The Bismarck Park Board wants to know where Burleigh County stands on a proposed county parks management plan, and it wants to know before the year's end.

Monday, the Burleigh County Commission and Bismarck Park Board met in the City/County Building's Tom Baker room. County commissioners convened at 5 p.m. and adjourned at 6:40 p.m., the park board jumping into the chairs before they had a chance to cool. Both property tax entities took up the discussion of the proposed management agreement.

County commissioners will renew the debate at their Dec. 3 meeting, and the park board hopes to have a response by its Dec. 20 meeting.

In August, the county commission, on a 4-1 vote, agreed to enter into the management for one year. But the park district made some amendments, and it appears the county commissioners may be cooling to the idea.

District Director Steve Neu said the management proposal, which will have the park district manage the county's parks and recreation properties, has discussed for more than a year.

The county had accepted the draft, which is a one-year management agreement. Amendments were made by the district involving the development of operating guidelines and a consideration of a five-year period with all parties having a 90-day opt-out provision.

In recent discussions, the Burleigh Water Resource District asked that it be identified as a specific partner because of its ownership of the McDowell Dan recreation area, Neu said. The county commission approved a 2008 budget for county parks.

Neu said it is evident the county is having internal issues about the length of the agreement as well as the management fee. He suggested that the park district suspend discussion with the county on the issue until it can solve the conflicts. The board needs to hear back from the county commission on whether the terms are acceptable or if it has a counterproposal.

Meanwhile, the park district is under contract with the water board to manage McDowell, as it has for the past 30 years, until the end of 2007. It also has a contract with the Missouri Valley Complex Authority to manage the county-owned fairgrounds until year's end.

Neu recommended the issue of the fairgrounds and McDowell be decided at the Dec. 20 meeting.

"I would not want McDowell to be put aside, and you should consider continuing the present agreement for up to six months," Neu said.

Park board member Paul Quist asked if a deadline had been set for an answer on the management proposal. He said he believes a majority of commissioners are in favor of entering the agreement and just need a little more time.

Quist proposed giving the commission two more weeks, and, if it doesn't come to a conclusion, withdrawing the park district offer.

Board member John Sagsveen said he doesn't believe withdrawing the offer is a good idea. He said that not having a trigger date in the original proposal was a mistake, but they are past that.

"We've given a bona fide offer, we're just waiting for a response,"Sagsveen said. "If they want to make a counteroffer, we can listen."

Neu said that the agreement is based on the calendar year and hopes are to take over management on Jan. 1 for planning purposes. The district soon will be considering the budget for 2009, and without having the agreement in hand, it will make the decision-making process difficult.

Quist again proposed that the commission should have 30 days to accept the proposal or make a counteroffer. Sagsveen responded that the commission appears threatened by a deadline and said he believes Quist's suggestion would be counterproductive.

"One thing that came out of tonight's commission meeting is that they feel if they don't play by the park board's rules they don't get the contract. Nothing could be further from the truth," Sagsveen said. "We've been working on this over a year and there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency to get this done. If we make changes, I'm certain that feeling may prevail. This is too important. I don't want to see this go away. I'd like to see us do it, but I don't want to force their hand."

Board member Jennifer DeForest said she watched the commission meeting, too. She said it didn't appear to her that a decision would be made any time soon.

"I think it's in our best interest to put this on the back burner until they make a decision," DeForest said. "They can come back here and tell us what they're looking for, and we can tell them what we want to do."

Quist suggested and later made a motion that a letter be sent asking for the county's stance before the park board's next meeting. The letter will be sent to the water board, commission and county park board. He said the agreement is the most efficient way to run county properties and will cost county taxpayers less. The motion was approved unanimously.

It also was decided to continue any decisions on McDowell until the Dec. 20 meeting.

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