All systems go for water main replacement, work set to begin in August

The Pre-Construction Meeting for the water infrastructure project is set for Monday, July 8 at 1 p.m. in New Rockford City Hall. Representatives from the City Commission, USDA- Rural Development, Interstate Engineering and contracting firm BEK Consulting will all be in attendance. According to Public Works Superintendent Bruce Hirchert, work is slated to begin on the project in August.

Commissioners passed a resolution to secure interim financing for the water project and approved the official bid form, two final steps they must take before the pre-construction meeting.

Parties involved with the U.S. Highway 281 project will also convene next week. Hirchert said that meeting is set for Friday, July 12, Devils Lake at 10 a.m.

Unpaid parking tickets have generated discussion among commissioners and city attorney Travis Peterson. A total of 16 outstanding tickets, most of them issued to visitors and passersby, prompted the discussion at the Monday, July 1 meeting. Peterson shared a copy of the City of Fargo’s ordinance with the commission for review. He noted that New Rockford’s ordinance does include language that authorizes authorities to impound vehicles that are illegally parked for a period of time. However, in most of the outstanding cases, the issue is with violators who don’t pay and fail to request a hearing.

In the past year, a total of 46 tickets have been issued within city limits, and 30 of them were paid. Therefore, the ratio of paid to unpaid tickets is 2:1. With the system the city has in place now, all proceeds from the paid parking tickets go into the city’s general fund. Further action on the issue was tabled for the August meeting for more research.

The preliminary 2020 budget is due to the county in August. Commissioners brought potential items for Auditor George Ritzke to include as he works on the draft. Commissioner Kelly McKnight requested that improvements at Centennial Park be a priority, specifically calling for new LED lighting to be installed throughout and for new shrubs and bushes to be planted on the east side of the gazebo to replace the overgrown ones currently there. Stu Richter asked that more money be added to the airport budget. The city continues to work toward reaching an agreement with the county to rebuild the airport’s hangar, repair the damaged apron and taxiway and resurface the runway.

President Packard requested discussion on a reduction in the president’s monthly stipend, from $250 to $100.

Six building permits were approved, all for residential improvements. Local gaming permits for three raffles were also formally approved.

 The next regular meeting of the commission is set for Monday, August 5 at 7 p.m.