mr. Chair, if I can. Comm Munson. Um I want to clarify the motion. Are we paying 23 and 24, are we paying 19 through 24. as the stipend OK.

00:55:27,370	I just wanted to clarify that, that 24 will be calculated and added in to these goals and, but we are paying back to 2019. Yeah. OK. Well, there’s one other, one other commissioner’s one thing that could happen here.

00:55:48,700	Are we going to be somebody quits in the middle of the year? Did they get a stipend for part of the year? Do we want that in the policy? I would think they’d have to work the full year Well, that would be. That can be in the policy. That, that’d be cover who it wants to be done.

00:56:05,800	Yeah, that’s separate from this motion, uh, that would be policy going forward, and I think. That would be something you could bring back to us. Um-hum. OK, any further discussion Caro Comm Munsen I’m going to vote no because I do agree that we need to look at the overtime hours being paid, not just a stipend, but I also understand it’s setting a new procedure, so, but I would vote

00:56:36,800	no on this motion. Percher Bakken. Yes, Comm Schwab? Yes. Comm Woodcocks? No. Chair Bitner. Well, la di da. Um, likewise, I, I think we need to look at it further but I don’t think I’m comfortable with making a decision above this stipend amount tonight.

00:57:03,630	And so I would like to leave it open for some additional discussion, um, you know, kind of, uh, uh digest it a little bit. But so I’m going to vote yes. At minimum, we give them the stipend that they’ve got clarification that the people, yes, it, it’ll pass, and it’ll be that 124 plus the Correct. Right.

00:57:23,900	Yeah, because I think that’s a minimum that we should start with and I’m just not quite comfortable going further. In future policy would Yeah, and if. We, we can catch things up with future policy. We just have to develop a better policy. Mr. Chair, I, I don’t think we’re ever going to catch up between these two. Once we make this decision, it’s gonna stick.

00:57:40,800	That’s my opinion I don’t think we’ll ever jump up to the other one, which is. Yeah, well, motion carries. Um I do think though that we need to do additional work on this. Yeah. Yes. Cause I, I totally sympathize with people going above and beyond. But like I said, I’m just not quite comfortable this evening.

00:58:04,330	OK It’s a good place to start It’s a good place to start OK, follow up, uh, go ahead. OK, my next item is follow up from last meeting regarding the auditor’s job description in draft, and I did include that in your packet, and this job description um includes the auditor’s duties minus anything that belonged to the treasurer.

00:58:35,270	So I was looking for any revisions that you feel are needed or approval. if you feel it’s where it needs to be Pay Commissioners, did you have any issues with the, uh, job description provided for the auditor. Uh, Mr.

00:59:29,730	Chair, uh, Pam, number 5, acting as a clerk, I would also add the um uh, Missouri Valley Complex Committee to that list of groups. I think there’s an etc. on there, there is a we can add it in. Um um, the, I, I think the point there is that the auditor acts in that function for all. um, commission-related appointed boards and whatnot Mr. Buckman.

00:59:58,700	Yeah, um there was, uh, one piece in there about mail collection. I think that was currently a rotating schedule Um between departments and I think it was, that’s currently working. So I don’t know if we wanna include that And the rotation can continue, but the auditor’s office has always been in charge of the mail itself. OK, but that malfunction. Yeah. OK.

01:00:33,170	Hey, well, I don’t see any changes needed to that. Uh. is any one of these refer to the statutory responsibilities. Century code. I, I didn’t quite catch it. They do. They refer to the, the. So every, every one enricode for the auditor function of the auditor. OK. OK, at the very top Um-hum. That sentry code 11:13.

01:01:14,870	Commissioners, what are your wishes Mr. Chair, Comm Woods. When we’re looking at the salary range, is that part of this discussion? That’s next. That would be the next discussion. OK. I’ll wait We move to approve the, uh, revised job description. Thank you. I have a motion is second to approve the job description, any further discussion.

01:01:46,870	All the rope. Mr. Woodcock. Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken? Yes. Comm Schwab. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motioncurious. OK. Um, recommendation on salary And I was also asked by the Commission in the last meeting to do some research on elected auditors’ salaries and then come up with a recommendation, um, and

01:02:15,170	what I did is I downloaded salary survey data from the North Dakota Association of Counties that showed all 53 county auditors, and I divided them into the appointed auditors and the elected auditors and did the salaries based on that.

01:02:40,270	Um, I also took the entry code, which is the general provisions, um on Le -10-10 and I took that, uh, 2B. which is the base in 19,500 and that’s for counties with populations over 8000 and then I followed the instructions because it is asking for another $100 per annually per year, um for any, any population over 1000 additional population, so I put that down 19

01:03:11,800	500 is the minimum and then I took the population of Burleig County that was on the Northwood Association of County Survey that was 10 012 and minus 8000 from it, that equaled 92,012, so I took that x 1000. that equals 90.012.

01:03:35,330	I rounded it to 90 times 100 and got 9000, so the 195 plus 9000 is 28,500 is the minimum salary. statutory for that position statutorily. Um, and I believe it was state’s attorney lawyer who came up with the plan that if we had been elected auditor, we have the salary at the minimum and then as the as they negotiate whoever come

01:03:57,330	is in the position elected in the position negotiates based on what they bring in their experience, their education, whatever they have to bring in and then also once they complete the training, they would get another salary bone. So I put that in there as well. You’re correct.

01:04:15,600	That that was a conversation that the state’s attorney and I had, um, when discussing this because we wanted to make sure that there was a path forward for an increase in salary with demonstrated confidence in the office, whether you get the elections training you to get the auditor’s training, you know, you, you, you show confidence in the position, then there should be a path forward.

01:04:41,500	I guess you all know the reasons for those conversations, so um Mr. Chair, Comm Woodcox, question I wanted to ask earlier is that 195 from the century called win did they put that in? Is that from 1889 or, uh, Um, it didn’t say when it was put in, but that is what is

01:05:03,430	current in there in the general provisions. Well, we’ve done this before and look, you look back at, I think 1 what, 34 years ago, 195 is no longer 195. It’s Yeah, but, until it gets changed by the legislature, that is the statutory minimum. I like the idea of a path forward based on um qualifications and training.

01:05:32,270	and whatnot. And I would have no problem with um staff developing those on our behalf It seems fair to me Comm Watman first. Um, Pam, it is there a factor, because I know the experience coming in is one thing, but as far as longevity, is there a, an escalator involved with that, so if somebody’s reelected over

01:06:00,470	20 some years, what is that escalation look like, because that, I would assume has to be some component of this. It’s kind of, it’s all over the board with tenure for the different auditors, but generally the more tenured they have, the higher salary they make unless they’re in a very rural county with a low population.

01:06:18,170	Did, is that a factor in your calculations? Yes, that is part of the salary survey. So it is included in those average salary calculations. Mr. Chair, Mr. Woodcock. So we expect somebody to go to the primary, win the primary, go to the fall, win that, and then, and then look for something more than 280,500.

01:06:44,330	What type of a person are you going to get to run for that. I mean, we, we still need a quality auditor. I don’t care what we do. They still run the elections. I mean, that’s the biggest thing, but we, we can’t. This is the baseline number can’t take the chance.

01:06:59,430	Yeah, this, this is a start, this is the, the bare bones minimum. Well we decide that positionian should be, if it’s 35 a year or if it’s. Well, that’s my 45, yeah. I don’t want to see you as a 28. 285, or whatever it was. I. that’s barely minimum wage anymore.

01:07:17,470	Well, it’s, I don’t think it’s competitive either for the quality of candidates, we should be getting for this position It’s probably more than a Comm makes, huh? Well, yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. We’re, we’re minimum wage anyway, so.

01:07:39,330	right And, and just scares, it just scares me what we, we’re, what we’re Back in, back our boxing ourselves in for. Well, we’re not boxing ourselves into anything. We’re saying this is a starting point.

01:07:58,000	and based on some sort of qualifications and whatnot during the um during the process, you have every ability to, in my opinion, um, to increase that salary based on what do you bring to the table? Well, there’s you know, if you’re, if you’re an 18 year old kid coming out of high school. You know, what, what are you worth? I mean, you and I look at something we’re talking about salaries from the viewpoint of guys that are at the ends of their career.

01:08:12,900	So it’s, you know, we’re, we’re talking about somebody who can literally walk in as an 18 year old and have lived in the county for six months, and that’s the only qualification you got. Exactly. What’s that worth? We’ll, we’ll find out. We’ll find out, I guess. Right. Mr. Chair, so Mr.

01:08:32,170	Munsen, we’re still in the development stage of this. Um, we’re asking Pam to come back with, OK, what is our, uh, increase in salary once they pass the elections training. What is the increase for if they come in with a four-year education or a master’s.

01:08:51,430	So, so this is just conversation to start the process. Now we need HR, we need PAm to come back to us. Yeah, and I think here’s our baseline. Here’s the levels of training. Here’s what’s attached to each level so that you know you say 6 months after you’ve won the election. He’s, here’s where you can be.

01:09:06,370	Mhm. So we’re not making a decision today on 28.5. No, we’re, we’re just having a conversation to get it started so that Pam can come back to us and say, here’s the benchmarks. This is what we believe these benchmarks are worth, and I think that’s fair.

01:09:24,470	I mean, you know, I, I firmly believe in paying people what they’re worth. Um, but show us what you’re worth. You know, we do that every day. We’ve got interviews coming up. this week for some positions that are open, and that’s going to be a part of it.

01:09:43,070	you know, what, what qualifications do you bring to the table? And we don’t want to forget this is a four-year position, not just a one year. Right Thing. So, if we get somebody in there that’s not, uh proficient or we’re gonna have them for 4 years. Well, that’s also part of the reason why you don’t want to start it out high.

01:09:57,530	See, that was, that was, I didn’t say high. I’m saying 28.5 is too low. I didn’t I understand why your perspective isn’t, you know, I understand your perspective on that, Comm, but um, we have to start someplace. Yep. Oh, I agree with that.

01:10:14,100	And you might, you, I don’t know if you had any conversation with the former auditor when he left. But one of the questions he had for me was, did this auditor get the same salary that he was getting when he left, and I said yes, and he about died laughing. Yes, he did, yeah.

01:10:30,630	You know, because he had his position at his salary level was based on what, 35 years wither and a master’s degree in public administration. And so, you know, comparing the two qualification levels was Yeah, you know, that’s why we got us to this conversation. The state’s lawyer Bitner, with your permission, I do have a couple of answers to the questions that were asked.

01:10:54,100	The last time the law regarding the salary was updated was 2001 and um right now North Dakota’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and with that salary at 2080 hours per year, which is generally, um, what a 40 hour work week is. That’s $15,080. So we’re proposing double the minimum wage to start.

01:11:16,530	I’m just cause my main concern is we don’t get a minimum wage person in there for 4 years. We’re, we’re. we don’t want to trap ourselves. This isn’re not we’re not this is the way to move forward, but I still am very skeptical. with 28.5. Well, we’re not trapped. It’s Mr. Buckley.

