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Metro Flood Diversion Authority—December 21, 2017 1 METRO FLOOD DIVERSION AUTHORITY DECEMBER 21, 2017—3:30 PM 1. MEETING TO ORDER A meeting of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority was held Thursday, December 21, 2017, at 3:30 PM in the Fargo City Commission Room with the following members present: Fargo City Mayor Tim Mahoney; Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn; Fargo City Commissioner Tony Grindberg; Moorhead City Mayor Del Rae Williams; Moorhead City Council Member Chuck Hendrickson; Moorhead City Council Member Joel Paulsen; Cass County Commissioner Mary Scherling; Cass County Commissioner Chad M. Peterson; Cass County Commission representative Darrell Vanyo; Clay County Commissioner Kevin Campbell; Clay County Commissioner Grant Weyland; Cass County Joint Water Resource District Manager Rodger Olson; and West Fargo City Commissioner Mike Thorstad. 2. MINUTES APPROVED MOTION, passed Mr. Weyland moved and Mr. Paulsen seconded to approve the minutes from the November 16, 2017, meeting as presented. Motion carried. 3. AGENDA ORDER MOTION, passed Mr. Grindberg moved and Mr. Campbell seconded to approve the order of the agenda with the addition of Item 4c. “Establish Operations Committee”. Motion carried. 4. GOVERNORS’ TASK FORCE REPORT Levi Bachmeier, Policy Advisor to North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, provided a brief update on the Governors’ Diversion Task Force, which met for the final time last week. The final report is not yet complete, so Mr. Bachemeier will present the report at the next Diversion meeting in January. The report will consist of four components which include an executive summary, high level summary, individual statements of task force members, and statements from Governor Doug Burgum and Governor Mark Dayton. <br />Mr. Bachmeier also said both governors stressed the importance for residents upstream and downstream to have input into the project, and asked the Diversion Board to strongly consider appointing an upstream and a downstream representative to its board. Attorney John Shockley <br />said there is an open seat for an upstream member to be appointed jointly by Richland County and Wilkin County through the end of 2020 that has not been filled. Mr. Vanyo said some of the recommendations discussed by the task force would increase the project cost by several hundred million dollars, provide less protection for structures, and affect more residents at a higher risk if the levee is lengthened. He strongly recommends the Diversion Board give careful consideration to where additional funding would come from and if there will be an assurance from the Minnesota DNR that they will issue a permit for the project. Mr. Shockley said the Minnesota DNR has asked for a formal request from the Diversion Board for the DNR to continue working with the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to review proposed <br />southern embankment alignments and other matters related to permitting. He prepared a letter to the Minnesota DNR along with a resolution requesting the DNR to continue working with the TAG. Mr. Grindberg supports the resolution but suggested a paragraph be added to include a <br />deadline for work to be completed. Board members were in consensus to add a section that would authorize the TAG to meet for the next 60 days and report back to the Diversion Board.