The Rugby City Council received an update on the ongoing work to revamp city ordinances, and several emergent issues related to public works at its regular meeting on Wednesday.

Council member Jennifer Zachmeier said Police Chief Scott Bommersbach had provided the specific sections of the North Dakota Century Code to be adopted in a proposed ordinance, but City Attorney Rachel Mikkelson Hendrickson indicated she had not received the email with the information. Zachmeier said she would resend the information.

During portfolio reports, Ward 3 Council Member Richard Larson relayed a request from public works staff for the purchase of a new motor for a mower after one went down. Larson said a new motor would cost about $5,000, which he said was far less than the $15,000 price tag of a new mower.

“Terry Wentz said he would cover half of it, because he felt bad that we bought it and ran it for about a month,” Larson said. “The guys can take the motor out and put the new one in.”

The mower in question was a Toro 70-inch which Larson said was about 10 years old. The council discussed the issue, with council member Neil Lotvedt saying, “It’s not too bad of a deal.”

Mayor Frank LaRocque asked that Larson lock in a price less than $2,500 for the new motor. No vote was required by the council to approve the purchase if the cost was less than $5,000.

LaRocque then invited Public Works Director Troy Munyer to share information with the rest of the council about an issue with the sewer line which crosses the intersection between Fourth Street and Highway 3. Munyer said the crews working on Highway 3 informed him the sewer line had flattened out.

“They have to tap onto it, but they brought it to my attention that it’s not round anymore. So they’re going from a 15-inch down to a 10-inch. They’re trying to make it work with hoops and all that stuff, but it’s honeycombed and flattened out on top,” Munyer said.

Lotvedt asked if they could just replace it, but Munyer indicated it had flattened out as far as one could see and would need to be replaced beyond the intersection.

“Now would be the time to upsize the line the whole way, I feel. They’re putting 15-inch across the entire intersection east and west. We could do the rest at any time. The street itself is in poor shape the way it is,” Munyer said.

Lotvedt inquired if a camera had been run down the line previously, and Munyer said one had a few years ago. Munyer said the footage would be reviewed, as the line would have to be shut down for another one to be run down to get a current look at it.

Munyer said the line goes from First Street to Fifth Avenue, with water backup coming from Ely Elementary. Lotvedt described it as a part of the main trunkline that runs by the ball diamonds. Munyer pointed out prior projects had installed larger lines on either side of it.

Munyer also asked the council if he should inquire about keeping temporary pumps installed for water removal for the Highway 3 project. Munyer said the de-watering project was well received by property owners along the project who have asked if some could be kept permanently. LaRocque noted the pumps are currently run off generators, and Munyer said power would have to be run to them after they relocated off highway right-of-way.

“We’d have to document who is improving if it’s the street west of where it is. This de-watering project is $900,000, that’s what the bid was. That’s just under a million, so I can’t keep the fountain going,” Lotvedt said. “I think it would be more beneficial to move it over onto that street with some type of a standpoint. I think we’d be better off doing it over on that street. I don’t think they would want to be assessed this, so do they do it themselves or do we do an assessment? That far away, unless you have so many going I don’t think it would do any good.”

Lotvedt said he didn’t feel the current setup could be maintained, but if people wanted to install their own pumps on their property or city property which could run into a storm drain, that would be more feasible.