01:11:36,370	Uh, and Comm Munson, we’re not setting this number right now. This is what the baseline is and what we deem as the incentives, the tenure, training, experience, all of those are escalators.

01:11:56,630	So this is, it, it’s kind of like signing a, a professional contract in sports, and if you hit benchmarks, you’re going to get paid more. Right. If you catch so many touchdown passes, you’re gonna get paid more.

01:12:16,500	So I, I, uh, and as a base this is a place to start, but what those escalators look like for somebody to be able to raise that salary greatly, then that kind of puts it back on the individual, and I, I’m OK with that. Yep. But I understand what, where you’re coming from, but this isn’t, this is just a starting point. This isn’t where we’re going to end. I’m curious to see the rest of the. Yeah. Packet.

01:12:27,700	Um-hum. Yep. I mean, I can assure you that I would expect a higher salary. Somebody comes in with like a master’s degree in public administration. but they have to get elected first. Then we decide what they, they can run on that. They’re taking a vacation too taking a.

01:12:42,000	Well, yeah, but you run on that as a qualification. What makes you suitable for the job, right? But if we set that policy, they know when they’re running that they have their masters.

01:12:58,500	They’re not a $28,000 job or AX, right, and I think we’ll have some additional policies and stuff developed, but honestly, Pam and her entire office and just like Julie’s and everybody’s been so swamped that I couldn’t ask any more from them at this point. Yep So I’m happy to get this far with as busy as you, you know, the payroll issues and everything that’s been going on.

01:13:16,730	It’s been, there’s smoke coming out of that. I signed up online. Good. Yep signed up online. Good for you. Kate, any further discussion? Paul the roll. Commission there was a motion, wasn’t there? No. No. Oh, I thought there was. No. Oh, OK, just I think a consensus for Pam to keep working.

01:13:39,630	Yeah, I, I would be fine with that. You don’t want a motion of any sort? That’s fine. I don’t care. Thank you. Um-hum. And stay there I notice our checks have elocity on them now. Um-hum. How is that working? Um, we got it to work. We’re in for a half hour.

01:13:58,530	Um, time card system is a little bit of a challenge for some departments, but we’re working on it, trying to iron that. out. Um, Plosity. is a more current system than what we were on with Infinite Visions and so there was some reconciliation issues, especially around taxes, um, that are a little different, um.

01:14:17,600	our one, right? The the rounding on that was some of it was the, the rounding on the because infinite visions rounds out 6 decimal places where elocity only rounds out two, but we also had a new W-4 form that happened in 2019, but we didn’t make our employees complete the new W-4 form

01:14:42,630	unless they were hired. So I completed the new W-4 form when I came on, but we had a lot of our employees that were already here, so we didn’t have them completed and what happened when we moved those to the new system, the new system calculates it the way the new W4 needs to be calculated and

01:14:58,630	our old system was still under the new W-2, which the federal taxes didn’t change much, but the state taxes did because it did it defaulted most people into a single status for the state because there was no form dictating what they wanted for state so that was part of that

01:15:19,530	email saying, OK, go and check your taxes, make sure your direct deposits, right? And also uh check your direct deposit, check your taxes, and change your taxes if your state is not right, change your state if you federal is not right, change your federal because that’s

01:15:34,470	what came over on the feet. Now, that makes sense when I looked at the at the the form I got, I thought, well, that’s not what I’ve been getting, you know, there was a big change. Mine was $1 off, so I had to go in and change mine. Comm Schwab, I have one more short question.

01:15:51,500	So uh, is this now once you get it? all the bugs out gonna do what you needed to have done Yes, it will be a universal timekeeping system. OK. and a payroll, so we got it.

01:16:17,170	I guess about the only thing I would add is I appreciate the employee’s patience while we work through some of these difficult things because it is a big change between software programs and and I know that’s been a hiccup, so. thanks everybody Thank you. That’s all I have, OK 12, uh, Comm Munsen, you have a treasurer position discussion. Yeah, thank you, Chair.

01:16:40,630	Uh, I’ve received some phone calls in the last couple of weeks, uh, probably maybe even 4, but they’ve gotten a, a few more lately. We were very adamant when we created when we hired the uh uh finance department that we wanted to make sure we had checks and balances, and I’ve been getting questioned because we have the same person doing both.

01:16:59,870	and they just wanted to know when we were looking at moving into that hiring of the treasurer. so not a, not that I needed any dis any answers, just bringing it up for discussion.

01:17:17,530	Pam, um, called me and said, All right, Wayne, what are you after? And, uh. That’s because I called her and said, what are you after? She wasn’t after anything. It was all me. Give me, give me, give me a call next time. Go ahead, Pam. The only thing I want, just wanted to add a few things.

01:17:32,900	Um, I know that I’m, I was the, the main, uh adversary about putting the two departments under each other, and I, I still feel that way. We have both of our finance guys. in doing the helping with the treasury role um and from what I’m learning on my own with some of the other stuff.

01:17:53,230	it’s more of a challenge than what it should be, the system with infinite visions as I found out on the payroll side, they’re finding out on the general ledger side is not up to date So they’re, they came in thinking, OK, we’ll just have to organize stuff and then be

01:18:10,870	done. But instead they’re fixing a lot of things. so they’re still in fixed mode so I don’t know bringing a treasurer in at this time that doesn’t understand the the general ledger system is that a good thing? Are we gonna drive them off screaming? I don’t know, um, the other thing I

01:18:29,070	have don’t interrupt you a little bit right there if you just give me a chance. Um I, I’ve talked this over at length with staff, um, it’s, it’s my opinion based on the conversations with staff that we’re still in the repair mode. without a doubt. Um, yep.

01:18:49,800	And we’re, we’re scheduled and planning for a transition from the current way that we’re we’re doing the the the books and whatnot. And I think we’re gonna do like a cloud-based system here starting real soon. and staff to their credit and all the staff involved has been really working hard.

01:19:11,170	That’s, that’s why I said earlier when we were talking about the uh this policy question that this was going to come up again. because those are the kind of things that are keeping them so busy right now. Sure. And it’s my belief at this time that if we hired a treasurer today, it’ll take a good 68 months to kind of train him on something or him or her.

01:19:28,730	except that it’s a problem training anybody on this mess that they’ve that they’re straightening out right now. And so I personally would like to see some breathing room here, um, I’m satisfied with the checks and balances that are within the um, the office and the staff there, because as you’re aware, there’s no bill, no checks go

01:19:53,330	out that doesn’t go through multiple people, um, including commissioners and so I’m confident that we don’t have a problem with um checks walking out the door or anything of that nature. Um, I just wanted to make sure that everybody understood that.

01:20:10,470	I think that it would be too chaotic to add somebody new to the office and also based on discussions with staff. um, we may be able to utilize in-house people to move them into that position because what I’m hearing and and what we heard before is that we actually have excess staff on certain functions that we may be able

01:20:34,170	to shift them around and get more efficient use of the office without actually adding it another person, so we’re still right in the middle of all that and I understand some people may be impatient, they might want to know. However, it’s an ongoing process that is if not daily, almost every other day conversation for me.

01:20:54,730	Go ahead, Pam. And then I have a, another human resources selfish motive, um, because we’re coming up in, we’re in October almost mid October. This is a director level position. We usually post for a month. That takes us right almost into Thanksgiving.

01:21:13,000	We have the holidays coming up and recruiting over the holidays for this level of position is not an easy thing to do because most people want their holidays off and want their annually vacation sick leave. if they’re coming from a private business, they probably want their bonus or commission depending on what they’re doing there so it’s very hard to get somebody to move this late in the year.

01:21:30,530	That’s just my own selfish motive from human resources. Well, and I appreciate both of your, you know, your statements because the public doesn’t know.

01:21:50,730	And so to bring it up here, it is now spoken to the public and that information is out there for for their knowledge and so I appreciate your explanation and yeah, the staff has been doing a, doing a jamming good job of, of um making improvements and and things and so we’re definitely making headway. Thanks for the question. You bet. Call me next time No, I just, I wanted you to explain it to the public. That’s what was perfect.

01:22:12,700	Don’t put me in that position, Comm Um, Comm Woodcock’s, 250th anniversary mural update. Thank you. Uh, this is an update, um we’re working on, uh, that mural in the south side of the Pro Life building and uh working diligently and we have received a grant of 35,000 from the North Dakota Heritage Association, and we, but we need to match that in order to

01:22:35,370	get that, so I visited with Lee and is Lee still there? He is. Yes, he is. He’s Lee He, he’s busy. He’s visiting with the assistantly Anyway, we discussed, uh, what possible ways can we come up with that 35,000 since it’s not budgeted specifically. Uh, there is two recommendations that he made or suggestions.

01:23:00,800	One was that the prominent life building had a maintenance fund which had over a million dollars in it that we have recently, like last meeting or meeting before, moved to the general fund. That was a possible source.

01:23:17,530	Another possible source was the interest that we’ve received on the ARPA funds that we’ve dedicated to the, to the Province that we haven’t spent. We’ve got a, I think he said there it is. Can, can you get that amount for me? Comm Woodcox, I, I, I think it was around 1.2 million. of ARPA and about 525,000 of the um the provident building fund which was with a vacant.

01:23:42,900	um maintenance director position is probably gonna increase, you’ll probably be more like 5:50 or 560 by the end of the year. Anyway, I would like some direction as to which of these two funds we should take this out of. Neither one. Pardon me? Neither one. Either one? Neither one. Neither one. Neither one. How do you.

01:24:01,000	Um, the reason, um the reason I say that is because we’ve already made decisions that, that we were kind of earmarking those funds and those amounts to put towards the provident remodel. Um, and I think that um, we need to keep those options open. So I don’t think, I don’t think we should be depleting those things at this point.

01:24:19,730	However, having said that, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t have an issue with like utilizing the general fund reserves or something for that. I’m, I’m not opposed to that. I just don’t think that those two funds are something that we should be dipping into knowing that we’re in the middle of an overhaul Comm.

01:24:35,230	Uh, Comm Woodcock, um, did your committee had set up what are some of the other um, some of the other co - con s pir ator s Yeah, like a better word. So, so like we have 5, we have about 5 or 6 is the city.

01:25:02,000	The city’s involved, uh, there’s 3 different, uh, associations that deal with this type of thing. The, the Heritage Fund that Comm Bittner’s on, uh, there’s the, I wish I had the list. I didn’t make a list, but, uh, there’s three that are nonprofit. So for this, we’re not looking at a full $35,000 from us Well, we are, in order to secure that, we want to wrap that $35,000 grant.

01:25:23,330	into it so we can, OK, so what are some of the pledges from some of the entities that are that are involved. We’re still working on that. See, that’s the only one we received.

01:25:33,000	But I would like to do it before the end of the year is what I’m thinking, cause a lot of the expenses coming up, that will be over the year, over the winter time, and I don’t want to be scrambling trying to find money in last.

