February 7th, 2023
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 January 3rd, 2023 meeting. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
The following bills were approved for payment:
Allstate Peterbilt of Bismarck-2175.35
Burleigh-Morton Detention Center-225.00
Butler Machinery-3442.15
Capital One Trade Credit-54.97
Centre Inc.-960.00
James Christoff-286.65
City of Center-89.23
Computer Express-1252.97
Custom Truck Accessories-1000.00
Dakota Fluid Power, Inc-164.40
DirectMed-518.00
Electronic Communications-15237.00
Empower Electric LLC-536.50
Escosupply-2013.44
HDR Engineering Inc-1408.75
I-State Truck Center-2.80
ITD-1358.60
Jake’s Auto Glass-774.92
Johnsen Trailer Sales, Inc-47.24
K&M Repair-1941.40
Menards-129.90
Mercer County Sheriff’s Dept-120.00
NAPA Auto Parts-148.27
ND Clerks Association-100.00
ND County Recorders Association-200.00
ND County Treasurers Association-100.000
ND State Radio Communications-120.00
ND States Attorney Assosication-300.00
NDACO-420.50
NDACO Resources Group-2960.54
NDSU Extension-7947.76
North Central Rental & Leasing LLC-9397.32
NW Tire-9991.24
Oliver County 4-H-40.00
Oliver Emergency Management-3172.69
Quadient Finance USA, Inc-402.00
Robert Gibb & Sons Inc-416.67
Roughrider Electric Cooperative, Inc-10.00
Security First Agency of ND-8326.00
Software Innovations-10850.00
Stein’s Inc-862.25
The Center Republican-1124.69
Titan Machinery-1818.19
Verizon Wireless-81.91
Western Dakota Energy Association-1500.00
Center Machine-16.11
Security First Bank-18617.12
Rud Oil-14634.39
Rick Schmidt-461.12
Timbyr Walking Elk-47.82
Mercer County Sheriff Dept-40000.00
Dave’s Sales & Service-66.90
Mercer County Sheriff-3360.00
Maerten’s Mfg-458.00
The following bills previously paid were approved:
Aflac-454.06
Argus Dental-714.37
Rebecca Bethke-31.53
Center Park District-64.77
Center-Stanton School District-1877.76
City of Center-1229.86
CoreLogic Escrow Reporting-29.75
Custer District Health-170.51
DirectMed-3390.00
Byron Faut-836.96
Fidelity Security Life Insurance-163.18
Hazen Rural Fire District-178.88
Hazen School District-2011.65
Nathan Henke-9.98
Liberty Business Systems, Inc-640.58
Marco Technologies-368.03
MDU-1418.50
Mercer County Ambulance-83.07
Morton County Auditor-21.91
Morton County Council of Aging-103.33
Nationwide Retirement-2150.00
ND Child Support Enforecement-500.32
ND State Treasurer-906.28
NDACO-175.89
New Salem Ambulance-38.94
Oliver County Ambulance-321.90
Oliver County Rural Fire District-131.84
Oliver County Soil Conservation-107.68
Oliver County Treasurer-1393.82
Oliver County Water Mgmt-31.48
Premium Processing-89.31
Quadient Financing-1005.00
Roughrider Electric-542.25
Security First Bank-67998.93
Superpumper-40.00
SW Water-58.54
US Records Midwest-1585.00
Verizon Wireless-369.44
Visa-5412.05
Washburn Rural Ambulance-62.30
Waste Management-307.00
WRT-993.89
Wolf Estates LLP-56.76
Discussion was held on increasing the liability insurance amount. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to increase the liability amount from 2 million to 5 million. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Doug Scheetz, BNI, gave an update on progress at the mine.
Mikael Schmidt, Oliver County Fair Board President, presented the commission with a letter updating them on the arena lights project. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to donate the remaining $3881 from a community development fund to the Fair Board to help with costs of the project.
Teri Schulte & Nathan Schlosser discussed a section line/road issue.
