00:00:12,900	I have 5:15. This will be the Board of City Commissioners meeting. But before we start, we’ll have invocation and then we’ll have a swearing in of the new commissioners, because we have to have a full quorum. So we need to officially have everybody sworn in ahead of time.

00:00:31,100	So Chaplain Hugh IntVeld would be able to provide invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. I would appreciate that. You did a wonderful job of pronouncing my name. Thank you, sir. Thank you for helping me ahead of time. It’s a privilege to be here.

00:01:00,900	Shall we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, we come before you today with grateful hearts as the Bismarck commissioners gathered together to serve our city. We ask for your wisdom and guidance and discernment as we consider matters before us. Help us to listen with respect. Speak with integrity, and work together for the common good. Grant us the courage to make decisions that are fair and just.

00:01:25,630	The compassion to understand the needs of all people, and the humility to seek what is right above personal interests. Bless the citizens of our city and help us to be faithful stewards of the responsibilities entrusted to us. Many of us present here this evening are aware of King Solomon, the great leader who replaced King David. Of great importance was his humility.

00:01:49,500	When God gave him the opportunity, he asked for anything he wanted, and his response was to ask for wisdom. And I quote, so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.

00:02:10,370	Those results were fantastic, and in our city made these esteemed leaders before us. But you also gifted from above with wisdom, and may our efforts esteemed. May our efforts promote people, prosperity and opportunity for all who live, work, and visit our community. Guide us in every discussion and decision. May our actions reflect wisdom, service and care for our neighbors.

00:02:38,130	And in addition, we are mindful of thousands of school children who are out and about in our neighborhoods. And we do ask of you special protection for them. During this summer. And we ask all these things in your holy name. Amen. Amen.

00:03:06,370	Shall we stand? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you, sir. So now we’ll have the sworn swearing in ceremony for the new commissioners and for myself as well as this is a new term for me.

00:03:31,570	Um, we’ll have Attorney Mees lead that I’m not sure how you want to proceed. And then I’d also think there’s a desire to have a photo of the commission subsequent to that. Correct. Okay. So do you want the commissioners first? Do you want me first? Do you want to do all three at once? Um, I think all three at once would be fine. Okay.

00:03:46,030	If you wanted to. Nope. Separately? Nope. Okay. I’m gonna stand away from the camera. Let’s use the microphone. Oh, sorry. Yep. Yep. If I stand over here. Katelyn, do not get me in the picture. Okay. Are you ready? Please raise your right hands. I fill in your name. I of Bismarck, North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota.

00:04:18,470	Do you solemnly swear? You solemnly. Swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. Will support the Constitution of the United. States and the Constitution of the State of North Dakota. And the Constitution of the State of North Dakota. And I will faithfully discharge the duties. And I will faithfully discharge the.

00:04:35,530	Duties of the office of Commissioner of the Board of City. Commission of the office of the Commissioner City commission. Do you want me to repeat? No. Okay. For the city of Bismarck. The city. Of Bismarck and the county of Burleigh. And the county. And the state of North Dakota. And the state of North Dakota.

00:04:55,230	According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help. Me God. There’s another little phrase here. I further swear. I further. Swear that I am under no direct. And under no. Direct or indirect obligation. Or indirect obligation. To elect or appoint any person. To elect or appointed in.

00:05:16,130	Person to any office, position or employment. Office position or employment. Under the city government. Under the city government. All right. Congratulations. Thank you. Sir. All right. If we can call the meeting to order, we’ll call. Roll, please. Commissioner Risch. Here. Commissioner Doll here. Commissioner Connelly here. Commissioner Hull here. Mayor.

00:06:22,330	Schmitz here. Uh, I’m going to have Jason come forward. And we have a couple of items preceding public comment that we’ll go through. We’re going to keep it more brief than we maybe have in the past, because I think already the new persons to the commission have met with everybody and have an idea of

00:06:42,500	what is going on, but we just should highlight a few things and also note that go ahead, Jason. But. Sure. Good evening, mayor and commissioners, and welcome Commissioner Hull and Commissioner Doll to the table. Um, it’s been a while since we’ve had some new faces.

00:07:02,500	So I apologize if I don’t have my notes from before because I didn’t get to do this before. Um, but the first item on the agenda that we wanted to bring to your attention, hopefully you had a chance to review it prior to the meeting. It’s the leadership code for elected officials. And this is a fairly new document. More for reference for you as a commissioner.

00:07:20,570	It’ll provide, um, some cues or some notes on how to navigate your role as a commissioner, not just here at the table, but then also in the public. And in addition to working with staff. Uh, this was a document that was primarily led by Mayor Schmitz back in 2024.

00:07:38,900	It was adopted nearly two years ago, in August of 2024. Um, just wanted to call this out and give you an opportunity to ask any questions or perhaps some clarification points that you may have, but then also, to open the floor to Mayor Schmitz, since he was the kind of the driving force behind, uh, much of the content that is

00:07:56,000	here. So. Um, no specific call outs. I’m not going to read through all 15 pages by any means, but I did want to provide an opportunity for questions and answers, not just from the new commissioners, but also certainly Commissioner Connelly or Commissioner Risch. If you had any questions after reviewing it again.

00:08:11,530	Um, but I’m happy to answer any questions or Mayor Schmitz, if there’s anything you would like to add. My only point is to it is that, um, after having served two hours in office and realizing that we didn’t have an actual code of conduct for elected officials in our community, I thought it was important that we actually established that

00:08:30,500	because code of conduct is very important. Uh, it also helps us establish some ethical, um, rules and conflict of interest rules to make sure that we are all upholding what is really our constitutional obligation. Um, and it’s formalize it. And so that’s why I pushed for it to occur. Go ahead. Commissioner.

00:08:54,470	Commissioner. Well, thank you for your leadership and putting this together. And it was good for me to review it once again like I did when it first came out. But there’s a few little things I think we could massage at some point in there. That.

00:09:09,430	and certainly it’s open to I mean, it’s a living document. So I also wanted to point out. Remind everybody it’s here and would be open to, you know, some modifications where we need to to for clarification. Yeah. I would just ask that if there are some of those let’s work with Jason so we can and Julie so we can accomplish that sometime in the fall. Commissioner Connelly.

00:09:31,800	Um, what I would encourage the, new commissioners to do, too, is that it was a good discussion when the mayor brought it forward. We tabled it for a couple of weeks, and we had a discussion with some modifications that were adopted in the first run at it.

00:09:49,900	So it was a good exercise on what we do at this table. So and all of that’s on Dakota Media Access. So. Any other questions or comments? Okay. If not Jason, if you want to proceed to just the kind of orientation, so to speak. Sure.

00:10:14,030	And commissioners, please bear in mind this presentation was originally composed with the idea that you were rookies and had no idea what you were doing here, and clearly that’s not the case. You’ve invested a lot of time prior to today, both as a member of the Citizen Academy, but then also your involvement and engagement throughout the meetings. As the election season was going on.

00:10:27,500	So I’ll keep this pretty brief and high level, but there are some important points in here that Attorney Meese will call out when it comes to open meetings. Robert’s Rules, some of those sorts of things along the way.

00:10:43,370	But I we started a lot of things here talking about our strategic plan and our mission and vision. Again, I’m not going to read all the content on the slides, but the point of the strategic plan is a guiding document. It is our roadmap for the next 3 to 5 years as an organization.

00:10:57,300	And whenever we can remind ourselves why we’re here and what we’re doing for the community, we take that opportunity. So, for what it’s worth, the the mission statement, together we deliver exceptional public service and our vision statement. Bismarck is a dynamic community committed to an extraordinary quality of life values. These were also recently refreshed with our recent re adoption, or refresh of the strategic plan.

00:11:20,770	As an organization, we value service to the community, stewardship, managing the resources that the taxpayers entrust us with, respecting all the individuals and organizations that we encounter.

00:11:40,000	Certainly, we care about our workplace, in the community we serve, and we are always looking for innovation in ways to embrace creativity and meet the current emerging needs. High level overview 17 departments, 650 full time employees, depending on the season. We’re between 50 and 100 part time employees. Bismarck, N.D. gov is where we share all of our information. We would encourage you to share that website and information with others.

00:12:02,900	Everything that we do as an organization will end up there for the public to consume. The agenda and meeting management. We’ve talked about this with you individually. This is where all the agendas for the City Commission and all the advisory board authority, board committees that the city staffs are part of the agenda and meeting management.

00:12:19,630	Of course, we’re here at 515 on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Tom Baker meeting room. And as Commissioner Risch will attest, we have many special meetings as needed. None of this would be as valuable if we weren’t going to talk about our friends at Dakota Media Access.

00:12:35,500	They are a tremendous partner in transparency and government. For me, Dakota Media Access is the demonstration of transparency in action, whether it be through the broadcast of these meetings or any of the advisory board meetings. But then also some of the special programming that we as a staff or as an organization have committed to.

00:12:56,330	And Dakota Media Access has been kind enough to, to broadcast and to host on their website and to share. So if anybody that’s watching at home on cable, you’re likely watching through Dakota Media Access if you’re consuming this online or on demand at your convenience, hopefully it’s coming through their website as

00:13:12,900	well. So we just want to call them out and thank them for the work that they do to help us bring these meetings to everybody with open meetings, that takes us to the attorneys part of this, where we’ll talk about quorums, public business, the type of activities that we have here.

00:13:28,830	Are you going to join me up here or you want to go from over there? I’ll make way for Attorney Meese. Oh, where’s. Yeah, I only have, like what, three slides. Good evening. So I, I’m again going to also assume that the new commissioners and the previous commissioners and the mayor have read these slides.

00:13:55,570	Um, I also want to emphasize that regarding open meetings and open records. Pull them. I’m sorry. I’m terrible at this. Um, the attorney General’s office has kindly put on online guidelines and manuals regarding open meetings and and open records that I use all the time.

00:14:15,370	So if you have any questions about them, you can certainly feel free to go online to the Attorney General’s website or ask me, and I will do that. Um, the things I want to emphasize are the quorum. So we have five commissioners. So a quorum is more than half. So that would be three.

00:14:32,370	So if one commissioner meets with two other commissioners on a specific topic relating to city business, that is a public meeting that we have to notice. And admin has the capability of noticing those up, um, social or accidental meetings. If you run into another commissioner at the ballpark or a grocery store, that’s not a public meeting, as long as no public business is discussed.

00:14:53,170	Um, sometimes we’ll have constituents, cities or citizens will email all of the members of the board and want to share information that is not necessarily an open meeting violation. What we get into regarding open meeting violations is if the constituent or other community member wants a consensus on a specific topic.

00:15:17,830	So I would ask that you not all respond to that constituent, because we could have a serial meeting violation there. All records, emails, text messages, letters, notes, all of that are potentially documents that will be open to the public.

00:15:39,630	So if they are relating to city business, I’m going to ask that you use your city email and your city equipment, your city phone, your city laptop. Do any city business so we could access that. If we have any open records requests. Any questions about any open records? Commissioner Risch. Commissioner Risch. Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Julie.

00:15:59,700	So if I bump into somebody at the grocery store. Right. It’s only one other commission. I Commissioner I bump into Amelia. I’m perfectly okay to discuss something city related with one commissioner. That’s correct. Because there’s no I can’t talk to Commissioner Doll and one of the other Commissioner Hull about the same thing on two different occasions. That’s correct.