01:25:45,730	I, I, I think we could go ahead and move this item forward to an additional agenda and then then we can move it to another agenda if it’s, if it, if, if there’s nobody else that’s kicking any money in like at the city or anybody else is willing.

01:25:56,900	Um, I think we can easily make a decision on that before the end of the year. Um, because I, I think it’s a. If you need, need if you need, you need, we, I think we need to get a more technical, uh, uh, presentation on how it’s done and what it’s doing.

01:26:12,000	They’re, they’re researching on types of paint because there’s a certain type of paint you have to use on these murals, and a certain type of, of cleaning material, if you have to clean the brick off and it’s very much more uh intensive than I ever thought it was going to be, but. Have you gone to Downtown design review to make sure it’s OK first? Uh, I mentioned it to the mayor.

01:26:29,530	Is that good enough? Probably not. Probably not. It’s a different group of people and we did have say in a lot of. We did have a meeting up at the Heritage Center with, with the city. I forget that their community development, and they were in favor of it.

01:26:46,530	So not that they I don’t think that’s committing committing. It’s not it’s still got to go throughbuke and, and I know we’re going to do that. It’s just OK. I don’t want to lose this grant, and there’s a date on that I just don’t want to lose that grant.

01:26:58,500	Well, I, I would be in favor of making sure that we don’t lose this grant. Right. So I, I’d be supportive of, of taking that out of the general fund until just as a placeholder until we figure out what the rest of the finances are. OK. I didn’t expect a decision, but I just wanted to give you an update, so. Well, we’re, we’re moving along.

01:27:12,500	What, what’s the timeline? What’s, what, what do you have for a timeline? When’s the grant done? Or what’s that date on that you’re going to I think in December 1st, something like that. This year. OK. So, we have some time. Yeah. OK. I, I think that might be flexible. That’s fine. Well It could be.

01:27:27,630	The mayor’s position, you mean, or the No, the, uh, the grant timeline. I, I can look into that. I, I’m pretty sure that’s not the issue. Um, but I, I do think that it’s a, a good project.

01:27:41,070	The only thing I wanted to reiterate that I think it’s an absolutely bad idea to do any paint on the brick. There won’t be any paint on the brick. Right. Because, well, you mentioned cleaning and painting the brick, so. we’re not. It’s painting and murals that. Right. Go on the brid. I just wanted to clarify. There’s no way.

01:27:57,600	Well, and, and my reference to downtowns design review and stuff, it just, uh, think of the nightmare from trying to change the facade going into the Provident building, because we can’t. Yeah, you can’t. And, and I recall. They depot building. We’re working with. Yeah. They’re on board. They’re OK. They’re the ones that are directing the type of paint that, that, uh.

01:28:15,700	Yeah, so I going and. Yeah. It’s being done, but Good. I just want to keep you up, up to date on what we’re doing. I’ll, the next meeting I’m, I’m actually, I’m gone the next meeting, but I’m going to my grandson’s wedding. So it’ll probably be 2 meetings from now. I’ll bring you.

01:28:34,330	Couldn’t you reschedule the wedding? Reschedule the wedding? Well, I don’t think that’s up to me. Well, I think then, then the safest bet would just be to direct that this beyond the agenda for first meeting in November November 1st meeting in November. Yeah.

01:28:54,800	There are a lot of, a lot of celebrations being primed, uh, for the 250th, uh, uh, birthday. If you hear the national news, everybody’s doing something. So this is the only project that I know of that we’ve got going for Bererdy County. And we didn’t do anything for Bernie County when we had our 150th anniversary. So, um it’s a good project, looking forward to it.

01:29:16,530	OK, some continued agenda items, um ETA discussion, discussion on salary for the next selected auditor, City Recreation Agreement. I think that um we pretty well discussed that salary for the next elected auditor. I think we’ll just go ahead and scratch that. It’s all right with you, commissioners.

01:29:36,330	Um, the ETA discussion um, Mitch pointed out to me that he, he had asked for some stuff to be put in the Agenda packet, and that was, it was kind of all out of order, so he wanted to um get back into that and, and before we go much further, um, I had asked that the county engineer and staff, uh, Mitch and everybody on participate in

01:29:55,630	this, in this meeting and those discussions, and Marcus, um, said he would like to have a better understanding of what the commission wants him to accomplish, and so that brings up the question of the maps and everything that Mitchchell go through. So, I guess you can take it from here, Mitch. Good evening, Comm, Mister Chair.

01:30:15,270	Uh, right, we’re gonna talk about amening this existing ETA changes uh to the 2013 ETA agreement. and the ETA boundary are under consideration. The request has been made to accept areas located within Fort R Ri, Apple Creek, Lincoln, Gibbs, Hay Creek, Burt Creek, and Rivers Riverview Township. No justification is provided by the city with this request.

01:30:40,970	However, these changes are preliminary. Um Centri code, uh, 40 chapter 40, Article 40 allows the city to do this. I’d like to begin uh, by discussing the proposed changes on a map that was created by our, our, um, GIS coordinator. On this map that they provided to us.

01:31:32,170	Um, the areas that are hashed Red cross hatched are the ones that they are um wanting to reduce their ETA. This contains 292 subdivisions, 4,529 existing parcels, 3730 structures with a 911 address.

01:32:01,000	The, uh, in the, in the special flood hazard areas, there are 1,355 structures, and in the shaded X zone, which is the um the 500 year, there’s 185 structures total of 1440 Um to determine the designated staff, I asked uh the city if they could provide us with a designated zoning of these areas, and they did.

01:32:28,370	There’s 9 PUDs, um, there’s a majority of residential districts, the R5, which is low density, similar to R RRs, uh, and then Ran is two family and RM is multi-family. Uh, there’s commercial light and heavy and there’s an industrial light and heavy zones. I asked to get collect all existing and current complaints, lists of existing current billing permits and a list of nonconforming properties. They haven’t gotten that to us yet.

01:32:47,970	One of the things that we’d have to work on is 91 addressing and the ETA. uh, the state does not allow a combined jurisdictions. You have to have a designated jurisdiction doing this, and nobody, no other jurisdiction could follow that.

01:33:08,870	So Bismarck would have to define the areas for where they would do the 911 addressing, and that would leave us to be responsible for the areas that they’re not in. The cost to Burleigh County are basically the administrative side of the planning, uh, building permits, and the floodplain administration. we have to start off with the conversion of city to county records.

01:33:33,900	The data transfer of all building records and code enforcement history complaints record past and present from City Eraa to County Smartov. The purchase of additional tracking modules from Smartov planning and Complaints, letters, notice to owners, etc. inspections, response, so we can track these, these uh complaints. Legal services to assist in complaint litigation. Code enforcement research letters, notice orders, and enforcement.

01:34:01,100	The changes to our planning procedures, um, we can adopt a resolution to have all the zoning categories transferred from the city to our Burleigh County zoning or reinstate the zoning categories removed from Ordnance 1349 or 1309, or update our existing ordinances. The um currently they have 16 districts.

01:34:25,700	Um, we have 8 so we would have to change our predominantly uh in this area to an urban planning model. Uh, we’d have to update our future land use map and comprehensive plan. Uh, if this uh proposed map is approved. There will no longer be a joint jurisdictional agreement with the city in Burleone.

01:34:50,270	What is theirs is theirs. What is ours is ours. And so we would have to adopt uh the MPO urban requirements for any of these areas, which includes the Plattview of the stormwater management reviews, roadway Master Plant Compliance and land use compliance. Um, possible new employees would be a code enforcement officer. commercial or residential inspector.

01:35:17,470	uh, permit technician in a county planner. Additional costs would be computer equipment and other furniture for new employees, tablets for infield inspections, upgrades for existing office computers and possibly a new inspection vehicle, increased budgetize and gasoline maintenance, etc.

01:35:44,270	The um permits issued, this is all based on looking at the number of properties, looking at the number of complaints, looking at, at what, uh, a permits issued and what we have to enforce, especially in the uh special flood hazard areas. The permits, um, the, uh, the city has issued its building mechanical and plumbing permits in the EAA. This is from 2024 records. The city issued 554 permits in this area.

01:36:08,800	The county has issued in the same year, 351. Let me interrupt you, M Mitch. OK. Um so the county planning and zoning department budget is, is takes into account the income from those permits, right? Yes. OK, so, what, what was the budget for 2024? Um, our budget, uh, I’d have to look that up. I think it was.

01:36:38,600	4, 497. 497. Yeah, I look it up. So if what I 203 more permits. would that likely to result in uh, a substantial increase in the income to the county planning and zoning department. It could, yes. There’s an increase of 58%. Right.

01:37:09,630	Well, the point I’m making is that a lot of the costs that we would incur would be covered by the permit fees. Right. And so it’s not actually a bottom line cost. It’s a you know, um, and I guess I would also point out that we do have an extra position that’s been funded for, I think, the last year, if not 2 years.

01:37:28,900	Um, it’s still been open, so there’s been unspent revenue, but go ahead and go ahead and continue, we also have planning revenue from, you know, platting and subdivisions, that sort of thing. Right. So this is important to note that there’s increases in income. while we’re talking about expenses. Yes, yes, absolutely.

01:37:51,800	Um so the earliest adoption of the ETA would be October 28th. If we, if you guys want to adopt this man. Um the review and a presentation approval of the of any new ordinance will take a considerable amount of time though, um, there have been protracted disagreements with citizens in managing the ETA.

01:38:13,800	So in my mind, there’d be changes that need to be taken upfront before this happens. I mean, how do we adopt the similar city ordinance for existing subdivisions when these ordinances themselves caused the problem in the first place. So do we want to continue down the same road and have, we’ll be the, we’ll be the new uh city of Bismarck to them.

01:38:30,700	You know, it’s a lot of people are not informed about the differences with the county does and what the city does. We’re pretty close. We’re very close. Administratively, we may do things different, but these codes don’t change just because you’re crossing the line.

01:38:51,000	You have you know, federal law with FEMA, with the floodplains, we’re going to double the area, not close to triple the area of the special flood hazard areas that will be responsible for.

01:39:15,600	And that’s you know, we, we can’t change them I mean, administratively, we can do, we do things differently, but um, in the, in the on the hard black and white of building codes and, and floodplain regulations. There’s, there’s no difference, no, and as a matter of fact, we’re a little more restrictive in the floodplain. So, um I did put together, uh, a very elevated high view of of these costs.

01:39:45,900	Um, the, uh, you get, um, um, a bit amount from SmartGov and from, uh um uh, planning organizations and from uh from Pam Binder The record conversions would be close to $15,000. Smartov purchase, which would mean the they call it the um enterprise subscription which it says everything the complaints, the planning, and the permitting would be 45,000.

