[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6656546,"mediaKeyId","5214817-f8b482e39aa8418f55673202d801a4c0","parentId",5214817,"title","Minot meeting preview: flood project bid, housing grant request, MPO priorities and several MOUs on the consent agenda","audioSeconds",101,"startMs",1744000,"endMs",1845000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5214817-f8b482e39aa8418f55673202d801a4c0&start=1744&end=1845","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5214817-f8b482e39aa8418f55673202d801a4c0/thumbnail_1744000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656546/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Minot-meeting-preview-flood-project-bid-housing-grant-request-MPO-priorities-and-several-MOUs-on-the-consent-agenda","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656546-d4cc99a6fcb07d37fe0e89655240f60c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171487&Signature=VNIc4XbATQxXz3kT5iAcZ~3chLQj64aU8Wzx0HhjXih7kSt6YwpVBK5Gf~0IaH4MnxRBopnGae95skGsEIhyF6GG1NB4vkFccWnqWGTjL4ZR8KzjfzahDKbq4K14dES7cPmjN~LDLFlbwllH3ZNVu-W1Ugfx6-wqited7G6RgaqmkOoJ3vQUkvW12xHNlfTrszHIouCcEdTa-imi6Squiww5xnpMiA35GEeNYKyPLM0h589Awj4yBMGtbJfLWg5mZfnJhW-wnoAAQB4NEU-bR3sKvOR~hQ4~BWmKqjBdu~5MeRzQ0ayhUp4sucu-KDDJawe1pU8qHQhinLQt874arg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Minot, ND","date","2025-07-07T14:25:51Z","article","City staff presented a consent and action agenda that includes flood-protection and stormwater work, an affordable housing developer request for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) assistance, metropolitan transportation planning priorities, and several memoranda of understanding to be considered by the Minot City Council.

Items summarized by staff included an agreement among the North Dakota State Water Commission, the North Dakota Department of Water Resources and the Minot Water Treatment Plant clarifying payment responsibilities for treatment operations. Staff also noted a nightly operating arrangement and annual lease for the Men's Winter Refuge on city property.

A flood-protection item, described as the Perkett Ditch Improvements, will move stormwater from the Perkett area across the railroad tracks. The bid for that work came in about 40% higher than expected at $177,230, and staff said the project should be complete by October if approved.

The agenda includes a continuation of an MOU with the Job Corps program in Quintonberg (listed in the agenda as Quintonberg Job Corps) and an MOU allowing Minot Fire to work with the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minot Air Force Base for EMS bike-patrol coverage during the North Dakota State Fair; staff said the MOU helps avoid overtime and builds base-community relationships.

Roll-forward items for community development included a CDBG request tied to the Ingle Court project, which staff said would add 72 units of low- to moderate-income housing in a roughly $37,000,000 development; the federal CDBG program was described as being asked to contribute about $500,000 toward the project because of its low-to-moderate-income component. The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) presented a list of about $375,000,000 of candidate transportation improvements for the greater Minot area and asked the council to prioritize projects if only $150,000,000 is available for funding.

Other items on the consent and action agenda included assignment of commercial leases at Broadway Circle to Pathfinder Services of North Dakota, bids returned for a columbarium expansion at Rosehill Cemetery, a proposed personnel classification and job description for a deputy police chief, updates to public-appearance/public-comment policy to align with recent state legislative guidance (including proposed speaker cards and a total public-comment cap), a facade-improvement request at 110 East Central Avenue, and a proposed parking adjustment and paint/gore-line change at Sixth Street Southwest south of Eleventh Avenue Southwest.

Staff also noted a human-resources proposal to include dispatch staff in the public-safety retirement plan and announced open public comment periods for the CDBG application and MPO planning documents.