00:16:19,170	The one issue I have with where you have the, uh, serial meetings where you explain serial meetings and for sake of discussion, serial meeting is if I talk to Commissioner Doll and Hull and then Connelly and everybody, that would be separately.

00:16:35,770	That would be a serial meeting violate the open meetings. Um, law. And I bad thing to do. But the example you have is that a citizen talks to a commissioner, A, then Commissioner B, and then Commissioner C, I’ve been involved with interacting with government all my adult life. The North Dakota Legislature, the US Congress, and individuals can certainly talk to each one of us.

00:16:58,100	They certainly can. Separately. I mean, that I don’t want to people because I had we had an issue come before the commission and a citizen asked me about my position on it, and I visited with her and she said, well, I was told I can only talk to two

00:17:12,630	commissioners. I said, well, no, that wouldn’t be right. You could talk to all the commissioners and the mayor individually about it. And certainly when the issue comes up, you can of course talk at the commission meeting itself. But. Right. The open meetings is for the public entity. So members of the public entity, not towards the citizenry.

00:17:30,730	Right. So if but it’s not worded like that when I look at it in our thing. Okay. Um. So so isn’t it the, the risk is for us as commissioners if a constituent contacts each one of us trying to build consensus without us actually meeting before the meeting, that’s

00:17:53,700	where the serial meeting risk comes in. So if there has been an ability or a desire to talk to three of us out of five to get us all to basically agree to support something in a vote that’s upcoming, that would be an open meeting, uh, through serial meeting. It could be if. They’re potentially. Right.

00:18:14,070	So that’s just the risk to be cautious of as, as we receive. And so I would just encourage the commission members not to respond individually to that citizen who’s who was seeking consensus. Or more than a quorum. So. Or a quorum, or I should say.

00:18:34,570	For the sake of argument, we don’t even know that she’s talking to the other commissioners. That’s true, you know. So, I mean, that’s down a rabbit hole. And, you know, if there is a specific topic about a specific department and the commissioner, a is not the portfolio holder, I think it would behoove Commissioner A to refer that citizen to the portfolio holder, just to be careful.

00:18:56,700	Yeah. Along that line, if I may, Mr. Mayor, that’s the best way. Let’s say it’s something related to whatever portfolio Commissioner Doll has. Somebody contacted me and said, well, you know, it’d be best to talk to Commissioner Doll, but there’s been times where somebody I really know and they’re pushing me.

00:19:14,830	And so I’ll just call the other commissioner themselves and say, hey, do you mind if I look into this issue for the citizen? But I certainly keep the commissioner that has the portfolio in the loop on whatever the issue is. I think that’s a very good practice. Yep.

00:19:35,830	Anybody else have comments or questions? I mean, I just want us to make sure we I err on the side of caution.. Right. And then, um, regarding Robert’s Rules of Order, we have a Bismarck version of them. And so I was just going to briefly go over general procedures regarding the rules. And so in general, the, um.

00:20:02,970	So and I’m sure everyone well, the commissioners who have been here and the commissioners who are newly elected have watched commission meetings. So generally we’ll hear a presentation by a staff member or citizen, um, and if it’s a public hearing, we will wait for the public comment period to close.

00:20:23,330	The mayor will then ask commissioner, commissioners, what are your wishes? And then at that point, a commissioner can make a motion, which is a proposal of an action. For example, I the commissioner would say, I move that we approve ordinance whatever as presented. Another commissioner would.

00:20:46,630	Second, if there is no second, then the motion dies and the second does not mean that the second Commissioner supports necessarily the motion, but just wants discussion to go forward. The mayor, as the chair of the board, will recognize commissioners who want to discuss or debate. The mayor will end the discussion when the discussion is over, and then we’ll call for a vote. The clerk will call roll, each commissioner will vote.

00:21:05,930	And I just want to clarify that if there’s an abstention or a passive, a vote per our ordinance, that abstention or pass is considered a yes vote. Um, and if. You so that would mean if someone needs to abstain because they feel they have a conflict of interest, they should step away from the table.

00:21:23,800	They should step away. And if. There’s an then it wouldn’t be a yes vote. Correct? Correct. If there’s a conflict of interest in the Commissioner needed to step away, then that would not count. We would still have a quorum, but we would still need a majority. Uh, concurrence of the majority to pass the vote.

00:21:41,600	And on the conflicts of interest, if there’s somebody concerned about that, it is appropriate to disclose that at the table. And then we, as the rest of the commissioners, can determine if we feel it’s a conflict of interest or not.

00:21:57,870	Um, because we’ve had that situation even in the last three months, I think, where we determined it wasn’t a conflict. Right. And if there’s a need to amend a motion, we follow the same process. There needs to be a motion. And a second the majority would vote to amend. And then the approval of the amendment would follow.

00:22:15,830	And then there would be a move to act on the original motion. Um, it’s similar to withdraw motion. The movement, the movement can move to withdraw the motion. If there’s no objection, that motion is withdrawn.

00:22:32,900	If there is an objection, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen, the withdrawal will be put to a vote. Any questions about that? It’s pretty straightforward. No. And the one thing that I did not include on the slides are, social media. So there was a recent Supreme Court case within the last few years about public officials and social media.

00:22:54,900	So if you have a personal social media page, I would just ask that your personal page have has a label and a disclaimer that that’s your personal page and you’re not representing the city on your personal page, and not to use your official title or official contact information on your personal page.

00:23:16,200	Um, and if you choose to have an official social media page, that’s where you engage with the public. Your personal page is for family photos and trips and things like that. Any questions about that? And always feel free to call me if there’s any questions or email. And I’m happy to talk to you about any of these issues. Okay.

00:23:40,700	Any questions for Julie? And she’s always in the room or a representative. Her office is in the room. When we do have a commission meeting. So help us keep in line. Okay. Thank you. Mayor and commissioners, I’m happy to go through the remainder of the slides.

00:24:02,500	I’m guessing you’ve all had a chance to review those ahead of time. Basically, everything that’s left is a rundown of all the departments, and the primary tasks or responsibilities afforded to those departments.

00:24:20,770	So if you’d like, I’m happy to go through those, but I’m also happy to pass on that and just simply pause and stand here and answer questions that you may have about any of the information that’s contained in the slideshow or anything that you may have just heard from Julie, or anything in general that will help you become more comfortable and oriented in your role as commissioners.. Commissioner Risch. Mr. Mayor, commissioners.

00:24:37,430	Jason, maybe you can explain a little bit what your thoughts on a commissioner’s role in dealing with their portfolios. Should they be meeting with them on a regular basis? Should they be interacting? Certainly the head of departments calls the shots, but they they should be meeting with them periodically. Certainly, yes. The mayor Schmitz Commissioner, Risch commissioners, thanks for the question.

00:24:57,830	So, portfolios, uh, I guess it may depend a little bit on directors as well, and what they would be looking for from a commissioner. Um, and oftentimes the role of the portfolio holder is to be very familiar with the department, particularly larger projects or initiatives that are coming forward.

00:25:13,900	Uh, the role of the commissioner is to engage with the director, but then also to understand what those projects are and effectively support those to the best of your ability at the table.

00:25:30,030	Now, if you’re if there’s an initiative or a project that you’re strongly opposed to, that would be something that you’d want to work through with the director before it ever comes here. If we had a an adversarial relationship where the director and the portfolio holder were at with their backs to each other over a project, I think that would obviously be a an interesting conflict that we would work through, but

00:25:47,230	primarily, I think it’s it’s good to be aware of what your departments are doing. Um, it’s good to know what their large projects are. Now, we certainly don’t expect you to know every personnel, member of the staff. Some of these departments are quite large. Um, you’re not.

00:26:04,570	The expectation is not that you’re there for the day to day. You there for the the bigger items that are coming to the commission or those major initiatives that would be coming forward. Um, I had another thought here on the role of commissioners, and now it’s escaped me. Um, oh, it was relating to liaison positions. And then also board appointments.

00:26:25,700	So some of you may find yourself on an advisory board or an authority board or as a liaison. A liaison position is a little unique in that it is effectively just that it is a bridge between an established board.

00:26:47,630	Um, so in the case of Dakota Media Access, the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library, uh, the parking authority, the event center authority board, and there’s one more that I’m missing, forestry advisory board. Um, those would be positions where the expectation is that you would attend those meetings and participate, not necessarily in a voting capacity.

00:27:07,830	If you’re a liaison, the board is already established, but you are there to provide information from this organization to that board or to that other organization in which you are or have been assigned. Um, again, it’s basically an information share. It’s not necessarily asking you to take a position or be an active member of the board. Maybe you attend those meetings periodically.

00:27:25,670	Maybe it works with your schedule that you attend every one of those meetings as a liaison position. But the appointed committee positions, whether it be Renaissance Own authority, Historic Preservation Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission, where they are taking action and providing recommendations to this board, the expectation would be that you would make every effort to be at those meetings, because you would count towards a

00:27:44,270	quorum, and so your attendance would be appropriate and necessary on a regular cadence for those meetings as well. I believe. Commissioner Doll, you currently served or previously served as a Renaissance Zone Authority member, Commissioner Hull you were with the Historic Preservation Commission, so you’re familiar with those advisory role positions as

00:28:02,230	well. Does that answer your question, Commissioner Risch? Thank you. Any any other comments for. I have no other comments unless there’s questions that you may have or I will offer this. Uh, city administration would certainly be your first point of contact.

00:28:23,430	If you have any questions, you have our emails, you have our cell phone numbers. Either Doug or I would be happy to try and direct you in any way possible to find your path to success. So feel free to lean on us now and in the future. And when you’re comfortable and even when you’re, you’re well adept at being commissioners.

00:28:40,370	We’re so happy to be here and help you do your jobs. Okay. The last thing I will add is wasn’t in the agenda packet, but I just had it handed out is back right after I was elected. I had asked for city staff to have three S’s, so to speak, simplify, streamline and serve. So just that’s why I provided that.

00:28:59,170	So everybody kind of keeps that in mind that our goal here is, is to really serve our constituents. In the most streamlined method possible and simplified as much as possible. So if you see opportunities to guide your portfolios, departments and those, please, please help them because we want to make sure it’s already hard to navigate through government processes.

00:29:21,330	We want to try to find a way to make it as simple as possible. So all right, anything else before we move to public comment? Not we’ll open up the public comment, period.

00:29:42,100	It is for items on the consent agenda or a regular agenda item that is not a public hearing or a prior city commission agenda, excluding public hearings. I already saw that. I’m sorry. So anyone who wish to speak, please come forward. Identify yourself, tell us the topic and also sign in. A second call for public comment. A third and final call for public comment. Seeing no one coming forward. Hearing no one.

00:30:07,270	I’m going to close the public comment, period. Commissioners, what are your wishes with regard to the consent agenda? I’ll move. We approve the consent agenda. Second. Do we have any discussion? Hearing none, we’ll call roll. Commissioner Doll? Yes, Commissioner Connelly. Yes, Commissioner Hull. Yes, Commissioner Risch. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes.

00:30:36,700	Um, we have three very similar items A, B and C on our regular agenda. So we’ll start with the first one there on the regular agenda this time for sure. Um, they normally would have been, have been in the past on consent agenda. But I thought it was an opportunity for some educational, uh, opportunities related to these. So these are letters of request for letters of support.