01:40:13,730	uh, updating all the zonings would be 52,100 employee costs for equipment, etc. 40,000, hiring the new employees would be $223,000. Um, legal services, I, I couldn’t put a number on that, so. I mean it comes up roughly, this is 375,000, and it is a very high elevation view. The, it’s, they all told me that this is, this could be lower.

01:40:35,070	um, but it, if we take these figures of what we come up with today. it’s, um, would increase our budget by 61%. OK. All right, well, I was just looking for uh budget information from 2024. but I’m kind of running into an overload on emails, so.

01:41:21,230	it’s not really, uh, too relevant because I think that what this points out is that an increase in, in the permits and increase in um plating applications and things like that is, is reasonably projected to cover the cost of any increase in expenses, so. I’m not terribly worried about that.

01:41:43,700	So what I, um, talked about with Marcus, unless you want to add anything more. I don’t, unless you have any questions for Questions for Mitch this you may have any questions for Mitch OK, I guess don. Thanks, Mitch.will. we’ll see if there are any questions after a little bit. OK. Um and so I thought that the, the map that was proposed by the city of Bismarck.

01:42:06,330	would be way too difficult for the citizens to understand and to to work with. And then I started to get calls from people who were in the white area and going, hey, what about me? What about us? And so that’s what resulted in the map that, um, county GIS

01:42:29,370	provided that Mitch’s request after I asked him to do that, which is the map that’s on page, I think it’s 85. in your packet. Um-hum. That’s the one that shows the hole works as, as it’s, it’s just starting out at C limits, and it’s the county there, and I think that’s the fairest thing

01:42:49,170	because you probably heard during previous testimonies that myself and other veterans don’t ever want to leave anybody behind. And I think there was what, a couple 1000 homes or thousands of people that would still be left behind under the city’s proposed map.

01:43:11,630	and um so therefore, that’s, that’s why I asked for this map to be drawn up, and that would be the question for, for what his staff going to present and what is Comm Bakken going to represent at the city county committee meeting tomorrow. What are your thoughts, Commissioners Well, tomorrow is actually our joint, so it’s.

01:43:32,000	It’s, it’s all, it’s all of us tomorrow. Oh, it is? Yeah, so, we’ll have an opportunity to. I, you know, I thought, no, I thought it was just this. OK, I apologize. You and the mayor and OK. So, yeah, um, so the discussion then is do we want to put forward the city limit. Yeah.

01:43:51,600	And I’m pretty sure Comm Schwab, I know where you stand on this. The, uh, C limit and um let us manage the rest from there. You know, it occurred to me, Commissioners, that I know there are some people in the room that might want to speak on this, on this side.

01:44:11,370	that we, you know, since under the, under the public comment policy, we said wait until this agenda item comes up. So at this point, if you’re here and you want uh provide some input on this discussion Feel free to come up and identify yourself.

01:44:51,070	Good evening, Chair Bittner and Commissioners Uh, my name is Heidi Serrado, and I’m a Burle County resident, and I live in the northeast section of the ETA proposed urban reserve area that the, the, on the new city proposed map. Um, I live off of TJ Lane, uh, TJ Lane serves, uh, access to approximately 21 lots. It’s a total of 137 acres that are accessed by TJ Lane.

01:45:12,270	All 21 lots are currently in the current ETA map as it stands. However, with the city’s current proposal to change the ETA boundary. All have been excluded from the ETA, but 4 lots totaling 81 acres. Um, those 81 acres consist of 13 acre lot and 1 2-acre lot that are sandwiched between 40 acres and 35 acres.

01:45:38,330	Um, all the other small lots have been excluded. So in looking closer at the city’s proposed changes. Small lots are being excluded and those with larger acreage are the target. Um, I have no issue with those small lots being excluded.

01:45:56,530	I wish I was one of those lots being excluded, um, and I’m happy for those people, but to lock down the land that is most advantageous to the city like the 40 acres and the 35 acres for the next 25 to 50 years is.

01:46:14,730	my opinion, a land grab Um, I understand the city’s growing, their needs are growing, and the city fails to recognize that those of us with larger parcels in the ETA also have changing needs, um, to expect a landowner to reside on that property for 25 to 50 years.

01:46:39,270	with no changing needs to the property, I think that’s an unrealistic expectation Um, they’ve restricted us and they’ve hung us in limbo as to allow little to no modifications with excessive regulations. and I’m talking mainly in a, you know, in a, in regards to like accessory buildings and that kind of thing. Um I was a little frustrated because, you know, the city has an informational guide to accessory buildings with rural residential zoning districts.

01:47:00,630	My property is zoned agricultural, but I’m being held to a rural residential zoning standard, even though I’m agriculture Um, in that standard, if you have a 1.5 acre lot, you’re allotted 2400 square feet for accessory buildings. When you do the math, that’s 3.7%. If you have a 1 acre lot, it’s equal to 4.5%. But for 35 acres, it’s equal to 1/3 of 1%.

01:47:25,730	Um, if you get a special use permit, you get 0.5%. use for, for a special use permit for accessory buildings, so the 35 acres we have zoned as agriculture, and we use it as agriculture. It’s, it’s not used for anything other than agriculture. I live there. We have livestock. We have farm equipment, it’s agriculture.

01:47:48,100	So my understanding is, and I’ve, I’ve done some research on this that North Dakota state law does protect legitimate agricultural practices, uh, the city’s document the Together 2045 Bismarck Comprehensive Plan states that one of their many goals and objective objectives is to protect the rural character of existing and planned rural residential areas in the Bismarck’s ETA.

01:48:11,070	But then they go on to say to preserve the ability for rural residents to keep animals, gardens, and other agricultural practices appropriate to the scale of the lot. I just really don’t feel like 1/3 of a 1% is inappropriate scale for 35 acres.

01:48:32,970	One of the other objectives that I noted was the document says that it is, uh, one of their, their goals and objectives in that document is to celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage through support for local growers, ranchers, and exempt use of lands or buildings for farming and ranching from all land use and zoning restrictions in accordance with state law.

01:48:51,600	All of the buildings on my property are agricultural use except my house. So um, I know it’s not solely this commission’s decision, um, but I, I just would respectfully request to be excluded from this ETA.

01:49:13,800	um, in reaching, I was wanting to reach out and talk to somebody that was on the city planning and zoning Commission that represents those of us in the ETA. When I went to the website, I, I spent a half an hour trying to find somebody’s phone number. I found all their names, but there’s no phone number. There’s no email, there’s no means to contact those people.

01:49:30,170	So I reached out to somebody else that I did know on that commission to get a phone number for somebody else. You know, it shouldn’t really be that hard to have a conversation with people that are supposed to represent us on that board. um and my other frustration with it is, is that if you’re in the ETA, you have 5 votes to support you.

01:49:47,170	and the city has 7. I don’t feel like that’s a fair and adequate representation for people in the ETA either. so I stand for questions if anybody has any questions. Comm, any questions for Heidi? Well done Thank you Anybody else wish to speak on this item? OK, I’m not seeing any takers, um, Commissioners.

01:50:22,370	Comm Schwabab A lot of the expense with this, number one, before I get to that uh this map that the city drew up and said this is what they like to do. It’s about the worst jeering jerrymandering map that I’ve ever seen in my life. Politicians couldn’t do that.

01:50:47,470	And they’re trying it in California now. I mean, it’s crazy. We’re gonna end up, if we use their map we are going to end up with a bunch of people in these white areas picked off The same situation for the life of me, I don’t know why Uh

01:51:11,470	it’s so important to the city to have control over people that don’t live in the city. If they were out there in that territory, they’d be the first ones to complain. That being said, the biggest cost is uh, on these subdivisions that they have okayed.

01:51:36,000	is to the highway department over $5 million So I want to see the, can I interrupt you just, sir, for a second? Sure. Um, because I know that’s more recent information than I had and that I used at a previous meeting, because at a previous meeting, I said, um 2.

01:51:55,270	59 and then I found out a day or so later that it was actually 2.6 million, but now the number is actually at 5 million. So it was not. Yeah. I just wanted to point out that numbers that I’ve It’s now 5 million.

01:52:22,000	and I might even below that, that very likely is, and I know that’s a low estimate, but. Well, the, the problem with that is, we don’t have that kind of money in the budget. Right. To go and fix this stuff. So what I want, is to turn Marcus loose on this thing. with uh Casey and Dan and the whole darn fruit. The whole crew.

01:52:49,270	And I want Marcus to go in there and explain to him that what they, the errors of their way. and we can’t afford them So if they’re gonna do this, they need to pay for the problems that we have to fix. That’s number one.

01:53:10,800	Well, you remember, you remember I asked the question at the meeting, you’re going to do a lump sum payment or you want to make a payment with interest. you know And so, I mean, because we, we can’t keep covering those costs because like you said, it’s not in the budget, but yet it comes out of the highway department budget, so therefore slashes items that we actually do plan for.

01:53:28,730	Go ahead, sir. So, I want Mars to go in there and and help our, uh planning and zoning and all that, uh. I hope he loses his temper Can you do that? Yeah, he’s here Well, I was just made aware of another situation where there’s Marcusson’s department’re we’re

01:53:50,370	hammered here. Another one. Say again. I, I was just made aware of another situation that’s currently under development. They’re not lining up the roads. Oh, yeah, that, that’s, that’s right, right near my house It’s the same thing. The newest happens all the time. The newest subdivision I’m aware of.

01:54:08,800	The roads don’t light up. Um, I do know that Mars was concerned about taking a position that could offend the commission or anything like that, and I really don’t think that he could say and do anything that would offend this Commission on this issue.

01:54:23,170	Um, we do have a, we do have a map here. Mars, you have carte blanche. Go get them. Go get them. See if you can’t get that 1 ft deal in. Well, we’re starting right here. I mean, there’s, there’s no 1 ft in this. because, uh, anything else does not address the issue.

01:54:45,600	Now, I’ve said, and I am totally committed to working with the city in every way we can. The cooperation would be vastly enhanced, but if we can’t get past this issue, we’re gonna have the same issues moving forward Well, and, and you’re right. Chair bittenner and that their map takes a lot of people out. Um-hum.

01:55:11,730	while reserving a lot of what is more readily developable land. but what about the people that get stuck saddled with that. Yeah. That, that’s, that’s the problem I have.

01:55:33,600	It’s still uh and I don’t care what level of government it is, should not be in the job of picking winners and losers, and they’re doing that. Um, that’s what their map looks like is, hey, we’re gonna take all these people out so that the majority think they’ve got to win, but what about the minority in this case? Well, they continue to lose their voice.

01:55:49,500	Yes, they, they still lose their you know, right, right now you’ve got, you’ve got 12,000 people out there ringing the bell of winners and losers. Yeah. And then, of course, turning over those existing subdivisions means they’ve already absorbed the income from the permits and the pladding and whatnot. So, let’s just shovel that uh I won’t use that word.

01:56:11,600	Let’s just shovel those things off on the county with no income. right? Well, it makes no sense, Mr. Chair Comm Chair, I think Mr. Bakke said it very, very well here a few meetings ago.

