Moorhead City Council Meeting
June 23, 2014
Public Hearing 1: Property Tax Exemption
VOTING REQUIREMENTS: Majority of Quorum
City Council tabled the Request of Roger Erickson, Farmstead Care of Moorhead LP, for a Property Tax Exemption to construct a two-phased assisted living and memory care facility. Several Council Members had questions regarding unpaid property taxes from previous properties.
· Assisted Living Units – 9 units
· Memory Care Units – 20 units
· The estimated value of the tax incentive is $123,500.
· The first phase (34,000 sq. ft.) will consist of nine apartment-style rental units with minimal “assisted living” services such as laundry and is eligible for the standard multi-family housing exemption. Twenty of the units will have an additional “health related services” component which will bring ten to twelve health-related jobs not typical of a standard apartment complex.
· Phase II will be a mirror image of phase one. In the event construction of Phase II begins before the exemption for Phase I is complete, Phase II may also qualify to receive a property tax exemption.
· Employee Credits – $1,500 per employee per year, up to $50,000.
Public Hearing 2: To receive public comments regarding the transfer of the Bennett Park Recreation Program to Romkey Park
No voting Issue
· Due to low participation, an amendment was proposed to discontinue and transfer Bennett Park programming to nearby Romkey Park (900 19th St S) where increased participation is expected.
· Because Centro Cultural is no longer open, there is a gap in youth programming in the Romkey neighborhood, where there were approximately 50 children regularly participating last summer (20 – 30 on any given day). Romkey and Bennett Parks are within reasonable proximity to one another. Therefore the proposal to move the funds from Bennett Park to Romkey Park beginning with the fall afterschool programming.
Public Hearing 3: Grant Application to the Federal Transit Administration for 2014 Transit Capital Assistance.
VOTING REQUIREMENTS: Three-Fourths of Council (6)
Passed.
· The FTA appropriates funds to Moorhead based on population. The FY2014 funds are available at this time for programming. In 2013, Moorhead submitted a two-year grant application for operating and planning assistance. The 2014 appropriation has been set aside for the purchase of capital equipment for 2014-15.
o Local Share $95,312
o Federal Share $425,600
o Project Total: $532,000
Traffic Stop resulting in
large Marijuana Seizure
On June 18 a Moorhead Police Officer patrolling in the area of 8th Street and Main Avenue observed a 2006 Corvette accelerate heavily southbound. The rear of vehicle slid sideways due to the heavy acceleration. The officer stopped the vehicle and identified the driver and owner of the vehicle as THOMAS LLOYD SCHULTZ (26 years old from Fargo). Schultz did not have a valid driver’s license, or proper registration for his vehicle. A search of the vehicle subsequent to being towed resulted in 4.25 lbs. of Marijuana being seized. In addition, approximately $10,000 cash was also seized from inside the vehicle.
Thomas Schultz was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Clay County Jail pending a long form complaint through the Clay County Attorney’s Office for felony controlled substance charges.
Moorhead switches water
supply due to local oil spill
Moorhead Public Service (MPS) recently made a switch in its water supply source, which may affect the taste of water from the utility. On Saturday, June 21, 2014, an oil spill occurred at the corner of 25th Street and 18th Avenue South in Fargo, North Dakota, which could have potentially entered the Red River. As a precautionary measure, MPS’ Water Treatment Plant personnel switched its source water from the Red River to wells drawing from the Buffalo Aquifer. It is common for customers to notice the switch to well water because of the different mineral composition in the respective water supplies. MPS’ Water Treatment Plant personnel will resume utilization of the Red River on Monday afternoon, June 23, 2014. It may take a few days for the taste of the water to return to normal.
MPS staff tests the water on a regular basis and, although there may be a slightly different taste in the water, the water is safe to drink and use.