OLIVER COUNTY COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS were called to order at 8:00 AM with all members present.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the agenda. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the February 1st meeting, with the addition of the following motion; Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to allow for the Samsung Business QE50T 50-Inch 4K UHD television with wall mount and installation in the Recorder’s office. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried. All in favor, none opposed; the minutes were approved.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the February 13th Special meeting minutes. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the following bills for payment and approve the following bills previously paid. A roll call vote was held, with Darrell Berger, Blake Wilkens and Lee Husfloen all voting aye, none opposed. Motion carried.
Allstate Peterbilt-261.31
Capital One Trade Credit-31.41
Computer Express, Inc-1900.00
Electronic Communications-185.00
Farm & Home Supply-82.92
Fireside-2356.99
I-State Truck Center-245.43
ITD-816.00
Jake’s Auto Glass-855.60
K&M Repair-196.41
Mercer County Sheriff’s Dept-42175.00
Motion Industries-634.69
Mountain Plains Youth Service-1700.00
ND Clerks Association-100.00
ND Co. Recorders Association-400.00
NDACO-396.90
ND Resources Group-650.72
Quadient Leasing USA, Inc-183.09
Runnings Supply, Inc-29.99
Statewide Services-26301.00
Stein’s Inc-943.08
Vanguard Appraisals-2150.00
Blake Wilkens-69.68
Sign Solutions-2566.81
ND Sheriff’s & Deputies Assn-400.00
NRG-650.72
Rud Oil & Gas-4937.70
Dave’s Sales & Service-56.55
Center Machine-759.85
The following bills previously paid were approved:
Aflac-426.50
Gary Beckman-156.91
Marvin Beckman-110.16
Beulah Rural Fire District-707.25
Beulah School District-75007.01
Center Park District-8490.43
Center-Stanton School-449464.24
City of Center-56821.16
Colonial Life-520.99
Companion Life Lock Box-4420.25
CoreLogic Refunds-1058.79
Dakota Collision-15590.05
EscoSupply-5989.60
Cale Ferderer-300.00
Fidelity Security Life Ins-93.14
Fort Clark Irrigation-169.50
Glen Ullin Rural Fire-508.91
Glen Ullin School District-11769.70
Addreiene Hafner-1089.63
Hazen Rural Fire District-4509.21
Hazen School District-57835.79
Gail Hilton-596.57
Liberty Business Systems, Inc-509.02
Marco Techologies-376.59
MDU-1406.36
Mercer County Ambulance-12091.61
Merchants Bank Operations Center-1576.25
Morton County-9528.20
Morton County Council on Aging-15248.01
Nationwide Retirement-2266.00
ND State Treasurer-7870.89
NDACO-130.53
New Salem-Almont School-37770.62
New Salem Ambulance-7232.33
New Salem Rural Fire-2309.98
Oliver County Ambulance-49090.48
Oliver County Historical Society-1906.15
Oliver County Rural Fire-21819.10
Oliver County Soil Conservation-19059.31
Oliver County Treasurer-264824.24
Oliver County Water Resource-4574.40
Quadient Finance-400.00
Caleb Reiser-1386.59
Roughrider Electric-481.10
Security First Bank-62313.70
Stanton Rural Fire-1325.41
SW Water Authority-63.01
Verizon Wireless-370.45
Visa-10232.81
Darlene Voegele-1014.63
Washburn Rural Ambulance-9195.42
Washburn Rural Fire-3026.77
Washburn School District-34430.59
Waste Management-162.32
WRT-1018.94
Western Plains Public Health-26527.20
Payroll-74112.79
North Plains Connector gave a status update of a proposed transmission that would come into Oliver County. A conditional use permit will potentially be filed in May 2024, with the Planning & Zoning Board.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve Security First Bank of ND as the County Depository. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to allow the Hazen School District School Board member election to be placed on the Oliver County ballot in June. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Bid opening was started at 8:30 AM with the opening of Fuel & Lubricant bids. Fuel & Lubricant bids were received from Rud Oil. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to accept the fuel bid. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the Clerk of Court Funding Agreement with the State Supreme Court. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Bid opening of Rental Construction Equipment was at 8:40 AM. Rental Construction Equipment bids were received from Baranko Bro’s Inc. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to accept the Rental Construction Equipment bid. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to increase the Election worker wages from $10.00 per hour to $15.00 plus mileage. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to move the May Commission meeting date to May 2nd, 2024 and the August Commission meeting date to August 1st, 2024, due to conflicts with court trials. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Bid opening of Gravel Crushing bids began at 8:55 AM. Gravel Crushing bids were received from Sundre Sand & Gravel and Gravel Products, Inc. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to accept all bids. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to sell the old meeting room table for $150.00 and the small table for $50.00. An ad will be placed in the paper. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Deputy Sheriff Liebold resigned. The position is being advertised with a new hire wage starting between $53,000 to $55,000, depending on experience.
