OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Commission Meeting Summary: December 16, 2025

City Commission — Tuesday, December 16, 2025
BodyBismarck, North Dakota
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, December 16, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:31:24

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

December 16th, it's 5 15.

0:12

We're in the Tom Baker room of the City County Building.

0:14

This will be the Board of City Commissioners.

0:17

But before we start, if Chaplin Lucas would mind coming forward with Benediction and the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

0:27

On behalf of Crisis Care Chaplain C thank you to the commission for allowing us to participate.

0:33

If you would, if you are able, if you would stand with me for the invitation and then remain standing for the pledge.

0:42

Heavenly Father, we come before you uh tonight with thanksgiving for all the many blessings that you bestow upon us.

0:50

A nation where we are free.

0:53

Elections that give the people a voice, public meetings like this where people also have a voice.

1:00

We thank you that the people have an opportunity to serve their city as these commissioners are as well.

1:09

We pray uh protection and wisdom to our first responders as they serve this city in the many capacities uh that they serve in.

1:20

We ask you to provide wisdom and discernment to this group tonight as they make decisions going forward.

1:30

And during this Christmas season, may we be a little more kind, may we be a little more generous, and may we be a little more empathetic during this season.

1:41

We ask all these things in your holy and precious name.

1:45

Amen.

1:49

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

2:03

Thank you, sir.

2:09

All right, if we can call the meeting to order and call roll.

2:14

Commissioner Rish.

2:15

Here commissioner Zenker?

2:17

Here.

2:17

Commissioner Connolly?

2:18

Here.

2:18

Commissioner Cleary?

2:20

Here.

2:20

Mayor Schmidt.

2:21

Here.

2:22

We are at public comment.

2:24

Public comment is restricted to the consent agenda consent agenda, regular agenda or prior city commission agenda, excluding any public hearings that are noted for tonight.

2:35

So public comment period is now open.

2:37

Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward, state your name, and sign in on the log.

3:03

Well just all the way.

3:33

No one would move by call for the city of Man.

3:36

So I would make that continue upon the City of Man participating.

3:42

This is a joint community of public transit.

3:46

It is for both of our communities, and I don't think Bismart should just have to pay the bill.

3:53

I I do understand if you have to, but I think they have their own sales tax too.

3:59

So I would just ask that you consider that.

4:12

Thank you.

4:13

Thank you.

4:16

Again, this is a public comment.

4:17

Anyone who wishes to speak, please come forward, identify yourself and the topic.

4:29

Hello, my name is Susan Dingle.

4:32

I want to speak about the third party management recommendation and the approval of the idea of selecting advisory board members for the event center.

4:49

I myself still have mixed opinions about the idea of choosing a third-party management organization for the Bismarck Event Center, but I am confident at the same time that the process for soliciting applicants and making the recommendation were transparent and fair.

5:06

That is not what I'm here to comment about.

5:09

What I am here to comment about is my hopes for event center staff.

5:15

The event center staff are the secret sauce of the event center.

5:19

They are why it has succeeded and why it can continue to succeed.

5:27

Many of these people are members of families that have had other family members working at the event center for generations.

5:41

This is not typical, and this is certainly nothing to take for granted.

5:45

This is a strength, and it needs to be continued.

5:49

The same people also can be advocates for helping to recruit other new staff members.

5:56

And this should be maintained and encouraged.

5:59

This is a key part of the culture of the event center and part of how and why it works.

6:06

It needs to be preserved and upheld and respected.

6:28

They know that.

7:05

And one of the biggest concerns, and perhaps one of the things that the management group can bring, is some perspective on the multiplier effect, because the multiplier effect is really the key metric, excuse me, with an event center.

7:27

It's not the profit, which may or may not occur.

7:32

The idea is the event center spotlights the community.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement██████████████████████████████30%
Public-Private Partnerships████████████████16%
Procedural██████████████14%
Economic Development██████████████14%
Public Safety████████8%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Workforce Development████4%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Technology and Innovation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

City Commission Meeting Summary: December 16, 2025

The City Commission of Bismarck convened on December 16, 2025, to address a wide range of administrative and policy items, including transit funding, economic development initiatives, alcohol licenses, pension plan amendments, and the establishment of a new Event Center Authority Board. The meeting featured significant public testimony regarding the cultural preservation of event center staff and mixed support for the third-party management proposal. Key outcomes included the unanimous approval of the transit sales tax allocation, the Bismarck Business Pitch program, and the new Authority Board appointments, alongside the postponement of item I-1 regarding municipal court appointments.

