[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6632123,"mediaKeyId","2675778-aa28b98cf55c8ef4dd3044df34c01bd4","parentId",2675778,"title","Grand Forks County commissioners approve moving jail oversight to sheriff amid calls for more cost data","audioSeconds",1421,"startMs",153000,"endMs",1574000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2675778-aa28b98cf55c8ef4dd3044df34c01bd4&start=153&end=1574","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2675778-aa28b98cf55c8ef4dd3044df34c01bd4/thumbnail_153000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6632123/Grand-Forks-County/North-Dakota/Grand-Forks-County-commissioners-approve-moving-jail-oversight-to-sheriff-amid-calls-for-more-cost-data","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632123-79c11cb2e0c77b98ea4b8f38fcf0a9dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775486206&Signature=Mt4hqIBPeKUyUFlZvzH~P6JE1PD96~6zqSQcC99~VoJke981latFC8RAlAUUelsVtH8mPGOdocJBu~quTRZzQnvkWi-7eJGphCvBf2OqElh2sahw0neP5SrYZesRQkJCJytX5MKvNaRu-54jARo01HssQg3hQ3aDOCaEBl7V4c8rhBd5M-ESv72VNEtvADhjn5HcPPYEwfUg435mUuttZwDoqhjoBapQchArcuIUMSf8-FUafGVZ-G02KlXTAIIUqe5KoprglWN5FhC3~brlJC~Bek1OXi7SJgVB603bRQKHAuRJkh2n32XSNYT7pEhOuL47jVF5yshEMa-cZKoY7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Grand Forks County, KS","date","2025-03-18T22:11:53.24Z","article","Grand Forks County commissioners voted March 18 to place the county correctional center under the sheriff's authority and to rename the facility consistent with North Dakota Century Code 11-15-03, which charges the sheriff with custody of the county jail and prisoners.

The move, made on a motion by Commissioner Ross and approved by the commission, came after commissioners heard several hours of discussion, data requests and differing views on whether consolidation would produce net cost savings or operational benefits.

County commissioners and staff said the committee that studied consolidation performed information gathering but did not issue a formal recommendation. Commissioner Ross said the information in the committee packet strengthened his support for the change and moved to proceed. Several commissioners, including Commissioner Rust and Commissioner Peach, said they wanted more detailed, apples-to-apples cost comparisons before committing to structural changes.

\"There was no ask for a recommendation. It was really information gathering,\" a commissioner said during debate, and several members pressed for more concrete financial figures before a broader reorganization.

Correctional center Administrator Burkholder told the commission that turnover and career progression drive much of the staffing dynamic, and he urged the board to consider training and recruitment costs when comparing models. Burkholder said the local police academy tuition for an individual is $6,220.90 for the Grand Forks course and $10,083.92 for the Devil's Lake academy if room and board are included. He also described differences in how transports are counted between his office and the sheriff's office, cautioning that raw trip counts can be misleading without consistent definitions.

\"If you wanna get to the street, you start with corrections,\" Burkholder told the commission, describing how corrections work serves as a training pipeline for other law enforcement agencies.

Several commissioners urged tabling the motion until staff could assemble more complete cost and efficiency data; Burkholder offered to return at a future meeting with a packet of transport comparisons, staffing scenarios and cost estimates. Despite those calls, the motion to transfer oversight and rename the facility passed. The vote was recorded on the meeting transcript as passing; detailed roll-call tallies were not legible in the transcript and are recorded here as not specified.

Commissioners and staff also discussed next steps for implementing the change and the need for careful transition planning. Commissioner Peach recommended a robust consolidation and transition team that would include the correctional administrator, the sheriff, human resources and the state's attorney; Chair Jerry Hagan said the action was effective immediately but stated she did not intend to form a formal committee at that time.

Construction and staffing updates

Separately, the commission received an update on the correctional facility construction and juvenile housing. County construction staff told the board the earliest possible certificate of occupancy for part of the project is in May, but that timeline is contingent on completing the facility's fire sprinkler system because sprinkler zones are interconnected across pods. Staff cautioned that the May date is optimistic if sprinkler work or inspections are delayed.

The project also includes an approved expansion from 72 beds to 82 beds in a pod and staff reported that all furniture has been ordered, with typical delivery lead times of about six weeks. The commission approved a request to refill a recently vacated corrections officer position and directed HR to continue recruiting; staff reported four initial offers were accepted and one was rescinded, leaving three new hires still pending background checks.

On contract accounting, staff asked the commission to approve an amendment to the project's guaranteed maximum price to cover a set of cumulative change orders after the owner contingency was depleted. The commission voted to approve the amendment and authorize signature on the adjusted contract amount so construction work can continue; the transcript reflects the amendment was approved but does not list a line-by-line tally in the recorded minutes.

