[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6617905,"mediaKeyId","2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1","parentId",2838682,"title","Commission authorizes sheriff to manage jail staffing and addresses grant and spending issues at correctional center","audioSeconds",171,"startMs",1837000,"endMs",2008000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1&start=1837&end=2008","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1/thumbnail_1837000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6617905/Grand-Forks-County/North-Dakota/Commission-authorizes-sheriff-to-manage-jail-staffing-and-addresses-grant-and-spending-issues-at-correctional-center","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617905-f4127aefdd0cbd05a7de2c53779e8d58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135427&Signature=B3qrVzat43c7a2cvLVOkV6JsOqoQPir50hi6PcELvbWN2dboZddsYOYT8L3h6azRmEb7hVdcBmLoGahnDDXLPYNEuG-oje62XBEnHZBXwSe8MMrXgbkgYauI4ZZc6bfRk8K6NztUV0zh0BANyyCWp8lfhVMgauymfxwg6aTxml1lABOm6P7QoFrhd6D7Q4xSPMcDurNcKVHYVUgVSVnmQShH9vJXLnZYPUX~GI467x1uN-7kZK4kRMLKjHPwc4Tkd4xmrS47EF3RL-R8eKvJwclisQxyitk~-LMQa~lce-43koAnthmAvqEAPUXNALI0lSGpqDyVtagvzs2FVkiqwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Grand Forks County, KS","date","2025-04-01T22:19:01.57Z","article","The Grand Forks County Commission approved several public‑safety items April 1, including acceptance of a $30,000 state grant for a large‑scale incident exercise, an internal plan to address unapproved expenditures from a state retention award, and a reorganization of the jail chain of command that ultimately gave the sheriff discretion over a jail administrator position.

Grant award for exercise: Emergency management staff requested approval to accept a $30,000 award from the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services that county officials said came from excess funds reallocated by the state. The commission voted to accept the grant and to authorize county staff to sign subrecipient paperwork naming Michelle Olsen (listed in meeting materials) as the subrecipient signatory. The county said the exercise would likely take place this summer and would involve multiple local partners.

Back the Blue grant expenditures: County staff notified the commission that the state’s Back the Blue program had originally been intended for hiring and retention bonuses and tuition and fees for sworn personnel. A review found roughly $38,000 in expenditures at the correctional center that the attorney general’s office later advised were not allowable under the program (items cited included vending machines, appliances, break‑room furnishings and similar purchases). The county reported that it awarded the full eligible $88,000 in retention payments to correctional officers (excluding administrators) and said staff had identified budget line items—building improvements, furniture and equipment, specialty supplies—from which to reallocate the unapproved $38,000. The sheriff’s office said most of the purchased items were customized and likely not returnable.

Jail operations, personnel and policy changes: Sheriff Snyder provided a broad operational update after being assigned oversight of the jail at the prior meeting. Highlights included cancellation of an expensive private dumpster contract that the sheriff’s office said had been costing roughly $2,000 a month ($24,000 annually) and the plan to replace it with a city dumpster (staff estimated roughly $6,000 per year for alternatives). The sheriff reported billing issues with Summit, the jail food contractor, and said he had identified approximately $3,000 in overcharges on recent invoices that staff were addressing.

The sheriff described a series of administrative steps taken since taking oversight: purchasing a commercial policy‑management subscription for the jail’s policies, beginning random drug and alcohol testing for correctional staff (the policy was pushed out effective April 1), and expanding training for line staff and supervisors. He also said the jail’s current application and hiring process was not producing sufficient completed county applications (14 applicants produced only two completed county applications in one hiring cycle), creating a risk that the new jail pod planned to open July 1 could be delayed because of staffing shortfalls.

Change to jail‑administrator authority: A commission motion to delete the jail administrator position and terminate the employment of “Mr. Berkholder” (identified in the meeting packet as the jail administrator) was put forward, then withdrawn and refiled to give the sheriff authority to act. After discussion about case law concerning sheriff‑hiring authority in North Dakota, the commission passed an amended motion delegating the final decision to the sheriff; the record shows the motion passed 3–2.

