News

City Council discuss a variety of issues

By Scott Wagar

01/15/2013

Bottineau’s city council during its January meeting focused on a number of issues, which included area crime, future developments in the city, obtaining a grant writer, a former location to conduct city council meeting, city bids, along with other items.

POLICE

Steve Watson spoke to the aldermen and stated that a number of thefts had taken place in the community, which included seven at WalMart, two at the Golden Rule and one in a residential neighborhood. The sheriff stated the cases at the Golden Rule had been solved, but that the remaining cases were still ongoing.

Watson then turned his attention to the fee that the police department charges for providing security at wedding dances. He stated that their fees were increasing from $150 to $200 a dance because the deputies conduct security off-duty from their assigned work schedule. Watson stated that by increasing the fee he hoped it would be an incentive to the deputies to assist in working security at weddings. He also stated that it was time to increase the cost of their fees due to the cost of living.

PERMIT

Brandy Simpson, foundation director for Dakota College at Bottineau, requested from the council a special event permit for a wine tasting event with the local businesses in town as a fundraiser for the college and to promote Bottineau’s businesses, which will take part in the event.

She stated that 200 tickets would be sold for the wine walk and that 13 businesses would be part of the event. Simpson added that all participants in the wine walk, along with those overseeing the event, would be 21 years of age or over.

Simpson also said that each business would pay out $100 so that the wine could be purchased, and that Craig Pottenger, owner of the Norway House, is working with the college to provide the wine.

From there, each business would serve one ounce of wine to each person involved in the event. The wine will not be allowed to be taken out of any business and representatives would be present to make sure the participants do not walk out of a store with any liquor in their possession.  

“The event will start at the Tech Center where everyone will be carded and then given a wrist band if they are of age and eligible to participate,” Simpson stated. “From there they go to each vendor to get a map signed off so that they cannot go to a vendor more than once. They can only go one time to try one ounce of wine. The event ends at the Norway House where they turn in their maps.”

Swain Benson, city attorney, stated that the city’s ordinance allows for special event permits, which the council voted in favor of DCB’s wine tasting walk.

DEVELOPMENT

Matt Johnson gave an update on developments taking place in Bottineau. He stated that the lift station in the Preserve Addition was on hold due to the fact that the city was waiting on a control panel to arrive and be installed. Once the control panel is installed, it would be tested.

Concerning the 2012 West Lift Station Upgrade and 2013 Sewer Expansion projects, these two entities are currently being worked on and moving forward.

Johnson’s last topic was to announce that SRF, a consulting service concerning infrastructure, transportation and community development, has started planning its Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Bottineau, which is a plan for land use outside of city limits and where such zones as industrial and residential developments should be located.

Johnson added that a public input meeting would need to take place, which the council chose to be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb 13, at the city armory.

GRANT WRITER

Alderman Greg Bernstein moved to enter into a contract with Deb Syvertson to assist the city in writing grants for the city.

“I want to formally ask the council to pursue a contract with Deb Syvertson in writing some grants,” Bernstein said. “With that said, I would put a motion on the table to proceed with Deb’s services to start looking at and doing research for grants and also kick in the ones that have been submitted so far to start getting some ground broken and getting something done.”

In a previous council meeting, Bernstein stated that Syvertson had good qualification through past work experiences in grant writing and felt she could be an asset to the council and city in gaining grants for them. At that time, the council wanted to study the issue more.

With Bernstein’s motion, the council voted in favor of the proposal.

CLEANING STATION

Councilman Tim Sanderson articulated about the community’s game cleaning station, which needs some assistance with funding. He stated the game cleaning facility plays an important part in the city and that recently the station lost its financial funding due to a slight oversight. He asked that the council consider funding the maintenance of the structure, which is owned by the local Chamber of Commerce.

Sanderson added that the Chamber has applied for a VPPC fund to purchase a new grinder for the station considering the present ones has been utilized a great deal by those who hunt and fish in the area.

It was decided by the council to transfer Sanderson’s request to the finance committee, which will bring it back to the council table at the February meeting.

MEETING ROOM

Alderman Harley Getzlaff made a motion to reinstate the council meeting room back to the city auditor’s office. It was also stated that it would be more accessible for the auditor who has all her documentation concerning the city, in the office, and that the councilmen’s ordinance books and other documents are also stored in that room, which they would have easy access to during meetings.

It was stated that the meetings were moved to the public meeting room of the armory so that the council meetings could be seen on local television. However, with technology improving for cable television access, it was discovered the council meetings could be taped in the auditor’s office and played at a later date

Councilman Jeff Hall seconded the motion and the council voted unanimously in passing the proposal.

BID

The city was to open electrical bids for the armory; however, no bids were placed for the job. It was decided to re-advertise the electrical project, which was carried by the aldermen.

PLANNING

A great deal of time was spent with the planning commission during the meeting. First, Mayor Ben Aufforth stated that he had been in contact with Cobblestone Inn and Suites and was able to come to an agreement to change the size of its’ culvert from a 12 inch to 18 inch culvert. The mayor also came to an agreement that the frontage road will line up and be constructed to specifications and that the motel’s waterline will be extended to the edge of its property for future projects.

Alderman Jeff Kainz shared with the council members that an outline for the job description and contract had been submitted to Roland Township for their review in a joint venture of sharing a building inspector with the city of Bottineau.
When it came to a developer policy, an addition to the policy was added that stated that all developer plans and specifications must be approved by the city engineer prior to permits being approved.

The last item on the agenda for the planning commission was a 30 minute discussion on the annexation and zoning of Kersten 8th Addition with a zoning from agriculture to residential for four lots pending a signed developer agreement.
A discussion broke out about not annexing and zoning the request until property owners provide more acreage of their property at one time so the city can develop a large piece of land at one time.

“I am against this nickel and dimein’ us meeting after meeting is ridiculous,” Sanderson said. “Take whole sections and we don’t have to do this. I am opposed to these and I am going to stay opposed to these until we start doing this right. The planning commission should be doing whole annexations.”

Kainz agreed with Sanderson’s ideology on annexation and zoning.

“It appears to me that we should develop the entire area because if we don’t we will need another protest hearing,” Kainz said. “That’s why I suggested we do it (annex an entire area).”

There was concern by other who sat the table that this request should be granted because individuals were waiting to build homes on the lots.

Kainz made the motion that the planning commission set up a meeting with the Kerstens in the near future to discuss the developer policy with the possibility of them annexing more land, which was seconded by Bernstein and approved by the council. With that, the annexation and zoning was placed on hold until the planning commission meets with Kerstens and see if more land in that area can be acquired.

KESSLER         

Aufforth received a reply from Tom Kessler about the future of Tommy Turtle Lanes, after it was lost to fire due to an arsonist. Kessler told Aufforth that he was presently in court proceedings concerning insurance, but that he would keep the mayor informed of the proceedings and future of his business.

MEETING

The February City Council meeting will be Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.