What happens next

Burkholder and other staff said they will return with more detailed cost, transport and staffing comparisons to allow commissioners to review potential savings, staffing impacts and training costs. Commissioners who opposed taking immediate action said they expect further evaluation and reporting before any operational consolidation beyond the administrative name change is finalized.

The commission did not set a firm deadline for the follow-up packet; staff said they would present additional data at a subsequent commission meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/18/25 Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Grand Forks County commissioners voted March 18 to place the county correctional center under the sheriff's authority and to rename the facility consistent with North Dakota Century Code 11-15-03, which charges the sheriff with custody of the county jail and prisoners.","taxTitle","Grand Forks County, North Dakota","taxId",3814,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6632121,"County approves 8-ton limit on parts of County 5 and 11 and funds pavement testing; commissioners debate state gas-tax bill",282,2053000,2335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2675778-aa28b98cf55c8ef4dd3044df34c01bd4&start=2053&end=2335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2675778-aa28b98cf55c8ef4dd3044df34c01bd4/thumbnail_2053000.jpg","/articles/6632121/Grand-Forks-County/North-Dakota/County-approves-8-ton-limit-on-parts-of-County-5-and-11-and-funds-pavement-testing-commissioners-debate-state-gas-tax-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632121-c6918622e8bb812493c5d05cb544c7fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775486206&Signature=mOmfwzKcRWLB3Ib2RqaRT-x3Nx9d6O0vZKTXJGvAoEv3KZTbWGi7wITYc914GLrKscp51POSP80LoVXVvYENWCams0WbeXq1Oln3vSTclrmtoEa4L8ArQIjtRB6e2CIg4B7uVqhE7GinvWqYxoaEs~657OWQJOIWPMLTTQf4Btm6CCr8cRS96T9yeY1l~Qg-0xXokZZK2i~3fn3TNvLynlNNGbM9hrF2UOrqsOG0r8Kuy4Uaflgc-lqM-llK7Mm3BsCEkUQx-7fVKlbzocvlN5aAUx~W5AgA2TUB6dczqVT9cAjdwq64BjN3UEt~KI4ihmQ9jgpCFUZWvX3MVxqV5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grand Forks County commissioners voted March 18 to change weight restrictions on portions of County 5 and County 11 and to fund pavement testing across the county to inform future spring load-limit decisions.

The commission approved a staff recommendation to change two sections of County 5 and County 11 to an 8-ton restriction (except for a portion previously designated unrestricted). Staff said the change follows a field evaluation including FWD testing and that a pavement overlay alternative (a 2.5-, 3- and 2-inch overlay sequence) could make the road unrestricted if pursued. The restriction change was set to take effect with the county's 2025 spring weight restrictions, which follow the North Dakota Department of Transportation schedule.

The board also unanimously approved taking $200,000 from the county construction fund to collect subgrade modulus and truck-traffic information on paved county roads this summer. County staff said the planned work will focus on truck traffic and subgrade strength so the county can make data-driven decisions about spring weight limits and potential pavement improvements. Staff said they will return this fall or in winter with recommendations based on the collected data.

Discussion of state legislative priorities

Commissioners discussed several state bills that affect county roads and funding. County staff highlighted House Bill 1382, a proposal to increase the state motor fuel tax by 3 cents per gallon; staff estimated the bill would provide Grand Forks County with a little over half a million dollars in recurring annual revenue for the highway department if the bill were enacted. Commissioners expressed mixed views: some supported the reliability of a dedicated gas-tax revenue stream for road maintenance, while others opposed raising taxes and preferred reallocating existing state spending.

The commission also reviewed Senate Bill 2012, described by staff as a DOT budget and a possible source of bridge and highway funding that could require match formulas and applications if enacted. Staff said the county should be prepared to track bridge counts and applications if a new formula favors counties with more bridges.

What happens next

County staff will collect subgrade modulus and traffic data this summer and return in the fall or winter with a recommendation on how to proceed with spring limits and potential pavement improvements. The commission did not take a formal position on House Bill 1382 during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to monitor state action and report as bills move through the legislature.","Grand Forks County commissioners agreed to change weight restrictions on County 5 and 11 to an 8-ton restriction in parts and approved $200,000 from the construction fund to collect subgrade modulus and truck-traffic data on paved county roads. Commissioners also discussed House Bill 1382 (a proposed 3'cent state gas-tax increase) with no formal, ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Grand Forks County commissioners approve moving jail oversight to sheriff amid calls for more cost data

County approves 8-ton limit on parts of County 5 and 11 and funds pavement testing; commissioners debate state gas-tax bill