Jay Volk updated the commission on Summit Carbon Pipeline and presented the commission with 15 Highway Utility Permits for approval. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the 15 Highway Utility Permits. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Kyle Miller, Road Superintendent, discussed purchasing of a new skid steer for the county. Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to purchase a skid steer from Titan Machinery.
Jim Jackson, Moore Engineering, joined the meeting by phone to discuss the ongoing bridge project. No responsible bids were presented so the commission will now move to solicitation process. Kyle will discuss options with Ole Sletton.
John Wicklund, Land Use Administrator, presented two permits for the City of Center. Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to approve the Conditional Use Permit #993 and Building Permit #994 for the City of Center. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried. A motion was made at the Planning & Zoning meeting to have John Mahoney look at and potentially update the county ordinances in regards to solar farms.
It was brought to the commission’s attention that the Planning & Zoning Board had a vacancy that had seemingly been filled by Jayar Kindsvogel, however according to Century Code the County Commission would have final approval of the City’s recommended board member.
For the lack of a motion, a city representative for the Planning & Zoning Board will need to be reconsidered. There is currently a vacancy on the Planning & Zoning Board until the Commission receives the city’s recommendation of a board member and the Commission approves the recommendation.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to approve the E-911 Joint Powers agreement with the City of Center from March 1 of 2023 to February 28 of 2024. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Blake Wilkens moved and Darrell Berger seconded the motion to add Jaden Schmidt, County Auditor to the authorization to sign checks for the county, effective on April 1st, 2023 until further notice. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
Jaden Schmidt, County Auditor, gave an update to the commission on traffic recorder maintenance.
Mickie McNulty-Eide, Recorder/Clerk of Courts, gave an update to the commission about SB 2277 that talks about taking the Clerk of Courts position away from the counties and making it a state employed position. It was discussed that this would be a negative impact on the county.
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING LEGISLATION MAKING THE OLIVER COUNTY CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE A STATE OFFICE
WHEREAS, there is legislation being proposed pertaining to the transition of County Clerks of Court to State employees and state funding and otherwise being under the control of the State of North Dakota;
WHEREAS, such legislation would make the Oliver County Clerk of Court’s Office a state office and the employees thereof state employees, which would remove local control, election, supervision, and governance of such office and employees from Oliver County;
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners for Oliver County, North Dakota, desires to keep the Oliver County Clerk of Court’s Office as a county office consistent with the existing State law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS for Oliver County, North Dakota, that the following resolution is adopted;
- That the Board of Commissioners for Oliver County directly opposes the passage of legislation pertaining to the transition of the county clerk of court services/offices to state offices/employees and other legislative priorities; and
- That the Board of County Commissioners for Oliver County resolves to keep the Oliver County Clerk of Court’s Office a county office.
The majority having voted in favor of the motion and the motion having carried, the resolution was duly adopted on February 7, 2023.
Oliver County Commission
By: _________________________
Lee Husfloen, Chairman
Date: _______________________Attest: ________________________
Jaden Schmidt, Oliver County Auditor
Date:______________________
The Oliver County Commission acted on the preceding Resolution at its regular February 7, 2023 meeting as follows: Adoption moved by Darrell Berger and seconded by Blake Wilkens. On a roll call vote the following voted “Aye”: Lee Husfloen, Blake Wilkens, and Darrell Berger. None voted “Nay”. After the vote the Presiding Officer declared the Resolution adopted.
Darrell Berger moved and Blake Wilkens seconded the motion to advertise for bids for fuel, gravel and equipment rental with recommendation on wording and terms from the State’s Attorney. All in favor, none opposed; motion carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:11 AM
The next meeting of the Oliver County Commission will be at 8:00 AM, Thursday March 2nd at the Oliver County Courthouse meeting room.
_________________________________ _________________________________
Jaden Schmidt, Oliver County Auditor Lee Husfloen, Chairman of the Board