Wahpeton meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Wahpeton reviews 2027 budget, SPARC, and infrastructure items

Wahpeton city committees and the City Council met over the past week to review the 2027 preliminary budget, the Southern Prairie Activity & Recreation Center (SPARC), and several infrastructure items. No formal votes were taken at the Aug. 10 committee meetings; the Aug. 17 council meeting was an agenda session with no decisions recorded.

Budget and SPARC

The Finance & Personnel Committee met Aug. 10 to hear informational updates. The 2027 preliminary budget shows the general fund up $68,000, and the sanitary sewer minimum usage is projected to rise $0.70 per month. Moody's affirmed the city's A1 issuer rating, with the resident income ratio rising from 78.0% to 89.1% (2022–2024).

The SPARC project, a recreation center, was discussed. A 1% sales tax for the project was approved by voters April 25, 2025. JLG Architects has a design contract, and Comstock Construction is the construction manager at risk. The city has spent $1.5 million on predevelopment planning for 160 acres; the Red River Joint Water Resource District owns the property.

The Richland County Jail was also on the agenda. A multi-county facility is being discussed, with a regional five-county meeting scheduled Aug. 25, 2026, in Rutland, ND.

Public Works items

The Public Works Committee met Aug. 10 to consider several items, including cabinets for the water treatment plant office, a domestic wastewater agreement with Cargill, step repairs at Leach Library, and an update on the Richland County Jail. The committee also considered advertising for sealed bids for unused Christmas decorations.

City Council agenda (Aug. 17)

The City Council held a joint meeting with the Park Board to hear Comstock Construction's cost estimates for SPARC. The agenda included a motion to approve Dakota Cabinetry's bid of $34,170 for water treatment plant office lab cabinets, and the July 2026 bill pay report of $1,636,040.88. The final pay application and balancing change order for the West Central Streets Project were referred to the Public Works Committee. Special Assessments 2026 (Resolution 3942) were also on the agenda.

Coming up

Two meetings are scheduled for Aug. 24:

• **Public Works Committee** will review an e-scooter and bike ordinance, a domestic wastewater agreement with Cargill, service upgrades and gas unit heaters for the impound building, and final payments for the West Central Streets Project.
• **Finance & Personnel Committee** will discuss SPARC project financing with Colliers Securities and review the 2027 preliminary budget. The meeting is open to the public via phone.

Both meetings are open to the public.

Wahpeton council sets preliminary 2027 tax levy at $2,423,883; awards concrete and SPARC contracts

The Wahpeton City Council approved a preliminary 2027 property tax levy of $2,423,883 on July 20, 2026, a 3% increase of $70,598 over the prior year. The levy carries a projected mill rate of 79.68, down from 81.04. The council also awarded a concrete repair contract and approved a construction management contract for the Southern Prairie Activity & Recreation Center (SPARC) project.

Tax Levy and 2027 Budget

The council approved the Preliminary Certificate of Levy at $2,423,883 on a 7-0 vote. The Finance & Personnel Committee reviewed the 2027 preliminary budget on July 27, reporting that the mill rate decrease to 79.68 would be the lowest in 32 years. The budget projects a 5% rise in property valuations and includes 3.8% cost-of-living increases for city employees under a new HUB Pay Study Plan. Sales tax revenue is projected at $4,708,215, accounting for 28% of total revenues. For a $250,000 home, city property tax would run about $44 per month. The budget also proposes a $0.70 monthly increase in sanitary sewer charges to rebuild fund reserves. No final budget decisions were made at the July 27 committee session, which was a working discussion.

SPARC Project and Concrete Repairs

The council approved a Construction Management at Risk contract with Comstock Construction, Inc. for the SPARC project. Schematic designs for the Southern Prairie Activity & Recreation Center were reviewed during a joint meeting with the Park Board. Separately, the council awarded the 2026 Concrete Repairs Project to Hansey Custom Contracting LLC for $28,364.58 on a 7-0 vote.

