April 8, 2021
APRIL 8, 2021 OLIVER COUNTY COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS were called to order at 8:00 A.M. with all members present.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the agenda. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the February 26, 2021 minutes as written. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the two Highway Utility Permits from WRT: Exchange:Center, WO#2021-221-001 along county road 22nd Ave SW/River Road in the SW ¼ 19-143-81, NE ¼ 24-143-82, SE ¼ 13-143-82,
and crossing county road 22nd Ave SW/River Road in the SE ¼ 13-143-82; Exchange:Hazen, WO#2021-290-001 crossing county road 20th St SW in the SW ¼ 8-142-86. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Jeff Bryce and Thomas VonBische, Nextera, gave an update on the Red Butte Wind Project.
Judith Hintz, Auditor presented an email from Terry Traynor, NDACo, which shows Oliver County to be receiving an estimated $379,936.00 from the “relief proposal” by Congress that President Biden recently signed. The allocation for counties was pretty much population based and will be distributed in two lump sums.
Judith Hintz, Auditor, mentioned recently it was questioned as to whom should be paying for the tow charges that the sheriff department gets when enforcing city ordinances and for the impound fee when city animals are picked up by the sheriff department. It was decided to discuss it with the City Council on the next contract negotiations.
Bid opening was started at 8:30 A.M. with the opening of Fuel/Lubricants bids. Fuel/Lubricants bids were received from Enerbase and Rud’s Oil. 8:40 A.M. Bids for Rental Construction Equipment were opened. Rental Construction bids were received from Hanson’s Excavating, Inc. and Baranko Bro’s Inc. 8:55 A.M. Bids for Crushing Gravel were opened. Gravel Crushing bids were received from Gravel Products Inc., Aggregate Construction Inc., Sundre Sand & Gravel, Inc., Fisher Industries, and Knife River. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to accept all bids received. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to appoint Lee Husfloen as the voting representative for Oliver County at the June 4, 2021 WRT Annual Meeting. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
The volunteer coverage insurance through Workforce Safety & Insurance was discussed.
John Wicklund, Land Use Administrator, presented Conditional Use Permit #949 for Gary & Cassandra Smith for a non-farm residence in the SE ¼ of Section 22-142-87. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve Conditional Use Permit #949. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
John Wicklund, Land Use Administrator, presented Building Permit #948 for LMAC, LLc (David McAdoo) for a 40’ x 80’ Storage Building in the SW ¼ of Section 4-143-82, Building Permit #950 for Gary & Cassandra Smith for a new home in the SE ¼ of Section 22-142-87, Building Permit #951 for Your Home Improvement Co. for Kent Albers for replacing the bath tub & wall surround in the SE ¼ of Section 32-143-84, Building Permit #952 for a 30’ x 30’ Pole Barn in the NW ¼ of Section 34-142-87, and Building Permit #955 for Jeff Albers for a 36’ x 60’ Morton Building in Section 24-143-83. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve Building Permits #948, #950, #951, #952, and #955. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
John Wicklund, Resident, discussed the culvert by his place that needs some repairs.
Kyle Miller, Road Superintendent, will check it out.
Jim Jackson, Moore Engineering, discussed legislative issues concerning county roads.
Howard Bieber, Resident, asked for dust control on the road past his place.
Kyle Miller, Road Superintendent, discussed trees to be removed by Dukart’s, purchasing more tar, and stated Dennis Beckman and Mark Erhardt have returned to work as seasonal workers.
The following bills were approved for payment:
Allstate Peterbilt of Bismarck 6.42, Aramark 76.76, Auto Value Parts Store 37.98, BHG, Inc. 255.00, Butler Machinery 522.58, Capital One Trade Credit 114.96, Center Machine Inc. 56.10, Computer Express 50.00, Dacotah Paper Co. 78.30, Dave’s Sales & Services 411.98, Escosupply 624.00, I-State Truck Center 119.46, ITD 599.20, K&M Repair 911.50, Menard’s 17.94, Mercer County Sheriff’s Dept. 60.00, Mercer/Oliver 911 6,484.47, NACCTFO Treasurer 75.00, ND State Radio Communications 300.00, NDACo Resources Group 569.72, NDSU Extension Service 7,719.01, Nelson, Linda 5.35, NW Tire 168.00, Robert Gibb & Sons, Inc. 200.00, Rud Oil & Gas 10,304.38, SBM 2,166.45, Schmidt, Richard 586.22, Security First Bank of N.D. 21,098.16, Software Innovations 500.00, Stein’s Inc. 220.12, Titan Machinery 384.81, Uniform Center 731.94, Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. 1,100.00, WRT 1,004.20.
