A portion of Minot's sales tax dollars will go to helping Minot Park District recover from the 2011 flood.
The Minot City Council voted unanimously Monday to appropriate $250,000 to the park district to restore the diamond at Corbett Field and the four fields at the Jack Hoeven Baseball Park. Aldermen affirmed their vote of support last month by passing the funding ordinance on second and final reading and by approving a joint powers agreement with the park district.
The account from which the park district will be paid has collected more than $600,000 since beginning to take sales tax dollars last fall. Last June, voters approved re-directing the sales tax for the Northwest Area Water Supply Project to tax relief, infrastructure and community facilities once the city determined the NAWS fund had adequate money to pay the local share on the project. The 30 percent of the tax going to community facilities is estimated to raise $2.8 million this year.
Acting on first reading of an ordinance last month, the council had approved $6 million over five years from the sales tax for Minot State University for improvements to Herb Parker Stadium and the Dome. MSU withdrew the request before final passage due to concerns in the community about the timing of the request in light of flood recovery efforts needed in the city.
The council voted Monday to give the Community Development Committee review authority going forward over sales-tax requests for community facilities. Alderman Scott Knudsvig had sought to refer the park district's request to the committee as well. However, other aldermen saw no reason for more review, preferring that the park district get moving on the project.
Ron Merritt, parks director, said the park board is considering putting in sod rather than seeding the ball diamonds. With re-seeding, the park district would not have a field available for play until the spring of 2013. By using sod, which nurseries typically have available by late May, the fields could be ready for play by the end of June or beginning of July, he said.
"We would salvage some of the baseball season," Merritt said.
Sod is more expensive, but Merritt said the district hopes bids come in somewhat less than the $250,000 cap approved by the city. The sales tax money also is to cover silt removal and other field preparation and Agri-lime for the non-sod field surfaces.
Merritt said the park district still must repair the irrigation systems and buildings damaged by the flood. The building at Hoeven park was insured but Corbett facilities were not. Merritt said the district still is negotiating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on reimbursement for damages. The baseball diamond restorations aren't eligible for reimbursement from FEMA.
Merritt said the district plans to open the fields for play as soon as they are ready, even if the buildings still are undergoing work. The district would bring in portable restroom facilities if necessary.
In other business, the council approved a marketing agreement with Minot Area Development Corp. to run through 2013. The city will appropriate $441,250 to MADC for the two years, which includes an initial contribution of $320,000 for marketing, $25,000 for business expansion and retention and $96,240 for workforce recruitment.
Alderman Jim Hatlelid sought to remove the money for workforce recruitment.
"I don't see much happening. I don't see any reports. I don't see a lot of activity in that area," he said.
Alderman Chuck Barney disagreed.
"I can think of no role that's more important to the city right now than workforce development. If we are unhappy with the efforts being made in workforce development, that's one issue, but to cut the funding on that important activity, I think, is counterproductive," he said.
The council declined to remove the funding 5-9.
The council also reviewed work being done on a comprehensive plan with consultant, Bonestroo-Stantec, and approved a proposed land-use plan.