Consent Calendar

  • Approvals: The Commission unanimously approved several items after pulling specific agenda items for further discussion. Items included the approval of the Public Health Services Agreement with Burleigh County and the approval of the public hearing on Ordinance 664-48 (City Employee Pension Plan) and Ordinance 664-49 (Police Pension Plan).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Susan Dingle: Expressed mixed opinions regarding the selection of a third-party management organization for the Bismarck Event Center but strongly emphasized the need to preserve and respect the existing staff as the "secret sauce" and a key strength of the center's culture. She advocated for a multiplier effect on community partnerships and suggested that the new management group should help maximize these relationships.
  • Anonymous Speaker (City of Mandan): Expressed the position that the joint community of public transit is shared by both Bismarck and Mandan, arguing that Bismarck should not solely bear the financial burden of the sales tax allocation.
  • Trevor: A brief interjection regarding the pandemic was noted during sign-in.

Discussion Items

  • Item D1: Third-Party Management Recommendation (Bismarck Event Center):
    • Commissioner Zenker: Expressed strong opposition to the third-party management concept since the beginning and requested three specific clarifications: assurances for current staff retention, the handling of existing booked contracts, and the return on investment for the city given recent capital commitments.
    • Jason (Staff Consultant): Addressed Commissioner Zenker's concerns by confirming that employee protection is a core component of the proposal, with the expectation that all current staff will be offered jobs on day one by the third party. He noted that existing contracts will be honored and detailed a proposed investment by Oakview Group into a full-scale commercial kitchen. He highlighted Oakview Group's track record at the Alaris Center in Grand Forks, noting their ability to turn a deficit into revenue, and mentioned Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that would include cash incentives for exceeding targets.
  • Item I1: Municipal Court Clerk Appointment:
    • Commissioner Connolly: Requested a postponement due to a communication issue with the Supreme Court lawyer representative and the need for proper re-noticing.
    • Commissioner Rish: Agreed, suggesting the entire item be postponed to ensure transparency and avoid parceling out the agenda item.
  • Item K9: Community Development Advisory Committee Appointments:
    • Commissioner Connolly: Expressed concern regarding potential conflicts of interest, specifically noting that a representative from an entity previously paid by the city for economic development was now on the committee, and raised issues regarding other appointments related to medical detox and parking authority discussions.
    • Daniel (City Staff): Clarified that the committee's sole purpose is to advise on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) sub-recipients as required by HUD, not general economic development. He acknowledged the initial confusion in the memo and agreed to future postings of member qualifications.
  • Item A: Transit Sales Tax Allocation:
    • Deedra (Bisman Transit Board): Presented a request for $649,392.15 from Bismarck to offset a projected 2025 operating deficit of $760,000, citing rising fuel, repair, and labor costs alongside stagnant federal grants. She emphasized that these funds are critical to maintaining services for vulnerable populations and preventing service cuts.
  • Item B: Chamber EDC Request:
    • Brendan Eagle (Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC): Requested approval for the "Bismarck Business Pitch" program, modeled after Mandan's successful initiative, requesting $15,000 in forgivable loans from the Vision Fund to support three entrepreneur awards. He also presented updates on the Chamber's strategic plan, including economic development projects, leadership development, and public policy initiatives.
  • Item L: Indigent Defense Contracts:
    • Nicole: Presented bids for 2026-2027 defense contracts, both at $3,200 per month.
    • Commissioner Connolly: Raised concerns regarding instances where counsel were not present at court dates for custody hearings but confirmed that the issue has been addressed with the attorneys.
  • Item M: Law Enforcement Accreditation:
    • Chief: Celebrated the Bismarck Police Department receiving its 11th re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), noting it is a rare distinction held by only a small fraction of agencies nationally.
  • Item N: Water Utility Project 150:
    • Staff: Recommended awarding the contract for the Zone 3 line extension to SiteWorks Excavation at $123,001.00, noting the bid was significantly lower than the engineer's estimate but within a competitive market range.
  • Unscheduled Item: Bismarck Event Center Authority Board Appointments:
    • Jason: Presented the inaugural membership for the seven-person Authority Board, including representatives from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kirkwood Mall, Downtowners, Symphony Orchestra, and Hospitality sectors, to oversee the third-party management contract.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved (Unanimous):
    • Transit Funding: Approval of $649,392.15 in sales tax revenue allocation to Bisman Transit from the City of Bismarck.
    • Business Pitch: Approval to implement the Bismarck Business Pitch program with a $15,000 request from the Vision Fund.
    • Alcohol Licenses: Approval of the Class D license transfer to Eclipse Venue LLC and the F1 license application for Los Mancheros Bar & Grill.
    • Pension Amendments: Approval of Ordinance 664-48 (City Employee Pension) and Ordinance 664-49 (Police Pension).
    • Public Health Agreement: Approval of the public health services agreement with Burleigh County.
    • Indigent Defense: Award of defense contracts to Tom Glass and Steve Balabad.
    • Infrastructure: Award of the water utility project contract to SiteWorks Excavation.
    • Authority Board: Approval of the inaugural membership appointments for the Bismarck Event Center Authority Board.
    • Police Accreditation: Receipt of recognition for the 11th CALEA accreditation.
  • Postponed (Unanimous):
    • Municipal Court Item (I1): Moved to the January 13, 2026 meeting to allow for proper notice and review.
  • Withheld (Unanimous):
    • Item D1 (Event Center Management): Motion to approve the recommendation passed (5 Yes, 1 No). Commissioner Zenker voted no, citing unresolved questions regarding staff guarantees and ROI, but the item was approved with a recommendation to move forward with the contract negotiation.
  • Next Steps:
    • Transit service changes to be recommended at the February 10th meeting for potential April 1st implementation.
    • Public engagement on the Street Utility Fee and Half-Cent Sales Tax extension to continue, with updates expected in January.
    • Authority Board to convene to begin holding the third-party management accountable.