Interlocal law‑enforcement contract: County staff presented a coordinated contract for law enforcement services with the cities of Northwood and Larimore. The draft contract retained a one‑year vehicle retention provision for Northwood’s cruiser during the first year after a deputy’s training period and changed the opt‑out period to 90 days (from 30). Staff said both councils would consider the agreement at upcoming council meetings and a proposed start date of July 1 aligned with the planned opening of the new jail pod. Commissioners voted to approve the contract as presented at the meeting.

The commission did not allocate additional county funds during the actions reported, but staff were asked to follow up with details on reallocated budget lines for the Back the Blue remediation, continued coordination on the exercise grant, and hiring and recruitment plans for the jail.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4/1/25 Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Grand Forks County Commission on April 1 accepted a $30,000 state emergency‑exercise grant, moved to reallocate about $38,000 in state “Back the Blue” funds spent on unapproved items at the correctional center, and voted 3–2 to delegate final authority over a jail administrator position to the sheriff.","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},6617911,"County commissioner lays out 2026 budget priorities: no tax increase, targeted cuts and revenue ideas",1066,690000,1756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1&start=690&end=1756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1/thumbnail_690000.jpg","/articles/6617911/Grand-Forks-County/North-Dakota/County-commissioner-lays-out-2026-budget-priorities-no-tax-increase-targeted-cuts-and-revenue-ideas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617911-f0d568daef1007b619131cdd45057db1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135427&Signature=jvi9kHb0DQqJW3yCTaRG~Uah5ZjkqqZhnys3TDm~Xh37p6u4K3-Fu548KwmCk31tgOgEWBN4Y-EYYDeewPDdQSUiovr7-9BT5pRXEEOHmP6d1ccItf87rqLS696CGgzKOIrzQI99EdOua2ICSozd1HdGKENl7mkpUutlDu91rwVpqjp8E5G8Ooh29lg-Xpq14Y63VAO6itYGQDPnEonHwQVNbukO~7iOLlMSMhOkU89jNBI25LlOqs4zYuWoK2XbmpCXMdtOB1o~RD1R2aJuDS4e8O~Z9Wi7O94r8926-BHhubx-qc6zN12x-pFo~2FJMVDFiAUIHG~HLMJqzRMrlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A county commissioner presented a detailed set of budget goals and priorities at the Grand Forks County Commission meeting April 1, urging the board to avoid property‑tax and sales‑tax increases for 2026 while pursuing targeted spending cuts and new revenue sources.

“I campaigned on no sales tax. I campaigned on no property tax increase, and I am not deviating from that,” the commissioner said, outlining a plan the speaker described as relying on new growth only and a combination of additional revenue and spending reductions. The speaker said the county faces roughly $4 million in debt service in 2026 and an average of about $3.7 million per year in debt service over the next six years, in addition to a six‑year capital improvement plan that includes roof and boiler repairs and a courthouse sewage project.

The commissioner proposed multiple revenue and cost‑saving measures, including:

- Pursuing non‑property revenue by leasing additional county office space and updating user fees that have not been revised in a decade;
- Reviewing and centralizing facility operations under the buildings and grounds director, and placing utilities and maintenance contracts under that office;
- Conducting a systematic review of smaller entities and special districts that receive county funds—weed, water, soil, ambulance, recreation areas, and other small entities—to assess expenditures, fee structures and potential reductions in county subsidies;
- Creating a “ramp fund” dedicated to ramp revenue and controlled by buildings and grounds for use only on ramp maintenance;
- Negotiating per‑diem and guaranteed‑bed terms for the youth assessment center (YAC) to increase revenue where possible;
- Implementing a hiring freeze for non‑essential positions and accelerating a new payroll system to avoid losing outside reimbursements (the speaker cited an estimated $35,000–$45,000 loss tied to Project Ultra because of payroll‑system issues);
- Raising minimum hourly pay for hard‑to‑fill positions and developing a new wage and benefit plan by Dec. 31, 2026 to address recruitment and compression;
- Seeking savings across a range of departments with recommended percentage reductions (examples given: county fair 12%, IT 3–5%, emergency department 12–15%, planning 12%); and
- Reviewing property tax exemptions for entities (described as 10–20 year exemptions in some cases) and considering phased payments when exemptions expire.