Erin Ourada, Western Plains Public Health, discussed the Opioid Settlement Funds that the county has received. There are two programs that the dollars could be used for, Nurse-Family Partnership Program and Youth Prevention Media Campaign. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to all Erin Ourada and Western Plains Public Health use the dollars towards the allowed programs at her discretion. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
The Morton County Council on Aging addressed the Commission to discuss how their Mill Levy dollars are used that are received from Oliver County.
Kyle Miller discussed some road issues. Tree removal is mostly finished. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to allow a switch to a bigger skid steer for $15,000 more than the original purchase price for the one that has been purchased. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Kyle Miller presented bids for a new Track Hoe from Titan Machinery, John Deere, Develon, Bobcat, West River Equipment and Butler Machinery. The decision was tabled to the next regular meeting.
Jaden Schmidt presented quotes from different Salary Study Companies. Three quotes were received from Gallagher, CBIZ and Salary.com. Some discussion was held but a decision was tabled until the next regular meeting.
Patty Koapke, Equalization Director, presented Homestead Credit Abatements #2510000 and #06025006. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the Homestead Credit Abatements for #2510000 and #06025006. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Patty Koapke, Equalization Director, presented Farm Exemption Abatement #09104000. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the Farm Exemption Abatement #09104000. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Patty Koapke, Equalization Director, presented a Property Exemption Abatement #25234000. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the Property Exemption Abatement #25234000. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Minnkota Power Cooperative/Project Tundra received an approval recommendation from the Planning & Zoning Board for a determination request in regards to the CO2 capture facility being proposed. The determination request is for the purpose of allowing a CO2 capture facility as a permitted use under the industrial zoning in the Oliver County ordinance. The request is that it is a permitted use under 9.1 and #8, manufacturing as well as #14, any other use the board finds in accordance.
Discussion was held by the commissioners in regards to this request. It was noted that a building permit will need to be obtained before any work can begin. It was also noted that a safety plan is requested that includes training for local emergency response entities. Minnkota had representation present, stating that there is a plan and training is being worked on with the LEPC.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the determination request for Minnkota Power Cooperative/Project Tundra’s CO2 capture facility up to the first compressor, as a permitted use under 9.1, #8 (manufacturing) as well as #14 (an other use the board finds in accordance). A roll call vote was held; Darrell Berger, Aye, Blake Wilkens, Aye, Lee Husfloen, Aye. The determination request was approved.
Building Permit #1039 was presented for VB, BTS II, for a cell phone tower. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve Building Permit #1039. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger requested that the CO2 Ordinance Amendment be brought back for discussion and determination by the Planning & Zoning Board. He felt that there needs to be something in writing for the safety concerns that have been brought forth by residents.
Darrell Berger asked Doug Scheetz, BNI, to look into blasting that occurred on the 29th. He received calls from residents within the city limits that felt the blast. Doug stated he would look into it.
The meeting adjourned at 10:35 AM.
The next meeting of the Oliver County Commission will be at 8:00 AM, Thursday, April 4th, 2024 at the Oliver County Courthouse meeting room.
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Jaden Schmidt, Oliver County Auditor Lee Husfloen, Chairman of the Board