DOT looks to regionalize

Despite a strategic planning meeting at the beginning of the year, the Dickinson City Commission never stops preparing for the future.

During Tuesday's commission meeting, North Dakota Department of Transportation Program Manager Bruce Fuchs said the city should start preparing for a regional transit entity.

"The DOT has made a decision on regionalization; it's going to happen," Fuchs said. "Our timetable is three to five years for completion."

Fuchs said he encourages all of the transportation entities in the region to start working on how they would like to see a regional hub work.

"It makes life a lot easier if you're part of the process," Fuchs said.

Fuchs happened to be in Dickinson as the Days Inn-Grand Dakota Lodge and Conference Center hosts the Dakota Transit Conference this week.

With Fuchs in town, City Administrator Greg Sund took the opportunity to voice concerns with a grant program that subsidizes the city's taxi service.

"I'm becoming more and more concerned about the administrative side of this grant," Sund said. "Any time you take federal money, it's going to come with strings. Strings usually means paperwork."

Sund said if the commission accepts the grant it could result in the need for a part-time person. The grant funds received total $20,000, not including the city's match, however, Sund said a part-time employee would probably cost the city that much.

"In order to get federal funds, you have to start doing...reporting and reporting has gotten more complicated," Fuchs said. "We're talking about probably reasonably substantial work activity for a person in the city."

Though the commissioners opted not to vote on the issue during Tuesday's meeting, Sund said in a memo to the commissioners the grant is necessary to the taxi service's operation.

During Tuesday's meeting, which was rescheduled so the commission could make the required quorum, Commissioners Rhonda Dukart and Joe Frenzel were absent.

The present commissioners also discussed the following unrelated city matters:

-While there was no comment from the public, the commissioners opened the floor for debate on the 2008 budget ordinance and city fee schedule.

The 2008 budget was not amended since it passed first reading at the Sept. 4 city commission meeting. It is scheduled for second reading and final passage during the commission's Oct. 1 meeting.

Due to the fact the city may raise the water and wastewater fees, the latter was submitted as a presentation only. A city accountant is expected to present findings on the impact of changing those fees during the next commission meeting.

-The commissioners unanimously approved the generator purchase for the law enforcement center. The commissioners opted to take the $91,800 from sales tax II funds.

-Sund reported the city may be asked to contribute funding to a walking trail in town. If the city funds what is being asked, it would contribute one-third of a $154,000 project.

Sund said the city initially sponsored the trail after the Stark County Commission asked it to do so. He said at that time the city was told it would not be asked to make a financial contribution.

Johnson asked Sund to try to schedule a county commissioner to present on the topic during the city's next regular meeting.

-United Blood Services presented Dickinson Fire Chief Bob Sivak with a trophy for winning the Battle of the Badges blood drive last week. Seventy-eight people donated blood on behalf of the fire department, whereas 73 donated for the Dickinson Police Department.