City Commission Minutes

Minutes of the Regular City Commission Meeting held on October 7, 2025 at City Hall at 4:00 PM.

Present:  President Lyn James, Vice-Chair Ryan Shear, Benjamin Schaaf, Sara Bullis, Myron Vail, Chief Headley, Steve Ness, Todd Hofland, Shannon Hewson, Aaron Allen, Dean Pearson, Brad Mosher, Peggy Allen, and Stacy McGee.  Absent: None

President James called the meeting order at 4:00 pm.  Motion by Shear, second by Schaaf to approve the amended agenda. RCV= all aye, MC.

                Direct Deposit: $36,465.25; Payroll Check #103354 in the amount of $709.24, Checks # 14661 – 14701; Voided Checks: None; Bills: Advanced Business Methods $214.95, Badlands Patriot $92.68, Baker Furniture $949.99, Boss Office Products $139.83, Bowman Auto Parts $264.94, Bowman Cemetery $794.17, Bowman Park and Rec $3,652.20, Bowman Sales and Service $68,375.55, Bowman Vet Clinic $87.28, Brosz Engineering $45,910.00, Cenex Fleetcard $5,211.63, Consolidated Telecom $1,186.48, Core and Main $715.85, Dakota Dust-Tex $126.30, Dakota Western Bank $36.82, EIDO Connect $64.00, Electronic Communications $2,050.00, Fallon County Treasurer $7,599.60, Frontier Travel Center $492.49, JK Excavation $158,050.00, KPOK $75.00, Lyn James $100.80, ND Information Technology $92.80, ND League of Cities $325.00, Newby’s Ace Hardware $147.98, NW Tire $799.05, Olympic Sales $1,900.42, One Call Concepts $60.00, Peggy Alen $283.00, Pen Soft $719.00, Pro-Forms $1,485.84, ProPoint Cooperative $1,333.20, SW District Health $50.00, Team Laboratory Chemical $1,053.00, Visa $1,086.01, West River Health Services $110.00, West River Veterinary Clinic $49.50, Wild and Weiss Law Office $200.00, and Woodley Construction $26.98.

Tax and Tourism Checks: # 14681 and 14667

Tax and Tourism Bills:  Bowman Chamber of Commerce $2,500.00 and Headless Horseman $500.00.

BROSZ ENGINEERING – HEWSON:

                 Videoing Sewer Lines: Hewson will bring some maps next meeting to show what they found by videoing.  There are 60 point repairs needed and 3,000 LF that they couldn’t video, it was 6” pipe that they could get through.

Water Tank Project: They are near completion on the plans for this project.

Sidewalk Removed on Divide: Hewson stated that a portion of the sidewalk that was removed was a Safe Routes to School project.  We will request a timeline from the owner on his replacement of the sidewalk and if the owner doesn’t replace it, the City will do it and assess it to his property taxes.

New Chip Seal: Discussion was held on chip sealing the two north Highway 12 frontage roads that Rob Rayhorn discussed doing at their contract rate since they will have a project in the area.  Hewson felt the cost was less expensive than our contract and recommended doing it.  Motion by Shear, second by Schaaf to approve tying into the NDDOT Chip Seal project and chip seal the frontage roads from 3^rd Street SE to 11^th Ave SW on the north frontage roads in the summer of 2026 in the amount of $45,000.00.  Funds will come from the chip seal fund #3069.  RCV= all aye, MC.

Last Chip Seal Project:  Hewson is still negotiating the chip pile being moved.

SHEAR-STREET COMMISSIONER:

Main Street Striping: Sergeant Bergerson caught someone doing burnouts on Main Street and he did it through 3 to 4 crosswalks that were just striped.  Shear stated that since we just had the striping done, he felt he should have to pay consequences for it.  Motion by Vail, second by Schaaf to have Chief Headley contact the person responsible and have him repaint the crosswalks, getting the paint from the Street Department.  RCV = all aye, MC.

HOFLAND – STREET/VECTOR/LANDFILL DEPTS.:

Dept. Head Report: The new street department pickup should be here next week and will go get dumpsters with it.  We will sell out of topsoil soon and sold all the large rock left over from the City Hall project.

NESS – WATER AND SEWER DEPT.:

                Dept Head Report:  JK Excavation finished last Monday at the intersection of 3^rd Avenue and 3^rd Street and got everyone off temporary water.  There was curb, gutter and a bit of sidewalk that had to be removed to fix what needed to be done.  The invoice from JK Excavation included some additional work of replacing gate valves in other places.

CHIEF HEADLEY – POLICE DEPT.:

Activity Report for 9/15/25 – 10/5/25:  Incidents: 7 (traffic stop, reckless driver, information report, dimple assault, DUI Alcohol or Drugs, leaving the scene of an accident, traffic accident with damage); Calls for Service:  89 (extra patrol-19, information report-19, public relations-8, dog or cat running at large-6, welfare check-4, agency assistance-3, medical emergency-2, citizen assist-2, animal problem-2, parking violation-2, disturbance, sex offender, bar check, suspicious vehicle, violation of city ordinance, theft of personal infraction, traffic complaint, theft, notice against trespass, injured animal, missing person, sex offense, alarm, suicidal person, suspicious person, noise complaint, OHV accident with damage, criminal trespass, reckless driver, 911 hangup, citizen dispute intoxicated person; Traffic Stops: 46 (verbal warning-23, written warning-15, citation-4, no action-2, and arrest-2); Arrest:  2 (DUI and DDS.)

Third Quarter Report: Chief Headley reviewed the stats for July to September of 2025.

