Bismarck City Commissioners spelled out a list of their legislative priorities at Tuesday's board meeting.

The items were presented by Bismarck City Administrator Bill Wocken.

Wocken said it was intended to clarify where the city stood when various measures appear before the 2009 North Dakota State Legislature.

"They are value statements," Wocken said after the meeting. "They are things we would like to see happen during the legislative session. …We will know what the city's disposition on various subjects are, based upon these general topics," he said.

At Wocken's request, the commission did draft a measure that the definition of a meeting excludes emergency operations conducted by a governing body during a disaster or declared emergency.

Wocken said he was unaware how many bills would fit into the city's priorities.

Bismarck legislative priorities listed were:

n Provide for extraterritorial zoning for the cities that choose to exercise it over areas of urban influence where the need for compatible development exists.

n Maintain and fully fund the State Aid Distribution Fund at the present formula level. (Four-tenths of one cent of the state sales, use and motor vehicle excise tax).

n Oppose attempts to restrict home rule authority granted by local voters.

n Rely on local elected officials to limit property taxes to responsible levels.

n Grant no further property tax exemptions.

n Study the next-generation 911 systems.

n Allow local governments to set traffic fines at levels appropriate to their jurisdictions.

n Provide for open meetings with the exception of during declared emergency events.

n Support state funding for regional emergency training activities that require an interoperable communication system be in use.

"We attempt to screen bills according to priorities to identify bills of interest," Wocken told the board. "There may be other bills of interest. … We will bring those bills to you for your endorsement or recommended position."

Wocken said he will update the board regularly on the status of measures of interest.

During the legislative discussion, Commissioner Steve Schwab asked about how to place signals near the Horizon Middle School without losing North Dakota Department of Transportation funding.

"I do not like having the state dictate to us we cannot improve an intersection. … We have got to do something about that intersection."

Schwab was cautioned the funding involved might be federal funds funneled from the federal money.

Commissioner Parrell Grossman agreed that the area needs some protection. "I think that's an absolute disaster. … It's a dangerous intersection. Eventually somebody is going to be killed at that intersection."

At Commissioner Connie Sprynczynatyk's suggestion, the intersection will be reviewed by city staff but was not named on the city's legislative issues. The priorities passed. Schwab gave the opposing vote.

Separately, the board endorsed a community legislative agenda. That list was created by a group spearheaded by the Bismarck Chamber of Commerce.

Many of these were related to workforce training and infrastructure.

Items to be supported would include funding for the Bismarck State College Higher Education Center, funding for the renovation of the Bismarck State College Technical Education Center and additional funding for Workforce Enhancement Grants."

The chamber-based priorities urged there be more investment in streets, roads, bridges, energy health care and agriculture.

The chamber supported 50/50 extraterritorial jurisdictional for four-miles areas around the city.

This gives the city in the outer half of the extraterritorial zoning authority and the counties or townships authority over the inner portion of the extraterritorial area.

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