00:30:55,470	Um, we have with us two gentlemen from the chamber EDC to make those presentations. And we’ll start with the first one is for EER properties, a letter of support for the North Dakota for funding from the North Dakota Opportunity Fund loan program. No. Go ahead. Thank you. Mayor. And commissioners, welcome, commissioners Doll and commissioners Hull.

00:31:16,030	Uh, Alex Koski from our office, our vice president of economic development just handed you a brief two pager, um, which will have some background for these programs that we’re about to introduce, just, uh, for our new commissioners to fully understand what these three are better understanding. So my name is Noah Vroman.

00:31:33,700	I’m the business development coordinator for the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC. I introduced Alex as well. Um, this chamber, EDC is contracted by the city of Bismarck to provide the following services. Economic development strategy, economic development analysis, and assisting public private partnerships between the city and various private institutions inside of Bismarck.

00:31:59,300	Our businesses, the chamber, EDC and practice works with local companies, large and small members of the chamber, EDC and non-members in order to retain and grow their businesses and workforce. One of the more visible ways the chamber EDC will interact with this commission is by presenting applications for local businesses interested in Bank of North Dakota’s Pace or Flex. Pace programs.

00:32:18,030	These programs were implemented in 1990. Pace stands for Partnership and Assisting Community Expansion. The Pace fund helps communities expand their economic base by assisting primary sector businesses that make an investment or create jobs in the community. Flex pays provides assistance to businesses that do not meet primary sector standards.

00:32:39,900	The Max buy down for the program is 500,000. The flex space program is up to $200,000 in interest by down, so it buys down the interest rates from whatever Prime is down at most 5% with a floor of 1%. So it’s really helpful for our smaller businesses enabled in order to make ends meet in their first couple years of operation.

00:32:58,570	These programs are tools that communities can use to drive economic development, with a focus being the community economic benefits of the project. Each community develop its own criteria for assessing these projects. Projects within the city of Bismarck have three options for securing the local Max portion of the Pace program.

00:33:18,930	The local match is 35% for Bismarck, so the city puts up a 35% loan that it will eventually get paid back to its Vision fund. BND puts up a 65% of the match grant that is given to the businesses in the business keeps after the completion of the buy down.

00:33:37,070	Option one is through a loan from the City of Bismarck Vision Fund using city funds. None of these three are Vision Fund projects. Option two is providing an in-kind contribution, such as a property tax incentive or donating land. This must be quantifiable. We do not have a track record of doing these in the city of Bismarck. It’s something that ND is open to.

00:33:55,170	Um. We can explore that more in the next year if we choose to. Option three is using non city funds through Lewis and Clark Development Groups, North Dakota Opportunity Fund Loan program, along with fulfilling Lewis and Clark’s requirements for funding the project.

00:34:14,370	Seeking this route must also secure a letter of support from the City of Bismarck stating the reasons the city supports the business receiving an interest rate incentive. The following three agenda items are A letter of supports again, the Letter of support.

00:34:30,970	Passing the City Commission merely communicates the BND that a business project provides community benefit and has the support of the governing entity. These do not and will not require city dollars to be spent on the local match. One last note before starting our first agenda item, the chamber EDC works to retain existing businesses, support expansion and attract new investment because they strengthen Bismarck’s economy and workforce, supporting businesses that positively contribute to our community helps reinforce that Bismarck

00:34:53,370	is a stable, predictable place to invest. Bismarck has historically had a pro-business climate, part of the pro-business climate is being consistent with applications for incentives. Businesses seeking these programs must publicly disclose purchase plans and appear before the commission.

00:35:16,900	As you can see in the letters in front of you, making a consistent and predictable review process is important. While every request deserves thoughtful consideration, letters of support should remain focused on whether the business is a positive member of the community, and the city should not vote in favor of every letter and support without appropriate due diligence like we are doing today with the letters in our presentations.

00:35:39,230	Likewise, routinely denying letters of support absent a clear concern can have unintended consequences for Bismarck’s pro-business climate and the willingness of businesses to invest in our community. The Commission’s decision today is not whether to finance or approve a business transaction, as those determinations are made by the project, the lender and in this case, the Bank of North Dakota.

00:35:58,530	The question before the commission is whether the city supports the business and recognize the project’s benefit to the community. Thank you. Alex will now go through our first project. Thank you. Noah.

00:36:20,100	So our first agenda item today is the Flex Pace letter of support for ERE properties LLC, which is the real estate holding company for Midtown Dental. Midtown dental is a local dentistry owned by Doctor Andrew Schmid, the lead lender for the project is Credit or Capital Credit Union. The business is seeking a flex pace program to assist in their purchase of an existing commercial building located at 2000 North 12th Street in Bismarck, North Dakota.

00:36:41,770	That is the previous slot ski’s building. The complete letter of support is in your packets and the chamber. EDC recommends providing the letter of support for the following reasons. Increasing employee count from 15 full time employees in three part time employees to approximately 24 employees. This increase will also include at least one full time dentist.

00:37:03,100	Secondly, the increase in space with the new building, along with the increase in workforce, will allow Midtown to better serve their 4000 current patients. Wait times currently stretch into eight months, while the best practice between appointments is closer to that six month range, increasing the the room and area that Midtown can operate in will also allow

00:37:25,030	them to continue investing into technology to further enhance the patient’s experience. As a reminder, this project will not utilize City of Bismarck dollars and at this time, um, no. And I, along with Ryan from Capital Credit Union, are able to stand for any questions that the commissioners or Mayor Schmitz might have.

00:37:43,670	I’ll point out that this one did come to the Vision Fund. First, the Vision Fund viewed it as a project that was worthwhile, but not worthwhile of the Vision Fund funding the buy down because it, um, was not providing a a new service or a service and a critical need business per se, because

00:38:06,830	there are multiple dental offices in town, but still because they’re increasing the value of the property and bringing in additional employment opportunities to our community, felt that it does deserve support.

00:38:26,670	So that Vision Fund, actually, in the minutes of the Vision Fund, recommended approval of or recommended that to the City Commission, that we would approve this letter of support. Go ahead. Commissioner Hull mayor, commissioners, just questions looking up Google Maps because remembering is part of the building. Are they taking the whole building or are they going to be next door to Cinnabon and make a bit of visual irony.? Full building. Okay. They’ll occupy that for.

00:38:46,670	Because the staff member is like, are they gonna fit? So all right. Thank you. Commissioner Risch. Mr. Mayor, commissioners Alex Noah, um, I think I’m really pro-business Commissioner. For the record, I believe in free market capitalism.

00:39:08,030	Uh, I like businesses to compete with one another, but this is an existing business buying an existing building. There’s nothing new being created here. Um, I talked to my own dentist about it. I said, you dentist? You’re struggling a bit, are you? She said, are, in fact. No, we’re not struggling at all. Um, she didn’t think it was a good idea, but, um, so my concern is.

00:39:25,200	And I know it’s not city tax dollars, but it’s state tax dollars, that it could be a substantial amount of money. Um, is that we’re interfering with the market. We’re going to pick this dentist like we did the other dentist on North Washington Street and all these other dentists. They didn’t get any of this.

00:39:43,370	And I don’t blame the dentists that have applied for this. They should. And I’m not criticizing them. And I think they’re great members of our community. But this sort of stuff interferes with the market. Thank you. Commissioner. Commissioner Connelly. Um, no. And, uh, I forget your name. Sorry, Alex. Alex. Um, I’m in agreement with Commissioner Risch on that.

00:40:06,170	Is capitalism the Republic? And how, um, business thrives in America was not to where we elevate, um, unnecessary public private partnerships. Um, in a sense, to where it’s a free for all. Um, and that I’m very consistent. I think I’m pro-business as well.

00:40:39,830	Um, like the basketball entity next to cash wise, very unique, not competing with anybody looking for unique staff looking to bring something special to the community or when it’s, um, an entity that’s addressing a problem that will never have the resources to meet. Uh, meet like addiction, like the challenges with homelessness and those entities.

00:41:05,970	And those are perfect areas because for the government dollar per se, because all of those organizations just in the homeless coalition, if you look at their email list, it goes out to 160 people and 45 different entities. They’re all fighting for those same dollars where the private market and the competition, that’s what really we want.

00:41:27,900	The businesses that are contributing to the community, that are interacting under all of the same rules that I would if I were starting my own business. Um, and we have some really awesome businesses. I’ve read once upon a time that, uh, North Dakota has the most millionaires per capita, and they built those. Not having these programs. So, um, a lot of dentists in the area, um, I’m consistent.

00:41:53,500	And my vote will be representative of that. So my comment is, number one, this is a Bank of North Dakota program that we are tapping into. And if we choose to not be proactive in allowing this to occur for businesses that with this a letter of support. So again, we’re not using our own vision fund money for this.

00:42:12,530	We’re not providing tax abatements or incentives to accomplish this. And we are going to see businesses wish not to reinvest in our community and potentially go to elsewhere.

00:42:35,400	So Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, Dickinson, Williston, they’re tapping into this, and we are harming our own business constituents by not allowing them to access this program. If we deny things like this. There have been some that have come forward, uh, that may well have been in this particular profession. They came to us after the building was built, and they are already. Yeah, but we did not approve a vision fund, no advance for it.

00:42:56,230	Similarly here. And so I ask because I am I, I’m truly pro-business. I want business to grow. We need to grow in the city of Bismarck. We need to grow property values by improvements. That’s how we will be able to continue to fund our operations as a city.

00:43:21,900	And this will improve the building and increase the tax base on it. And it adds employees. So that’s my lecture. So I’ll let others comment. Go ahead. Commissioner. Mayor, commissioners, um, I guess do you do you know if because there are other reviewing organizations for this, do you know if they if they’re, um, review process, would, you know, um, address, you know, Commissioner Conley’s

00:43:47,000	concern of, like, what makes this dental a, you know, firms more special than the other, other than the fact that they applied? Yeah. Thanks for your question, Commissioner Hull. Mayor. Commissioners, I think the other main mechanism would be going through Lewis and Clark’s application for the flex pace dollars.

00:44:09,870	Um, Bank of North Dakota receives that application. They don’t really vet Lewis and Clark would be a vetting. Um, organization as that. And this this commission is um, the due diligence is an important factor. Um, as commissioners, Russian Commissioner Connelly have pointed out, that’s important. So this commission is another one of those vetting processes. Commissioner Doll. I think that.

00:44:32,600	You brought up an interesting point. This money is going to be used in a in a community somewhere in North Dakota. And if we don’t approve it to be used in our community, we are missing out on a great opportunity to have development.

00:44:49,800	I recently had to take my son out of pediatric dental care and move him into adult dental care, and the soonest I could get him in without a cancellation was nine months. There is a need in our community for dental care. I think that we would be disappointed. It would be a disappointment if we did not pass this..

00:45:11,130	Any other comments? Commissioners, what are your wishes with regard to this application or letter of support? I’m sorry Commissioner Doll, I moved to approve writing a letter of support. Second. Do we have further discussion? Hearing none, I’m going to call roll. Commissioner Connelly no. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Commissioner Risch. No. Commissioner Doll. Yes. Mayor Schmitz.

00:45:38,900	Yes. We’ll move to the second item. B the second letter of support. Request. Go ahead. Alex. Mayor. Commissioners, our second agenda item is for a flex pace letter of support for JH commercial, LLC. It is the real estate holding company for Warner Lawn Service, LLC. Warner Lawn Service is owned by Jordan Hoerner.

