Laserfiche WebLink
Commission Minutes—December 5, 2022 5673 <br />flooding or other disasters to give county staff and other emergency responders real time data such <br />as pictures and video of events, where supplies are needed, what hospitals people are being taken <br />to, and other critical information. <br />Mrs. Scherling asked how the information on the hub is coordinated with the Red River Regional <br />Dispatch Center and related partners. Mr. Henderson said the hub allows other agencies using <br />ArcGIS to share data. He said a feature of ArcGIS may allow members of the public to submit data <br />to be shared. Mrs. Scherling asked if Clay County and other Minnesota partners are included. Mr. <br />Prochniak said yes, the data will be shared with all regional partners. He said the intent is to work <br />with Clay County to cost share in the annual subscription fee, and a Memorandum of Understanding <br />would be required. <br />MOTION, passed <br />Mr. Breitling moved and Mr. Grindberg seconded to authorize Cass Fargo <br />Emergency Management to utilize the Hazardous Material Response Fund to <br />purchase an ArcGIS Premium Hub Site subscription from Esri at $10,000 and an <br />additional $15,000 for contractor services, for a total project cost of$25,000. On <br />roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. <br />17. FINANCE, Official County Newspaper appointed <br />County Election Administrator, Murray Nash was present and said North Dakota Century Code <br />NDCC) requires that each County has an official newspaper, which is voted on a four-year cycle. <br />Previously, the Fargo Forum and Cass County Reporter have filed for candidacy and were on the <br />ballot for the voters to choose the official newspaper. In the 2018 election cycle, the Fargo Forum <br />was elected with 73% of the vote, a margin comparable to the previous four election cycles in 2014, <br />2010, 2006, and 2002. Mr. Nash said in 2022, neither the Fargo Forum nor the Cass County <br />Reporter submitted a filing. He said the Cass County Reporter claims they submitted a filing, <br />however to date the Finance Office cannot find a record of the filing and the Cass County Reporter <br />has not provided evidence of the filing. He said the Finance Office did not identify the absence of an <br />Official County Newspaper contest until just prior to the General Election, by which stage the ballots <br />had been printed and received. Mr. Nash said the recommendation from the Finance Office after <br />consulting with the State's Attorney's Office is to appoint the Fargo Forum as the official county <br />newspaper until the next four-year election cycle in 2026. <br />Mrs. Scherling asked why the official county newspaper would not go to the next election cycle in <br />2024. Mr. Burdick said he provided the Finance Office with two possible next steps, one to do <br />nothing as NDCC 46-06-06 states the official newspaper becomes active after the first Monday of <br />January after the election, and acts for four years and until a successor is chosen and takes office. <br />He said the second option is the Commission may fill a vacancy. He said NDCC 46-06-08 states if a <br />newspaper ceases publication or no longer possesses the statutory qualifications for an official <br />newspaper, a vacancy deemed to exist and the county commission must designate another qualified <br />newspaper to act as the official newspaper. Mr. Burdick said the it is recommended the Board wait <br />until the 2026 election cycle to have the official newspaper election is due to the fact NDCC states <br />that starting in 1978 and every four years thereafter voters shall select an official county newspaper. <br />He said it is the obligation of the newspaper to submit an filing of candidacy. Mr. Nash said the <br />Election staff plan to keep better record every four years and reach out to newspaper candidates if <br />applications are not filled to ensure this does not happen again. <br />Editor of in Chief of the Fargo Forum, Matt Von Pinnon was present and said the absence of a filing <br />was an oversite from the Forum. He said the state newspaper association is aware of the situation <br />and is going to send a reminder to all newspapers in North Dakota every four years to help make <br />sure this does not happen again for any counties. <br />Mrs. Scherling said she would have like to have seen a representative of the Cass County Reporter <br />present to hear their position. Mr. Burdick said the Cass County Reporter claimed they submitted a