News

City plans to change closing times for bars

Scott Wagar

06/11/2013

The issue of closing local bars in Bottineau at a certain time was one of the major topics brought up at City Council on June 3, which brought some opposition to the aldermen’s table due to the lateness of the time and possible staff issues with the local law enforcement
Rebecca Herbel requested from the council members that the city consider leaving bars open in Bottineau until 2 a.m. instead of 1 a.m. North Dakota state law grants bars to stay open until 2 a.m. However, Bottineau’s city ordinance only allows bars to stay open until 1 a.m.

Herbel stated that she had petitioned the bars in town where she discovered some were for a longer opening time, while others were against changing the time. She also stated that every city in Bottineau County, along with Lake Metigoshe, keep their bars open until 2 a.m. She also stated that by keeping Bottineau’s bars open till two in the morning it would keep local resident from leaving Bottineau’s bars and travel to other communities in the county to get additional time in other establishments.

Herbel added that if Bottineau had the same bar closing times as the other communities it would more than likely keep the roadways safer.

Sheriff of Bottineau County, Steve Watson, said that he has personally witnessed individuals leaving the bars in Bottineau, getting on the roads and traveling to other bars in other towns. He stated that he was in favor of leaving the local establishments open till 2 a.m. for that reason.

However, Watson requested that local enterprises which provide dances for wedding parties or public events be made to keep their closing times at 1 a.m. Watson stated that if the time was changed to 2 a.m. by the time his deputies are finished with their duties it would be three in the morning. He felt that his deputies wouldn’t appreciate working such long hours.

With the discussion over, the council voted to approve Herbel’s request of leaving bars open until 2 a.m., but to keep local establishments who offer dances to close their bars at 1 a.m. This was the first reading, but to change the ordinances there has to be two readings. The second reading will be in July during the council’s monthly meeting.

In other city news, Diane Olson, director of Bottineau’s EDC office, stated to the council the EDC rejected the bids for the construction of the daycare which will be built on the campus of Dakota College. Olson stated that the bids came in too high and added that Head Start in Bottineau, who is in partnership with the daycare project, was possibly removing itself from the project due to staffing and financial difficulties. However, Olson did tell the council members the EDC would continue working on the daycare project.

She also stated that expenses were sustained in the bidding process which the EDC could not cover in its budget for the project. She requested $14,817 from a 2012 grant for the project to pay the expenses which was approved by the council.

Matt Johnson from Wold Engineering opened the sewer expansion bids, which included:

  •  Robert Gibb & Sons - $1,181,633
  •  Kvamsdal Construction - $915,019
  •  Naastad Brothers - $624,464
  •  Utility Systems of America - $560,000


Although the bids were open Councilman Tim Sanderson made a motion to table the bids due to a property owner who doesn’t want to approve an easement for the project.

Swain Benson, Bottineau’s city attorney, told the council that the “eminent domain” process could be used to acquire the needed easements with the consideration the city could possibly be taken to court by the property owner to pay for damages.

The council voted in favor of tabling the bids to see what could be accomplished with the easements first. The aldermen have 45 days to accept or reject the bids.

The last order of business for Wold Engineer was the council’s approval of a Standard City Spec Book, which was put together by Johnson for contractors to utilize while working in the City of Bottineau.

The aldermen passed a platting for Tractor Supply Company(TSC) which is constructing a Tractor Supply Store in Bottineau just west of Walmart this summer. Once the plat was approved, TSC then requested a protest hearing for a tax exemption on its store project in Bottineau, which was passed by the council.