The Devils Lake City Commission met for a regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 18. After approving the minutes from the September 5 meeting, the commission voted unanimously to approve the fiscal year 2024 budget and salary plan with no one from the public present to comment. Lisa Crosby and Paula Vistad were present on behalf of the Lake Region Heritage Center to propose a partnership between the LRHC and the city to pay for the rent of the opera house property (formerly New Look Boutique, formerly Glickson’s) so that the Heritage Center may turn it into an art gallery that will offer art for sale, an events venue, and classes and activities for youth and adults in the Lake Region. Commissioners agreed this is a want and need for the community, and voted unanimously to pay for rent and utilities up to $20,000 per year for the next five years to establish this addition to the community. Quarter 4 funds for the Heritage Center were also released with a unanimous vote.
Commissioner portfolios included gravel being laid on the 14th Street and 14th Avenue project, and Public Ways to address the graffiti on the College Drive underpass. Special assessments will come before the commission in October, and City Administrator Spencer Halvorson will be present at the North Dakota League of Cities in Bismarck in the middle of September.
Under old business, the commission then returned to the discussion of paying the guarantee of Summers Manufacturing, for which they agreed to act as guarantor for a sum of $500,000 that has since been reduced through inventory sales to $343,000. Administrator Halvorson presented a loan repayment plan to commissioners, and Rob Hach recused himself from the ensuing discussion, motion, and vote. Initially, a motion was made and seconded to refuse to pay this amount, with further discussion leading to an opposed resolution of that motion. Commissioners then unanimously agreed to further table this discussion until more information can be gathered and presented to the commission in terms of a timeline of events with Summers Manufacturing and the sale to another party, sale of excess inventory, etc.
The commission then moved to new business, which included the approval of rates and fees changes effective in January of 2024. Halvorson then presented updates and changes to the City of Devils Lake Policy Manual, which included a process to address employee grievances that details how employees should submit grievances to a committee made up of two commission members, the City Administrator, a Department Head representative, and the City Attorney. Discussion was had over the fact that these issues should be coming before the commission as the diverse, elected representatives of the people, but it was pointed out that publicly broadcast meetings may not be a conducive place to address potentially sensitive grievances. Verbiage in this change includes the fact that employees can appeal to the commission or another entity at any time, the policy simply lays out the process and clarifies it to all departments. When the motion to approve these policy updates was made, it was passed with a majority vote and Commissioner Hamre voting in opposition. City Attorney Jack Yunker presented the first reading of a refusal ordinance, which has essentially rewritten and codified the city’s DUI policies to allow Devils Lake PD to charge and properly prosecute individuals who refuse to consent to breathalyzer or blood testing for blood alcohol content. No action was needed at this meeting.
The commission then voted to approve a special permit to allow Ed’s Bait Shop to cater a Memorial Building event in October, and to appoint Sheri Olson as a member of the Renaissance Zone Authority to represent the Devils Lake School District. After approving a water main pay estimate of $238,541.76, the commission then approved a release of easement for Lake Toyota, to approve a call for bids for a new city snow plow, and to pay the list of bills excluding the $343,000 loan repayment proposed for Summers Manufacturing.
Previous meeting minutes and future meeting agendas can be found at dvlnd.com.
