Grand Forks City Council approves multiple permits, contracts and project memos; narrow votes on gambling site, parking contract and fluoride

The Grand Forks City Council on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 approved a package of routine agenda items and a series of separate motions that included a conditional approval for a charitable gaming site at Albatross Indoor Golf Club, a one-year-start amendment to the city’s downtown parking contract and the annual chemical purchasing resolution for water and wastewater treatment. Two votes drew council dissent: the Horse Race North Dakota site authorization passed 6–1, and the parking contract amendment passed 6–1 after the council shortened the renewal/termination notice; a proposal to remove fluoride from the city water supply was defeated 4–3 earlier in the meeting.

The actions matter because they affect local fundraising and charitable gaming in downtown establishments, how downtown parking will be enforced and measured, property purchases for solid-waste operations, and the city’s water-chemicals purchasing and public-health policy. Council debate focused most sharply on whether charitable-gaming proceeds stay in Grand Forks, how a private contractor would supplement police parking enforcement, and whether the city should reexamine fluoridation policy.

Council approved a consent block of routine items, moved several contract and procurement items, and voted on distinct agenda items as follows:

- Consent agenda: Council approved a grouped set of administrative and procurement items (listed in staff paperwork as 5.1, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.12, 5.13, 5.15, 5.16, 5.17, 5.19, 5.21) by motion of Councilmember Sosowski, second by Councilmember Berg; the motion carried unanimously.

- Vacation of right-of-way and easements (Item 3.1): Vice President Weigel moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Friedelst; the public hearing had no speakers and the council approved the request with one dissent (Osowski). The motion carried with one dissent.

- Mid-Continent franchise agreement amendment (Item 3.2): Councilmember Berg moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Lunsky; no public comments were offered and the amendment passed unanimously.

- Horse Race North Dakota site authorization at Albatross Indoor Golf Club (Item 5.2): After public questions from council about the applicant’s structure and where funds raised would flow, Peter Bushey, representing Horse Race North Dakota, explained the organization is a licensed charitable operator in North Dakota with sites in several cities and that 40% of adjusted gross proceeds are eligible for charitable distribution under state rules. Councilmember Berg moved approval; the motion passed 6–1 with Councilmember Osowski dissenting. Council discussion recorded concerns that state rules do not require proceeds to stay in the local community and that the city cannot legally mandate where charitable-gaming funds are distributed.

- Grand Forks Children’s Museum site authorization (Item 5.3): Councilmember Burke moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Lunsky; the motion passed unanimously.

- Continued work on city facility security (Item 5.5): Council approved a contract extension to continue planned security and network support for city facilities. The city explained the chosen vendor provides both network and physical-security integration; Council approved the continuation unanimously.

- Lease addendum for EOD May’s research field (Item 5.10): Council approved a lease addendum for research use of a city property; council members asked staff to confirm whether any pesticides or fertilizers were used on the plots and staff agreed to follow up; the motion passed unanimously.

- Downtown parking contract amendment with Interstate Parking/Dakota Parking Company (Item 5.11): Staff and the interim police chief described a need for consistent downtown enforcement because Community Service Officers (CSOs) are frequently deployed elsewhere. The council negotiated an amendment to the existing contract—adding weekend ramp cleaning and consistent on-street and off-street enforcement—with a change to the automatic-renewal/termination notice so the council can more quickly end the amended provision if needed. The vendor said license-plate-recognition hardware transfers and vehicle equipment represent an upfront investment (vendor estimated LPR hardware at about $30,000 and an equipment-transfer cost near $2,000). The motion to approve the amendment (as modified to shorten the termination notice period for the amended provision) carried 6–1 with Councilmember Osowski dissenting.

- Sanitation: purchase of property for a south-end yard-waste site (Item 5.14): Council approved purchase of a roughly 0.33-acre parcel on South Washington to relocate yard-waste drop-off away from school playgrounds and better serve the south end of the city. Staff said the site cost is about $150,000 (roughly $10+ per square foot) and would support at least six containers; the motion passed unanimously.

- 2025 chemical bids, water/wastewater treatment (Item 5.18): Council debated one specific chemical—fluoride—at length. Councilmember Osowski moved to remove fluoride from the city water supply; that motion failed 3–4 after members requested further study. Council later approved the city’s chemical-purchasing motion (which retains fluoride and other chemicals required for treatment) by a 4–3 vote. Staff reported the 2025 line-item for fluoride is about $50,000 and said the utility currently feeds roughly 0.8 milligrams per liter on average (staff said the system was adjusted from an earlier target near 1.2 mg/L down to 0.7 mg/L). Several council members asked staff to schedule expert presentations and additional review before any ordinance change regarding fluoridation.

- Fats, oils and grease (FOG) abatement program (Item 5.20): Council approved continued funding for the wastewater FOG-abatement program and noted tiered commercial fees (staff described a fee band between about $5.20 and $20 per month depending on business category); the motion carried unanimously.

- Ritter Valley water-supply memorandum of commitment (Item 5.22): Council approved a redlined memorandum of commitment and instructed staff that further PPA negotiating language must be satisfactory; the motion carried unanimously.

Council direction and follow-ups: staff were asked to provide additional documentation and bring back items for future council review where requested. Specifically, council asked staff to:

- Provide details on how to apply for charitable-gaming funds and follow up about whether particular charities operating sites already have licenses and where proceeds have been distributed in prior years. - Provide data and outside expert presentations on fluoridation before any ordinance change; staff and the city attorney noted the existing city code (Title 15, section 0214 in staff materials) would need amendment to remove or alter a directive to add fluoride. - Track empirical parking-enforcement data during the amended contract period and return to council prior to automatic renewal; the amended contract language was changed to shorten the renewal-termination notice for the amended portion so the council has an earlier decision point.

Votes at a glance (item, outcome, tally, mover/second where on record): - Consent block (multiple items): approved unanimous; mover: Sosowski; second: Berg. - 3.1 vacation of right-of-way/easements: approved; dissent recorded (Osowski); mover: Vice President Weigel; second: Friedelst. - 3.2 Mid-Continent franchise amendment: approved unanimous; mover: Berg; second: Lunsky. - 5.2 Horse Race North Dakota site at Albatross Indoor Golf Club: approved 6–1 (Osowski opposed); mover: Berg; second: Friedelst. - 5.3 Grand Forks Children’s Museum site authorization: approved unanimous; mover: Burke; second: Lunsky. - 5.5 city facility security work: approved unanimous; mover: Osowski; second: Berg. - 5.10 lease addendum for research plots: approved unanimous; mover: Osowski; second: Veen. - 5.11 downtown parking contract amendment (with shortened termination notice for the amendment): approved 6–1 (Osowski opposed); mover: (motion initiated by staff) second: Berg. - 5.14 yard-waste site property purchase (~$150,000; ~0.33 acres): approved unanimous; mover: Laselski; second: Bean. - 5.18 chemical bid package (including fluoride): initial motion to remove fluoride failed 3–4; final approval of chemical bids passed 4–3. - 5.20 FOG abatement program and fee schedule adjustments: approved unanimous. - 5.22 Ritter Valley memorandum of commitment (redlined; PPA language to be negotiated): approved unanimous; mover: Veen; second: Berg.

What happens next: Staff will return with requested documentation, outside expert presentations on fluoridation if council requests them, and empirical enforcement data from the parking pilot before any automatic renewals. The city attorney will prepare ordinance language if the council directs a formal code change on fluoridation.

The meeting minutes show many items passed without extensive debate; the council recorded a small set of substantive disagreements on charitable gaming, parking enforcement contracting, and the fluoride question.