00:46:02,470	Warner Lawn Service is a local business that specializes in residential and commercial landscape maintenance. The lead lender for this project is Kane from bravura Bank. The business is seeking the Flex Space program to assist in their purchase of an existing commercial building located at 1701 Battalion Street in Bismarck, North Dakota.

00:46:25,470	The complete letter of support is in your packet and the chamber. EDC recommends providing the letter support for the following reasons. Number one, revitalizing and strengthening a severely underutilized property in Bismarck. It’ll create a permanent commercial presence on the property that will contribute to the city’s long term economic stability.

00:46:46,130	That property right now has a lot of, I would just say, garbage outside of it and is kind of an eyesore. So they the first task they would do is clean that up, which will immediately improve the property.

00:47:06,900	Number two, double the number of employees from five roughly 5 to 8 full time seasonal employees to approximately 16. And finally, this move will provide capacity for future business growth that was limited. While the operating company was operating from a residential property, the business was always running out of Jordan’s personal shop, so this brings a central location in Bismarck that will make it easier for them to access their customers.

00:47:32,030	Um, this project also will not utilize City of Bismarck dollars. No one I, as well as Jordan from her and her lawn service and Kane from Bavaria Bank, are happy to answer any questions that the committee might have. Commissioners, do you have questions? One question I would have because you didn’t state it.

00:47:56,030	In addition, is there any improvements to the building other than the grounds being cleaned up? I believe there’s going to be Jordan, due. Please come forward and and address us at the mic, please. Uh. Jordan Horner and, uh, yeah. Possible expansion. Um, definitely a lot of room for improvement there.

00:48:25,170	Um, it’s more of a it’s, uh, it’s the building as it sits is pretty, you know, there’s pretty a blank canvas. I mean, there’s there’s nothing really there. So we’d like to definitely improve that. And, and, um, and add on to it some kind of office or indoor. Um, it’s cold storage now, so it definitely it needs some work.

00:48:43,700	So you’re gonna do something to it to be able to use it. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. That’s Mike one question. Anybody else have questions or comments? If not commissioners, what are your wishes? Uh, move to approve the letter of support. Second. Any discussion? Commissioner Risch. Mr.

00:49:10,230	mayor, I might as well just say this again. It’s an existing business competing with a bunch of other lawn care people, buying an existing building. I’m all for that. Good luck to you. All the best. And it’s. I’m a no. Commissioner Connelly. Um, additionally to what Commissioner Risch said, um, estimated value on the building’s 320,000 2000ft.

00:49:37,430	So even with just cleaning up the property. Um, when we talk about increasing value and things, um, I don’t see where that pencils out either. So that’ll weigh in as part of my. Because it doesn’t meet the two that I go by normally.

00:50:00,530	But what some of the others, um, um, say is the reason I don’t see that being part of the reason either. Okay. Any other comments? Hearing none. We’ll call roll. Commissioner Hull. Yes, Commissioner Risch. No. Commissioner Doll. Yes, Commissioner Connelly. No. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Next item C consider request for letter of support for, uh, Opportunity Fund loan program for Zenker enterprises. Go ahead. Alex.

00:50:30,270	Commissioners, mayor or third agenda items for a flex pace. Letter of support for Zenker enterprises, which is the real estate holding company for interstate laundry, Interstate laundry is a local commercial commercial laundry business that provides high quality laundry services to Bismarck residents.

00:50:50,170	The lead lender for this project is Capital Credit Union. The business is seeking the Flex Space program to assist in purchasing of an existing commercial building located at 1414 Interstate Loop in Bismarck, North Dakota. The complete letter of support is included in your packet and the chamber. EDC recommends providing a letter support for the following reasons.

00:51:12,070	Number one, this purchase and when they move in, it will increase employee count from one full time in eight part time employees to four full time in 12 part time employees. Additional space will allow for interstate laundry to modernize its technology to continue serving their medium to large businesses.

00:51:31,270	The new space will also allow for an easier pickup location and delivery service options that weren’t previously available. And finally, this will strengthen the city’s small business ecosystem, supporting entrepreneurship, local business and workforce retention.

00:51:56,400	This project will also not utilize any City of Bismarck dollars in Noah and I, along with representatives from Zenker Enterprises and Capital Credit Union, are happy to answer any questions the commission might have. Questions. Commissioners. Commissioner Risch. Mr.. Mayor, commissioners. Alex, are there other laundry businesses in Bismarck? I mean, I know of dry cleaners, but are there other laundry ones? Yes there are. Commissioner Risch. Commissioner Doll.

00:52:15,970	Do you know if they’re going to move their entire operation to the new location, or are they continuing to operate in both? Because those are pretty. Close together. Correct? I believe the plan is to move operations, but I will let. That was the question. Are you going to. Because right now you’re at just like up the street from this new location.

00:52:36,300	Correct. So are you going to operate out of both locations, or are you moving all of your work to the new one? Yep. Our current location has a car wash. In the same building. Can you stay there? Can you speak right in.

00:52:51,470	That one that will stay up in the current location? Um, we’re just moving the laundry operations to the bigger building down there, which is the former Capital City restaurant supply building. Um, we just need more space. We’re probably tripling our, uh, capacity as far as the laundry goes.

00:53:12,030	And a lot of our customers are calling for, um, pickup and delivery service, which we really would like to help them with. So thank. You, Commissioner Risch. Mr. mayor, what’s in the building currently? I know Capital City. Um, whatever. it was. Nothing’s there right now. We’ve purchased nothing’s there right now. We’ve purchased the building. Yep. It’s been vacant for since Capital City moved out. Right.

00:53:34,070	Um, they had rented it to approximately 50 for about a year before they moved into their new location. Other questions? Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve the. Approve the letter of support. Second. Further discussion. Hearing none, we’re gonna call roll. Commissioner Risch. Yes, Commissioner Doll? Yes, Commissioner Connelly. No. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Thank you. Gentlemen. Mayor. Commissioners. Thank you.

00:54:10,300	Item D is public hearing on the application for a class F one alcohol license by the Landing LLC at the landing at 1700 River River road. This is a public hearing. Anyone who wished to speak to this topic, please come forward. A second call for public comment.

00:54:38,570	A third and final call for public comment. Seeing no one coming forward. Public comment period is now closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve.. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. We’ll call roll. Commissioner Doll? Yes. Commissioner Connelly. Yes. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Commissioner Risch. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes.

00:55:07,430	Item E is a public hearing on a request for a new class I complimentary alcohol License for North Nail and Lash LLC, doing business as North Nails up on Coleman Street. Anyone who wish to speak at this public hearing, I’ll open the public hearing. Public hearing is open. Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward. A second call for public comment. A third and final call for public comment.

00:55:34,100	Public comment period is now closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve as presented. Second. So any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Roll. Commissioner Connelly. Yes. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Commissioner Risch. Yes. Commissioner Doll. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes.

00:56:02,500	Item F is public Hearing and Ordinance 6669, annexation of lot 45, block four of Silver Ranch, fifth edition and adjoining Davies Drive right away. Go ahead. Daniel. Good evening. Mayor. Commissioners, this is a request from Invesco Incorporated for the annexation of lot 45, block four of Silver Ranch, fifth edition and the Davies Drive. Right of way.

00:56:17,100	So you can see on the map here in the northeast quadrant of our our city. Uh, or to be part of the city. Uh, this is a request, really, for the purpose of constructing Davies Drive.

00:56:35,500	Because right now, uh, all of the properties on both sides of Davies driver within the city limits, except for a little five foot segments of this lot that does touch Davies drive. And so in order to create the Street Improvement District, we all need to have all the lots in the city. Um, and so that is the immediate need. In the long term, this law will function as a stormwater management.

00:56:49,370	The drainage for Silver Ranch, fifth edition, once it gets constructed. There is also an easement for a shared use path along this. The plat and zoning has already been done. This is just an annexation request. So the Planning Commission and Planning Zoning Commission did consider this during their May 27th, 2026 meeting.

00:57:06,130	Uh, when the annexations come alone, they don’t hold a public hearing. They just on, um, have a consideration and a and a recommendation. Uh, so they did recommend to approve this to you, but then you do hold a public hearing that has been advertised for, for this meeting.

00:57:24,630	Uh, so once again, Planning Commission recommends approval, staff recommends approval of this annexation of lot 45 block for Silver Ranch, fifth edition. Any questions of Daniel? Commissioner Risch. Mr.. Mayor? Commissioners. Daniel. So it’s a really odd shaped piece of land that we’re planning on annexing. And it’s currently parks and open space and it will remain that way. Uh, Commissioner Risch Commissioner, that that is correct. It’ll be open land.

00:57:45,430	Uh, you know, it looks very odd, uh, kind of on its own. Um, when you see the whole plot, there is a line of of lots that have already been approved as a subdivision plat. Uh, just to the north of that lot.

00:58:01,970	Uh, and once those are annexed, uh, they will be adjacent to it in the city limits will be more contiguous. But it’ll. it’ll be. Meinem, uh, open space. Correct. Okay. The entire lot isn’t covered by an easement for just for drainage only. Any other questions? Doesn’t look like it. Daniel, this is this is a public hearing. Anyone who wish to speak to this, please come forward. Second call for public comment.

00:58:35,730	Third and final call for public comment. Seeing no one and hearing no one to public comment period is now closed. Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Roll. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Commissioner Risch. Yes. Commissioner Doll. Yes. Commissioner Connelly. Yes. Mayor. Schmitz.

00:58:58,530	Yes. Moving to item G is a public hearing on ordinance 6672 to amend the men. Chapter 702 Salary and payroll on chapter 703 of the City of Bismarck. Code of ordinances related to sales use and gross receipts. Julie, do you have any comments? Jess mayor 702 or 6 672 for 702. Is just a.

00:59:27,870	Addressing salaries for the commissioners that they will be set by ordinance. Set by this commission. By this commission, and then for 703. So the Home Rule Charter was amended by vote. So that’s been ratified. This change to chapter seven, um, enacts those changes within the fiscal or the financial title of the code.

00:59:51,330	Okay. Is there any anybody have questions of attorney meeting? Go ahead, Commissioner rush. Uh. Mr. Mayor, commissioners. Julie, when I look at it, it looks as though we’re over striking the current salaries that were established in 1989, $700 a month for the mayor and $400 a month for the commissioners. And we’re paid somewhat more than that.

01:00:12,230	And then we’re it looks as though they were I don’t know, paid by monthly. And now they’re going to be paid biweekly. Uh, department payrolls. We already do it by weekly. Correct? Correct. That’s correct. Commissioner. Well, I guess my only thought is that we’ve been paid more than what was allowed for in the existing ordinance.

01:00:37,330	That’s correct. And I’m not sure when that change happened. Commissioner Risch. Mayor. Commissioners, the, um, we have paper copies of the ordinances going back. I’m not sure when. And it remained the same, but the the salaries have been included in the budget process, my understanding. And that’s where it’s set by ordinance.

01:00:59,170	And so, um, part of my task is going through these older ordinances and trying to clean up the language. And that’s what this and I thought, since we’re in chapter seven or title seven anyway, I might as well fix 702.

01:01:18,370	Any other questions? Do we have to pay back the money? I think because the salaries have been set by the the budget ordinance. But this is a cleanup of, uh, an ordinance that would have required every time there was an adjustment to be it probably isn’t probably isn’t the appropriate place to actually have those, because that could have meant also all

01:01:37,770	directors were set that way at one time. So all right, I’m going to open the public hearing. Anyone who wish to speak to this, please come forward a second call for public comment, a third and final call for public comment. Seeing no one, hearing no one, the public comment period is now closed.

