The Devils Lake City Commission met Monday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. with a full agenda to cover.
Mayor Jim Moe called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of Minutes from the May 5 meeting.
Portfolios
Since there were no awards, proclaimations, public hearings, bid openings, visitors or delegations they proceeded directly to Commission Portfolios and the Engineering recommendation regarding the award of the bid for the 2025 Asphalt and Concrete Street Repairs and the result of the bid for Curb, Gutter and Sidewalks.
Sanitation gave a recommendation for the purchase of an automated refuse truck. Only two people attended the public information meeting about this purchase and both of them were City employees. They described the benefits of this kind of truck going forward as it is more and more difficult to find people to apply for these positions when there is an opening. The truck will have side dumping arms and therefore the driver can go down the alley taking care of the garbage on both sides at the same time. The cost is estimated at just over $436,00 and will be in operation approximately 15 months from now. It will mean new and larger maybe 64 gallon garbage cans for each residence, we will no longer be using our own personal garbage cans. More information will be forthcoming on this change in the near future.
The Fire Department recommended the award of the city’s tree trimming bid for the season ahead.
New business
The designated polling location for the Devils Lake City’s Special Election planned for July 22, 2025, will be the Memorial Building and contrary to what was mistakenly posted on social media, like all special elections there will be a “Yes” and a “No” option for the proposed issue. The commissioners emphasized that the plan is NOT to build a whole new City Hall but to perhaps renovate one or more of the unoccupied buildings in the downtown area and maybe remodel or expand the present City Hall. Whatever is done will depend on the outcome of the vote. The present Lake Region Law Enforcement Center most likely needs extensive renovation to continue being used, also however the vote turns out. The city wants the public to know that there are a number of options before them, depending on what the voters want.
The language for the special election ballot was approved of at this meeting, as well. [That is not yet available on the city’s website as of this printing.] A front page article about this issue is planned for one of the next Devils Lake Journal issues coming in early June.
Mayor Moe gave a report on a meeting he had attended in Grand Forks just a few days ago with Todd Forkel and Dr. Josh Deere from Altru where Devils Lake was also discussed. Moe stated that they mentioned several exciting things they want to see happen at the Devils Lake Hospital once the deal is finalized, including providing services that our hospital hasn’t been able to offer for quite some time, like some specific surgical procedures, the use of robots, a hand specialist, and more. The Mayor was very encouraged to hear their plans for the Devils Lake Hospital and told the commission he was excited to meet Tanner White who has been named interim CEO for CHI St. Alexius – Devils Lake Hospital in the meantime until the paperwork is finalized by the Vatican and the changeover is completed.
Several city ordinances were up for their second reading: Ordinance 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017 and 1018 all dealing with some aspect of blighted or substandard buildings or structures within the city limits. Jason Sayler, City Attorney, went through each proposed change in these ordinances and once discussion was completed, called for a vote on each separate ordinance and its changes. That was accomplished by the commission.
The April 2025 Financial Report was received and the commission voted to pay all submitted bills. The next City Commission meeting will be June 2, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.