01:56:35,530	If our planning department and the city’s planning department are working together and are very consistent with our codes When there’s a group that wants to become a city development and they request to have annexed in, and if our department is working very similar to their department. There is no reason we can’t have the care custody control of that area today. Should be seamless. As long as it is ready for them to be annexed in at their choice. Absolutely.

01:56:58,500	Well, I, I think I was very clear that it was the county planning and zoning that prepared county subdivisions for eventual entrance into the city. You know, nobody else has done that, but the county did. Yep, so that when the city gets there, that problem doesn’t exist anymore.

01:57:15,100	Well, I, I thought, I thought that was a really, really important breakthrough but yet the city is still applying, you know, archaic kind of rules to subdivisions to where, you know, you got to have an acre and a half minimum. A lot of people don’t want an acre and a half.

01:57:32,000	That’s the hard part for the city to overcome when they eventually get there because no, nobody can afford the taxes based on the square footage of lots, right? And, and it’s just, you know, at some point they need to understand that there are solutions, and we’ve been providing those solutions, but apparently um hasn’t been registering, so.

01:57:49,430	Oh, and there’s nothing wrong with urban density in a rural setting either, and that’s something that else needs to be addressed with this also is, is the ability to, to already have that density when the city gets out to that point that it’s easily absorbed, and that’s a choice.

01:58:06,800	Some people don’t mind having a neighbor that’s close, but they don’t want to live in town at this point in time. And that, that’s fine too. We’re, we’re trying to open up all options for all people.

01:58:19,100	I, I did a little math just so, just so that you know, with the amount of acreage that I own, you heard the conversation about the 40 acres, and I don’t own 40 acres, but um, on, on my land where the city would allow a 2400 square foot building on my lot out in the ETA.

01:58:37,800	The square footage that I own under the county zoning ordinance would allow me to do in excess of 32,000 square foot building. So you see that’s not equal representation under the law, which is really the underlying principle behind our concerns here is the application of the Constitution and the equal protection under the law.

01:59:01,900	because you can’t have a different standard for the people who can vote for you. versus the people that can’t vote for you. because I think you can cover a lot in inside the city limit, with a lot higher square footage than you can out in the county.

01:59:16,900	And then here we are, we can’t do anything about it, so anyway, Commissioners, I was hopeful that the position that we would be taking would be this new map on page. 85 rather than the uh um the, the totally gerrymandered uh map on page 89. Mr. Chair. Comm Woodco.

01:59:50,000	The two different proposals, ours and theirs, you, you just take the map, lay it on the table, and look at it, and you could tell this one, the city proposal is like a shotgun hit it. I mean, there’s, so they’ve taken off. Here and there in March and all. Yeah. Nobody will know what they’re doing.

02:00:03,900	They’re gonna figure out right across the street that somebody who isn’t it, the other ones are in it and it’s the the, uh, at first glance, the county map is much more cleaner, easier to develop, that’s for sure. Absolutely. I mean, here, you know, you’re in it or you’re not.

02:00:20,870	I mean, there’s the line right there and it’s not, the other neighbor on the other side, he’s not in the different area, so Well, and then this gives equal protection under the law to the citizens. That’s, that’s an absolutely critical thing to me Comm Schwann I I guess when you’re out in this twilight zone here.

02:00:46,430	Uh the city can tell you what and what to do, not to do, right? Right. OK, so we gerrymander and say we’re, you know, we’re in the county if you want to shoot a gun, you can shoot a gun. I’m using this as an example now. But the city could turn around and say, and they’re part of this too.

02:01:08,500	Now, we’re not going to let you do that. Is, that’s the way I read it, and to me, uh man, California, here we come. But I mean, now I’m just using that for an example.

02:01:33,370	There’s a ton of examples that you can use like that where the people left behind or the, the people that that uh want proper representation, you’re not going to get it and all it is is stubbornness, I think. What’s so tough about if the city wants to put in a subdivision they consult with the county to find out if it’s going to be good for both of us I mean, you can’t be that hard.

02:01:54,800	It’s too easy. Actually, it’s really easy, Comm, if you don’t mind, I’ll give you, I’ll tell you to lay out the path for you. Sure. There is a certain section in the North Dakota Century Code that deals with this exact question that’s called a regional planning and zoning Commission.

02:02:10,800	So you, you, you can establish, we can do a combination of, of, uh, uh, planning and zoning commissions. It doesn’t have to be City of Bismarck planning and zoning, which I’ve been on that board, you all know, for, for probably I don’t know, 18.

02:02:32,170	well, I don’t know exactly when I started, ’08 or ’09, but like 18 years on that board. Anyway, it doesn’t have to be a city planning commission or a county planning commission. It can be a regional planning commission where both parties are at the table. discussing those things in that area. I mean, there’s options. It’s not an us or them thing.

02:02:50,900	It never should have been. We, we as a board represent 100% of the citizens in Burleigh County. 100% the city of Bismarck represents a smaller percentage of the citizens, but they’re trying to control land where those people do not have the same rep representation. When Heidi calls she doesn’t, she doesn’t get any response from the city.

02:03:19,170	She couldn’t even get people’s numbers. right? So this I think is a good place to start because really, I think we can put this issue behind us and we can, we can really work together moving forward for the benefit of Burleigh County citizens, 100%. At the end of the day, we’re facilitating development for the city.

02:03:47,500	Um-hum. I mean, that, that’s part of our job with staff. So begs the question, what’s the problem? Yeah. It, it, it really is. Well, you remember I asked the question, What are you afraid of? I don’t, I don’t know what they, uh, when you, when you’re looking at the zoning ordinances and

02:04:04,530	everything else, and they almost mirror each other with, with respect of if you’re in the ETA versus you’re out of the ETA and that’s it. Um. And that’s for the most part, that’s it. Yeah, and that’s, that’s by plan. I mean, that was, you know, like I said, years ago before the county had their thing.

02:04:23,270	it, it was necessary to have ordinances that were the same. Um-hum. That’s not the problem. People aren’t complaining about that, but if they want to change from a 2400 square foot limitation on an outbuilding, which by the way, I’ve stayed on the city planning and zoning commissions specifically so I can vote for

02:04:41,370	and support those citizens out in the ETA that want a larger building than if they’re allowed to have, so that they won’t wait, they apply for a special use permit because nowadays we have bigger campers, bigger boats. We got snow removal equipment, lawn mowers. I mean, I think I have probably 5 lawn mowers, you know.

02:05:01,630	Well, 2400 square foot wouldn’t do anything for me, and I think people should be able to protect their property. They got a significant investment. You probably know more about the value of campers than I do.

02:05:20,370	but I am certain that I’ve seen some really valuable campers and boats, and I mean, I used to just freak out when the storms, you know, a hail storm would come rolling in and my boat was parked outside. I’m like, Oh. And so anyway, I don’t know if we need a motion or a or a consensus or I, I think we’ve got a consent.

02:05:35,370	I think we could take this map to the next meeting and say, here’s what we’re thinking about. Yeah. So. Yeah. You guys all Tomorrow night. Yeah. Correct. Yep Yeah. 4 o’clock Uh, Marcus, you comfortable? Yes. Thank you, Commissioners. That’s what I needed, a better idea of where you guys stand on this particular issue and the direction and moving forward.

02:05:59,530	So I will definitely work with staff to try to set up a meeting with the city and county and, and try to get some type of mutually agreed to kind of thing that we can bring back to the boards and have at, at the, uh, next joint meeting too. So OK, that’s. That’s tomorrow.

02:06:13,000	That’s tomorrow. I know. So, uh, was this, was our map provided? I, I, I looked at it earlier in the week, but I couldn’t get into the link for the city’s agenda for that. Yeah, I don’t know if it’s on. I don’t know if it’s on the agenda. You get or not.

02:06:27,800	We’ll bring, we’ll bring copies to you. So thank you. Marcus. There was a meeting tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. It’s just the regular. Not, not the, not the full. It’s the city county committee. OK, that, that was a pretty good beat up on the discussion. Chair Comm, Comm Woodcock.

02:06:50,730	If we, if, if this does go through the way the city is proposing, we have to hire 3 more employees. If we do our way, there’s the city gonna release 3 or the release of three of their employees. Oh, they should because they’re work. Yeah, their workload would because they’re working on our area. Yeah.

02:07:09,900	The or the EPA and if they don’t have it anymore, they shouldlea. Yeah, it would, it would be a win for them. Yeah. Um the city recreation agreement. Mr. Chair Comm Muns, tomorrow’s meeting is 4 or 5. 4 4, right? Yeah, 4:00. 4 o’clock. 4:00. OK.

02:07:30,900	Just wanted to make sure in case there’s residents that want to come to that meeting tomorrow and and please do, again, this is opportunity for residents to, to speak up and, and have input. Mr. Chair. Comm Woodcoox. I I if you want to come again? Feel free. I got a couple of, uh, the large maps from our, our planning department.

02:07:51,100	They’re, they’re proposal and our proposal, I’m going to leave him laying here cause I’ve got a couple of extras. Anybody who wants to come up and look at it or they’re more than welcome to look at it. You can see it right away. OK. Thank you, Comm Woocox. I appreciate that. City recreation Agreement. Mr. Chair, this is another item you had asked to uh bring forward to this meeting.

02:08:09,070	Um, I put in your packet, uh, the agenda item from 2023, uh, when we discussed it at that point. uh, also, again, my notes, uh from this weekend, uh this is a, uh, a mill levy that has been um charged or on the county rolls since 1998.

02:08:37,270	Um, through a joint powers agreement between the city and of the Park District and in the county. Uh, it is a mill that is charged to city residents only, uh, and it is used for the benefit of the park districts along the riverfront.

02:08:58,630	Uh, we have a that JPA that was resigned in 14 and from my understanding, the position of most of the commissioners here, uh, this is not something that you want, uh, and if that’s something you don’t want, we need to give the Park District a one-year notice. Uh, Personally, I, I like the the process. I, I have no issue with it.

02:09:19,000	I know the money is being well spent, um, on those park District properties along the river. Um, but with that, um I’ll leave it up to you folks We do have members from the Park District as well as Comm from the Park District here, if you have questions for them.

02:09:44,000	Does anybody have any um concerns or questions or anything? I guess my biggest question is, uh, what’s the definition of riverfront improvements. Um you know, we’re seeing in city limits a boat ramp being removed. We’re, I don’t see any development for direct waterfront improvements. Uh, that was something that I was pushing for, uh, in a previous life very hard.

02:10:08,100	I show me where that money’s going I, I, I don’t see those improvements. That, that’s my problem. I want to know where the money’s going. Every one of these entities that’s receiving this money is their own taxing entity. And they, they can certainly tax the citizens the same as us.

02:10:26,330	I think this is almost like a, like a hidden tax within our budget. I, I just, I just think it’s outlived its usefulness. I know it started back when, when we had that, I think it’s Sibley Island, Comm Schwab. started back when Garrison diversion started and that’s exactly what it is. Long before that same decade.

