Committee recommends creation of fund for Jamestown infrastructure projects – Jamestown Sun

JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown Finance and Legal Affairs Committee, in a 4-0 vote, recommended approval to establish an urban development fund funded in part by city sales taxes for infrastructure improvements.

City Councilman Brian Kamlitz did not attend the Tuesday, January 23rd meeting.

The town development fund is used for projects that are not included in public building land, construction funds, general funds, and business funds.

In related business, the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee voted 4-0 to recommend approval to transfer more than $1.1 million from the city sales tax fund to the general fund. The committee also recommended approval to transfer that $1.1 million from the General Fund to the Urban Development Fund.

Mayor Dwayne Heinrich said the remaining sales taxes from a bond issue several years ago should have gone into the general fund. He said the dollars go to a development fund so they aren’t spent on simple projects, and there are ways to identify the money.

Heinrich said approximately $500,000 will be used to purchase the Meland properties located at 1604 8th Ave. SW, 1620 8th Ave. SW and 1509 9th Ave. SW.

The purchase agreement for the property between Meland and the city of Jamestown was for $900,000, the Jamestown Sun reported in November.

The Meland site includes a 37,000-square-foot building and open space between the building and Southwest 17th Street. This facility is located at the former location of Titan Machinery.

The Jamestown Finance and Legal Affairs Committee discussed plans for the property at the site of Titan Machinery at its August meeting. At the time, Heinrich said the southwest Jamestown site could be home to a new public safety facility in the coming years.

The Finance and Legal Affairs Committee voted 4-0 to recommend approval of a one-year extension and amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement between Stutsman County and the City of Jamestown to provide joint library services.

The Stutsman County Commission on Jan. 16 approved a one-year extension to the agreement.

If the Jamestown City Council approves the extension at its Feb. 3 meeting, it would extend the deadline for groups to submit a notice of intent to withdraw by one year, to March 3, 2025.

File photo by John M. Steiner/Jamestown Sun.

If either company does not file a notice of intent to withdraw, or if either company is able to file a notice of intent to withdraw but the parties do not approve a one-year extension, the Memorandum of Agreement will automatically expire in March. It will be extended for another five years.

The County Commission and Jamestown City Council extended the memorandum of agreement by one year in 2022 and 2023.

Jamestown and Stutsman County provide joint library services under a memorandum of understanding after voters approved a measure to combine the two cities in 2008.

In related business, the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee voted 4-0 to recommend approval to extend the terms of members of the James River Valley Library System Board of Directors to comply with the North Dakota Century Code.

With City Council approval, the library commissioner’s three-year term will expire on June 30, rather than February 28 or February 29. The current members of the library committee are Councilman Robert Hoekstra and Co-City Councilor Charlotte Freeberg. /County representation has also been extended until June 30th.

The James River Valley Library System Board of Directors includes appointees from the City of Jamestown and Stutsman County. Library trustees are appointed by the City Council and County Commission, and their terms currently end on February 28th or February 29th.

In a 4-0 vote, the Finance and Legal Affairs Committee recommended approval of the Renaissance Zone incentive application for J&K LLC, located at 201 1st Ave. N.

Renaissance Zone incentives for J&K include a five-year 100% property tax and state income tax exemption, pending approval by the North Dakota Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Services. The Renaissance Zone incentives for J&K include 100% state income tax exemption for five years pending approval from the Department of Community Services.

City Assessor Doreen Stroh said about 8,000 square feet of the building is still unfinished. She said the owners plan to replace all the plumbing and electrical equipment.

According to business plans, the building will house 201 Aesthetics. The location will include a medical spa and full salon.

The Jamestown Building, Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to designate the main subdivision, the final lot of the Stout Third Addition, and one block of the Mole Woods Addition located at 805 23rd Street, Parcels 1– Recommended approval of 5 rezonings. St. South Wales.

Zoning Administrator Tom Blackmore said the Jamestown Planning Commission recommended approval of the preliminary plan at its Dec. 11 meeting.

The property is located just north of Tractor Supply Co. and south of the new Les Schwab Tire Center on Southwest 23rd Street.

According to a staff report for the Stout 3rd addition, RM Stout owner Casey Stout has applied to rezone one of the blocks in the Mole Woods addition, the main subdivision and lots 1-5. According to the report, the application was filed for land transfer and commercial development.

The subdivision is currently zoned as a general commercial district, according to the report.

The western portion of the site (including lots 3-5, one of the blocks in Mole Woods Addition) is undeveloped. The eastern portion of the site (including the first block of Mall Woods Addition, Lots 1 and 2) is being developed with an auto repair business.

“The proposed subdivision will increase the lot area/road frontage for this business and allow for future site improvements/expansion,” the staff report states. “The rezoning will also encourage development on the western portion of the site.”