Well Field and Other Contracts

The council approved Change Order No. 1 with KPH, Inc. for the Well Field Project W19-251 in the amount of $750, on a 7-0 vote. The Public Works & Public Safety Committee on July 27 reviewed a separate Well Field Project Phase II change order for culvert extensions and a project completion extension, along with an Impound Building Renovations change order. That committee also discussed referrals for a Cargill Domestic Wastewater Agreement and Water Treatment Plant office lab cabinets, and a proposal to advertise used bridge plank for sale.

Appointments, Depositories, and Bill Pay

The council appointed Jason Goltz as Council Representative on the Library Board. It approved the Designation of Depositories and Pledge of Assets on a 7-0 vote. The council approved the June 2026 Bill Pay Report totaling $1,658,728.27. It also approved disposition of a 2004 Sterling Plow Truck via newspaper and Facebook Marketplace.

Coming Up

The City Council meets August 3, 2026. The agenda includes an update on the Bois de Sioux Golf Club from President Fred Strege, a motion to approve the Well Field Project Phase II Change Order No. 1 with KPH, Inc., a motion to approve a $14,010 Impound Building Renovations change order with Filbert Construction, Inc., discussion of the 2027 preliminary budget and tax levy, and a street closure request for 3rd St. N. 100 Block for St. John's Church on August 13 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wahpeton council elects leadership, eyes SPARC design and 2027 budget ahead

The Wahpeton City Council swore in members and elected Jason Goltz as Council President and Tiana Bohn as Council Vice President at its July 6 organization meeting, with all votes recorded as 'aye.' The council also confirmed 2026 appointments to several boards and referred the 2027 Preliminary Budget and Tax Levy to the Finance, Personnel & Economic Development Committee.

Council leadership and appointments

The council approved Goltz as president and Bohn as vice president, each by unanimous 'aye' vote. Committee appointments and consent agenda items, including minutes of June 15, 2026, were also approved unanimously.

The council confirmed 2026 appointments to the Airport Authority, Library Board, Golf Board, Planning Commission, Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Zoning Board of Adjustment, all by unanimous vote. A motion to amend the confirmation to include re-appointments to the End of the Woods Task Force Board also carried unanimously.

SPARC recreation center discussion

Public testimony at the July 6 meeting addressed the proposed Southern Prairie Activity and Recreation Center (SPARC), including discussion of the number of gym courts and amenities planned and its overlap with the Infinity Center in Breckenridge. No decisions on SPARC were recorded; minutes for that meeting have not yet been published.

Games of Chance licenses

The council's agenda included approval of Games of Chance licenses for Head of the Red Youth Activities and BW Blades Youth Hockey. Vote tallies for those items were not available in the provided record.

Special meeting and executive session

On July 13, the council held a special meeting and voted to close for an executive session under NDCC 44-04-19.1 for attorney consultation regarding legal strategy. The motion to close carried. After reopening, members voted unanimously to end the closed session, and the meeting was then adjourned. No substantive policy decisions were made, and no motions were recorded during the closed session.

Committee agendas: budget, construction contracts

The Finance & Personnel Committee is scheduled to discuss the 2027 Preliminary Budget and Tax Levy and review committee referrals. The Public Works & Public Safety Committee agenda includes a Construction Management at Risk contract with Comstock Construction, Inc.; quotes and an award recommendation for the 2026 Concrete Repairs Project; Well Field Project change orders; and disposition of the Wausau snowplow from the 2009 Sterling plow truck. Minutes for these committee meetings have not yet been published.

Coming up

On July 20, the City Council will hold a joint meeting with the Park Board to review schematic designs for SPARC. The agenda also lists a Construction Management at Risk contract with Comstock Construction, Inc. for the SPARC Project; a Preliminary Certificate of Levy for the 2027 budget at $2,433,883; a 2026 Concrete Repairs Project bid award of $28,364.58; a Well Field Project contract change order with KPH, Inc. for $750; and the June 2026 Bill Pay Report of $1,658,728.27. The Finance & Personnel Committee and Public Works & Public Safety Committee meetings are also scheduled on their regular second and fourth Monday rotation.