01:02:00,000	Commissioners, what are your wishes? Move to approve as presented. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Roll. Commissioner Risch. Yes. Commissioner Doll. Yes. Commissioner Connelly. Yes, Commissioner Hull. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Moving to item H, consider request to receive presentation on the half cent sales tax for roadway prioritization funding strategy and project selection. Gabe.

01:02:52,330	Okay. Good evening, mayor and commissioners. My item before you is to talk about our half cent sales tax, the ordinance that you just passed a moment ago took care of the title seven components. And now my request is for some direction on where to take this program moving forward.

01:03:11,300	Three things that I want to visit with you about tonight. First is just an overview of the program financials, where we’re at today and what we’ve spent those dollars on, and then what we anticipate in the future.

01:03:26,570	Then some funding guidance really in terms of what’s participating, what are some other items that come along with the decision to to do a project, and what are the other elements that go into that? And then lastly, hopefully we can use some of that information to prioritize some of the projects that are on the list to understand that these are the ones that we want to pursue.

01:03:37,770	Evaluating that and developing them to the next step. So first item here on the program financials, the chart on the left in the graph on the right of the same information, it shows the over time, the years as well as the projects that we’ve spent money on in this half cent sales tax program.

01:03:57,530	The half cent revenue accumulated over the course of time back to 2019, and then really an estimated balance to see where how much was cash floated at any given time. I say estimated because some of these had some advanced construction from the Dot.

01:04:13,030	So we might have paid out early and then were reimbursed some of those dollars later. 1 or 2 years later. Even the project costs, as we get into, you know, the 2020 project that’s in the book, that’s done with the 2026 and some of the 20 or more recent projects are still off of the approved project budgets and are not the final

01:04:28,670	numbers. So if I give you this chart again tomorrow, maybe not tomorrow, next year, you might find different numbers than what we’re showing here today.

01:04:39,830	But the main point that I wanted to draw your attention to are the two main points I want to draw your attention to is really at this point, at the end of 2026, we’ll find ourselves with an estimated balance of about $5 million or so in the hole. In reality, we’re probably not going to be because it’s Tyler Parkway, and some of those improvements won’t be constructed necessarily by the end of 2026.

01:04:56,200	So we’re probably in a good spot. But the main point would be that we don’t have a whole bunch of commitments that the City Commission has made of other projects that are in the queue that we’ve decided X and Y and Z are going to be the other projects.

01:05:09,930	Really, it’s a pretty clean slate at this point in time. There are no other projects on the docket to be used for half cent sales tax would be the thing I wanted to point out.

01:05:25,630	The other thing I wanted to point out was the revenue that we’ve seen in this program going back to 2021 has been generally hovering around that $10 million mark, with some slight increases over some period of time. But then in 2025, a little bit lower. But now our 2026 is tracking a little bit higher than what 2025 was. So it’s a funding stream that we would consider as stable.

01:05:41,800	But not one that we see is increasing by leaps and bounds, and 1,020% a year that we should be anticipating a whole lot more than what we’re maybe receiving today. So when we look at what we’re budgeting, I’m making the assumption that we’ll hold at that $10 million mark for the extended revenue, not as big of a deal initially in the program’s existence becomes a

01:05:56,070	bigger deal as you get later on in the deployment of this program. To know how many more projects do you have, really, you can pick any project that you would want the first year. There’s going to be dollars to do it.

01:06:07,600	As you get further into the program, you’ll have to look more closely at what are the available resources left before that. That tax expires in 2038, so the available revenue, what we would anticipate would be around $118 million through 2038 on this program.

01:06:31,830	That assumes the the $10 million amount, um, consistently through 2038, as you look at program costs, that’s where we see that if we did everything on that project list of what we think would be the most realistic improvement on that list would be an upwards of $240 million of 2026 funds. Um, anticipating that we’re not going to do all of those projects. Some of those are very dependent on activity.

01:06:47,370	And if that activity adjacent to it doesn’t occur, well, then there’s no reason for us to build that new highway out to to the extent in some of those locations, um, the $240 million plus, uh, the, the, the dollars to engineer acquire right of way and relocate utilities, primarily pipelines.

01:07:06,000	When we cross pipelines ought to be tends to be the most expensive sort of relocation. We find ourselves somewhere at $288 million of doing everything on the list. Now, as you can see, the available revenue is quite short of that. So it further brings into focus the need to prioritize and figure out exactly what we want to do with these first steps.

01:07:22,230	On the right. There is just some planning level estimates. That’s pretty much the the level that we’ve taken most of these concepts to is what is a typical four lane facility cost. Okay. How long is this roadway? Okay.

01:07:36,530	Let’s take this planning estimate per mile times this link to get to a number. So we’re not getting any more detail than that at this point in time. So that would be subject to change as we get more involved and more information about some of these projects. So now into a couple of funding guidance discussions that I want to to chat through.

01:07:50,300	The first would be water and sewer funding. So in a project that we’re building a half cent sales tax eligible roadway, previously, when we’ve done projects on 43rd Avenue, on Ash Coulee Drive, on South Washington Street, if there were utility extensions that were needed, uh, utilities being water or sewer or municipal facilities, the

01:08:11,170	public works Utility Operations Department was the primary funder of those particular improvements. They would look for rates, funding for that, as well as funding through state reimbursement programs. And those are on the arterial roadway network. We would recommend continuing with that arrangement.

01:08:29,770	We think that’s appropriate for us to take care of the large water mains on our arterial roadways as a city responsibility, and then we would work in tandem with public works utilities to make sure that we aren’t putting a road where they don’t have funding to do the water main and vice versa.

01:08:42,100	Just making sure that we’re in alignment for that. What’s going to be unique about the program moving forward is that some of these roadways are not arterials, so we have to make a determination kind of charting new territory for the commission of how do we want to fund some of those sorts of improvements? Um, typically when we see

01:08:57,030	improvements on the local or collector network or anything, that’s really not an arterial roadway, that adjacent landowner, usually a developer, is, generally speaking, responsible for that infrastructure to putting in the water and the sewer charge.

01:09:16,230	So we would want to continue with that assessment or to continue with that philosophy that if we are putting in a an improvement on a local or residential local or collector street, and there are utilities that are needed that those utility costs are assigned to that adjacent property or that benefiting property, either through our three way process that we have now, if the developer believes that that is a more cost effective way to make that improvement, go right

01:09:33,400	ahead and put that improvement in before we get there with the street, that’s perfectly fine. There’s probably other scenarios where a special assessment may be needed. If there’s disparate ownership and not really a developer per se owning the land, but just ten people own the land adjacent to some of these corridors.

01:09:47,830	Um, it’s our position that those ten people should receive the benefit of that sanitary sewer line that may not be there today and therefore be financially responsible for that cost. Within that, there’s some nuance, and this is more detailed in the agenda memo.

01:10:07,130	Um, for those properties that have a local or collector street, if the city needed a large water main, we would still take care of the charge or the upsized cost from the difference of what the the developer is normally responsible for versus what the city may need in a particular corridor.

01:10:20,630	So we would still take that cost on similar to our cost policies that we have for every other development. And then lastly, that last bullet there, there are some situations as well with the project list that if we were to put in water and sewer, some of those adjacent properties aren’t in the city at this point in time.

01:10:33,870	So we would have a the city would pay for that improvement on that property’s behalf. And then if and when that property comes into the city, we would then carry that assessment and tag it to that property through a held in abeyance component.

01:10:50,700	In fact, one of the agenda items, I think, that you had earlier today was a mail back up. I think there’s a park improvement district that will that was on the agenda. That was the same concept that an entity paid for that park. Prior to that property being annexed.

01:11:10,500	And now it’s, it’s, uh, that assessment is being transferred over for the purpose of streets, similar type of conversation will need to have the arterial roadways that we’ve had. All of the improvements on thus far through the half cent sales tax program have been funded primarily through the half cent and not an additional special assessment. So my recommendation would be to continue with that methodology for those properties or projects.

01:11:28,100	Excuse me, on an arterial in the major street plan or located on a section line, um, that will capture all of these situations as well as we think we can. Those should be funded without street special assessments. As we then talk about the local and collector streets.

01:11:44,200	This is a kind of a value proposition for the Commission to to think through. There are in some of the public comments that I have received through through having conversations in the community, uh, a desire to understand what is the role or what is the level of investment that that adjacent landowner will have on a local street.

01:11:58,270	So some of these are some, some pretty gnarly areas engineering wise, difficult to get through. And that’s why they haven’t been constructed. So to what level should the city pay for that? And what level should that adjacent property owner pay for that.

01:12:16,200	So our recommendation is to treat every roadway that’s not classified as the arterial through 80% funding, through half cent sales tax, with a 20% special assessment. It is still a very generous contribution from the city in terms of building that project across the the finish line, uh, but also represents a still a significant investment from the landowner so that there is a desire from them to look at

01:12:33,470	costs and to build things efficiently and not just look at this as a free road and someone else is paying for it. So trying to find a blend between those two. Can I interrupt you, Commissioner Connelly got my attention. So. Um. Go.

01:12:54,570	Ahead, uh, Mayor and Gabe, um, home rule charter amendments are unique, and trust with the citizen is very specific. I agree with you on the first, um, box here on this page, but this second portion, as far as the recommendation that was never conveyed during the entire election process, it was these corridors, and that was their understanding.

01:13:16,970	So I think you treat them the same way as you do. Collector. They’re part of that. Any deferred maintenance or maintenance down the road, those will go back to special assessment.

01:13:33,370	But I think we wouldn’t be being genuine with the citizen when they’re voting on something, thinking that that’s going to be a covered expense under the half cent, and then we come back after the fact and say that it’s an 8020. Just. Mayor, commissioners, if I may, Commissioner Connelly never once did we say in anything that it was exclusively funded with sales tax. There’s a lot of projects that we funded with the combination of funding sources.

01:13:50,100	Um, it’s really been this board’s decision. Every single project, whether or not to use a special assessment. And it’s only been through that decision that that has ever been made. So I maybe would argue a little bit that we weren’t misleading the public, nor did we really get a sense from the public.

01:14:06,100	Their true understanding of, of the, of the the question on the ballot. I will say that in every public engagement that I’ve had, it was a question that was asked, and it was something that I would, when asked, display or communicate what the intention would be.

01:14:24,930	And in those situations, when someone came up and asked a question about the fairness equity component, and when I addressed that, there would be contemplating a policy level discussion on what the appropriate local share should be. Many of those citizens found that to be a very acceptable solution. Commissioner Risch, just to follow up, Mr.

01:14:44,200	Mayor, commissioners, uh, Gabe, um, we’re not going to be able to fund half the projects on the list with this half cent. So I actually I look at this 80, 20%. I think it’s probably overly generous. Maybe maybe that’s stronger than we need to go 80%. I don’t you’re the expert, but I’m just that’s my reaction. 80% a big number. Commissioner Connelly. Okay.

01:15:03,730	I would ask when this goes to a vote, if we can go box by box as far as the vote, sure. I’m not sure if we’re voting necessarily today, but I follow you. Yes. Commissioner Hull. Uh, I forgot. Okay, proceed. Okay.

