The South Central Dakota Regional Council Executive Board approved working with Stutsman County officials to resolve the issues related to the county's multi-hazard mitigation plan completion.
At its meeting Wednesday the executive board agreed to seek payment from Stutsman County equal to how much of the mitigation plan was completed by the Regional Council. Deb Kantrud, Regional Council executive director, said former planner Daniel Schwartz had estimated that the plan was 70 percent done before he was fired on May 18. Kantrud said Schwartz not completing the plan by the June 1 deadline in the contract the Regional Council had with Stutsman County was part of the reason she fired Schwartz.
Schwartz said at the executive board's May 20 meeting that he was told by Kantrud he was fired for being insubordinate.
Mike Metcalf, executive board member, said he wanted the Regional Council to agree to whatever Stutsman County wanted to do concerning the mitigation plan contract.
"We need to keep the ball rolling, keep moving forward and move on to the next project," he said.
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At its June 4 special meeting the Regional Council appointed Metcalf to negotiate with Schwartz for a personal services contract to complete the mitigation plan for the county. Metcalf said he presented Schwartz with a proposed contract offer, but Schwartz declined it. Metcalf said there was an honest effort to negotiate the contract on both sides.
"He (Schwartz) was professional with me," Metcalf said. "We had frank conversations in moments (during their talk), but we were both very professional."
Kantrud said the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant secured by Stutsman County through the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services was for $37,000; $31,500 in funds and $5,500 in "in-kind" donations from the county for services and resources. Kantrud said 70 percent of $31,500 is $22,050 and that is the amount the Regional Council will seek for the work it has done on the mitigation plan.
On Tuesday the Stutsman County Commission approved terminating the contract with the Regional Council for work the council did on the mitigation plan. A letter signed by Commission Chairman Mark Klose stated the county would negotiate with the Regional Council for the amount of money the council would receive for the work it had done on the mitigation plan. The county also asked the Regional Council to provide an itemized breakdown of the work accomplished, an up-to-date list of the in-kind services that were part of the project and all documents and miscellaneous information associated with the project.
In other business, the executive board approved hiring The Village Family Service Center of Fargo to conduct an investigation into the allegations made by former Regional Council employee Alison Kassian against Kantrud. Executive Board President Joe Neis said Mary Geffre, Regional Council administrative assistant, will be the contact person for the council who will provide contact information to investigators from The Village Family Service Center.
The executive board also approved paying Lutheran Social Services $27,867 for work done to the Regional Council's office space in the Legacy Center building. The work included soundproofing a small meeting room and office space that is adjacent to a child care center in the Legacy Center.
The executive board approved paying Lutheran Social Services $19,067 for an outstanding bill Lutheran Social Services has with the James River Senior Center for kitchen equipment. Kantrud said James River Senior Center received a Community Development Block Grant in 2013 to buy kitchen equipment. Had the executive board not agreed to pay the funds to Lutheran Social Services, Kantrud said James River Senior Center would have to pay back the entire grant amount of $47,452.
