Mandan City Commission Meeting - December 16, 2025
Mandan City Commission Meeting - December 16, 2025
The Mandan City Commission met on December 16, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Bosch Frelick meeting room of Mandan City Hall. The meeting included employee recognitions, project updates, a public hearing on a zone change and minor plat, a protest determination for the Lower Heart Levee project, bid awards, and approval of funding requests for Bisman Transit. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- The Commission approved the meeting agenda, minutes from the December 2, 2025 meeting, and consent agenda items 1 through 13 (including routine approvals and contracts).
Public Comments & Testimony
- One voicemail comment was submitted by Mr. Vinnette regarding the public transportation grant application, expressing a preference for multiple application periods per year rather than one. The city noted that applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so the concern was already addressed. No other public comments were offered.
Employee Recognitions and New Hires
- The Commission recognized quarterly employee work anniversaries: Justin Keller (3 years), Jacob Valeroy (5 years), Jarek Wignes (3 years), Sarah Anderson (3 years), and Jamie Rath (25 years). McCain Krueger was introduced as a new operator at the water treatment plant. Denise Sather was introduced as a new circulation desk assistant. Lynel Boucher was introduced as a new records technician for the police department. David Glatt was introduced as a new firefighter, having recently graduated from the joint fire academy.
Project Updates
- Memorial Highway: The roadway is open with a three-lane configuration; businesses are accessible. Snow removal plans include mainline and business approaches cleared by 8 a.m. A matching program (visitmandan.com/memorialhighway) is ongoing. Commissioner Rohr inquired about a closed access street near Cole's Diner; staff will follow up.
- 2026 Street Reconstruction Project: A second public input meeting was held December 4th. Letters with estimated costs and assessments were sent. Additional concerns were identified. The protest period ends December 21st at 4:30 p.m.
- Holiday Light Tour Map: Available via the City of Mandan app, social media, or the city website map gallery. Residents can submit locations and vote for favorite displays.
- North Dakota Santa Run: Originally scheduled December 13th but postponed due to cold weather, now rescheduled for December 20th. Approximately 400 registered participants. Route starts at Dykshoorn Park and proceeds through neighborhoods. Santa suits are provided.
- New Year's Eve Fireworks (December 31st): A world record attempt for 2.5 million Roman candle shots, a 20-minute pyro-musical show benefiting Wounded Warriors Project, Western North Dakota Honor Flight, and Mandan High School Marching Band. Viewing from Mandan High School parking lot; parking spots for sale at visitmandan.com. Road closures will occur from approximately 9:50 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. The event is an official America 250 event.
Public Hearing: Zone Change and Minor Plat for Big Sky Estates Eighth Edition
- The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a zone change (from RM residential and agriculture to RM residential) and a minor plat for Big Sky Estates Eighth Edition. A neighbor's access concern was resolved by including a small portion of right-of-way into the plat. The plat creates two lots (lot 1: 1.2 acres, lot 2: 2.29 acres) and includes utility easements. No public comments were made at the hearing. The Commission unanimously approved the zone change and plat.
Public Hearing: Resolution Determining Insufficiency of Protest for Lower Heart Levee Project
- The project addresses deficiencies along the levee (freeboard, stability, seepage). Cost estimates increased, necessitating revised resolutions. The protest period closed with no protests received. The Commission unanimously approved the resolution determining insufficiency of protest.
Bid Award: Rock Prairie Estate Street Improvement District 237
- The engineer's estimate was just over $1 million; the low bid from Northern Improvement Company was $1.2 million (approximately 60% over estimate). The project is a new development west of 47th Avenue. The Commission unanimously awarded the bid.
New Business
- Task Orders with AE2S for Sanitary Sewer and Water Distribution Support: Two task orders (caps of $25,000 each per year) for technical support, extending through 2028 for a total of $150,000. Unanimously approved.
- Change Order for Collins Avenue Reservoir Project: D.N. Tanks change order (net increase of $36,909) covering site condition adjustments, discovery of underground materials, and removal of tank logo and anti-graffiti coating. The project remains within its $6.8 million budget. Unanimously approved.
- Public Transportation Grant Application from Bisman Transit: Bisman Transit requested $110,664.21 from the city's half-cent sales tax fund to offset a projected 2025 operating deficit of approximately $760,000. The request covers a portion of the deficit; Bisman Transit also requested and received $649,392.15 from Bismarck. Service changes are being planned with public meetings on January 13, 2026, and a public hearing on January 22, 2026. The Commission unanimously approved the funding request.
Key Outcomes
- All motions passed unanimously. No resolutions or ordinances were considered.
- Future meetings: January 6, 2026 (5:30 p.m.), January 20, 2026 (5:00 p.m.), and February 3, 2026 (5:30 p.m.).
- The meeting concluded with a holiday greeting and adjournment.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome. Today is December 16th, 2025. It is 5 30 p.m. and we are in the Bosch Frelick meeting room of Mandan City Hall. Mr. Neubauer, could you please take the roll call? Commissioners. Hein Sean. Here. Braun. Here, Roar. Schilberg. Here, Mayor Frelick. Here. Now we will have new firefighter for the City of Mandan, David Glatt. Lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible. Thank you, David. Now we will move on to announcements, and we have quarterly employee anniversary recognition, Amy Berger. Good evening, everyone. Always an exciting meeting when we're able to announce uh quarterly work anniversaries. We are on our last quarter of 2025, and we're able to recognize employees who have been here tonight for three years, five years, and we have one here for 25 years. So we have five that we're going to recognize. Two of them were not able to make it tonight. So I'll start with calling uh their names to congratulate them, and then we'll call the three that are here, have them come up so we can congratulate you, Mayor Freelick and give your certificates, and we'll take a picture at the end. So we will start. Uh who could not join us tonight, Justin Keller, three years of employment. And he is our building and grounds maintenance worker with City Hall. And then we also have Jacob Valeroy. He is five years of employment, and he is a detective with the police department. And then for those that are here, we have Jarek Wignes, our city engineer with three years. Next, we have Sarah Anderson, our records technician with the police department. And Sarah has been with us for three years. Congrats. And lastly, uh 25 years of employment with the city, Jamie Rath, our assistant superintendent with the water treatment plant. Congratulations. Are you here? Um Mayor, I can take this one. All right. All right. Um two and a half months ago we had uh McCain Krueger started at the water treatment plant as an operator one. Uh McCain grew up in Pierre, South Dakota. He enjoys the small small rural community life and the outdoors. He has a degree in sociology from the University of North Dakota, but opted to work with his hands instead. He has a family in Mandan and began looking for a job here and landed with the City of Mandan at the water treatment plant. McCain is right here. Come on up. And that's all we have, yeah.
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