01:15:30,030	Uh, just as it nugget to the local and collector street component, I do want to recognize that some of these are tricky projects because of some extraordinary component. Maybe it’s a river crossing. Maybe it’s some floodplain. Maybe it’s something else is what’s driving why this is happening.

01:15:49,170	Um, so in those situations, I would recommend that those elements are, um, identified and then pulled into a 100% city cost for that traffic signal. So really the the adjacent landowners paying for just a typical street, not having to pay for the traffic signal or the roundabout or whatever the element might be, that is relatively unique and not consistent with what everyone else has to normally

01:16:04,870	pay. So I just want to, um, stress that point on the first bullet and then the second bullet there. If this is the decision direction to use special assessments in any way, it would be either initiated through a petition where we would ask for a petition from those benefiting properties,

01:16:21,400	and then if we receive those petitions, we’d be able to create the district and move forward. Alternatively, it would be through a creating of a district on the from the city’s perspective and then producing a resolution of necessity, similar to do with other street projects where those entities would have the opportunity to protest out the

01:16:37,900	improvements. Even if the city is paying 80%, the, uh, the financial threshold wouldn’t matter. It would be still a 50% of the benefiting property area if if protesting would have the ability to protest out the improvement. So I just wanted to bring those items to you as well.

01:16:59,100	And then the last funding guidance component that I have is there is a policy that was created in 2013 that was created in a manner to try to address what we’re doing right now, that we have rural roads in our community, rural being a ditch section roadway.

01:17:19,970	This policy was created initially to look at funding for improving some of these sorts of facilities. So I want to stress or request that that’s the policy that was included in the agenda memo. Uh, regarding the rural roads applies to only to those projects and the original allotment of those.

01:17:36,500	I think it was about $1 million of sales tax money was put towards toward that. And and we’ve used it on certain occasions, but usually primarily from those situations where the adjacent property is not annexed into the city of Bismarck. And there’s an improvement. The Rural Roads Fund is what pays for that. Uh, held in abeyance component.

01:17:53,570	Many of the projects that we’ve used, rural roads, uh, funding on are not eligible for the half cent, but I want to make sure that we don’t have a policy out there that just calls out in general, all rural roads are subject to this, um, policy.

01:18:09,930	When I believe that this should be used strictly for the application of wind to use the 1% money that was allocated back in 2013. So maybe this would be a good point to pause for, for discussion on funding and the like, because some of the prioritization that I have would potentially change if the funding guidance is looked to be done differently than what I’ve recommended.

01:18:37,900	So it’s probably no reason to continue on to that path if if we want to tackle some of this earlier here. Sure. And I think based on Commissioner Conley’s comments and that’s appropriate, that we at least address that, I do think it could have an impact on prioritization.

01:18:58,200	I have some questions on the prioritization of myself, because I think I just have some questions. So but before we start Commissioner Hull, did you have a question or comment? Go ahead. Thank you, mayor and commissioners. I’ve got a few questions, but I’ll go one at a time, you know, so everyone everyone gets their questions as well.

01:19:12,570	Um, uh, if if so, going back to your table where it showed the, you know, so we were in the hole for this year. Um, I guess if they have sent sales tax had not been extended and we finished the projects that have already been approved and underway, where would we end up financially? Once all said and done? Uh Commissioner Hull. Mayor.

01:19:28,230	Commissioners, the anticipated balance at the end of the if the sales tax would not have been extended, would have been about $17 million or so. in the hole. No, in the good would we would have still collected for two more years to two years and some change from now.

01:19:44,100	Um, so we would have had time to collect enough to pay for Tyler Parkway and then make some final decisions on what are the remaining projects that we would use for the remaining dollars that are there. Perfect. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions. I can ask others? Yeah. Um. Go ahead.

01:20:03,770	Um, so I saw on your list, uh, that it was I guess it was the, uh, the scored projects rankings, um, that Ottawa was at the top. Uh, but I wasn’t sure if blue meant they were already underway or or in there. Some of the streets, like Tyler Parkway has, are marked blue. Presumably they’re already approved and underway.

01:20:23,230	Uh, I guess haven’t been on Ottawa recently, but I remember seeing signs saying, you know, construction coming soon, but I didn’t see I was blue. Is that one already approved or. Um, Commissioner, mayor, commissioners, we can discuss maybe the projects once once we get through the funding piece of it. I think that’d be more applicable once we get to that point. All right. Sorry. Thank you. Commissioner Risch.

01:20:40,600	Um, Mr. Mayor, commissioners. Gabe, how did you come up with the 80%? 20%? You just thought that might be pretty fair, or.. Mayor. Commissioners. Commissioner Risch. Uh, some of it was through our negotiations that we had through the process with the Ottawa Street Project.

01:20:59,970	I mean, some of that informed it when we when we’ve looked at things as a 5050 split, what does that look like for for cost participation. And when we were on the Ottawa Street project, we still saw that some of those costs were in the excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars to some of those properties.

01:21:14,600	So we look at this as a community need and as a community resource being reinvested into our roadway network. So I think it’s appropriate to put a lot of funding towards that goal while still having some skin in the game, if you will, for that adjacent landowner. So that’s why it kind of landed at 8020.

01:21:32,000	It represents a very sizable investment from the city while still having a pretty sizable, honestly, special assessment for some of these parcels when it’s all said and done. Mr. Mayor, if I can follow up. So the Ottawa street, you’ve already determined a 8020 match on on the Ottawa street. I know it’s torn up. It looks like it’s well on its way.

01:21:45,730	So, mayor, commissioners, Commissioner Risch, we have not decided that. I mean, that would be hopefully a decision that comes out of tonight’s meeting as well.

01:21:57,700	If we make a decision based on what our future projects are, that we would have the that funding ratio would be applied to our current project of Ottawa Street would be one of my recommendations out of this meeting as well. I’m just I’m looking around. Go ahead. If I I’m just saying some of these things are really unique. Like you keep saying and it Ottawa streets.

01:22:16,230	One example I mean the special assessment for some of the property owners would be just excessive. And I could see the 80/20, but some of the others might not be in that same situation. So the 8020 might be more generous than we need to do. I don’t I don’t know what are your thoughts on that. Maybe we have to establish 8020 and that’s it or something.

01:22:32,730	Mayor, commissioners, Commissioner Risch, I put a lot of value on consistency. And so for me, uh, being able to say the the Ottawa street package is something and then be able to go to the next project and the next project and the next project can offer the same thing and not go through, uh,

01:22:46,170	what will amount to a negotiation and then a renegotiation. Because now all of a sudden, if we said 5050 is the right number and then we get two projects in and that group says, oh, we want 8020 as our split, now, what do we do with the three projects that are already kind of in

01:22:59,370	development? So I’m trying to get to a number that we think we can consistently get support from the adjacent landowners. Um, provides a lot of city resources towards these things.

01:23:15,430	And in all honesty of the package of the initial list of projects that would be eligible for this is, I’m going to say, only with some air quotes around it. Only the 40 to $50 million of the package, which gets you a lot of roadway reconstructions and extensions. Um, compared to some of the larger one mile long, um, urban arterial roadway reconstruction type projects.

01:23:34,700	So just to follow up on that, in the under the bullet point local and collector streets, and then this first bullet point under that where it talks about the extraordinary items, would it be potential that there could be one of those collector roads? That is largely funded by special assessments to the property owners, but where there’s a unique, difficult thing like a crossing, where then maybe this

01:24:00,300	could be applied to help that situation, because maybe that roadway would not be completed if the crossing couldn’t be put in. And I’m thinking of one in particular up north. Sure. Many commissioners, I mean, I think that’s what we’re trying to look at.

01:24:16,900	I mean, and we can talk more at the the project prioritization. I think we’ll always look for other opportunities that are out there as well. Um, I will say that the Fleet Farm improvements on 64th Avenue was not on our radar when we passed this in 2018 originally, and only through the realization that, hey, here’s a good community benefit for for some turn lanes and the

01:24:33,970	reconstruction and construction of a portion of State Street, and using the half cent sales tax to do that, it was never on a prioritized list. It really was an opportunity to invest in a very particular, uh, development related improvement that improved safety and opened up additional areas for the city.

01:24:49,930	So for me, my question is it could be a project that we only use half cent sales tax on for a particular component of that project versus applying to the whole roadway, maybe. Correct. Mayor and commissioners.

01:25:04,900	Mayor Schmitz, our our goal is still to have our developers pay for their roadways, for our citizens to to have special assessments, if that’s the direction, um, this half cent sales tax is a very limited resource and it needs to be very strategically invested into those important locations where a little bit of funding can put something over the over the edge and make them

01:25:19,900	now on par with other developable areas. And now we might be able to open up and bring in more property into the city as well. Okay, other questions. So I’m trying to think of how we proceed based on Commissioner Connelly, your comment as to provide guidance.

01:25:39,070	Or mayor, if I, if I could, if you wanted to look at just the water and sewer funding recommendation and be able to say if, if, if, if there’s support for that concept that water and sewer associated improvements. I’ll go back to that slide here. So if there’s a motion to accept or to, to. Okay.

01:26:00,930	We follow a staff recommendation for here. And does that work. Okay I just want I’m trying to respect Commissioner Connelly because I think you have a fair question. So okay. We can proceed that way. Okay.

01:26:18,230	So I guess this would be the first recommendation that water and sewer funding is per per staff’s recommendation, I guess would be what I would state if there’s a motion for that, great. If there’s something else, we’ll we’ll follow that as well. I move to approve second. Okay. Is there any further discussion. Go ahead. Commissioner. Um, this was consistent with what was there before.

01:26:39,970	Um, with this particular, um, passage of this sales tax portion versus the one previously. There’s a lot more projects on this one. There’s a lot more moving parts. So it’s going to be, um, with each case. I mean, you’re very good at educating people. Okay. Even when a project bike project, um, so I think keeping it consistent with the way we did it before is a really good move.

01:27:02,330	Okay. Any other comments? Hearing none. Roll call. Roll on that motion. Funding for the water and sewer recommendation by staff or. Yeah. Yep. Go ahead. Call roll. Commissioner Doll. Yes. Commissioner Connelly. Yes, Commissioner Hull. Yes, Commissioner Risch. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Then we’ll go to the next funding guidance, which might be two. I’ll commissioners.

01:27:34,930	I’ll move. We approve as presented here on for street funding recommendation. I’ll second. So that’s for both the arterial and the local collectors okay. Just clarification. So I have a first and a second. What discussion do we have. Commissioner Connelly. At Public Works I went to one of those meetings.

01:27:54,670	I sat in the back and there was probably 18 people there. Maybe that’s a little generous. And there were a lot of different what we could add this, or we could even look at do we dedicated it to sewage project or product or projects that weren’t, I mean, favorable to the group or part of that discussion? And so they

01:28:19,500	weren’t included in the sales tax portion at all. And you’re right in the sense that the previous one I remember when the 43rd Street discussion came up, I remember at the time, Commissioner Marquart, talking about it, and they were really, um, no, if we do this, it’s only half cent not special

01:28:40,100	assessment. And then it carried status quo after that. Um, uh, and that was the message that citizens grew comfortable with. There are nuances. You did explain the difference. So it allows you to kind of keep a foot on both sides of the door and in the gray.

