April 4th, 2024
OLIVER COUNTY COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS were called to order at 8:00 AM with Darrell Berger and Blake Wilkens present and Lee Husfloen absent.
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 March 5th, 2024 meeting. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger 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 aye, with Lee Husfloen absent. Motion carried.
Allstate Peterbilt-1195.35
Center Republican-4068.61
Dakota Fire Station Inc-105.00
Directmed Inc-533.62
Electro Watchman-2813.13
ITD-1619.80
K&M Repair-2252.95
Matthew Bender & Co-211.21
Mickie McNulty-Eide-121.94
Menards-385.78
Mercer County Sheriff’s Dept-7050.00
Motion Industries-552.70
NDACO Resources Group-650.72
Nelson International-587.56
Linda Nelson-140.70
NW Tire-1529.98
Jaden Schmidt-180.90
Security First Agency of ND-10036.00
Titan Machinery-2371.32
Rud Propane-6087.52
Dept of Transportation-4127.67
Butler-854.78
Computer Express-1234.98
Center Machine-4487.43
Rick Schmidt-726.83
ND Workforce Safety-250.00.
Colonial Research-120.17
The following bills previously paid were approved:
Aflac-426.50
Beulah Rural Fire District-310.79
Beulah School District-35098.95
Center-Stanton School-485680.99
Center Park District-4271.54
City of Center-26289.58
Colonial Life-520.99
Companion Life Insurance-383.34
Rebecca Doepke-211.10
Cale Ferderer-300.00
Fidelity Security Life Ins-70.16
Glen Ullin Rural Fire-189.14
Glen Ullin School-6135.26
Duane Goetz-835.98
Hazen Rural Fire-3290.99
Hazen School District-40616.32
Liberty Business Systems-509.02
Marco Technologies-200.08
MDU-1245.03
Mercer County Ambulance-11407.98
Morton County Auditor-9095.55
Morton County Council on Aging-28931.72
Nationwide Retirement-2166.00
ND State Treasurer-7832.58
NDACO-112.93
New Salem-Almont School-51610.82
New Salem Ambulance-4155.75
New Salem Rural Fire-2801.43
Oliver County Ambulance-46308.67
Oliver County Historical Society-1825.89
Oliver County Rural Fire-24268.24
Oliver County Soil Conservation-18246.96
Oliver County Treasurer-73110.90
Oliver County Water Resource-4381.57
Red Top Recovery-637.00
Roughrider Electric-270.93
Security First Bank-65807.50
Small Hands Preschool & Daycare-2605.47
Stanton Rural Fire-413.39
SW Water Authority-57.91
Verizon Wireless-370.04
Visa-5818.32
Washburn Rural Ambulance-8675.17
Washburn Rural Fire-3263.16
Washburn School District-64277.72
Waste Management-163.44
WRT-1008.91
Western Plains Public Health-25402.02
Payroll-69555.03
Keith Vitek, Center Community Club, was present to discuss the use of the Courthouse meeting room for Old Settler’s Day to host and escape room on Friday and Saturday of that weekend. The room would always be under supervision and only the room would be used and nowhere else in the courthouse. The commissioners discussed.
Jaden Schmidt, Auditor, gave a Financial Statement Handout for 2023.
Jaden Schmidt, Auditor, discussed have CISA come to the courthouse to do a security assessment of the building, particularly for elections, but in general as well. CISA will be here on May 17th at 9 am.
Jaden Schmidt, Auditor, also presented an estimate from Dakota Storage Products for a welded wire security cage to store all election equipment to help with election integrity and security. The quote for the cage was $4582.99. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the purchase of the security cage. A roll call vote was held; Darrell Berger, Aye, Blake Wilkens, Aye and Lee Husfloen, Absent. The motion passed.
The Salary Study information was presented again. The commission tabled this until the next meeting.
Jaden Schmidt, Auditor, presented updates on Federal ARPA uses.
Meeting room usage guidelines were discussed. Mickie McNulty-Eide came up with a list of guidelines. Discussion was held. Lee Husfloen did have some suggestions. Final decisions will be tabled until the next meeting, but until then, the list that Mickie McNulty-Eide came up with will be used.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to appoint Dorothy Duhr to the Weed Board. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
A highway utility permit was presented for WRT. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the highway utility permit. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to cancel the county’s contract with Waste Management for trash services and move to TransTrash, received a 3 cu/ft dumpster for the county shop as well as a 3 cu/ft dumpster for the courthouse. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Lee Husfloen joined the meeting via phone call for discussion on the use of the courthouse for Old Settler’s and the escape room. The commissioners decided to allow the use of the meeting room for the purposes of hosting an escape room during Old Settler’s.
Discussion was held on the purchasing of a new Track Hoe. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to purchase the Track Hoe from Titan Machinery on lease for 5 years, with a payment of $50,013 per year. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Roads are currently being bladed. Discussion was held on blading of the Hannover Road. The BNI Bridge that was hit by equipment being moved on the haul road was inspected.
Jim Jackson, Moore Engineering, discussed the Flex Fund Application for the BNI road/36th Ave SW. At the time of the meeting, no answer on if the application was approved.
The box culvert project was pushed back to 2027 due to supply and funding issues.
Greg Petrick, BNI, discussed the new bridge proposal with the commission and Jim Jackson. The bridge proposal is for 37th Ave SW. A public information hearing will be held in June or July.
The meeting adjourned at 9:39 AM.
The next meeting of the Oliver County Commission will be at 8:00 AM, Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 at the Oliver County Courthouse meeting room.