Meeting Transcript

December 16th, it's 5 15. We're in the Tom Baker room of the City County Building. This will be the Board of City Commissioners. But before we start, if Chaplin Lucas would mind coming forward with Benediction and the Pledge of Allegiance, please. On behalf of Crisis Care Chaplain C thank you to the commission for allowing us to participate. If you would, if you are able, if you would stand with me for the invitation and then remain standing for the pledge. Heavenly Father, we come before you uh tonight with thanksgiving for all the many blessings that you bestow upon us. A nation where we are free. Elections that give the people a voice, public meetings like this where people also have a voice. We thank you that the people have an opportunity to serve their city as these commissioners are as well. We pray uh protection and wisdom to our first responders as they serve this city in the many capacities uh that they serve in. We ask you to provide wisdom and discernment to this group tonight as they make decisions going forward. And during this Christmas season, may we be a little more kind, may we be a little more generous, and may we be a little more empathetic during this season. We ask all these things in your holy and precious name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, sir. All right, if we can call the meeting to order and call roll. Commissioner Rish. Here commissioner Zenker? Here. Commissioner Connolly? Here. Commissioner Cleary? Here. Mayor Schmidt. Here. We are at public comment. Public comment is restricted to the consent agenda consent agenda, regular agenda or prior city commission agenda, excluding any public hearings that are noted for tonight. So public comment period is now open. Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward, state your name, and sign in on the log. Well just all the way. No one would move by call for the city of Man. So I would make that continue upon the City of Man participating. This is a joint community of public transit. It is for both of our communities, and I don't think Bismart should just have to pay the bill. I I do understand if you have to, but I think they have their own sales tax too. So I would just ask that you consider that. Thank you. Thank you. Again, this is a public comment. Anyone who wishes to speak, please come forward, identify yourself and the topic. Hello, my name is Susan Dingle. I want to speak about the third party management recommendation and the approval of the idea of selecting advisory board members for the event center. I myself still have mixed opinions about the idea of choosing a third-party management organization for the Bismarck Event Center, but I am confident at the same time that the process for soliciting applicants and making the recommendation were transparent and fair. That is not what I'm here to comment about. What I am here to comment about is my hopes for event center staff. The event center staff are the secret sauce of the event center. They are why it has succeeded and why it can continue to succeed. Many of these people are members of families that have had other family members working at the event center for generations.

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