02:10:49,330	Well, and, and there’s a couple city commissioners I’ve heard say, you know, what, what’s the benefit of Burleigh County? It’s like, here’s a tax that is on the backs of city residents within Burleigh County. Um I, I don’t see the benefit. OK. I, I just, I, I don’t, um. you know.

02:11:12,700	But we have, can, can we use, can we use the 15% towards, uh, some of the asphalt mitigation. Oh. You know, it we have a couple of people here from the park board, do they want to defend themselves, so to speak.

02:11:30,800	Yeah, and I know back in 13 when this conversation came up, I, I had the Park District give a very detailed record of of the past. I don’t remember how many years of exactly where all that money was spent, um, and they were very clear with all of that. I didn’t put it together for this meeting, um.

02:11:47,870	because again, I believe we’re uh we’re we’re lopsided on the belief of how this project should go. And, and again, maybe it’s as simple as coming back to the definition of riverfront improvements. I mean, I’m thinking public marinas and, and facilities to access the water, not, here’s a park, it’s water adjacent, look at the pretty river at 0.65 of a mil, that’s gonna take a long time.

02:12:07,700	But, but Well, the, the point is that I, Here’s the part, there’s the river. You can look at it. Great. Yeah. And I think with respect to county parks, we also pay the park board, the City Park Board to maintain, we, we hire them, yes, they, they are uh uh so I I don’t recall seeing any um.

02:12:29,000	any of that reflected in those. bills or in those um compensation amounts. for any, any of them. I, I guess I don’t understand the question. OK. If any, if there’s a percentage of any money that’s supposed to go towards Coy parks. How’s that accounted for? It back in when this uh GPA was created. That’s. Uh, there was.

02:12:52,000	I’m talking about today. OK. Uh, but the money here is for just riverfront properties, not Coy park districts. The 0.65% of a mill. is for improvements A again, tax to the it’s it’s levied to the city residents for improvements to the city parks.

02:13:18,630	At one point, this used to be a full mill and uh the remainder was allocated to the park districts, and I think Comm Mitner, you said it right a few years ago, uh, that we didn’t want to continue taxing it that way because we had our own park district and we were collecting our own fees for that. Right.

02:13:35,330	I, I think that, I think with respect to that, it just makes sense to me that if it’s a city park, it’s under city parks and wrecks and their budget. If it’s the it’s same thing applies to the bookmobile. If it’s going to the schools, it should be in schools’ budgets.

02:13:53,470	If it’s going to the senior senators that we go to the senior center’s budget. I’m not opposed to spending the money on something, because quite frankly, I think Bismarck Parks and Rex does a really good job. They do a great job, but, but that’s not the point.

02:14:09,530	It’s a question of why are we collecting the tax Tax for, for an entity that has its own taxing authority, and I wish we were all here in ’98 when it all started, but I don’t have those answer s I don’t have that history. Yeah.

02:14:24,900	Um, I, I don’t recall it, and then I’ll go to the Comm Schwab’s point, you know, in 1998, they set a some a precedent in place that affects future commissions. Um, so that’s I understand that side of it, but I, what I do like is that this money is being spent at the city parks, and it is only levied to the city residents Sure, which it would stay the same whether it’s the Park District or the county

02:14:48,000	levying it and I think that fortunately now with 11, with the new tax and the 3% were were not going to be able to do that or the park district is not gonna be able to do that in the future.

02:15:02,270	Well, that’s not, that’s an issue between them and the state legislature, just like we’re going to have to work with state legislature for our problems. So, and I think that that’s gonna be a big group no matter what. Oh, yeah. Cause I think everybody is feeling that particular pain, not just us and not just them, so. is there a motion in here somewhere. Schwab, Mr. Swab.

02:15:17,330	Well, there’s one other thing I want to bring up on. this part board doing this stuff. When you do the bills you find out that if the park board has done something for $1000 out at extension. He put on a 25% administration fee.

02:15:51,370	If it’s new project or building or whatever, it’s 5%. I kind of think that is uh 25% I wish I could make that kind of money and everything I ever did. That’s over and above cost. It’s an administrative fee. In other words, a gouge. as far as I’m concerned. Overhead. Just Overhead. What overhead do they have? Mark did, Mark was getting up.

02:16:16,470	Do you wanna address Good evening, Commissioners. I’m Mark Zimmerman, um, currently a member of the Bismarck board of Park Commissioners. Currently severing, serving as the president of the Park board. Uh, we’ve had this discussion, uh, I’ve had this discussion with our executive director, uh, Kevin Klipfell, Commissioners have discussed it as well, and our position, at least.

02:16:45,870	is that yes, this is a, as Chair Bittner stated, this is a tax levied by the county payable only by the residents of Bismarck for riverfront development, and consideration that, as you have said with the ETA discussion that you represent the whole, every citizen of the whole county.

02:17:18,000	And to that extent, the Park District riverfront development is for all the citizens, just out of excuse me, just not a Bismarck or Burleigh County, but of course, everybody who uses the parks, the trails along the river for riverfront development. The boat ramps within the city limits, which are perhaps the most popular boat ramps.

02:17:38,170	The parking lots in those boat ramp areas, all of those amenities within and along the river. that are used, you know, I have advocated in the past just Zimmermann. as a park Comm I could go to a park. I can go to the splash pad. I can go to many facilities.

02:18:01,270	They’re used by county residents as well as city residents, which I am a member of resident of Bertie County as well. I, as a citizen of Bismarck, pay part of my property tax goes for operation of Park District. Citizens of Burleigh County outside the city of Bismarck enjoy all of our park amenities and pay no property tax.

02:18:21,870	Our commission has steadfastly said we are in no way going to say if you’re from outside the city of Bismarck, you pay more to play around the golf. You pay more to come to a pool. Our thought is this is uh cooperative effort here This is, I think it’s about $315,000. for riverfront Improvement Riverfront development.

02:18:50,700	I do, uh, do not have that list of all of those dollars. spent in all of those areas along the riverfront development. but I can tell you in my 12 years on the Park board, that’s money well spent for everyone to use.

02:19:07,800	So I’ll stand for any questions, but again, I think it’s uh a way here that from ’98 that this was a way that you know, everybody was paying within the city of Bismarck and addressed at the county commission represents the whole county. I hope I’m making sense there or not. Comm Bakke Yeah, a little bit.

02:19:27,700	Um, so, Mark, one of my questions is definition of riverfront development and improvements because when I’m looking at riverfront development, it’s not the fact that there’s a trail that runs along the river, which greatly appreciate. I use a great deal, but accessibility, and we’ve seen a boat ramp coming out.

02:19:48,370	I’ve not seen a plan to readdress that. No public marinas, no access points at, uh, we’re, those are my definition of waterfront improvements, of riverfront improvements. It’s the accessibility side of things, so what’s the plan for that? Because I haven’t seen that.

02:20:12,970	Yeah, I can, uh, in our most recent meeting with the uh uh, riverfront Comms or that definition or name of that area along the river with the elimination of the boat ramp at Merryweather’s, uh, the city has, uh, had some preliminary discussion with the park District. Where could that next boat ramp be? I have no idea.

02:20:33,800	but I would say, Comm Bakken, I think Riverfront development, riverfront access. We have that in the trails on along the park. I use the trails. There are kids, there’s families all along the river from the trail from the parking lots down to the river. all along from Merryweather boat ramp all the way down that trail through Sir Toma Park through Pioneer Park.

02:20:54,600	They have access to the river. Granted, it’s just shore fishing. It’s sitting on the uh sitting on the beach. OK, but I also. Yeah. I’m on my boat all summer long and driving by and going, huh. in current and there’s little kids swimming here. Wow, that’s gonna be a problem someday. I, I can see that happening.

02:21:12,800	Um, it just hasn’t happened yet. Um, so when we’re looking at the accessibility, it’s, it’s about safe accessibility. It, it, it’s about having safe beaches, having public marinas so we can attract people here. I don’t see any of that development. I, I just don’t. And then a boat ramp went away.

02:21:35,900	Well, Comm Bakke, if I may answer, Chair? No, actually, you may not. Um, we’re kind of getting off the track. Um, we’re not really discussing why don’t we have a boat ramp and why don’t we have that’s it’s that’s an example of it’s good example again, back to what the definition is yeah.

02:21:58,630	The question really is should the county be taxing for city parks and then just handing that money over to City Parks when City Parks has their own taxable mill levy authority. I think it’s a hidden tax. That’s my issue with it. I don’t, I don’t have a problem with parks and Recs at all.

02:22:14,270	I don’t live in town. I don’t use any of the facilities, um, so I don’t, I don’t have a dog in the hunt myself. I just think that in all cases in Burleigh County, the taxes that we levy should be levied by the authority that is actually using those.

02:22:33,900	that that’s doing that, you know, like I said, if it’s the bookmobile and the and is going to schools, then the schools should be paid for it. Is it still the county citizens, but that’s accountability so that when they’re voting for people like Comm Zimmerman, and they’re worried about the cost of

02:22:53,170	services or anything else, then they’re looking at Mr. Zimmerman and not Mr. Munsen over here. That’s, that’s just my position. Well, and, and just to be fair, I mean, some of this goes, does go to countywide, but I live in the city.

02:23:13,470	and I pay park board taxes, but how does it go countywide? No. I don’t, this doesn’t. It does not see. That’s an old, that’s old. The original JPA. The original. The original JPA for 100% of the of the one mil. But currently we’re at 0.625 only. right, so it’s not going, um, and so, Comm Schwab.

02:23:38,470	I, I want to clear up, uh, little thing here, uh um we were just kind of told that the city never refuses to let people. from out of city limits use parts. And I understand that. For free. But the way it was stated, it was kind of like, we don’t reciprocate. I mean, like McDowell at Dan.

02:24:04,370	that’s county, isn’t it? We’ve never turned them away and said, you can’t come in here because you’re from the city. So, to phrase things like that and say, well you know, this is what you’re doing and insinuating on the other side, uh, behind the scenes that we’re doing that is not true. Right. We represent everybody, including the people in Bismarck.

02:24:27,100	Right. Anybody can go to a county park or a county boat ramp or a county. Um. whatever, and I, you know I think interestingly enough, isn’t it Bismarck, Parks and Rexs that manages, um, McDougal Dan for us. Correct. For a fee. Um yep. Yeah. Yeah.

02:24:50,000	So, we don’t get anything for free but that’s not, that’s not the point. The point really is, do we need to be taxing city residents under the county umbrella for something that is more legitimate as a Bismarck Park Board, Mill Levy, I don’t think so. Mr. Chair. Comm Woodcock.

02:25:08,800	It’d be interesting to go back in 1998 and find out where, what was the reasoning in allowing the county to tax just the city and use it for part affairs. What are you going to call it riverfront. It says riverfront development or riverfront facilities.