Ending: The transcript records staff summaries and council discussion of these items but does not record final votes or adopted motions in the excerpt provided; each item remained on the agenda for council action at a future point in the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Minot Minutiae 05: Council Budget Priorities","oneSentenceSummary","City staff flagged a series of consent and action items including a Perkett Ditch stormwater project with a bid 40% above estimate, a $37 million Ingle Court housing project seeking about $500,000 in CDBG funds, MPO transportation priorities, and multiple MOUs including with Minot Air Force Base.","taxTitle","Minot, Ward County, North Dakota","taxId",55035,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656552,"Minot council previews budget focusing on public safety funding, employee pay and reserve policy",1478,232000,1710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5214817-f8b482e39aa8418f55673202d801a4c0&start=232&end=1710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5214817-f8b482e39aa8418f55673202d801a4c0/thumbnail_232000.jpg","/articles/6656552/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Minot-council-previews-budget-focusing-on-public-safety-funding-employee-pay-and-reserve-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656552-311367798f596624947e898587fcf789/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171487&Signature=KVciKF8jLdsss8Mam6s2lqFhGdVJZabhrnwM7TKvglDc3Zk0bYiR4WEqMmqCHJO6Shyk~7JCl4KPSnht325Aoq8ckJtjzt1~-pZbW7xUu5XHpmP3sbth76s~sDbkB1ajX4V5W0f2oC8rv-YMA5Fg-3i~MfAf0sVOFNy-eOdIl7vomtd-rdE2DsS8ANnSJ4yf5BKKPAXMkLv7lW5L7bUst8s2f4v784wysE0YhKTpps2AKRXg840r1hEfsJ27HA0Jk5tk5kdzqz-X9suTl51ubHRodqVU3AyTCvnnrJRnaBjRGPyiXFKfgaI2L4nFo49p0C825Jf5sNZzg5GZMQt-iA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Minot City Council members and staff used a meeting discussion to preview the city manager's proposed budget and to outline priorities for the coming fiscal cycle, placing public safety, employee compensation and reserve levels at the center of deliberations.

Council members and staff reviewed presentations from department heads and discussed how to balance competing demands under a new 3% statutory constraint cited by multiple speakers. Officials said they expect the budget to remain close to flat overall while identifying targeted changes for public safety, staff training and selected capital maintenance needs.

Council members emphasized public safety as a top priority and discussed options to fund police and fire, including reallocating existing sales tax revenue rather than adding a new tax. One speaker proposed designating an existing penny of sales tax'now used for property tax relief, economic development and improvements'to public safety spending to reduce pressure on the property tax levy.

Officials also flagged staffing and compensation concerns. Several council members said they oppose involuntary position eliminations and instead favor attrition and careful review of impacts if positions are reduced. Council discussion included support for targeted, performance-based pay increases for critical employees rather than uniform across-the-board raises that would be difficult to sustain under the current constraints.

Reserve policy and fiscal posture drew sustained attention. Council members described a decision to maintain reserves at the level the meeting characterized as the state requirement (discussed in the meeting as 75% of general fund budget) and debated whether to run a leaner operating budget while relying on reserves for unplanned high-cost years rather than budgeting for extreme events every year.

Speakers noted the city has reported operating surpluses in recent years and said those surpluses could be used to buy down property tax levies in future budget cycles; the council discussed continuing that practice while remaining mindful of consistency and long-term sustainability. Officials identified several categories of spending they expect to protect or prioritize: staffing (particularly public safety), credentialing and required training, and maintenance of buildings and streets.

Council members also raised implementation questions: which position cuts (if any) to accept, how to phase credentialing and continuing-education support across departments, and where to accept additional risk versus investing now to avoid larger costs later (for example, software or equipment upgrades). Finance staff were cited for presenting reserve and budgeting scenarios and for noting cost pressures such as health insurance and other benefits that are often finalized later in the budget cycle.

The discussion concluded with council members expressing willingness to consider a mix of strategies'including limited use of reserves, targeted spending reductions and reconfigured sales-tax allocations'and directing staff to present a city manager's proposed budget that reflects those priorities for future consideration and formal action.

Ending: Council members said they will review the city manager's formal budget proposal when it is presented and continue deliberations at subsequent meetings; no formal budget vote or ordinance was recorded in the transcript excerpt.","City officials discussed budget priorities including potential reallocation of sales tax toward public safety, limits under a new 3% constraint from the legislature, reserve policy and options for targeted pay increases rather than across-the-board raises.","actionData","errors"]

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Minot meeting preview: flood project bid, housing grant request, MPO priorities and several MOUs on the consent agenda

Minot council previews budget focusing on public safety funding, employee pay and reserve policy