City will lease land for new water tower, seek easement

Jamestown will lease land from the North Dakota State Hospital for a new water tower although the authorization for advertising for bids to construct that water tower are still on hold.

The decisions came during the City Council’s regular meeting Monday.

The City Council agreed to lease land now leased to the National Buffalo Museum just to the east of Infinity Builders from the State Hospital for a period of five years at a rate of $50 per year. The location is the intended site of a 750,000 gallon water tower.

“This is intended to be a temporary lease,” said Jeff Fuchs, city administrator. “This will just be in place until a 99-year easement can be arranged.”

Fuchs said the 99-year easement was still under discussion by the state.

The agenda for the Monday meeting also included an item to authorize the city to advertise for contractors to build the water tower. That authorization was postponed to allow the city engineer more time to review the project. It is anticipated the subject would be added to the agenda of any special meetings scheduled later this week.

Cost for the new water tower is about $2.2 million, according to Travis Dillman, project engineer for Interstate Engineering. Operational completion of the tower is scheduled for Nov. 30, with the project painted in the spring of 2014.

The City Council also delayed appointing Bill Kennedy to the James River Valley Library System Board.

“I am concerned that the library is still moving towards a new building,” said Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen. “I have a concern with appointing anybody to a board that is not moving in the direction we want.”

Kennedy’s appointment was delayed until a joint meeting of the Library Board and the City Council could be arranged.

The City Council approved a weapon replacement policy for the Jamestown Police Department. The new policy allows officers to finance new duty weapons through an interest-free payroll withholding. The option would be available for any officer purchasing an approved weapon for use on duty.

Previously, the option was largely limited to new officers joining the force.

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

Tags: local news, news, water