01:29:03,200	When we live in a society that wants more clarity and a genuine, honest and transparent manner, and this isn’t going to be the last home World Charter amendment, this isn’t going to be, um, even at the state level. We have a precedence. And I think we should follow that. And then my vote is going to reflect that. Other discussion. I’m going to call roll.

01:29:33,930	Commissioner Connelly, no. Commissioner hole. Yes. Commissioner Risch. Yes, Commissioner Doll. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Now. Away to the rural road. The rural road recommendation. If we’re here, might as well keep going with it. Yeah. Let’s go. I moved to purview. Approve as presented. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Roll. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Commissioner Risch.

01:30:11,330	Yes, Commissioner Doll. Yes, Commissioner Connelly. No. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. Okay, now we’re to the project list, I guess I think I’m if I’m on tracking this. Yep. I think that that’s correct. Um, I’ll kind of pick back up here, uh, on the screen here is the revised project list. This would include every eligible project in blue.

01:30:36,600	This includes projects we’ve completed, projects that we have done zero work on. But they’re all that would be what would be considered eligible. Um, at this point in time for funding for construction and reconstruction, this is the same slide that I had at our previous commission meeting.

01:30:51,370	Um, that just kind of worked through why we want to, as an organization, have some sort of methodology to approve or to prioritize, uh, to move forward with projects here as we work to our next slide, this was the matrix or the the criteria that we developed.

01:31:11,700	And we’re given some approval at the previous meeting to say, yep, go ahead and use these items. Uh, we’ll put on the screen here for at least a short minute. What what these mean to us as engineers, planners that might look at something I’ll pick on safety over there. It could be addressing a crash.

01:31:27,170	History could be an important consideration. We might prioritize a higher speed facility and a turn lane on a higher speed facility that we know is more likely to result in a serious injury or fatal crash, probably more so than we would say as a safety concern of a person walking on a street because there’s not a sidewalk.

01:31:41,570	But we still recognize that the separation of traffic from sidewalk and vehicle is a safety benefit, but maybe not to the same level as a a turn lane on a high speed facility. So try to figure out the best way to to grade and view all of these. Then leads us to, um, converting.

01:32:00,000	What was the what is the project list into 50 logical segments or corridors that we would consider doing an improvement on in the home rule charter in the and in the ordinance. Now we’ll have language that says, uh, say State Street from Calgary Avenue up to 71st Avenue. Slash 1804 is eligible.

01:32:21,570	It’s probably unlikely that any entity will ever build a two and a half mile long, um, $50 million improvement. So we’ll cut that into chunks. So what sort of bite sized chunks we think are the most likely to, uh, to happen? Because the prioritization for I’ll use that State Street example again, a State Street improvement from Calgary Avenue

01:32:39,270	up to Boulevard or excuse me, to to Skyline Boulevard and to the Walmart area is probably higher than us building, uh, a mile from 57th Avenue to 71st. There just isn’t the same need. So splitting these up gives us the ability to look at what maybe the highest priority is on a longer corridor.

01:32:56,300	Um, our goal through this exercise was to use this methodology to come to some sort of score. Uh, we included the, the rankings as well as an alphabetical rank or alphabetical listing with their score in the agenda memo. I don’t have that here.

01:33:13,030	Um, and really, the main point is we’re supposed to just use this as guidance. It’s not to say that we’re going to give a rank order. That project number seven is somehow better than project number ten. Um, but all the projects one through ten are probably the ones we’d want to pursue. Is really the point of this exercise. It is very subjective.

01:33:26,770	When you look at traffic operations, safety, all of these criteria in putting a human in charge of rating it, that human will come in with their with their biases and will rate it as well as they can. But ultimately, it’s still a very subjective process to get to here.

01:33:41,470	But the goal of this is just to get a what do we think are the good projects we want to pursue, and what are the ones that we think are maybe, um, less desirable at this point in time with full acknowledgement that at any given time, we can pull something off from the middle of the list to the top of the list.

01:33:53,430	If the some activity happens in our community, that is important, and we want to recognize that perfectly appropriate to do that. We just don’t want to have a system that somehow weights that project, um, greater than others.

01:34:11,900	So with that all being said, this is what we landed at for our highest 12 to 13 or so segments. Some of them are brought in mainly because there might have been another driver that brought them. Driver being a figurative sense, not a literal sense here, um, that brought in that particular corridor. But the first one that we would have is Ottawa Street. That is a project.

01:34:27,730	Um, Commissioner Hull, as you asked, that is under construction that we’ve had, um, commitments made that we will fund at a certain funding level, uh, with this commission action, my, my recommendation would be to come back to you with a revised project budget reflecting now this new rate and be able to communicate that new special assessment to the

01:34:43,100	property owners that would be in this area as kind of our first new half cent sales tax project. It’s already under construction. Um, if we do receive funding for the Ottawa Street through our State Flexible Transportation Fund application, we would look to keep the funding participation level the same.

01:35:03,000	Um, percentage for the locals that would just use less half cent sales tax money if in fact, we were to, um, be the benefactor of some of those funding so we wouldn’t look to split the dollars as we were proposing previously, if awarded the Dot funding.

01:35:20,330	But we would just use less half cent sales tax and more other funding source to pick up the city’s share while keeping the special assessed share the same. So, um, but this would be the list.

01:35:33,930	If you do notice that there’s a lot of the collector type roadways, the non arterials that are in our community that I believe it would be my professional opinion that reflect more of a need that we have right now than building, um, some of the more, uh, arterial based roadways on the outskirts of town that may be needed as we see some of those developments occurring, but those developments occurring might be 2 or 3 years or four years out from now.

01:35:46,700	And really not a need to prioritize that particular improvement. Um, so early in the program life here. Um, so that is the. List. My recommendation would be to pursue that prioritized group. And we’ll do this in kind of a scattershot approach here. Um, those projects, if we exclude the utility costs, would represent about $50 million worth of work.

01:36:09,800	We would look to fund that. If the 20% holds true here, just once again, there could be some other elements that change that exact percentage.

01:36:24,570	Um, but the $10 million worth of special assessments and $40 million worth of half cent sales tax, as we can recall, this sales tax brings in around $10 million a year. So this represents about four years or so worth of work. If we could program all of these and get them out the doors as soon as we possibly can. But our goal would be to refine some project scope and then solicit petitions from those benefiting properties.

01:36:40,800	And then if if need be, even create some preliminary special assessment districts to understand what those boundaries look like. So we know who will be engaging with, uh, there may be opportunities to engage with some engineering firms. That’s kind of to be determined. We’ll come back to commission if there if there’s an action for that.

01:36:56,100	But there’s some of these we know that we’ll be able to do in-house within engineering, and some of these will be more sophisticated than our in-house capabilities would allow. That might mean we’re just farm out pieces of this, or maybe it’s the full project that’s kind of to be determined.

01:37:10,170	Once we get a little bit further in knowing exactly which project we want to do. Um, while I would like to say this is the number one project, this is the one we’re doing next year because of the complications that we’re we’re adding to this process. By using special assessments.

01:37:25,070	We can’t just go into a particular right of way and build the thing that we want to build. There will be more necessary engagement to understand from those property owners what elevations work for them, what sort of improvements do they foresee on some of these properties, so that we can build a facility that works for the public, as well as works for that adjacent landowner?

01:37:39,300	But that extra issues that we’re running into is worth it, in my opinion, because that does give us a more fair, um, program eventually for the entire community. Um, last two bullets there would be updating our Ottawa Street project budget and preliminary assessments so that we can communicate that new number.

01:37:55,300	And then lastly would be open to other projects and opportunities. As I mentioned before, there could be other development activities. There could be other needs that are more pressing.

01:38:08,870	That would supplant some of the lists that I had earlier, and we’d be more than welcome to have that conversation and bring those up on a case by case basis as needed. So I have one question related to who all was involved in the ranking and scoring. I’m hoping it was. I would like to know that. Sure.

01:38:30,930	Mayor, commissioners, Commissioner Mayor Schmitz initially it was me that I went through it of just ranking projects, and then I came back with the criteria. And at that point in time, I had other engineering staff look at the the ranking and prioritization, and everyone comes at it from a different point of view.

01:38:47,230	Um, the traffic engineer in particular wants State Street improvements, because that would give us the most benefit that we would have to our community. Uh, it’s my, my, my opinion that I’d want a State Street Improvement to happen.

01:38:58,370	But on previous conversations that we’ve had with the Dot, they have been unwilling to look at that as a corridor that they want to invest in until we take care of some of our roadways, like 19th Street and some of the other corridors. So for me, I would put State Street as a number one project.

01:39:10,930	If the Dot came and said, we want to invest money in this corridor city, can you participate? We would say, yes, of course, that’s great. But based on our previous conversations that we’ve had with with the Dot, I don’t anticipate that happening. So therefore I’m prioritizing building 19th Street.

01:39:27,930	So some of those things I think are difficult to capture because there’s not too many people that are involved with as many of the the rationale that we put together to get the project list in place in the first place. And so, um, like I said, that’s my my long winded answer would be me. And then some of our staff at engineering is we looked. At were any of the community development planners involved? Uh, I’d say not directly or indirectly.

01:39:45,730	I did reach out to transit to understand how these criteria affects them, and which projects and which corridors would be useful if there was a transit improvement for for bus routes in particular. That’s probably the extent of the engagement that I’ve had with other staff members.

01:40:01,930	The only reason to ask is because planning might be on the forefront of some of that development. That could drive some other needs. And so I don’t the the list in general, I don’t have a particular concern with. I just wanted to make sure I understood because as we move forward, I do think there’s going to be some movement.

01:40:18,730	And I’d say to mayor and commissioners, planning is an excellent job of bringing in engineering and bringing in public works when there are, um, development inquiries about pieces of land. So we know that something’s happening. So we’re pretty tuned in to that because there is an infrastructure ask usually when that planning and development occurs.

01:40:35,930	So we’re pretty tuned in to what those needs are as well. Okay. Anybody else have questions. Go ahead, Commissioner Risch. Yeah. Mr. mayor, commissioners. Gabe, I’m looking at the priorities group and I’m wondering which ones are are territorial and which one are local and collector streets. Mayor. Commissioners. Commissioner Risch, pull that one back up here. I would say.

01:40:57,100	All of these. Yep. All of. These would be non arterial roadways, whether they’re a local or collector. I’m not really making too much of a distinction between those. Um, so we have a lot of collectors that have more traffic than arterials sometimes, and even some local roads that function as a collector.

01:41:13,300	So I don’t make a big distinction between those two types. But none of these are the section line. Um, arterial type roadways. So we anticipate special assessments for every single one of these, if that is how we move forward with this program. Okay.

01:41:32,400	Commissioner Hull mayor commissioners gave I’m happy to see, you know, Arabian buckskin cold, you know, on your list because I remember when I canvassed there before, it’s like the number one issue they had. Everyone had it around. There was complaining about the quality of the road. You know, it’s it’s, you know, county, you know, township style road where it’s, you know, it’s no sidewalk, it’s just ditch.

01:41:48,930	You know, they’ve got this beautiful, nice walkway along Washington. But technically their kids have to walk in the street to get to it. Uh, so I know people complain, you know, or, you know, had issues on arterials, you know, focusing on arterials with this half cent sales tax, which is fair, but I don’t know, I felt it’s like the rest of the community

01:42:03,430	let that part, that let that part of the community down where it’s like they still have. If you go a little over the speed limit, it feels like you’re on a roller coaster. Not they’ve ever done that. You know. Police chief. Um, but, um, I did have one question.

