So far, the Burleigh County Water Resource District board has gone along with proposals that it divest itself of the McDowell Dam properties it's held for 30 years … but that may be changing.

At Monday's regular monthly meeting of the county water board, member Gailen Narum, who represents the district on the Joint Parks Committee, said that the water district is the best entity to own the recreation area; a message Narum wants to carry to Wednesday's Joint Parks Committee meeting.

While the water board took no formal action, it was the general consensus of members that the district is the best entity to own McDowell. Narum was asked to relate that discussion at the Wednesday meeting of the Joint Parks Committee.

The Joint Parks Committee was formed late last year to discuss proposals related to McDowell, the Missouri Valley Complex (fairgrounds) and all county-owned recreation areas, mainly consisting of boat ramp areas. Participating in the discussions are the water board, Burleigh County, Burleigh Parks and the Bismarck Park District.

"What better entity than the water board to represent McDowell Dam's interests as long as it remains outside city limits?" Narum asked. "We've got the authority and, in this case, the responsibility to operate McDowell and its facilities. Why are we trying to divest our interest of McDowell when its our responsibility and without our taxing authority?"

Narum said that even should the district relinquish ownership, it would still likely be responsible for water quality and dam safety. He proposed that the water board, either through motion or consensus, decide that the water district should continue ownership of McDowell until a countywide parks and recreation district with taxing authority is created. A combining of the Bismarck and Burleigh county park districts has had some discussion, but no action ever has been taken.

Water district engineer Mike Gunsch said that the Bismarck Park District is not in a good position to fund McDowell since it lies outside city limits. The water district does contract with the Bismarck Park District for management of McDowell.

The water district does attempt to set aside $100,000 annually for McDowell, with about $80,000 going to operation and maintenance. But the Burleigh County Commission has taken the position that it wants the water board to transfer ownership to another entity, feeling the Bismarck Park District is the best qualified.

The Burleigh County Park District is limited to levying 1 mill, while the water district could levy up to 6 mills, bringing in $1.2 million, if the county commission would allow it. But the county commissioners have been stingy when considering McDowell and have cut the water district's levy to .69 mill, providing the bare minimum to operate McDowell.

McDowell has reached a point where $300,000 in upgrades to paving and playground equipment are needed, funding the water district can't come up with unless it starts using its reserves. There also is the need for an alternate water source since the watershed is too small to maintain the dam's lake.

The water board chairman, Ken Royse, said it has become an annual struggle to get funding from the county commission, which has pushed for the water district to transfer ownership elsewhere.

"Rather than butt heads every budget time, we brought forward the whole issue of divesting the county of McDowell," Royse said.

Royse also said that there had been some discussion of putting the recreation area into private hands. Water board attorney Dave Bliss said he agreed that the land could probably be transferred to the Bismarck Park District, but doubted if it could be transferred to private interests.

Should the property be transferred to the Bismarck Park District with the promise of some funding, there would be no way to guarantee that funding in years to come, Narum said.

Another county commission, he said, also could remove the funding at any time. That's why, he said, he believes the entity that ultimately owns McDowell will have to have taxing authority.

County Commissioner Doug Schonert, who holds the water district portfolio, told the water board he has supported McDowell in the past, but that certain commissioners have pushed to get rid of it. He said he agreed with Narum that the water district probably has the best method of funding through its countywide levy, which includes both the city of Bismarck and rural areas.

"It's not fair to turn it over to Bismarck; the rural people wouldn't be paying their fair share," Schonert said.

Schonert made a couple of suggestions to the water board. The first is to gauge the level of support the county's two newest commissioners, Mark Armstrong and Jim Peluso, have for McDowell. The second is to get the public involved.

"The public should be driving which way this goes. The public really doesn't care who does it just as long as somebody does it," Schonert said. "If it's a waste of money and we shouldn't put any more money into it, let the public drive it. Which way do they want us to go?"

Royse said he will put the water board on the Burleigh County Commission's Feb. 5 agenda to discuss the Missouri River Joint Water Resource Board activities along with the county water board's approach to McDowell.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)