The commissioner estimated a combination of new revenue and cuts could yield roughly $4 million, after accounting for cost increases such as COLA, pension and insurance. He suggested a “tax me more” fund as a symbolic option for residents who wanted to donate additional money to county projects rather than increase taxes.

County staff referred multiple technical questions, including the precise new‑growth estimate and line‑item details, to Finance Director Miss Nelson and Finance Department staff. The speaker repeatedly emphasized that his remarks reflected his own priorities.

The commissioner asked staff to track and report a series of follow‑up items during the budget process: quarterly tracking of rent and lease tenants in county buildings; lease reviews every two years; central purchasing; elimination of an inclement‑weather comp‑time policy for employees who work at other buildings; regular reviews of credit‑card holders and purchases; and clearer financial reporting for small entities receiving county dollars. The commissioner also asked for a plan to finance the sheriff’s office building in five years and for wage and job‑description updates to reduce hiring friction.

The presentation drew no formal motion for immediate action during the meeting; commissioners and staff indicated the items would be studied during the formal budget process. The speaker invited departments and employees to provide input and offered to meet individually.","A county commissioner presented a long set of priorities for the 2026 budget, urging no property- or sales-tax increases, proposing department cuts and fee reviews, and recommending revenue measures and operational changes to address projected debt service and capital needs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6617916,"Grand Forks County Commission approves letter of support for Lawrence Welk anniversary",177,438000,615000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1&start=438&end=615","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838682-7bb90e2e67d112f1eae4e3899adc1bc1/thumbnail_438000.jpg","/articles/6617916/Grand-Forks-County/North-Dakota/Grand-Forks-County-Commission-approves-letter-of-support-for-Lawrence-Welk-anniversary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617916-bf5e4e71b7fa58489594086cb40160b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135427&Signature=F68o19EGAg2RDLmv0i6W6vBlt7VmoKJX8zHgRltwMsCM8UeB-IiY3LJBshb18F8jMVSFNCSLS5QFxt8aUeknvp7ByHclMqMVVbYn-m4LtICb9Ba8STCYGsT9sHEZ0AS3jLu9YOzkBnTQV2lcSNt58~BCX-P5EZdKGhBkofxZ5xC25rVPDNagWN6~XVo-6RZ5m8t4AwPDz8CWPjJH2WLLnnTpMVySM3046KA9kH6wXteYYjoe1UR8iE0e8xeiCvNY66k4svdpKeYU0CRBKBJiITPvt4J5pFyiPlK-TXxaLBQcixBvTCouaN53wcgsUsLY0oD7k30Ko0pHwBVXCY0owg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grand Forks County Commission voted unanimously April 1 to authorize a letter of support for the 70th anniversary of the Lawrence Welk Show’s national debut.

Scott Wheeler, who said he was appearing by Zoom and identified Welk as a native of Strasburg, North Dakota, asked the commission to consider a letter backing anniversary activities and provided examples of media interest and letters of support he had received from other states. “I would be happy to provide you with that,” Wheeler said when commissioners asked for a draft template of his suggested letter.

A motion to approve a letter of support and authorize the commission chair to sign passed without objection. After the vote, the chair asked Wheeler to send the draft; Wheeler provided an email address for follow-up and said the county website also lists his contact information.

The action recorded at the meeting was limited to approving the letter of support; no county funds or other commitments were authorized in the motion.

Copies of Wheeler’s remarks and the motion appear in the meeting packet.","The commission voted unanimously to authorize a letter of support for a 70th‑anniversary celebration of the Lawrence Welk Show and authorized the chair to sign; the requester offered to provide a draft letter.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission authorizes sheriff to manage jail staffing and addresses grant and spending issues at correctional center

County commissioner lays out 2026 budget priorities: no tax increase, targeted cuts and revenue ideas

Grand Forks County Commission approves letter of support for Lawrence Welk anniversary