Committee sends yogurt shop item to City Council's agenda

Talk about it

The Jamestown Planning and Legal Committee forwarded to the City Council the Flex Pace interest buy down for the planned Cherry Berry frozen yogurt operation in Jamestown. The move came on a 4-1 vote with Councilman Charlie Kourajian dissenting.

“There are a lot of businesses competing with this one,” Kourajian said. “I know we’ve given these out before but we don’t have to approve this one.”

The Flex Pace interest buy down uses a $100,000 grant from the Bank of North Dakota and a $54,000 loan from the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. to reduce the interest rate on a business loan by up to 5 percent. The JSDC funds are interest free until the business loan is repaid and then incur a 2 percent interest rate for two years while it is repaid.

The project is planned by Kal Patel and would convert the current Master Bread store, located at the intersection of U.S. Interstate 94 and U.S. Highway 281, into a frozen yogurt and coffee shop.

The move came after extensive discussion concerning the wages of jobs it would create and whether the project backers needed the incentive funds to accomplish the project.

“I would like to see the financial statements of the Patels,” said Dan Buchanan, councilman. “I would like to determine if there is a need for this money.”

Patel, owner of three motels in Jamestown, said he was planning this project in Jamestown only because of the availability of the Flex Pace program.

The vote places the item on the consent agenda for the Aug. 6 City Council meeting. It can be removed from the consent agenda by any member of the council or the public.

The committee also recommended for passage the proposed 2013 operational budget for the JSDC. The budget increases the total income of the JSDC from $393,000 to $400,000. The Jamestown share increases from $311,000 in 2012 to $320,000.

The budget also includes a 5 percent increase to the salary line item.

“The salaries can be increased by up to 5 percent based on job performance reviews,” said Mayor Katie Andersen.

The committee also heard a request from the Stutsman Harley Owners Group to launch fireworks on its float in the Holiday Dazzle Parade. The committee forwarded the request to Jim Reuther, Jamestown fire chief, for review.

In other business, a special input meeting will be held concerning the Jamestown Building Development Ordinances during the Aug. 21 Building, Planning and Zoning Committee meeting.

Andersen said she hoped to get input on possible changes to the ordinances that regulate residential development in Jamestown.

“The code now requires developers to pay all the development costs up front rather than financing through special assessments,” she said. “That has met with negative reactions from developers.”

The meeting will not be a formal hearing but rather an agenda item where developers can voice their concerns about the current regulations and suggest changes.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

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