The Devils Lake City Commission met for a regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1. Several exciting developments and conversations about the future occurred.
After the approval of the April 17 minutes, Mayor Jim Moe read the 2023 Arbor Day Proclamation, which recognizes May 18, 2023, as Arbor Day, and urged citizens to appreciate and protect our trees that day and every day. Vouchers are available for private citizens to plant trees of their own. This proclamation was approved unanimously.
There was some heated discussion about whether the City of Devils Lake should enter into a franchise agreement with Nodak Electric Cooperative and their wholesale power provider, Minnkota Power Cooperative. Currently, the City of Devils Lake maintains a franchise agreement just with Ottertail Power Company; however, the current ordinance in place does not clearly define the power utility of new parcels and properties, which this proposed agreement would strive to do. Steve Breidenbach, Engineering Manager of Nodak, spoke to the current service area, employee demographics, and economic contributions of Nodak to Devils Lake. Matt Marshall, the Economic Development Administrator of Minnkota, detailed the $3 million+ that went back into the community, including a $2 million loan at 0% interest with a community entity. Les Windjue, who serves on Nodak’s governing board, also advocated for the implementation of this franchise agreement. Finally, Brad Barth of Forward Devils Lake stated that Matt had sourced six potential business projects to Devils Lake that would not have come here if Nodak were not around, and that advocacy for the economic development of Devils Lake is too valuable to refuse a franchise agreement. Commissioners stated some concerns, including boundary issues of properties grandfathered into Ottertail service and losing the city’s option to choose our utility providers. In the end, commissioners agreed to look at what a sample limited franchise agreement with Nodak and Minnkota may look like before taking any official action.
Commissioners then presented their portfolios, the highlights of which include the clarification of special pickup versus regular garbage pickup: properties with alleys will have their special pickup in the alley and regular garbage pickup in the street until further notice; the city is working to patch potholes as the weather dries up; the commission unanimously approved a motion to allow City Engineer Mike Grafsgaard to call for bids on a replacement sanitation truck.
Residential properties between 7th St NE and Walnut St and east of College Drive will be assessed this year, and should expect to receive letters this summer. Residents will have the ability to go online and select a time slot for their property to be assessed. The City of Devils Lake also received a Certificate of Achievement for satisfying the requirements of the State Drinking Water Act. Many hours go into making sure the water is safe, reliable, and palatable.
City Administrator Spencer Halvorson gave a quick legislative update and City Attorney Jack Yunker will have a proposal for a refuse ordinance to present at the next meeting.
Having no old business, the commission then moved to approval of the consent agenda, which included the yearly contribution to the LEC’s CAD subscription and budget amendments from the capital improvement plan. There were several articles of new business, the first of which was the official approval of the agreement to provide $1 million to the Park District at a rate of 1.5% interest for seven years to assist with the recreation center; this passed unanimously with a roll call vote. The commission also approved the issue of $1.5 million in CDs and treasuries to the general fund, again by roll call vote.
Business group Unpopped Colonels (play-on-words coming from the group’s names) has purchased the movie theater and will be renovating it as quickly as possible, potentially to get movies showing as early as this summer. Should that happen, the theater would close again for a short time in the fall to complete renovations before opening permanently. The building is in surprisingly good shape, but needs new projectors, screens, and seating, to name a few things. The city commission voted unanimously to approve the Renaissance Zone Project 25-DL for the renovation of the movie theater. Keep an eye out for an official opening date!
The city also heard the first reading of the Domestic Fowl Ordinance, which emulates Fargo’s existing policy as well as other state entities. Highlights include:
-Only chickens may be owned; no roosters or broiler chickens
-May own up to four chickens
-Permits will be administered by building inspector
-Permits good for the year of its issue with an annual renewal process; cost recommended to be $100 for the first year and $25 per year for annual renewal
-Would require annual written consent from adjacent property owners. Properties in alleys would need consent from both houses next to theirs as well as the property directly behind theirs in the alley
-Any animal or nuisance violation from the past year disqualifies residents for a permit
-Coops can only be up to 120 square feet or eight feet in height, along with material constraints
If citizens have feedback on this ordinance, they should contact the commission or attend future meetings for citizen comments.
Finally, the commission voted to adjust the temporary employment pay scale to better recruit applicants, and to amend the wording not to necessarily require a CDL but instead the operation of special equipment. This passed unanimously via roll call vote. The commission also unanimously voted to renew the sales tax collection with the State Tax Commissioner’s office, as well as to pay the city’s bills.
Meeting agendas and past meeting minutes can be found at dvlnd.com.
