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Record of Proceedings

Bismarck Board of City Commissioners Meeting Summary - January 13, 2026

City Commission — Tuesday, January 13, 2026
BodyBismarck, North Dakota
SessionCity Commission
DateTuesday, January 13, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:02:27

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

It's five I have 515 on the 13th of January.

0:14

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

0:16

This will be the Board of City Commissioners meeting.

0:19

However, before we'll start, I would like to ask Chaplain Carr to come forward for invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:24

And maybe he wants to make an announcement about the per breakfast.

0:28

Thank you, Mr.

0:28

Mayor.

0:29

And it's an honor uh to be able to do this, and we thank you for letting the chaplaincy continue to do this at each meeting.

0:36

We appreciate it.

0:37

And also we appreciate you letting us uh host the mayor's prayer breakfast.

0:42

And I'm happy to announce that date as May 20th, Wednesday, May 20th of this year at 715 a.m.

0:49

So we hope to see everybody there.

0:51

Let us pray.

0:52

Heavenly Father, I s I just want to thank you for uh this commission and the men and women that make the decisions to make Bismarck the great community that it is.

1:02

I thank you for giving them the wisdom that they need to make the right decisions every time.

1:09

We may not always agree with those decisions, but Father, I believe they're your decisions as well.

1:16

So thank you, Father, for these men and women.

1:19

Thank you for all of our workers in our city and our county.

1:23

Thank you for all of our first responders.

1:25

We ask your protection upon them as they do their job that they are called to do.

1:30

Uh Father, be with us tonight.

1:32

May everything uh that is done in this building uh just uh make Bismarck a better place.

1:38

And again, we give you thanks in the name of your son, amen.

1:42

Amen.

1:42

Please stand.

1:45

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.

1:58

Again, thank you.

2:00

Commissioner.

2:04

All right.

2:04

Um if we can call a meeting to order by calling roll, please.

2:09

Commissioner Rish.

2:10

Here.

2:10

Commissioner Zenker?

2:11

Here.

2:12

Commissioner Connolly?

2:13

Here.

2:13

Commissioner Cleary?

2:14

Here.

2:14

Mayor Schmidt.

2:16

Here.

2:16

Our first item tonight is public comment.

2:19

Public comment is for those items on the consent agenda or the regular agenda that is not a public hearing or anything from the prior agenda.

2:30

Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward and tell us what your topping talking to and sign in.

2:40

Good evening.

2:41

Uh for the record, my name is Dustin Goverlow, Bismarck resident.

2:45

Uh I'm speaking on regular agenda item number uh letter D regarding the street utility fee.

2:52

Uh I'm not going to get into policy on it.

2:55

I I just want to make a few comments about strategy and timing.

2:59

Uh and uh urge the concept of not letting the this and the uh sales tax get too blurred together.

3:09

Uh they are very complicated discussion points.

3:12

And I know that uh I think next meeting there will be more discussion on the sales tax side of things.

3:18

Uh and hopefully that gets ratcheted down significantly as far as the expectations that come out of that.

3:24

Uh but I I think that uh in my opinion, strategically to be able to best explain these uh separate uh measures to the public if that's where it's going.

3:36

Uh that uh having them be rushed is not necessarily a good idea, and that uh having them at the same time on the same ballot is not necessarily a good idea.

3:48

Uh with that, I will stand for any comments or questions.

3:51

I mean any questions for Dustin.

3:54

Thank you, sir.

4:06

All right, this is public comment.

4:07

Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward.

4:13

A second call for public comment.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Property Tax Assessment███████████████████████████████31%
Public Engagement███████████████████████23%
Transportation Safety██████████████████████22%
Procedural███████████11%
Community Engagement██████6%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Procurement Policy██2%
Cannabis Regulation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Bismarck Board of City Commissioners Meeting - January 13, 2026

The Board of City Commissioners convened on January 13, 2026, in the Tom Baker Room of the City County Building for a meeting focused on consent agenda approvals, public hearings for alcohol licenses, street improvement contracts, and a significant discussion regarding the transition from street maintenance special assessments to a potential utility fee. Following the invocation and public comment period, the board approved several routine items and addressed specific concerns regarding contract terms and municipal code clarity. The primary deliberation centered on the Street Utility Fee proposal, where staff presented public survey results indicating mixed public sentiment, followed by a multi-faceted debate on survey methodology, fee structure, and the strategy for future ballot measures.

Consent Calendar

  • Item D6 (Contract with Jones Lang LaSalle): Approved with amendments by unanimous voice vote. The Board reduced the management and operational support contract from five months to 60 days, specifically limited to the period covering contract negotiations and one additional authority board meeting. The appointment of Jason Timonic as the sole point of contact for Jones Lang LaSalle was also mandated.
  • Item I1 (Ordinance Language Clarification): Approved unanimously. The Board clarified municipal code language regarding the Municipal Court to align with state statutes, confirming that the Clerk of Court serves as the department leader for city matters while the Judge retains authority over judicial functions.
  • Item D1 (Joint Powers Agreement): Approved unanimously. The Board adopted the resolution regarding the County's decision to withdraw from the joint powers agreement with the park district. Commissioner Rish expressed disappointment regarding the County's decision to act unilaterally but affirmed support for the formal adoption of the resolution.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Dustin Goverlow: Expressed a strategic position that the street utility fee and sales tax discussions should not be rushed or presented on the same ballot, arguing that blurring the two complicated issues would be detrimental to public understanding.
  • Neil and Tiffany Galpin: Appeared as owners of

Meeting Transcript

It's five I have 515 on the 13th of January. We're in the Tom Baker room of the City County Building. This will be the Board of City Commissioners meeting. However, before we'll start, I would like to ask Chaplain Carr to come forward for invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. And maybe he wants to make an announcement about the per breakfast. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And it's an honor uh to be able to do this, and we thank you for letting the chaplaincy continue to do this at each meeting. We appreciate it. And also we appreciate you letting us uh host the mayor's prayer breakfast. And I'm happy to announce that date as May 20th, Wednesday, May 20th of this year at 715 a.m. So we hope to see everybody there. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, I s I just want to thank you for uh this commission and the men and women that make the decisions to make Bismarck the great community that it is. I thank you for giving them the wisdom that they need to make the right decisions every time. We may not always agree with those decisions, but Father, I believe they're your decisions as well. So thank you, Father, for these men and women. Thank you for all of our workers in our city and our county. Thank you for all of our first responders. We ask your protection upon them as they do their job that they are called to do. Uh Father, be with us tonight. May everything uh that is done in this building uh just uh make Bismarck a better place. And again, we give you thanks in the name of your son, amen. Amen. Please stand. 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. Again, thank you. Commissioner. All right. Um if we can call a meeting to order by calling roll, please. Commissioner Rish. Here. Commissioner Zenker? Here. Commissioner Connolly? Here. Commissioner Cleary? Here. Mayor Schmidt. Here. Our first item tonight is public comment. Public comment is for those items on the consent agenda or the regular agenda that is not a public hearing or anything from the prior agenda. Anyone who wish to speak, please come forward and tell us what your topping talking to and sign in. Good evening. Uh for the record, my name is Dustin Goverlow, Bismarck resident. Uh I'm speaking on regular agenda item number uh letter D regarding the street utility fee. Uh I'm not going to get into policy on it. I I just want to make a few comments about strategy and timing. Uh and uh urge the concept of not letting the this and the uh sales tax get too blurred together. Uh they are very complicated discussion points.

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