News

Council meeting held

By Tyler Ohmann

10/09/2012

The Bottineau city council met at 7 p.m. last Monday, Oct. 1 for their monthly meeting to discuss many issues that are currently happening within the city.

The council unammously approved all measures on the day. Three community members were in the audience. All council members were present along with city attorney Swain Benson III, Keith Fulsebakke and Penny Nostdahl.

One of the first approved measures was for North Central to renovate their south parking lot, which requires outleting water into the ditch. Needed mayors signature and a witness to sponsor so that things will be taken care of and right of way will not be abridged.

The council also approved 2013 budget proposal that was brought forth at last months meeting.
After that Bottineau veteran’s representative Al Wondrasek was asked to step forward.

Wondrasek brought with floor plans and a time line for the new veterans building located across from the fairgrounds and in between the museum and the new BFE office.

He showed that the building is right now 50x100 feet, with a possible addition of another 30 feet to add a workshop.

“I’ve been working real close with Dan Nostdahl in hopes of breaking ground on June of next year,” Wondrasek said. “The real deal about the timeline and the plan is that we have to have a very serious sit down between the veterans and the Bottineau County Commissioners this winter, so that everybody is on the same sheet of music.”

Wondrasek also said he’d like to include the city council in the process to keep them informed.
However, what he most liked to reiterate is the parking lot that will accompany the building will be a multi-purpose area.

“We don’t consider this a veterans parking lot,” Wondrasek said to the council. “We consider this a Bottineau County parking lot, a city parking lot, a fair parking lot, a rodeo parking lot, an auction parking lot, a bumper cars parking lot, or I guess that’s some derby that bangs up cars and parks them all over somewhere.”

Wondrasek said he was puzzled as to why the 50 percent that the council agreed to pay was tabled to the spring, yet he noticed it was included in the 2013 budget, and admitted he was pleased with that news.

“All of us at that meeting, and you were there too, all of us were in favor of it,” said councilman Tim Sanderson. “Penny goes, “we don’t have the budget,” so it has to wait until Jan. 1, but you went ahead and did it anyway, so don’t come to us wondering why we didn’t do anything.”

“We said we agreed with it, and we’re going to pay our half with the county. We can’t pay until Jan. 1. If everybody did that Al, this city would be in chaos, that’s the only problem I have with it,” Sanderson added.

Wondrasek defended himself saying.

“I also know that I just wanted to have assurance that it was going to be done. We had already been moving forward with Monty (Mikkelsen), and when you got the equipment already in place, it costs extra,” Wondrasek said.

At that time Wondrasek was interrupted by Sanderson, who continued to express his thoughts.

“Al, you don’t have to explain to us, it’s no question, that’s the only heartburn I have, and other council members have expressed the same thing,” Sanderson said. “We’re not against it, but if you were going to do anything you should have talked long and hard with Keith (Fulsebakke) and our mayor and Penny (Nostdahl) before you did it.”

Wondrasek continued.

“I thought I was talking long and hard with Keith, and that we were moving forward with it,” Wondrasek said.

Sanderson again interrupted him and reiterated that the city could not put up the money until Jan. 1 and that it was fine that the veterans went ahead and did it, if they can pay for it.

“I apologize for the action, and I guess its no different than our country has had to give us this win-win,” Wondrasek said. “If George Patton wouldn’t have had a plan, the Battle of the Bulge would have been lost and they would have been shoved all the way back to the ocean. He had a plan, and Eisenhower asked how he was going to do it and Patton said very easily and 32 hours later they moved. An impossible task, but it was done.”

After the veterans building was discussed many other topics were discussed including: new audio equipment for the television feed of the council meetings, an update on the Hwy 5 entrance signs and a new building inspector.

The highway entrance sign quotes came in from Northern Exposure Sign Company and Nostdahl said the signs will cost just under $17,000.

Nostdahl also said they hope to pour the cement pads for the signs before the winter.

Jim Dahle resigned as the building inspector, and Clayton Parrill had volunteered to take up the position.

“Clayton Parrill I believe talked to Ben (Aufforth) and said he would do it,” Troy Marsden said.

The health committee remarked about the house on 905 Nichol Street that had been torn down after a fire on the property last winter.

“I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls on how nice it looks over there,” said councilman Harley Getzlaff.

Councilman Greg Bernstein then moved on to reporting that the Kiddie Pool has now had all the equipment installed, and also noted that the $34,000 that was requisitioned for the project will also help with some operating costs.

The council reported on a few other things including an upcoming meeting with Vision West of North Dakota that city leaders will be attending. Vision West is a company that helps with infrastructure in the oil patch. Bottineau County is the easternmost county of 19 counties in the state that are meeting for this.

Lastly Mayor Aufforth reported that one of the fire trucks that was for sale has been sold. The Ford city fire engine sold for $4,500. The other truck for sale, a Chevy, is still for sale for $5,000.

After that the meeting was adjourned at about 8 p.m.