FM Diversion Board Of Authority Meeting – June 23, 2022

A regular meeting of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority Board of Authority was held on June 24, 2022. The following members were present: Chad Peterson, Cass County Commissioner; Bernie Dardis, Mayor, City of West Fargo; Dr. Tim Mahoney, Mayor, City of Fargo; Dave Piepkorn, Fargo City Commissioner; David Ebinger, Clay County Commissioner; Kevin Campbell, Clay County Commissioner; Rodger Olson, Cass County Joint Water Resource District and Larry Seljevold, Moorhead City Council.

Members absent: Shelly Carlson, Mayor, City of Moorhead; Chuck Hendrickson, Moorhead City Council; John Strand, Fargo City Commissioner; Mary Scherling and Rick Steen, Cass County Commissioners.

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Peterson called the meeting to order at 3:31 PM. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.

2. APPROVE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 2022 MEETING

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Campbell moved to approve the minutes from the May 2022, meeting and Mr. Piepkorn seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

 3. APPROVE ORDER OF AGENDA

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Campbell moved to approve the order of the agenda as amended, removing item c. ii from the consent agenda, and Mr. Ebinger seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Campbell moved to approve the consent agenda as amended, removing item c. ii, and Dr. Mahoney seconded the motion. On a roll call vote, the motion passed.

4. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT

Mr. Paulsen provided the following update:  

Major Project Accomplishments

• Gates being fitted at Diversion Inlet Structure

P3 Updates

• Working toward requirements for NTP2
• 70+ pieces of equipment ready to go

USACE Updates

• Prep work started at Red River Structure site
• Gates arrived at Wild Rice Structure

 5. GENERAL COUNSEL UPDATE

Mr. Shockley reported that the SBA MOU is the final MOU needed for the Diversion Channel and there are only a few outstanding for the Southern Embankment.

 6. USACE PROJECT UPDATE

Ms. Williams provided the following USACE project update:

1 Diversion Inlet Structure (DIS) – Construction

Structure includes 3-50 ft. wide Tainter gates. Construction is 79% complete and remains on schedule. Required completion date is 7 June 2023. Preparing to set the bridge deck. Schedule for primary features:

2021: Complete dam walls, concrete piers, stilling basin and walls. Complete gate fabrication.

2022: Install bridge deck, gates, and operating machinery.

2023: Paint gates, seed.

2024: Turf established.

2 Wild Rice River Structure (WRRS) – Construction

Structure includes 2-40 ft. wide Tainter gates. Construction is 53% complete and remains on schedule. The required completion date is 20 October 2023. Dam wall foundations being poured. Schedule for primary features:

2021: Approach walls and apron, stilling basin and walls, preloads. Complete gate fabrication.

2022: Control building, dam embankment, gate installation.

2023: Complete excavation, dam embankment, seed.

2024: Turf established.

3 I-29 Raise – Construction

Includes approximately 4 miles of interstate raise between County Roads 16 and 18. Construction is 50% complete and remains on schedule. IBI continues to reconstruct the CR18 interchange and the mainline raise, to be complete Summer 2023. Required completion date NLT 1 January 2024.

4 Southern Embankment – Reach SE-1 (Western Tieback) – Construction

Includes approximately 2 miles of dam embankment, southwest of the Diversion Inlet Structure location. Construction is 80% complete. Anticipated completion date is Sept 2022.

5 Red River Structure (RRS) – Construction

Structure includes 3-50 ft. wide Tainter gates. Construction contract was awarded to Ames Construction, Inc on 14 March 2022 for $114,897,115. Site prep ongoing. Required completion date is 19 March 2026.

6 Drain 27 Wetland Mitigation Project – Construction

The base construction contract (work north of 112th Ave S.) was awarded to HSG Park JV, LLC on 28 April 2022 for $3.9 million. The anticipated construction completion date is November 2022.

7 Drayton Dam Mitigation Project Design – Construction

Construction contract awarded to HSG Park JV, LLC on 19 May 22 for $7.7 million. Anticipated completion is Fall 2023.

8 Southern Embankment – Reach SE-2A – Construction

Construction contract awarded to H.G Construction of Platte City, MO on 12 May 2022 for $6.1 million. Anticipated completion is September 2024.

9 Southern Embankment Design – Reaches SE-1B, 2B, 3, 4 and 5

SE-1B: 95% review complete. Signoff pending SE-2B: 65% review starts July 2022

SE-4: 35% review starts July 2022 SE-3 and 5: Conceptual design continues

7. PUBLIC OUTREACH UPDATE

Ms. Willson provided the following update on the public outreach update:

• The Diversion Current: Distributed Issue 1
• Released lands-related video with Rodger Olson
• Published office address change/co-location
• An updated construction video was watched

 8. LAND MANAGEMENT UPDATE

a. Property Acquisition Status Report

Mr. Paulsen provided the following property acquisition status report:

• Eight more flowage easements have been negotiated
• Four additional flowage easements and one MOU have been signed
• A reminder letter will be sent in July to property owners who have not negotiated their flowage easements
• The RIMP guidance document is complete and has been distributed
• Four loans have been approved and it is anticipated that 16 property owners are eligible

CCJWRD Update

Mr. Olson reported that they continue to receive offers and counteroffers and one case will be going to court in July.

MCCJPA Update

Mr. Campbell did not have anything new to report.

9. FINANCE UPDATE

Mayor Dardis reported that the finance committee meeting was positive, the sales tax revenues are coming in as anticipated, and we continue to track on budget. He also reported that our net position is $135,793,993.

10. OTHER BUSINESS

a. Program Information Points

Mr. Paulsen noted that the program information points document has been updated as of June 15, 2022.

11. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be July 28, 2022.

12. ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Campbell moved to adjourn, and Mr. Ebinger seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at 3:49 PM.