Two bright ideas burn out

The proposal to allow residents to bring the New Year in with a “bang” appears to have been a dud. City Attorney Peterson yet again brought revisions to the fireworks ordinance to the March 1 commission meeting. He said the provision that would allow fireworks to be sold and ignited in city limits from Dec. 26-31 was included in the draft, however he sought direction from the commission before finalizing that and a couple of other key provisions.

It didn’t take long for city leaders’ positions on the issue to be known. President Stu Richter called for a motion either way, and Commissioner Kelly McKnight almost immediately moved to formally deny the request to allow sale and ignition of fireworks at year-end. Justin Ystaas cast the lone dissenting vote. Jim Belquist indicated some interest in shortening the time period for year-end fireworks, perhaps to two or three days rather than five, but no such motion was made.

“I think we know where everyone stands,” Ystaas replied.

Retailers who wish to sell fireworks in New Rockford city limits will also need a local permit, if the revised ordinance is enacted. Currently, retailers seek a state permit to sell fireworks. The new local permit would allow city officials to know who plans to sell and give them an opportunity to ensure that retailers have the proper state permit and a sales tax permit, Auditor George Ritzke said. Commissioners asked that Peterson “pencil in” a $25 fee for the local permit. The revised fireworks ordinance will be presented for a formal first reading in April, and final approval in May.

As if that wasn’t enough bad news for fun seekers, drag races at the airport are also a big no-go. After the commission initially gave approval for the NRABC to hold the two-day event at Tomlinson Field in late July, the N.D. Aeronautics Commission advised against it. In a letter to NRABC Executive Director Amanda Hegland delivered via email, Airport Planner Adam Dillin outlined several reasons for discouraging the city from using the airport runway for drag races. The biggest reason was potential damage to the city’s aging runway, which according to Dillin is nearing the end of its useful life and is therefore more susceptible to damage from non-aeronautical activities. Further, he advised that future funding requests from the city could be denied if there is evidence that damage occurred from such activities.

“State funding for the airports in North Dakota comes directly from aviation-based revenues. We then turn those taxes back into grants to support our state’s aeronautical infrastructure. It is Aeronautics’ opinion that non-aeronautical activities are not appropriate on the state’s airports, especially if they may cause wear or damage to infrastructure that the airport may then request an Aeronautics grant to help repair. Non-aeronautical activities would be taken into consideration during the review of future grant applications,” Dillin said.

The Aeronautics Commission’s position was clear, as “we strongly recommended against it,” was in bold print. Dillin’s letter is published in its entirety on the Editorial page, A4.

As for Jamestown Regional Airport’s history of drag racing, Dillin noted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency that oversees all federally funded airports, has stopped permitting racing events in Jamestown.

“Although we support this event and feel it would bring significant economic stimulus to our community, NRABC does not want to be held responsible for the unseen costs or damages this could have,” Hegland told the commission. She noted that the NRABC had planned to bind insurance coverage for liability, not for possible runway damage.

“I want to see this. This is a pretty cool deal for our city,” Richter said, adding that it’s “too risky” to approve drag racing considering that it would put future funding for the airport in jeopardy.

A motion to deny the request to use the airport for drag races passed unanimously.

Work on the water plant is going according to plan, Wade Senger of Interstate Engineering reported. The precast walls for the addition have been made and will be brought to the site this week. The crane will arrive Tuesday, and they should begin setting walls later this week. Sentry Crane submitted Estimate #3 totaling $93,396.10 for precast concrete material, which was approved for payment.

Amanda Hegland delivered an economic development report on behalf of NRABC. In 2020, the organization assisted with four FlexPACE low interest business loans, two Renaissance Zone projects and approved seven Housing Incentive applications. They also allocated $30,000 in business improvement grants for local businesses to complete structural improvements, which Hegland said will generate at least $108,000 in local spending for materials and labor.

Other than the $350,000 Wonder Lanes renovation project, the top three priorities for NRABC in 2021 include conducting more research on childcare, upgrading the website and planning community events to promote tourism and attract retail dollars.

Hegland reported that NRABC received 13.8% more in retail sales tax revenue than they had in 2019. New Rockford’s sales tax revenue has steadily grown over the past few years, partially due to the half-percent increase in collections the city approved in 2018.

A resident requested financial assistance from the city after his water line froze on Feb. 14. According to Public Works Superintendent Hirchert, the line was frozen 43 ft from the home and extended to 73 ft, essentially from the sidewalk to the curb stop. The main was not frozen, however, and no other residents were affected. The bill to thaw the line totaled $750. The commission denied the request for financial assistance. Richter noted that residents need to be aware that they should run water each day when temperatures are below zero to ensure that their lines do not freeze. The cost of the extra water usage is often far less than the bill for repair.

Hirchert also presented a list of items needing attention at the Brown Memorial. A new electric range is already on order, according to Ritzke, and the public works staff will work to complete items upon direction from the commission. Much of the work is general maintenance, including cleaning out and organizing of various spaces.

Commissioners also approved payments to the Dept. of Transportation (NDDOT) for the Hwy. 281 project. The first totaled $4,984.03, which did not include the crosswalk pole repair/relocation. The city had attempted to avoid paying cost share for the crosswalk pole repair/relocation, citing faulty design. However, the NDDOT noted that the city had in fact approved the original design, therefore they were responsible to pay their cost share for the redo. The motion to pay the $700 bill passed.

The next regular meeting is set for Monday, April 5 at 7 p.m.