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Steele County Park Board votes to proceed with campground, declines North Dakota Parks and Recreation grant
Summary
Facing procurement complications and a missing approval letter, the Steele County Park Board voted to move forward with a campground project in 2018 without the North Dakota Parks and Recreation grant and to pursue local alternatives including JDA and Garrison Diversion funding.
The Steele County Park Board voted on Sept. 17, 2018, to proceed with construction of a county campground this year and to decline a North Dakota Parks and Recreation grant after members identified procurement issues and noted the county had not yet received the grant’s final approval letter.
Chairman Russell Walcker opened the special meeting to discuss grant obstacles, and Ben Gates, who recently assumed responsibility for the grant paperwork, told the board that a review of the grant’s procurement rules had revealed issues that could delay the project. JDA Coordinator Karen Bergstrom said the county was still expecting a final approval letter from Parks and Recreation around Sept. 25, 2018, but the board chose not to wait.
The board discussed funding alternatives including asking the Joint Development Authority (JDA) for additional funds, pursuing originally requested funding from Garrison Diversion, or reapplying to Garrison Diversion in 2019. The board had previously discussed construction methods: at its Sept. 4 meeting members reviewed a $10,875 estimate for hydroseeding the campground as a cost-saving alternative to sodding.
On Sept. 17 Matt Roller moved, seconded by Paul Kroeplin, that the Park Board move forward with the campground project this year and not use the Parks and Recreation grant. The roll-call vote was: Randy Richards — yes; Ted Johnson — yes; Matt Roller — yes; Paul Kroeplin — yes; Brandon Krueger — yes; Brian Tuite — yes; Russell Walcker — no; Richard Strand — abstained. The motion passed.
The board asked Ben Gates to draft a letter declining the Parks and Recreation grant for Chairman Walcker to sign and directed Gates to review the project and any statutory requirements with Steele County States Attorney Charlie Stock. Karen Bergstrom was asked to follow up with Garrison Diversion about possible additional funding.
At the Sept. 4 Park Board meeting, the board had approved authorizing Commission Chairman Brian Tuite to sign a contract with Mean & Hunt retroactive to Aug. 21, 2018, and agreed to reduce the 2018 winter campground deposit (leaving $200 still due to hold spots) while construction proceeds. The board also discussed a tenant request to extend lease terms and directed Auditor Emily Wigen to contact North Dakota Game and Fish about the county lease; States Attorney Stock was asked to draft a revised county lease for future consideration.
Next steps include Gates drafting the formal declination letter, Stock’s legal review of compliance and statutory requirements, and Bergstrom’s follow-up with Garrison Diversion about alternate funding. The Park Board adjourned its special meeting on Sept. 17, 2018.
