The Bismarck City Commission offered no contest to permitting its police chief to apply for up to $400,000 in domestic abuse funds.

The board also began setting zoning standards to build a new northside fire station in the future.

The board immediately gave Police Chief Keith Witt its consent to apply for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women funds. The application will be submitted in partnership with the Adult Abused Resource Center.

Part of the money will be used to hire two additional officers who specialize in investigating cases of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

"The maximum grant we could get is $400,000. That's based upon population and size of our area," Witt said. "So, we're going to work closely with the Adult Abused Resource Center to put our plan together and submit the grant application."

After the meeting, Witt said he was pleased. "It's an area of need in Bismarck. Hopefully, we are successful in our grant so we can get these investigator positions and address, to a greater degree, the problems in our area."

He said the city will have to serve as the fiscal agent of the grant. Witt said the police department and the ARC would together seek the maximum amount of the grant.

In a separate matter, a planned unit development (PUD) district was amended for Lots 1-3, Block 1, Gateway Addition, to prepare for a future fire station.

The PUD specifies the location will allow for a two-story fire station with office space, living quarters, three fire truck garage bays and one additional garage bay that will be used by the police department for storage and office space. The building is not to exceed 30 feet in height. It will have the capacity for 6,100 square feet of garage space. It is in a location along 43rd Avenue Northeast and Ottawa Street. With no opposition given at the public hearing, the board approved the second and final reading of amending the site's specific use.

Commissioners also awarded a a series of bids to remove asbestos and remodel the basement of the City/County building for a total cost of $440,845.

These included base bids to:

n Missouri River Contractors of Bismarck as main contractor for $89,549;

n Mayer Electric for electrical work at $59,980; and

n Central Mechanical for mechanical construction for $124,600.

Architectural and engineering fees will cost $43,000. A $10,000 contingency fund for unknown asbestos is included.

Alternates listed for the project include the installation of the return air fans for $62,576, installation of the IT switch room exhaust system for $5,230, and installation of basement tunnel ventilation for $2,680. Cost of the asbestos removal is estimated at $43,230.

"It's the whole lower area," Mayor John Warford said. "We'll still be operational. It may not be as cosmetically pleasing (during repairs). I think it is going to be a fantastic improvement for (the Thomas Baker Meeting Room).

"This is the public epicenter of the business of the city, the county, park board and school board all take place. Those persons who have been in this room (know) the ventilation is poor at best. … It will improve the usefulness of this room."

Warford said the heat can be stifling for meetings in the summer and said it is the final floor to be renovated at the City/County Building. The work includes asbestos removal.

Late in the meeting, the board entered into executive session for about a half-hour on a economic development matter. It reconvened in public session and approved a matter decided in the closed meeting, but did not announce what the matter entailed. Commissioner Steve Schwab gave the opposing vote.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@;bismarcktribune.com.)