CITY

Sirens to sound call for help in Clara City

Sirens will be sounded in Clara City if volunteers are needed for emergency sandbagging, fire fighters in the community decided on Monday. The firefighters are preparing for the possibility of additional flooding after they were joined by other volunteers in battling the rising waters of Hawk Creek on Sunday.

By By Tom Cherveny, Forum Communications Co. , March 17, 2010

Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. objects to council taking money, plans petition drive

The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board Monday was unanimous in its objection to the City Council’s decision to take half of the 1 percent sales tax previously dedicated to economic development. “We should go on record as not approving the grand theft of this fund,” said Dick Geigle, JSDC Board member. “Four people decided to abscond with the funds the citizens voted for economic development.”

March 09, 2010

South Heart City Council passes noise ordinance

The South Heart City Council has passed an ordinance restricting noise between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The ordinance was opposed by the owner of the bar in the southwest North Dakota town. Mike Sticka, owner of the I Don’t Know Bar, said it might mean the end of his business. He says he plans to take every citation to court.

March 03, 2010

City Council looks at hiring a strategic plan facilitator

Although City Councilman Ken Schulz was willing to shoulder the strategic planning process, other council members said the plan should have an outside facilitator. In past meetings, council members have gone back and forth on whether to do a strategic plan as well as who would do it. Schulz said he had determined from those meetings, the council wanted it done with volunteer help.

February 19, 2010

City Council votes to take half of 1 percent sales tax for infrastructure improvements

In a special meeting Tuesday, the City Council voted 4-1 to take half of the city’s 1 percent sales tax for infrastructure improvements and extended the tax out to 2022. The resolution taking the funds focuses what is now about $1 million on reducing city-wide special assessments on infrastructure, including street work as well as sanitary and storm sewer systems. The funds will start going into city coffers March 1.

February 17, 2010

Council will be asked to declare emergency

Jamestown and Stutsman County department heads will request an emergency declaration from the City Council during a special meeting Tuesday related to spring runoff. Also on Tuesday, the city will request assistance from Stutsman County. When the county turns down that request, it will set in motion actions leading to the Army Corps of Engineers becoming involved and providing technical and financial assistance in preparing for spring runoff, said Jerry Bergquist, Stutsman County emergency manager.

By Keith Norman , February 12, 2010

Knoblich honored for service

When Larry Knoblich started the Runnin O’ the Green 32 years ago, he said the event consisted of 24 runners, and was an excuse for a fun time out on the town. Now it’s a charity event that draws thousands of people from all around the U.S., and has an economic impact of about $500,000 for Jamestown, said JoDee Rasmusson, executive director of the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce. Because of Knoblich’s efforts as founder and coordinator of the Runnin O’ the Green as well other efforts, he will be awarded the 2010 Outstanding Citizen of the Year award. The Jamestown Chamber of Commerce will make the presentation on Feb. 4 at an awards ceremony at the Gladstone Inn & Suites, Rasmusson said.

By Ben Rodgers , February 03, 2010

Sales tax proposal: JSDC offers alternative plan

In a special meeting Monday, the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board rejected a proposal to use 30 percent of the 1 percent sales tax toward reduction of city special assessments. Instead, it supported a 25 percent proposal for storm and sanitary sewer improvements.

February 02, 2010

Sales tax: Committee rejects taking 50 percent for city

The City Council’s Finance and Legal Committee Tuesday rejected taking 50 percent of the 1-cent sales tax for infrastructure or putting the measure on the ballot.

January 20, 2010

Valley City building’s roof partly collapses

Officials are investigating what caused part of a Valley City company’s roof to collapse. Dietrich Bus Service spokesman Don Enger said three school buses were in the back half of the maintenance building when the roof collapsed Wednesday but there were no people inside. There was no immediate damage estimate. A storm dumped several inches of snow on eastern North Dakota on Wednesday.

January 08, 2010

City council moving ahead on strategic plan

Strategic planning took another step forward at the City Council meeting Monday. Councilman Ken Schulz had originally suggested using a community-based strategic plan called the COPS plan to get the process moving. However, he said Monday, the City Council had never accepted the plan so he didn’t think it should be used as a preliminary strategic plan.

January 05, 2010

City reaffirms actions taken by Nygaard, Fuchs

With Mayor Clarice Liechty absent, the Jamestown Finance and Legal Committee passed a resolution reaffirming the legitimacy of the actions of one of its board members in regard to documentation for a PACE interest buy down for a Jamestown business.

By Keith Norman , December 23, 2009

City sales tax meeting scheduled

The City Sales Tax Subcommittee has scheduled a meeting for 2:30 p.m. Monday in the Lower Level Conference Room, at City Hall, 102 Third Ave. S.E., James-town, on the proposal to use half of the 1-cent sales tax for economic development for City infrastructure needs.

December 19, 2009

Mayor’s authority questioned on staff work on hospital project, other items

The mayor’s authority came into question on a number of issues at the City Council meeting Monday. Mayor Clarice Liechty objected to Councilman Pat Nygaard signing the resolution authorizing a $75,000 Flex PACE interest buy down for Buffalo City Diesel. During the mayor’s report, Liechty said she wouldn’t sign the resolution until she had additional documentation on Dean Hafner’s financial information.

December 08, 2009

Letter to the editor: City, county need to be more responsive to residents

We were taught in school that in America we have government of the people, by the people and for the people. It was only after we became taxpayers and property owners that we learned the hard truth that as gun maker William Ruger observed, “All governments are instinctively, automatically and invariably tyrannical.”

By Loren Kittelson , December 04, 2009