01:42:17,930	So you were talking this would be about, you know, 40 million. So four years. So would you be coming back to us in four years to be like, hey, what’s the next batch? Or is this something we had because you mentioned the example of Fleet Farm, where it’s like, hey, this is an opportunity that came up.

01:42:31,670	So I wasn’t sure how often we’d want we’d be approving projects. Sure. It’s a good question. Mayor. Commissioners Commissioner Hull what I would envision is that this is the list. But before we take any serious actions, we would come back to the board for approval.

01:42:46,870	We would either say, we are now here and we have petitions from every single person that lives on. Uh, Lee Avenue to build this facility so that the next step would be creating a district would give us the opportunity to talk to this board about that action before it takes place, before any really solid engineering development costs or timelines are impacted.

01:43:07,730	So I would anticipate what I’m asking for is just approval, that these are the types of projects we want to be pursuing initially, but really kicking off any one of these will involve additional commission action, especially because they would be special assessed and there would be a component like that that would have to be addressed.

01:43:21,330	Thank you. And Commissioner, it could well be that 12 months from now, Gabe comes back to us and says, I need to have a ticket. Take another look at this prioritization list, because A, B, C, or D happened in the community. Commissioner Connelly..

01:43:38,930	And I think now that they’re approved and that, um, just what you said, mayor, is that it’s kind of like the Tyler Parkway discussion. As soon as it was approved of in 2018, that was always part of the conversation, even the ones not on this list are still always going to be part of the conversation.

01:43:57,600	And depending on what goes on with development, it’s going to move stuff up the list of what’s down the list, what I’d say right now is, since we have another year for Tyler Parkway to be complete and Ottawa’s under, construction now, let the existing portion revenue catch us up to where we’re not showing that debit.

01:44:17,870	Pay that off, then go on into the next projects. At that point. So I think actually by the time we finish Tyler Parkway, we aren’t going to be deficit because that’s 2027. And the budget number is all inclusive of what is planned for 2027. Spending on Tyler Parkway. That’s correct. Mayor. Commissioners, um, go back to that slide here.

01:44:41,370	Would that still be the case if we figure in Ottawa? Well, we’ll probably be pretty close because we probably have. I mean, using those numbers, we’re going to have somewhere around $4 million, give or take. And maybe. balance stress to that.

01:45:05,070	The, the the known revenue stream that is the sales tax, to whatever degree we believe that that to be, you know, certain um, does provide an opportunity to front some of those costs initially. I mean, you can see that even last year, there was at the end of the 25 season, we were $2 million in the hole. But that’s just for that small program.

01:45:19,970	There’s other dollars available that the city can use to fund that improvement, so long as the half cent sales tax is the one that eventually funds that. So there’s ways to cash flow that that we’ve looked at as the organization.

01:45:36,930	And I mean this because there are obviously implications of waiting until we have $10 million in the bank before we start a project that usually increases the cost. And it’s now $11 million project.

01:45:49,770	So for us to try to kind of be as well as we can, hovering right at that zero mark or near it, but not being afraid to go a little bit in the hole is kind of how we would want to proceed with with this program. That answer your question, Commissioner. Oh, that answers it. I just don’t like deficit spending.

01:46:11,330	Well, again, I think if we truly look what’s going to be spent in 2026, we’re not going to be $5 million deficit at the end of 2026, likely in this fund. And I’ll also state we have an advanced construction from our South Washington Street project that we anticipate the Dot writing as a check for another million dollars or so this year. That’s not recognized here yet, because we haven’t received the funding.

01:46:27,800	So all these are kind of in flux at some point in time. That’s what we’re not really focused on getting to zero. And that’s kind of always a moving target. Even the zero. Other other comments. Um, and again, timing is still unknown on some. I mean, Ottawa Street I think is obviously something to address here, but.

01:46:51,770	We had a plan for how we’re going to fund that already. This would be altering that plan. Correct? That is correct. And it would free up some of the 1% sales tax that was used for that particular project and replace it with then now this half cent sales tax that is more restrictive as well. So do you want a motion? Uh.

01:47:09,400	Mayor and commissioners, if we could have a motion that would direct staff to further develop the projects here and come back prior to, you know, significant milestones or whatever you want to phrase that I think would be perfectly appropriate.

01:47:23,330	Because we still wouldn’t be actually taking an action on, for example, Ottawa Street. How much that additional share is going to cost? We don’t know that number for sure. We probably get a pretty good idea.

01:47:36,000	Correct? Me and commissioners, we would come back if if this moves forward, we would come back with a new project budget that would show. Here’s the 20% or so cost share that special assessed, and the 80% or so that would be, um, city funded. And then that would be the action that the city board of commissioners would approve. All right. Any other questions or comments before I ask what your wishes are? Commissioners, go ahead.

01:47:57,300	Mr. Mayor. I’ll move that. We adopt the recommendations as presented. Pursue the prioritized group and $50 million, all the stuff in the box at the end. Second. Further discussion. Hearing none, we’ll call roll. Commissioner Risch. Yes, Commissioner Doll? Yes, Commissioner Connelly. Yes. Commissioner Hull. Yes. Mayor. Schmitz. Yes, Gabe. Thank you. Yes. Go ahead.

01:48:30,170	Commissioner, do you want to get back? Yes, please. Gabe, could you come back for a second? On all of these projects? Communication with the citizen.

01:48:51,970	It was a large part of the discussion last year that I was part of, and I talked to a lot of citizens on projects as they come forward. Could you add a public input meeting in the fall in addition to the spring one right before projects begin? Mayor. Commissioners? Commissioner Connelly, I think we would develop a public engagement plan for, um, each project. specific to that project’s needs.

01:49:14,470	Um, I can’t I can’t say that that means that there’s a fall meeting or a spring meeting or when that’ll take place. Um, I’ll say that some of these projects, um, rely on a lot of input from the adjacent landowner, but maybe that’s probably the main stakeholder we would want to engage with. And the general public maybe isn’t as engaged in that process, potentially.

01:49:37,130	Um, not to say that we wouldn’t inform them or have opportunities to have them informed. Um, but ultimately some of these are pretty straightforward. It is. We’ll build this road. It’s our typical city street.

01:49:48,370	It’ll go from point A to point B, and that’s really all that we’re planning to do. To what degree the board would want to have additional public engagement. That would be at your discretion.

01:50:02,200	But every project we would initiate would have some sort of opportunity for that, whether it’s at this sort of meeting when we create districts and go through those processes or through a special, you know, process where we are looking for input and trying to understand what are the needs of that particular corridor. Some of these, we think we have a pretty good understanding of the needs.

01:50:14,870	And our more immediate mission is to communicate out what we’re doing and what we’re what we’re what, where these projects are going and what’s being construction status. But the actual implementation or the elements within that project maybe aren’t all that interested to the general public. Well, something to work on, I wouldn’t guarantee otherwise. That will be an upcoming issue. Again. Okay, okay. Anything else? Thank you.

01:50:40,830	Item I is considered a recommendation from me for the portfolio assignments and designation of Vice Chair for the Board of City Commissioners. Um, this the the development of the assignments was through inquiries with.

01:51:05,900	Jason and Doug and myself to various department directors and and receiving some input also from I think every commissioner in one way or another at least provided some some desired results. Um, you’ll do will notice if you look at the list from last year compared to this year, there’s it’s like a consolidation, but it’s really just putting under public works service that they have several sub departments in there, but it’s still one director. And so uh, and same thing with uh public Works.

01:51:29,270	Operations, so it probably makes it a little clearer. It also kind of aligns with what our ordinance says. There should be commissioners for in particular, and what kind of follows some other guidance. So these were this wasn’t just a blind shot.

01:51:47,870	It was certainly some a fair amount of, I don’t know, probably 3 or 4 weeks worth of discussion and, and consideration before it was developed. And so that’s my recommendation. I ask what the commissioners wishes are. Go ahead Commissioner. Commissioners. I’ll move. We approve the portfolio assignments as presented by the mayor. Second. Do we have discussion? Hearing none, we’ll call roll. Commissioner Doll? Yes.

01:52:17,870	Commissioner Connelly. Yes, Commissioner Hull. Yes, Commissioner Risch. Yes. Mayor Schmitz. Yes. We are two other business. I’m going to first ask the commissioners if they have any other business. Commissioner Risch. Have. You’ve made the motion? You just made the motion. It’s part of your portfolio. Well, what the.

01:52:45,600	Heck? Does anybody do any of the commissioners have other business commissioner? I almost always have other business. I just want to welcome our new commissioners. We’ve got two new commissioners. I think they’re really talented, ran good campaigns, and I just welcome aboard, as we say in the railroad industry. Okay. You’re $50. Check is in the mail for saying. That. Okay? I am not paying you anything.

01:53:04,770	Is there any other business from. Okay. I have a request from Jason or to Jason. We have a new team member. Uh, and I’m gonna let Jason introduce him and let him then introduce himself. Yes, mayor and commissioners, thank you for the opportunity.

01:53:25,170	As you recall, back on June 2nd, I believe it was the previous commission had a special commission meeting, and it was to accept the recommendation from the hiring committee to bring forward Ryan Score as the new finance director. Uh, that was a unanimous support. On June 2nd.

01:53:41,730	And Ryan’s first day with us was last week, Monday, July 6th. And I’m pleased to report that he is still here and has come back for week two. But I would like to provide Ryan a little opportunity to introduce himself to you and perhaps answer any questions that you may have of him. Welcome, Ryan. Good evening. Mayor. Members of the commission.

01:54:04,570	As Jason mentioned, Ryan Score honored to be here as your new finance director and enjoying the rest of this great City of Bismarck team.

01:54:18,630	I also know that they put me at the very end of your agenda and ahead of probably lunch or dinner for a lot of us. And so I’ll be brief in what I have, uh, western northwestern North Dakota, born and raised, um, my wife and I relocated to Bismarck about 15 years ago. I spent a good chunk of that time with the state treasurer’s office up at the Capitol, doing a director of finance work up there.

01:54:35,070	And so I have good experience here in the community. I think this position came along and it seemed to very much align with my experience and my education and what I’ve done here in the community already.

01:54:50,130	And so I felt a good pull to this position and was was honored when I was offered the position. So, um, like Jason said, I’ve been here for seven days now. Uh, I’ve met with and interacted with a number of the departments. Uh, I can say I’ve been generally very impressed with everyone I’ve met. I think the city is in a great spot.

01:55:08,730	I think we’re poised to to continue growing, continue to prosper and move forward. Um, I look forward to and I’ve been working closely with the team, I, the team up in the fiscal and assessing area. Um, Allison and Eric have been, you know, taking me under their wing. And I can tell you I’m learning from the best. Um, Eric has been nothing but helpful.

01:55:27,400	Allison, the same way. And I think I’m learning from the best as we go forward. Um, as we leave tonight, you know, if there’s any questions, you have anything that you want to ask of the finance department, please feel free to reach out.

01:55:42,330	I probably won’t know the answer right away, but I think I’ll have that as a great excuse to to learn right along with you guys and make sure that I have that answer going forward. So I definitely open it up to any questions. Well, I just know you’re drinking from the fire hose because budgeting season is. 100% yes. Anybody have questions? Welcome. Thank you. Happy to be here.

01:56:02,770	Thank you for being here I’ll ask one. Ask any other business. Not we are adjourned. Thank you