PGA gets county approval on agronomy site
At their Tuesday, July 20th meeting, the Ransom County Commissioners met once more with Plains Grain & Agronomy manager, Keith Brandt, concerning approval on their application to move their agronomy business out of Enderlin to a location on County Highway #55 at 136th Ave SE or commonly known as the ADM?Sunflower Road.
Brandt had attended the county’s July 6th meeting, asking for the application approval, but the issue was tabled due to not producing the official documentation required by law.
At the meeting on the 6th, questions had been asked concerning the location. County resident Keith Nelson had registered concern that the proposed plant was located too close to his residential property. He contended that should there be a spill of anhydrous, their property would be in a direct path, downhill and beside water (Maple River).
Brandt assured the commissioners that all safety measures will be and have been taken in
Enderlin over the years.
The commissioners looked over the state’s anhydrous ammonia facility rules. The site rules are as follows:
1) Tanks less than one hundred thousand gallons (2 30,000 gallon tanks are proposed) must be located 50 feet from the line of any adjoining property, and 450 feet from any residence.
Brandt showed the commissioners a map showing that the planned location of the anhydrous tanks are 242 feet from the facility fenced area, and 1282 feet from the nearest residence (the Nelsons). He also explained that the tanks are placed in a depression area also.
Commissioner Neil Olerud said that he had visited with Jim Grey of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture about the Nelson’s concerns. Olerud and Grey would like to see PGA offer to purchase the Nelson property. Olerud asked Brandt if he has discussed this option with Nelson. Brandt said they had not, as the Nelson property is the adjoining property to the planned facility.
Steve Dick told the others that he was more concerned abut the aroma coming out of the ADM Plant than he was the location of the anhydrous plant. He made a motion to approve the application from PGA and it was seconded by Kevin Bishop. Commissioners, Dick, Bishop, Jones, and Bunn voted yes, and Olerud voted no with the statement that he would prefer to have the location at a different site.
Brandt was asked how soon PGA would be working on the site and movement of the agronomy business out of Enderlin? Brandt said they hoped to have the facility complete before the end of the year if they get approval from the state too.
Sheriff Darren Benneweis, Deputy Chris Sandvig, Vicki Berreth, First Medic Ambulance Service manager and Teresa Rotenberger, county emergency manager attended the meeting to discuss the failure of the county paging systems in the early morning hours of July 14th.
During the storm a tree had fallen on a propane tank at the Parkside Nursing Home, causing a leak and ignition resulting in all of the residents from this facility and the apartments nearby to be moved to Trinity Lutheran Church. During this emergency the paging systems failed.
Berreth in a letter stated that her concern is the fact that paging systems went down during one of the worst storms and she wanted to know who is in charge of the maintenance of the paging system?
Benneweis said when the paging system malfunctioned, the building housing the power to the tower was checked by him and a deputy. They found that the backup generator was not working and that when they attempted to enter the building the doorknob was hot and the temperature inside was 120º.
He said that they boosted the generator from their vehicle, but it would not keep running. He has contacted Mid-State Communications to check out what is needed.
Rotenberger said that she checks the tower facility on a regular basis, but that she was out of town at the time of the emergency.
Benneweis suggested that someone from all of the entities (County, Forest Service, Lisbon School, Hospital and Otter Tail) that use the tower to trained and have access to the tower building. Rotenberger disagreed, and felt that one department should be in charge.
The commissioners suggested that possibly a bigger generator, housed in a separate building, might be advisable. They said that steps should be taken to rectify the situation and get it up and running.
Rotenberger said that FEMA officials will be in the county in August, to look at homes on the possible flood buyout list. The commissioners also approved a severe summer storm disaster declaration which stated that due to the damages suffered on July 14th, 2010, with high winds, F1 tornados and hail damage events and damage to power lines, homes and buildings, and damages of $195,000 so far reported, that the county be declared a disaster area.
Rotenberger informed the commissioners that the RTR Group is hosting an open house on Tuesday, August 3rd from 3-6pm at the new building that the county has agreed to lease for the highway department.
States attorney Fallon Kelly reminded the commissioners that the county will not pay any leasing fees until occupation and then would have three months of leasing before they could opt to purchase, if they so desire.
The commissioners complimented Rotenberger on the sign that has been placed at the ne building.
The commissioners approved the annual Jamestown Community Correction Program agreement between them and the county. The cost to the county would expire on December 31st if not renewed. The cost is $333.33 per month to the correction program for the supervision and management of offenders subject to community service and restitution obligations.
Jim Thernes, mayor Fort Ransom, attended the meeting, asking for assistance on controlling traffic on the street near Stiklestad Park. He said that new playground equipment had been installed and utilized by children. The speed limit is 20mph but drivers, mainly local drivers, are not slowing down soon enough. He suggested that a speed limit sign be placed at the intersection from the Valley Road and the Walter Hjelle Parkway road, warning them to slow down. Also suggested was a Caution - Children At Play sign be installed.
Kelly asked the commissioners who is obligated to pay for the signs? The area is within the city limits of Fort Ransom, but is a county highway.
Deputy Sandvig suggested that the Sheriff’s department be more aggressive, and more visibility would also be a deterrent for speeders.
The commissioners voted to provide and install the signs.
Kelly, Bishop, and Olerud reported on their trip to Bismarck to testify in front of the ND Supreme Court concerning the placement of the SE District Judgeship, left vacant with the death of Judge James Bekken of New Rockford. Val Lukes, Clerk of Court, also attended the hearing.
Kelly said that he was surprised with the questions asked by the court concerning the quality of the facility. He said that Ransom County was the only group that could state that our facility could chamber a judge with no changes.
Kelly said that both Bishop and Olerud provided the court with really good testimony and Lukes provided all the numbers of why Ransom County would be the ideal place to place the judgeship.
Kelly said that he feels Ransom County is in the running for the placement by the court.
In final business, the commissioners talked the shortage of funds in the road department for the purchase of gravel for county roads. It was said that road superintendent Jerry Lamb has been teaspooning out funds for gravel in order to stretch his tight budget. Dick made a motion and Bunn seconded to earmark gravel used on Farm to Market roads, so gravel bills could be paid with funds from the county’s FAS (Federal Aid System) allotment funds. During the discussion period, Dick said that federal funding has been cut back, and FEMA road repairs have not been funded, and the county is not getting enough funding to do any big road improvement projects. He saw no reason why some of the money in the Farm to Market fund could not be used for gravel. Auditor Gilbert said that there is currently $365,412 in the fund. The motion passed.
Norine Erickson, county treasurer, provided the commissioners with pledge of securities that they approved.