02:25:27,100	But who, how in the world did they get that through? I don’t know. That the, that the county would tax only the city. for something that’s in the, in the riverfront. of the city. I’ve asked for the history and, and I, and we’ve speculated on the history, um, there was something to do with Sibley Park, uh, but nobody really remembers. So.

02:25:50,870	too much water under that bridge. Comm, what do you want to do here? All that does is make, uh, the county, the tax collector, the IRS of Burleigh County. Yeah. For everybody And they don’t have to show it on their side of the statements. Um.

02:26:09,700	So it makes it look like, hey, you got garrison version, you got parks, water resource. soil conservation, and we tax for all of them. and that needs to be very clear and understood And we’re forced to And we, we need to quit that. Is that emotion Yes Now motion to quit that I have a second we do That’s his motion. I, I didn’t catch that when he.

02:26:45,370	hit the table. I didn’t know that was a yes. That’s emotional. Motion to discontinue that agreement. Second for discussion Second for discussion, OK? So, uh, again, for me, this comes back to the definition of what does riverfront improvement means.

02:27:21,700	And without the accessibility to the river, to me, that’s not riverfront improvement It’s like I, I can I can stand in the rooftop of the state capitol and look at the river. I can be at a I can be at a park and look at the river. I can be at my house and stand on the roof and look at the river.

02:27:35,000	I mean, it’s, it’s the accessibility to me and that’s where I’ve got to hang up on. I don’t see it. I, I just don’t see the accessibility as part of this for the waterfront. I, I just don’t So, so my question would be when this went from a full mill to a 0.625 mLs.

02:28:04,900	Which items of these four? are we taxing for Valid So, so of these again of these four items, which item are we not taxing for anymore, and, and I don’t have that information either. um but I know and what’s it look like with Sibley? You know, Sibley’s the one that pops into my head is what, what does that looks like? Right.

02:28:23,170	And, and so, like I said, whatever happened in ’98 or whatever happened when this went from a full mil to 0.625, which pieces and part in here. are we no longer doing Um I can, I, I know for a fact that the, the operations and improvements at Sibley Park are continuous I know that the security and the maintenance, the law

02:28:50,900	enforcement of what they’re doing along the riverfront is in force at all times. Um, the operation improvement of the facilities. they’re constantly planting trees and taking down trees and you know, so what, what are, what are they not doing? Where’s the 15% of the mill she’ll be used for the operation and improvement of County riverfront facilities.

02:29:17,500	If the city of Bismarck is in Burleigh County that’s, that’s part of Bernie County River. So what does that breakdown look like? Right, and, and that’s what I can’t answer because I don’t have the history.

02:29:36,330	I mean, 2 years ago when we brought this in front of the group, we were very specific and gave you line item by line of every dollar that was spent. every year for the past X amount of years, um but the way this reads and you, you talk about the riverfront development Was that the part that was taken out? I don’t know. I don’t, I don’t know.

02:29:57,000	Um, I think it gets back to more of a conversation of what Comm Bittner is talking about. Um, should the county be taxing city residents for a city park program. Personally, I don’t have an issue with that, but that’s just personally this commission has to decide what they want to do.

02:30:18,070	um any opportunity and, and I know I’ve taken a lot of grief from Comm Schwab. Uh, any opportunity I get a chance to improve a park, I’m going to do it. Um, people move here to get a job. People stay here because of what we offer them in amenities. And in my world, parks are one of them.

02:30:34,330	and any opportunity we can have to keep those people here. If it is 0.625 of a mil that helps in that process. I’m all for it. I hear you, but that seems to me that you got no bottom to the to the amount of money you’re willing to spend to do that, and that, that’s a concern I

02:30:54,170	have. In this case, to me, it’s only about the entity that’s collecting a tax, and it doesn’t matter that it just so happens that we’re talking about parks here and I think I’ve made it very clear I don’t have any issues with PAs. Oh, absolutely.

02:31:11,800	And like I said, you’re, your, your statement is the one that really we need to talk about is. Yeah, it should county be collecting for the parks, right? And I don’t think that’s our job, you know, I think especially moving forward now with the limitations on, on all political subdivisions and taxing entities.

02:31:31,500	We don’t need to carry water for another, another department you know, they can, they’ll have their own issues that the legislature, as we will, and we’re gonna, we it just so happens ours are pretty big because and ours are a little more convoluted with sales tax, and that’s a benefit, but you know, there’s going to be

02:31:45,530	issues. I just don’t need to carry water for somebody else, that’s all. We got enough of our own issues here. Any further discussion over to Garrison diversion. Well, that’s another one I think that we should, um, I think we should just cancel that one too, see what happens. Well, the cardboard wouldn’t get money for its swing sets.

02:32:05,070	They’d still get money for their swing sets. Only it’s limited at 50,000 since, since we put in 700 and whatever 1000 that’s still limited to a lot of swing sets. Yeah. Colro Well, can I ask, can I, uh, have repeated the motion.

02:32:30,270	The motion is to notify the city that we will be um leaving we will no longer be levying the parks, uh, city recreational portion of the Texas. Is that correct I, I think, I think I think, terminating the JPA is, is a more, yeah. we don’t mean to put words in your mouth as the motion, but that’s. that’s what we do.

02:32:51,000	No, I said we quit We quit doing that. OK. You’ve noticed so. Well, we, we had to muddy that up by adding language, huh? No, I’m not conventional, you know that. Col rule Comm Munsen. Absolutely no. Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab? Yes. Comm Woodcock? No. Chair Bitner? Yes. Motion carries.

02:33:22,000	Next item on the agenda, state’s attorney lawyer um, investigators salaryary variance request and opioid litigation at, uh, this May require we enter into an executive session, um, and I have a couple of other items under other business before we do that.

02:33:39,100	So if, if we’re going to do that, I need to do a couple other things first, OK? So the first agenda item I have is a request for a salary variance for our successful investigator candidate.

02:33:56,170	Um, I did provide you all with his resume, which is not a public record at this point since he’s merely a candidate and not um an employee and so, um, so you can see he’s got extensive experience, he’s got um 13 years of additional investigatory experience than the minimum qualifications that we require, um, keeping in mind that this grade that we have are investigators in is the same great for sheriff’s deputies We require a four-year degree plus 5 years of investigative experience.

02:34:18,270	The sheriff’s deputy position requires an associate’s degree or 2 years of experience or 3 years of military experience, um, along those lines and so our our basic um qualifications are more than what a sheriff’s deputy is, um, required to have and so generally we will be starting out with asking for or starting them out at a higher rate of

02:34:35,430	pay than a starting deputy. Um, but in this case, as you can see, he does have a lot of significant law enforcement experience to include um doing investigations into drug and violent crime offenses, and so with his level of experience, we’re asking for a variance to start him at step 9.

02:34:54,870	Wolff to proof. Second, motion to 2 to approve any further discussion? Follow the rule Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab? Yes. Comm Woodcoxox? Yes. Comm Munsen. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. I wanna, I wanna get into a couple of other things under other business, um, earlier I handed off some information to Marcus, um this was information.

02:35:25,900	Yes, Comm, this is information that we typically call it an SOV solicitation of views kind of information from the federal government. Uh, they were just informing us the Bureau of Land Management is going to be revising their current North Dakota resource management plan and they give us basically 33

02:35:44,000	options as far as our involvement. How much do we want to be involved in such a thing. And number one, the first option is do we want to be basically a partner with them that, in that, and if we had a statewide interest, uh, uh, then I think a partner with them in

02:35:59,100	this particular thing would be a wise thing to do. Uh, the second option is to, uh, uh, we’re not necessarily desire to be a partner with you on this, but we would like to be included in all mailings that go out, public hearings. We want to know about that information.

02:36:15,070	Any kind of documentation, draft documents that come out. I think that’s probably the one where we wanna be. And the third option is basically, uh, thank you, but we don’t want to be involved in any way. So, um, my recommendation is go with the second option. If you choose to do that, I’ll check that box.

02:36:30,530	I’ll have the auditor fill out the additional information and we’ll get that mailed off. Moved to approve. Second option. Motion the second to approve. Any further discussion? All the roll. Comm Woodcock, Comm Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken. Yes. Comm Schwab. Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. Thank you, Marcus.

02:36:55,730	Um uh, there was a letter certified mail from the City of Bismarck Community Development Department that um has received a petition from a landowner to annex lands into the city of Bismarck, and it has a description um, that’s up in the boulder Ridge area. um, includes, uh, you know, racing includes 19.

02:37:21,900	89 acres and, um, it’s, it’s, they’re notifying us, um, just for reformation purposes and if we have any questions or need any additional information. Um, if anybody needs any additional information, I’m just letting you know this letter came in. I’m gonna hand it off to the, to the auditor. I’m not aware of any reason that we would have a concern with annexation. of a commercial property there.

02:37:41,470	Um, next thing, um, North Dakota State Fair. Did we, did we appoint some delegates to the North Dakota State Fair already? You are. Not me, no. I, I know, I didn’t. Um I beat you to the punch.

02:38:01,270	No, I, I appreciate the thought, but it’s not me because I I don’t know if during the the budget discussions. I thought we had some kind of conversation Mr. Chair, I think in the past, the, the detention service says they, they sent a couple of people up there already, and we used one of those as our, our representative, I think. OK.

02:38:16,730	Um, basically, so what we would ask is for the auditor to submit names and addresses of your appointed delegates to them in writing by October 24th. So if we, I thought we already discussed that, and I think that, for example, I think the recorder was was one of the volunteers, and that was for the October Yeah, that was for association

02:38:38,600	of counties. Oh, I see. OK, right? Uh, so, I’m mixing up the two. They request two typically for the, um, 4H. We discussed it last year, for this, they need 2 for the state fair. Yeah, it’s a state fair association’s annual meeting. As a county, you are responsible to appoint two delegates.

02:39:00,430	When’s the annual meeting? Uh, the annual meeting is November 18th, 2025. It’s to be held at the FFA Hall of the State Fair Center. May not at 1 p.m. and I think um, they just uh need to be a resident, uh, these delegates must reside in your county. but it’s got to be done by October 24th.

02:39:28,800	I’ll check with the extension because I think that’s what we’ve done. Several times. Well, I would ask the auditor who we did last year, who we submitted.

02:39:47,900	I believe in years past I, I, I believe that Comm Bakke was one of the, one of the delegate at one year and I believe also Tyler Kraliche maybe, maybe have been one as well from extension. I’d be willing to do it again if Go right in If the, do you want, if we want to reach out to Tyler and see if Yeah, Reach out to extensions or extensions, yeah, find out.

02:40:04,500	OK. And then I’ll, I’ll just leave that letter in the pile for the auditor as well. Thank you, Commissioners. Then one other thing that I have, let’s see, extension. Bureau of State Fair, and then FEMA. I have a, I have a letter from FEMA. that, that’s in, uh, regards to a community assistance visit.

