In case you missed it in The Sun the week of April 10, 2023

The following stories from this week appeared on www.jamestownsun.com and in The Jamestown Sun.

The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Board of Directors unanimously approved on Monday, April 10, reallocating $100,000 that will be used to pay for professional services of a design engineer and construction manager for a rail loop project at Spiritwood Energy Park Association industrial park at Spiritwood.

Corry Shevlin, CEO of JSDC, said there have been delays with financing while working through the rail loop project. He said the $100,000 would be used for a service contract for AECOM to continue acting as the design engineer and construction manager for the project.

Shevlin said the $100,000 will come from the previously approved $500,000 reallocation from JSDC’s $1 million incentive package.

An insurance company is in the process of reimbursing the James River Valley Library System for the water damage from a burst pipe in December but an insurance settlement has not been completed yet , according to Joe Rector, library system director.

He said the library system paid Steam Brothers more than $11,000 to clean the carpets, removing ceiling tile and bringing in dehumidifiers and fans to remove moisture from the building. He also said some plumbing and other work were also done as a result of the water damage in December.

Rector told James River Valley Library System Board of Directors on Wednesday, April 12, that an insurance representative from the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund has not been able to contact the insurance adjuster who inspected the damage at Alfred Dickey.

Alfred Dickey was closed temporarily in December after a burst pipe from a staff restroom caused water damage in the library. The children’s library in the basement of Alfred Dickey had about an inch of water and about a quarter-inch of water was discovered around the circulation desk on the main level. The burst pipe happened sometime during a winter storm in December when the library was closed.

The Jamestown City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday, April 11, the use of Federal Highway Administration coronavirus infrastructure funds for roadway improvements to 12th Avenue Southeast in Jamestown.

More than $281,000 from the Federal Highway Administration coronavirus infrastructure funds will be allocated to the 12th Avenue Southeast project. Mayor Dwaine Heinrich and City Administrator Sarah Hellekson were also authorized to sign the documents.

The planned project includes pavement reconstruction on 12th Avenue Southeast and realigning the road to the intersection of 11th Avenue and 4th Street Southeast. The project could be completed this year.

Heinrich said discussions were held previously about using “Prairie Dog” funds to pay for the project but the city of Jamestown also has funds from the Federal Highway Administration coronavirus infrastructure funds that can be used for the project. He said the state recommended that the city of Jamestown use the coronavirus infrastructure funds for the 12th Avenue Southeast project and the project would qualify for the use of those funds.

A 42-year-old Gackle man who pleaded guilty to negligent homicide after he was accused of driving a combine while under the influence of alcohol and striking and killing a South African man was sentenced Tuesday, April 11, in Southeast District Court in Jamestown.

Judge Troy LeFevre sentenced Ryan Christopher Storbeck to 375 days in the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with credit for nine days served.

In March, Storbeck pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, a Class C felony, false reports to law enforcement or other security officials, a Class A misdemeanor, and driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class B misdemeanor.

Storbeck was accused of negligently causing the death of Johannes Steenberg, 57, a South African man who had a temporary residence in rural Gackle, giving false information about how much alcohol he consumed, and driving a combine while intoxicated on Sept. 6.