The Missouri Valley Com-Plex Authority is hoping the Monday meeting of the Burleigh County Commission will provide some answers to the future development of the fairgrounds.

The authority met Thursday, with Bismarck Park Board President Mark Zimmerman updating members on a task force meeting last week regarding the McDowell Recreation Area, as well as a park district proposal to take over all county recreation areas.

"It was a short meeting, an organization meeting,"Zimmerman said. "But I was a little disappointed to find out it would be two or three months before it will meet again. As I understood it, the group was charged by the county commission to have something in 60 days."

The task force is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 5, but a public input meeting won't be scheduled until February. Task force member and Burleigh County Commissioner Marlan Haakenson made it apparent he will be in and out of Bismarck over the next two to three months, said Zimmerman, who had hoped things would progress more quickly.

The winter months, Zimmerman said, are the perfect time to be taking public input on the future of McDowell and the park district's proposal. He said that the park district does have a survey out that addresses some of the issues.

"I think a lot of the user groups, particularly of the fairgrounds, take time off during the winter and have time for input," Zimmerman said. "You have rodeo people, horse people, the 4-H and motocross. And come April and May, they're going to be out wanting to do something."

Zimmerman said that the representatives on the task force from the Burleigh County Water Resource Board (Buck Maher and Gailen Narum) made it clear they weren't interested in being involved in park proposal. The water board is responsible for the McDowell property and is willing to transfer ownership to another entity.

The county commission's newest members, Mark Armstrong and Jim Peluso, will be seated the first meeting in December, though they have been invited to take part in the Nov. 20 meeting, which Haakenson is expected to miss.

Burleigh County Auditor-Treasurer Kevin Glatt, who also sits on the authority, said the county commission will be discussing the possible sale of a portion of fairground property and perhaps how the revenue from a sale might be, they (county commissioners) will come up with an idea on how to market the property," Glatt said.

"Right now there is a sign up that says 'property for sale, contact the county auditor.' I've gotten a number of calls and the first question is, 'how much?' and the second is, 'what are the terms?' I haven't gotten any direction from the commission. Hopefully they will firm up some sort of marketing plan."

A decision by the commission might be difficult to come by, Glatt said.

He described Commissioners Claus Lembke and Scott Johnson as polar opposites on the issue.

While both want to sell property, Glatt said, Lembke only wants to sell a portion and invest the revenue back into fairground development, while Johnson wants to sell the whole thing, but doesn't indicate how he wants to invest the money.

It's unlikely that Haakenson wants to sell the property, Glatt said, while Doug Schonert wants to wait because he feels the value will increase.

Glatt said he is uncertain where the commissioners-elect are on the subject and said that Johnson and Lembke are outgoing.

Steve Neu, Bismarck Park District director and authority member, said the fairgrounds are at a critical point, and to move forward as described in the 2001 master plan, a sizeable investment must be made in the infrastructure.

District staff, Neu said, have put together a plan that calls for spending $1.8 million on water, sewer, electricity, roads and parking.

There are many user groups that are interested in developing the fairgrounds, Neu said, but it's critical to have the infrastructure in place.

"These groups are willing to help. But it's not easy to get people to help with water and sewer,"Neu said. "They want to see projects above ground."

Authority member Dave Bement, who is a Burleigh County Park District member, summed up the situation in noting that there are several issues that are intermingled. That of the county wanting to turn McDowell over to the Bismarck Park District; the park district's proposal to take over all county recreation facilities; the authority's wanting to develop the fairgrounds; and the county commission's possible sale of some fairground property.

Bement questioned whether the commission would be willing to move ahead on any of the issues since it is in transition.

"We're at a critical point," Neu agreed. "Without funding, the next phase of the fairground is not going anywhere.

"Without that there is no need for this committee or for the Bismarck Park District to be managing the fairgrounds. What you see is what you get."

Neu said that the park district will be on the Monday county commission meeting agenda and will provide a presentation on the fairgrounds, detailing the budget, what has been done and hopes for the future.

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