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Council approves routine consent items, accepts audit, and OKs small land sale and event permit
Summary
At its Sept. 9 meeting the Grafton City Council approved the consent agenda, accepted the 2023 audited financial statements (with one material weakness noted), approved special assessments for uncollectible bills, accepted a $6,300 bid for two parcels, and granted a permit for the Scare Oaks Haunted Woods event.
The Grafton City Council cleared a package of routine administrative items on Sept. 9, approving the consent agenda and several separate motions that included a small land sale, acceptance of the city audit, a special assessment action, and an event permit.
Consent and routine approvals: the council unanimously approved the consent agenda (minutes from Aug. 12, officer reports, Game of Chance applications for local groups, and site authorizations). The Council also approved payment of General, Special, Capital Projects, Debt Service and Enterprise Fund bills as submitted.
Parcel sale: the Council accepted a bid from Mike and Sandra Sackett for the north 20 feet of Lot 13 and all of Lot 14, Block 5, 4th Replat Vocational Addition (Parcel 11250-470 bid $5,000; Parcel 11250-465 bid $1,300; total $6,300). The motion to accept the bid was made by Council Member Greg Young and seconded by Council Member Brad Burianek; the vote was unanimous.
2023 audit: Matt Laughlin of Brady Martz presented the City of Grafton’s 2023 audited financial statements and reported a clean opinion. Laughlin noted one material weakness: the audit firm prepared the financial statements and adjusting entries to bring the statements into GAAP compliance because the City lacks an internal control system to prepare GAAP financial statements. Council Member Brian Sieben moved to accept the audit and Council Member Brad Burianek seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
Special assessments and event permit: the Council voted to special assess uncollectible nuisance and utility bills for one year at 5.5% interest (motion by Greg Young, second Brian Sieben). Council also approved Ron Kerner’s application to use City property for Scare Oaks Haunted Woods Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 27–Oct. 26, 8 p.m.–12 a.m.; Kerner indicated this is his last year running the attraction.
Other items: the Grafton Municipal Airport Authority reported it has been approved for a $1.3 million infrastructure loan from the Bank of North Dakota to construct a new row hangar; most loan proceeds will float construction costs until federal funding arrives in 2025–2026. The Council received a sample storage-container ordinance from Walhalla for future consideration and members were asked to provide comments to Administrator Ziegelmann.
Why it matters: the audit acceptance confirms the city’s fiscal reporting subject to the noted material weakness; special assessment and parcel sale have direct, discrete financial and administrative effects.