02:40:28,070	You know, I just thought it was important to read the highlights of it. It says, Dear Mr. Bittner, on behalf of FEMA Region 8’s floodplain Management and Insurance branch. I would like to thank Burleigh County staff for hosting us during the community assistant visit. on August 12th and August 13th, 2025.

02:40:47,800	It was a pleasure to meet Mitch Flanagan to discuss Burleigh County’s ongoing efforts in floodplain management, particularly as the county works toward entering the community rating system program. We appreciate the time and effort your team dedicated to this process, as well as the professionalism with which Mitch Flanagan shared the community’s goals and challenges.

02:41:10,270	These discussions were instrumental in identifying areas that require attention to enhance the community’s resilience and safety. Um, then it goes on to say they value the partnership and and sincerely, and I wanted to point out and we’ll put a, uh, give Mitch a copy of this letter because I just wanted to point out that the fact and recognize the fact

02:41:30,000	that FEMA was um offering some uh good feedback to staff, and I wanted to thank Mitch for his involvement with that. Um, Commissioners, do you have anything else under other business before I turn it back over to Julie. OK, Comm Schwab. I have, um let’s put it this way, I’ll be honest.

02:41:55,000	I don’t think the fair ground is doing well out there. And I would like to start a fairground board, nonprofit. I need to move that extension out of that building. We paid on that building this month. I look at these bills. $5,675. That’s crazy. Comes out to $68,000 a year and whatever else they can tack on.

02:42:32,470	And when I say tack on the uh east side, the south side of that building, if they have a weather a wedding schedule. for each can’t use it, but I believe we’re paying rent for it, and they’re renting it out twice. So uh, I’m going to tell you a short story. It’s true.

02:42:56,430	I helped handle an estate for the fella Uh, happened to be my brother Now, he didn’t die, but he was handling an estate and it kind of got out of hand. Anyway, this couple, uh, the Guy died, the gal died. No family, no kids. and when the estate was done, the Bismarck Public School Foundation got $1.8 million.

02:43:34,900	because he had no place to put it. Where, where do you give it? And we’re not set up for that, so I would like to start a foundation out there. and if you this other stuff doesn’t go.

02:43:52,530	The reason why you got them books, if you read about Ramsey County, they can put up an arena for 3.6 million. They got $1 million kicker from the, uh, from the county. That county is 11,500 people. and they can get an arena up and we’re talking 30, 26 million on the last deal with the same architect, the same deal.

02:44:18,630	So I would like to put that together and, and, um, move the 4H up there. Up where? Up where? Up in that 50 acres. As a matter of fact, up in Ramsey County, it is running its extension that actually does the booking on the, uh, arena.

02:44:46,430	If you go to the website Ramsey County Fairgrounds they will tell you how it’s run. and they’ll even send you to a link on Facebook, but I’m dead serious about this. It’s about time that we get this 501c going and quit fooling around out there, sell the place. I do believe the 501c3 is already in process. It is.

02:45:06,870	You have to have you have to have it done right, and that means you need a fair ground association, not a committee. Everybody uses an association that you may be able to use the committee, but that isn’t the way to do it. You have the committee and the funds would go to the county.

02:45:30,230	and the county would invest them, which brings up another thing When we had this vote a while back. Well, I guess I can’t bring it up I was on a losing site I think you can bring it up. I think we can talk about it. I just don’t think we didn’t take action.

02:45:53,630	Can’t can’t take another action, but we can talk about it. I, I want to tell you that when we had that vote on the uh public funds are gonna be used for utilities, and I went back and read everything. Well, it’s utilities, parking lots underground, the whole ball of wax.

02:46:17,730	there is enough money if, if this story about the Ramsey deal, there’s enough money there. 5.7 million, you get going and get a few contributions. No reason why you guys aren’t building yet. I really believe that. And I mean, proof it’s there. A guy’s got to, all you got to do is drive up there.

02:46:36,430	That is exactly what you guys want 4H is up there but, I think Comm Bakke wants to add on to your um conversation there. So, part of my thought process is we do the facility out there correctly.

02:47:03,100	and it’s gonna give us flexibility and opportunity for offsetting the costs for some of these other entities with what we want to do with the horse facility, but that’s gonna give us an opportunity to move other agencies out there, including the extension, the 4H, a few other ones that I don’t wish to mention right now, but we’re gonna have a lot of conservation of scale, so there’s an opportunity to do

02:47:21,330	that. Yep. That being said some of these moving parts can’t happen until we’re finished with the Provident building. Yeah, and I realized that, but Yeah. We can start the foundation and the association and get it done right.

02:47:47,530	And by the way, there’s 9 members on there association up there Fairground Association I think I’m going to drive up and take a look at it because nobody else seems too interested. Maybe we just get their blueprint.

02:48:06,730	We don’t have to pay this Guy that that’s doing it now that the last one, I had to collect money back because he didn’t give us what we wanted So, got the same Guy out there, we’ll make it $30,000 so they get what, 5% minimum? 30 million, yeah And this is 3.6 million. Oh, by the way, with the big kitchen. Yeah See? So tell me it can’t be done is and the reason I, I’m not trying to step on Comm Muns Munsen’s toes here. I probably am.

02:48:32,230	That’s why I got extension, and I have a vested interest in getting this done too. Um-hum. But we said that we were not going to use taxpayers’ money, and all of a sudden we are and I didn’t like that.

02:48:52,500	It’s kind of the the deal is everybody thinks the money and the fairer ground account isn’t public money. The hell it isn’t. It’s. OK. Then you have the public mind, your utilities. Start what you should have been doing is like I told you and, and I, I would like to meet with your committee. I can give them direction. Chair Bitner Kenen You, you still haven’t drilled out there.

02:49:22,970	No, we’re still waiting for the final wetlands right now. Yeah, it’s wetland. Yeah, you’re on top of the hill, though. Uh, yeah, it doesn’t matter. It, it, it’s, it’s called delineation. Well, whatever. The, the other thing with this though is it, it, if it’s not done as a comprehensive plan for the whole complex.

02:49:41,100	For the whole complex, then you’re gonna wind up with scatter shot sticking a piece here, sticking a piece here, and the whole thing’s not going to operate like it should properly operate and generate the revenue to take the burden off the taxpayers, as it should.

02:49:57,070	So that is my concern and we’re at the Wetland delineation process right now. And until that’s done, nothing can get done because you can’t put a comprehensive plan together. What did the Hills have to do with it, though? If you’re on top of the hill.

02:50:14,800	You realize after the city of Bismarck signed the FEMA flood map that North Bismarck, there’s flood area, right? Really? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Flood south abysmal. So, it doesn’t matter if you’re on top of a hill or not. It floods airway Avenue and it comes from north Yeah. So, it, it, it’s, it’s the Wetland delineation process right now.

02:50:35,100	So, can figure out what’s workable and then it’s just, it’s putting the puzzle together, putting the right pieces in the right places for the benefit of everybody in Burleigh County. That’s we should have that report in 2 weeks at, at the Missouri Valley Complex Committee.

02:50:53,730	Yeah Let me know because I like the latest meeting of that Missouri Valley Complex Committee on the, on the website. It is not on the Burley Conn website, but it is on um who’s carrying this broadcast? Coded Codediasis. All of our meetings are on Dakota Media Access. just like the Burley County Commission meetings. They’re all on. Do you know if the Burley County Commission meetings are on the website too. I think they are.

02:51:16,170	I don’t know that you know. When do you mean? Just curious. Uh, our next meeting. will be 15th at noon Next Wednesday, the 15th. OK, anything else for other business, um, then we’re going to move back, OK. Where’s your. Anybody from Summit Carbon Solutions here? OK, no, OK.

02:51:49,730	You want to be the legal representative at the summit? Absolutely not. Actually, they closed I’m going to go back to, um, Julie, we’re gonna consider, we’re gonna have to see what she’s got to say. Thank you, your staff, you can go ahead and go.

02:52:04,900	I think you have to Adjourn this meeting C clear the room for an executive session. If you want to enter executive session, you don’t necessarily need to. I provided you all the information. I’m just gonna put on the record what information I’ve provided you.

02:52:18,900	Do you have any questions about that or what it means, um, to settle our negotiations you want to enter into, that would be an executive session, um, but basically I did give you a copy of the settlement overview.

02:52:36,470	These are the secondary manufacturers of the opioids that um caused all the crisis and so the the money that we’re getting from this litigation is for remediation purposes, as you all know, so that’s just kind of a little bit of a background for anybody listening.

02:52:53,800	Um, again, I did give you that secondary manufacturer’s overview, um, which is involving 8 secondary manufacturers and then it’s got an outline of what their proposal is to pay over, um, immediately or over the next, um, 7 to 10 years, I believe it is, depending on which one it is, um, and so I kind of outlined what that would mean for Burleigh County, and so the question is whether you wanna opt in the recommendation is to opt in.

02:53:10,000	And if you have any specific questions about that, then we should enter into this have anything to do with the other opioid Correct. They are, Is this an addition, in addition to what we’ve already received? Correct. Correct. Good.

02:53:28,630	And so, there are multiple different um entities that are being um sued in this case and so they have different settlements for the different categories, and this is just the last one So the one we talked about at the last meeting, that was a totally separate settlement. This is for the secondary manufacturers and, um, applies just to those 7 entities. And the amount that we any, all the percentages were really weird to figure out.

02:53:45,170	They are weird to figure out, but this would, uh, this settlement would be up to approximately 71,847 to Burleigh County for remediation purposes, and then there’s some additional things or. No, no, no, total in total. So, 7000 a year or a 10 year period or whatever.

02:53:59,630	Um, some of them have to pay immediately. It’s all in that overview. So then there’s the bottom line. There’s also a, a product consideration. Correct. And that would, I would assume automatically go to Bismarck Burleigh Public Health.

02:54:19,900	Well, we have to decide what we’re doing with that, and I don’t know that there’s been a plan that and that needs to be discussed as to what is gonna be done with the money. Why I wasn’t talking about the money. I was talking about the, the. No, I understand that, that too. You’d have to decide what happens with that because Burleigh County would get that portion and then it has to be used as the plan.

02:54:34,730	that you come up with mitigation, yes, for remediation and mitigation, yes. OK, so, what we need is a motion to Agree to. Either Opt in or not. Move to a proof. To accept the, the settlement. Second, That’s good. what you need. Yes. Unless you have anything else. OK, you have motion a second, any further discussion, called ro.

02:55:00,470	Mr. Schwab? Yes. Comm Woodcock. abstain And you can’t I’m not sure what we’re doing. Um, the motion is to opt into the settlement and accept it, accept the settlement I’ll, I’ll say yes. Mr. Munsen. Yes. Comm Bakken? Yes. Chair Bitner. Yes, motion carries. All right, I’ll get the paperwork done then. Thank you. Thank you.

02:55:21,730	Anything else for the good of Burley County? We are Adjourned. Thank you,