Jill Schramm/MDN Ryan Ackerman, administrator for the Souris River Joint Board, speaks to the Minot City Council Monday.

The challenge of obtaining state funding for Souris River flood control just became tougher with a new revenue forecast that predicts even less money available in the state’s Water Resources Trust Fund.

However, the Souris River Joint Board continues to make the case for $127 million for the project, board administrator Ryan Ackerman told the Minot City Council Monday. Gov. Jack Dalrymple had proposed $70 million in his budget before leaving office. That is a figure that the joint board can work with, although it would scale back efforts somewhat, Ackerman said.

The latest revenue forecast reduced the funds expected to come into the Water Resources Trust Fund by $25 million, he said.

“That’s very likely going to equate to some type of cuts across the overall program. Certainly, there’s going to be some thinking about bonding,” Ackerman said. He added there’s limited appetite in the Legislature for bonding, though.

“We are going to stay engaged in the process and do our best,” he said. “Everybody is in cost-cutting mode.”

“What we really need is support,” Ackerman added. “I really think there’s value in being present, letting the legislators know we are here – the community really needs this. It isn’t just a couple of staff people down here.”

The council approved a resolution in support of a $127 million funding request from the state for flood protection. Council member Miranda Schuler said it is imperative that Minot residents also make their voices heard.

“We need this funding,” she said.

Residents can follow House Bill 1020 online at legis.nd.gov. Quick links to legislative actions and upcoming hearings are available by using the search tools at the top of the homepage. Contact information to call, email or write to legislators also is available from a link on the homepage.

The House Appropriations’ Education and Environment Subcommittee took testimony on the HB 1020, the State Water Commission bill, Tuesday.

Ackerman explained the original request was for $119 million. The amount increased to $127 million with the water commission’s decision to raise the state cost share from 60 to 65 percent. The money would cover expenses associated with construction of the first four phases of the flood protection project in Minot.

The $70 million proposed by the former governor would allow construction of the first three phases, with a modest amount of money left for property acquisitions, Ackerman said.

Minot City Manager Tom Barry listed flood control and the legislative session among the top five areas in which he is placing immediate focus. Snow management efforts, the National Disaster Resilience Program and city finances are the others.

Currently, half of the city’s first 1 percent sales tax goes to flood control.

“The estimate is that by 2019 we are going to be pretty thin on the finances for flood control projects with the 50 percent sales tax distribution, so we are going to have to look at that and maybe make some modifications,” Barry said.

The council already has begun making plans to review the sales tax distribution.

In other business Monday, the council:

– agreed to install a glass wall and other safety features for the utility billing office on the first floor in City Hall.

– approved putting $62,780 toward an $82,500 replacement of the Auditorium II floor in the Minot Municipal Auditorium. The contractor that installed the floor will pay the remainder of the replacement cost, made necessary due to a reaction between the concrete and flooring glue that has caused bubbles to form.

– passed an ordinance on first reading that defines circumstances under which the city may exercise eminent domain, including to acquire property to flood control, water and sewage services, parks, parking lots, solid waste disposal and roadways.

– re-assigned $1 million in Community Facility funds to install artificial turf at Corbett Field rather than at the Hoeven Baseball Complex.

– accepted a bid from Schaefer Systems to provide trash-collection containers for an automated sanitation service, with the cost to be determined once a community survey determines how many of each size container will be needed.

– advanced a proposal for property buyouts through the National Disaster Resilience Program to the Souris River Joint Board for consideration in design of the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project. The buyouts would add flood storage and reduce the need for some levees and floodwalls if adopted as the preferred design alternative.