Jake Break Discussion: There was discussion on how people don’t see the “no jake break” signs.  The signs can’t be any bigger according to NDDOT.  There may be a traffic study done on Highway 85 which could possibly push the 25 MPH zone all the way back to the new Gooseneck Implement location on Highway 85.

MCGEE:

Dumpster Fees: They reviewed the cost of the dumpsters and decided to keep them the same as they were.

Cooperative Legal Services: The Law Enforcement Mediation Agreement was presented.  Motion by Schaff, second by Shear to approve the Law Enforcement Mediation Agreement.  RCV= all aye, MC.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER – PEARSON

On December 29th they are having a LEPC meeting, then after the first of the year there will be a public hearing to go over the LEPC changes.  The Commission needs to come to the Dec 29^th meeting for input.  Pearson discussed the exercises that they went over at the last meeting.  He will bring mutual aid agreement samples for us to review so we can get some written up with other entities.

He asked the Commission to look at the shortfalls and come up with representation to take to the committee and voice our concerns, this will take a few years to work through if we break it up into sections.  We will review it at the 2^nd meeting of every month.  Allen will give the Commission the questions at the first meeting of each month and bring ideas/answers to next meeting, we will start this process at the second meeting in November.

ALLEN – GARBAGE DEPT:

Dept Head Report: He has been working on the 2017 Freightliner, he ran to Dickinson to get parts for coolant lines and still have to put on a hydraulic tank.

Trees: Vail asked if Aaron would take the water bags off the trees on the boulevards and store them, he said he would do it as soon as he could get to it.

ALLEN – FINANCIAL AUDITOR:

Midco Franchise: Allen inquired if the City would like to keep the free tv service at City Hall as part of the franchise agreement and the Commission stated they would.  The Bowman County School was listed under us and received free service, but under new regulations, they can no longer be under us and receive the service free.

City Hall Roof: The structural and design engineers are coming on the 9^th of October to look at the City Hall roof.  Vail and Bullis will be here to talk to them, and the Commission wants an overhang all the way around the roof.  There needs to be cement around the building and slope it away.  The Commission also wants a metal roof.

Gaming Permits:  Allen presented two gaming permits for approval.  Motion by Schaff, second by Shear to approve gaming permits #24-73 for Catholic Daughters raffle and #24-74 for Bowman Rotary Club.  RCV= all aye, MC.

Warranty Deed:  Allen requested signatures on the Warranty Deed for Generations Auto, LLC for the property purchased at Block 1 of the Bowman Second Addition, West 95” of Lot 2.  Motion by Vail, second by Shear to sign off on the Warranty Deed for Bowman 2^nd Addition Block 1 West 95’.  RCV= all aye, MC.  The closing costs will be split between the City and Generations Auto LLC.

Transfers: Allen requested three annual transfers:  General Fund #1000 to Chip Seal Fund

#3069 in the amount of $150,000.00, General Fund #1000 to Street Equipment Fund #3005, from General Fund #1000 to City Maintenance Fund #3090 in the amount of $50,000.00. Motion by Shear, second by Schaff to approve the transfers as presented.  RCV= all aye, MC.

ET Zone Possible Purchase of Land Question: An individual wants to purchase land in the Sequoia Addition and inquired if they could have a horse.  The Commission felt that if the Sequoia Architectural Committee is okay with the horses in their development and there are other animals around that area, the Commission is okay with horses as long as they don’t exceed what the Sequoia Architectural Committee allows.

Shed Compliance: A letter will be written to the property on Divide that needs to move the shed, they will be given until the meeting on the 21^st to move it or they will start incurring the fine of $500.00 a day until fixed as per ordinance.

JAMES-PRESIDENT OF CITY COMMISSION:

Catholic Daughters Proclamation:  James read the yearly Catholic Daughters of America proclamation.  Motion by Schaaf, second by Vail to approve the proclamation proclaiming 10/19/25 as Catholic Daughters of American Day in Bowman.  RCV= all aye, MC.

CLOSE OF MEETING:

Next Meeting: 10/21/25 AT 4:00 PM.

Motion by Shear, second by Schaaf to approve the bills, 9/16/25 and 9/29/25 Special Meeting Minutes.  RCV= all aye, MC.

President James adjourned the meeting at 5:30 pm.

BOWMAN CITY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 4:00 pm

Bowman City Hall, 101 1st St. NE

*Agenda Policy*:  The City follows a strict agenda policy in order to insure transparency to the citizens of Bowman.  NO topics will be discussed that are not on the agenda unless said topic constitutes an emergency action.  This agenda has a rolling schedule so scheduled appointments may take place sooner than the scheduled time unless it is a public hearing.

 4:00  –  4:05 PM               Call Meeting to Order, Approval of Agenda and Pledge of Allegiance

Commissioners Review of Bills

4:05 – 4:30 PM                 Dept. Head Reports/Engineering (A. Allen, Hofland, Ness, Chief Headley, and Brosz Engineering) Hewson:  Pay App #2 for Chip Seal

4:30 PM                              Thomas Pendergast – Sidewalk on Divide Street

ALLEN

Shed Compliance

NDDOT Comments Request on Chip Seal Project

Gaming Permit #24-75 Bowman Public Library Foundation

Gaming Permit #24-76 Cross Training Ministries

Keep Pop Machine in City Hall?

City Hall Roof Update

JAMES

3^rd Ave N. Speed Limit

Open Forum

Close of Meeting

• Approval of Bills, September 2025 Financials and 10/7/25 Meeting Minutes.
• Next Meeting Date: 11/4/25
• Adjournment of Meeting