The following bills previously paid were approved:
Aflac 527.38, Argus Dental & Vision 710.05, Beulah Rural Fire District 914.90, Beulah School District 55,007.02, Center Park District 3,544.26, Center-Stanton School District 303,463.63, City of Center 30,214.13, CAN Surety Direct Bill 50.00, Cornatzer, William 1,242.75, Custer District Health 23,050.36, Fidelity Security Life Ins. Co. 116.71, Fort Clark Irrigation 744.00, Glen Ullin Rural Fire District 206.52, Glen Ullin School District 7,068.96, Griggs County Clerk of Court 300.00, Hazen Rural Fire District 3,242.28, Hazen School District 33,193.68, Lee, John 178.06, Marco Technologies 520.68, MDU 2,597.91, Mercer County Ambulance 9,686.03, Morton County Auditor 10,404.66, Morton County Council on Aging, Inc. 26,948.82, Nationwide Retirement 1,950.00, ND Secretary of State 36.00, ND State Tax Commissioner 2,079.29, ND State Treasurer 7,662.49, NDACo 147.64, New Salem – Almont School District 47,947.74, New Salem Ambulance 5,534.87, New Salem Rural Fire District 1,372.03, Oliver County Ambulance 41,511.55, Oliver County Clerk of Court 65.00, Oliver County Historical Society 1,729.51, Oliver County Recorder 30.00, Oliver County Rural Fire District 20,571.25, Oliver County Soil Conservation 14,666.20, Oliver County Treasurer 1,043.57, Oliver County Water Management 5,467.22, Plastics Plus 3,940.00, Quadient Finance USA Inc. 442.65, Quality Title Inc. 20.00, Roughrider Electric 349.56, Security 1st Bank 28,881.79, Stanton Rural Fire District 682.37, SW Water Authority 6,819.88, US Records Midwest, LLC 671.81, Verizon Wireless 452.89, Visa 4,758.35, Washburn Rural Ambulance District 10,377.88, Washburn Rural Fire District 4,088.14, Washburn School District 49,766.73, Waste Management 132.23, West River Telecommunications 1,067.39.
Richard Schmidt, Fair Board, explained having a Ranch Rodeo Calcutta during Old Settler’s Days. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to allow the Fair Board to have a Ranch Rodeo Calcutta during Old Settler’s Days. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Theresa Liebsch, Vision Zero Regional Coordinator, stated she is the new Vision Zero Regional Coordinator for the Southeast/South Central Region serving 16 counties and is based out of Morton County. Her position is to promote traffic safety and to reduce the overall amount of serious injuries and deaths resulting from traffic crashes in our state.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the Fire Emergency Declaration and Burn Ban Proclamation State II Burn Ban effective March 19th, 2021. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Mickie McNulty-Eide, Recorder/Clerk of Court, discussed time sheets/time clocks and non-elected employee hours. She mentioned she was representing the non-elected employees and their concerns. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to have Judith Hintz, Auditor, send out a memo reminding non-elected employees to consciously work the hours they are suppose to work and are paid for each week. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Schulte, Resident, and Patricia Koapke, Tax Director, discussed the retired farmer exemption. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to abate Parcel #18111002 for three years for the retired farmer exemption. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Patricia Koapke, Tax Director, asked about bringing her newborn to work this summer/fall. No action was taken on this request.
Glen Lennick, Resident, asked about installing a cattle guard across a section line. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve Glen Lennick to install the cattle guards across the section line with a 22’ crossing width and a gate and warning signs alerting people travelling the section line that they are approaching a cattle guard. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Lawn Sprinkler quotes and quotes for the parking lot paving were discussed. More on these issues will be discussed at the next commission meeting.
Judith Hintz, Auditor, presented an updated Board Member list noting there were two openings on the Water Management Board.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:22 A. M.
The next meeting of the Oliver County Commission will be at 8:00 A.M., Thursday, May 6, 2021 at the Oliver County Courthouse meeting room.
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Judith M. Hintz, Oliver County Auditor Lee Husfloen, Chairman of the Board