City Council meeting minutes from June 8,2020

REGULAR MEETING, CITY COUNCIL
NORTHWOOD, NORTH DAKOTA
June 8, 2020
Mayor Gerald Uglem called the phone conference meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Present for roll call were the following
Council Members: Jake Beckel, Derrick Strand, Noelle Broeren, Sarah Ferguson, and Gordon Hall. Staff present: City
Auditor Shelly Radke, Utility Clerk Gail Ducioame, Chief of Police Mark Pollert, and Public Works Superintendent James
Gorres. Also present was Sargent Davidson (G.F.S.O.)
Strand moved, seconded by Hall to approve minutes for the Regular Council meeting from 5/11/20, and the minutes for the
Special Council meeting from 5/20/2020. Motion carried. 5/0.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to receive, and file the financial report. Motion carried. 5/0.
Strand moved, seconded by Broeren to receive, and file all 6 Building Permits approved by the Planning & Zoning
Commission. Building Permits #20-2086 (A) through #20-2091. Motion carried 5/0.
City Council discussed but ultimately denied Jason Suckut’s request for a parking variance for his Work Bucket Truck.
Broeren moved, seconded by Strand to approve Mavis Carroll’s request to plant a tree at The Veterans Memorial Park in
memory of Gilman Beck with the guidance of the City Forester, Tim Mutchler, on the species of tree to be planted. Motion
carried. 5/0.
Strand moved, seconded by Ferguson to submit Stephanie Ostlie’s vehicle damage to the City insurance. Motion carried.
5/0.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to approve Nathan Pinkie’s request to utilize the Northwood City landfill, with restrictions.
Said restrictions are the landfill is to be used for only construction materials, no trees, the materials must be separated, and
no usage during free landfill days. Motion carried. 5/0.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to approve Aaron Johnson’s Construction Meter application, for an extension of 6month for
a 2nd Construction Meter for 404 S. Adam St. Motion carried. 5/0.
Strand moved, seconded by Broeren to approved American Legion Holding Corp Post 92 Gaming Site Authorization
application. Motion carried. 5/0.
Strand moved, seconded by Beckel to contact the City Attorney to draft a City Ordinance on signage. Items to be included
are: No advertising signage is to be placed on City property without prior approval from the City Council for a variance and
to allow signage in front of businesses. Motion carried. 5/0.
Mayor Uglem appointed Noelle Broeren to be the Council representative on the Library Board.
Hall moved, seconded by Ferguson to accept Gail Ducioame and Mary Brenden’s resignations from the Library Board.
Motion carried. 5/0.
Radke was directed to place an ad in the Gleaner for the vacant seats on the Library Board.
Strand moved, seconded by Beckel to charge residence, those that newly request a sprinkler meter, a one time fee for the
cost of the meter, instead of a monthly minimum fee of $24.00 for the sprinkler meter. Motion carried. 5/0.
The bond of the City Auditor was set by resolution by the Governing body at the Special City Council meeting on 5/20/20.
The motion was: Hall moved, seconded by Beckel to approve the Bond for the City Auditor by Resolution for 25% (NDCC
40-13-02) of $1,855,899.69, which is $463,974.92. Motion carried. 3/0. Roll call vote: Beckel-Aye, Broeren-Aye, HallAye.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to require a 1 time utility deposit from landlords to stay on file with the office of the City
Auditor until the property is sold or utilities become delinquent by landlord. Tenants will still be required to submit a utility
deposit before services will be supplied. This deposit will be applied to the final bill of the tenant. Motion carried. 5/0.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to impose a fee of $100.00 to landowners if they fail to notify City Hall within 10 days of a
tenant moving in or out of a premises. Motion carried. 5/0.
Radke was directed to send landlords notification of the motions concerning the requirements for landlord deposits and
notifications.
Strand moved, seconded by Broeren to approve the Resolution of Sponsorship for the CDBG application for possible
funding. Motion carried. 5/0.
There was a discussion concerning a Special Council meeting with Widseth, Smith, Nolting(WSN) to review the Street
Feasibility Study. Thursday June 11th at 5:30pm was decided if that date and time worked for WSN.
Strand moved, seconded by Beckel to approve Northwood Equity Elevators Sewer and Water application. Motion carried.
5/0.
Chief Pollert addressed the Council concerning the May 2020 monthly Police Activity Report. There was 1 citations issued
and 3 arrests. Chief Pollert stated the Northwood Police Department has participated in several programs in the community
such as the Bike Round Up and the Avenue of Flags at the Northwood Cemetery.
Chief Pollert is researching local City ordinances, Larimore, and comparing them to City of Northwood Ordinances. Once his
research is completed, he will submit his ordinance amendment recommendations to the City Council.
Hall moved, seconded by Ferguson to increase Chief Mark Pollert’s annual salary from $47,500.00 to $52,000.00 effective
7/1/2020. Motion carried. 5/0.
Ferguson moved, seconded by Hall to increase Officer Cameron Davis’s annual salary from $40,000.00 to $42,000.00
effective 7/1/2020. Motion carried. 5/0.
Hall moved, seconded by Beckel to approve the 1st reading of the Marijuana City Ordinance Chapter 13. Motion carried. 5/0.
Strand moved, seconded by Beckel to approve the 1st reading of the Utility Ordinance amendments to Chapter 7 and
Chapter 19. Motion carried. 4/1, Strand, Beckel, Broeren, Ferguson/Hall.
Gorres addressed the members stating the streets are starting to dry out, he is hoping to start pouring some concrete on a
few projects by this Thursday. Gorres stated there has been no interest in the fulltime seasonal help advertisement.
There was a discussion concerning the weed issue near the Dollar General Store. Gorres will look into this.
Radke addressed the Council concerning the scheduling of an Auditing Committee meeting to discuss the 2021 preliminary
budget.
Radke submitted information requested by the Council concerning the cost of amending City Ordinances.
Hall moved, seconded by Strand to give Radke the authorization to order computer or computers not to exceed $5000.00
with the recommendations of the I.T., this amount is to cover the labor of the technician as well. Motion carried. 5/0.
Hall asked the members if they had received any feed back from the motion that was made concerning the Northwood
Horizon Homes Parkway Lane East Street.
Mayor Uglem asked the council to think about whether or not to move forward on the street project or to wait a year so not
to over burden the City residents.
There was a discussion on some line items that would need to be placed on the Special Council meeting with Widseth Smith
Nolting.
Broeren moved, seconded by Ferguson to pay bills. Motion carried. 5/0.

Meeting adjourned 9:00pm

________________                      ________________

Mayor, Gerald Uglem                           Auditor, Shelly Radke