[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6512037,"mediaKeyId","5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e","parentId",5119045,"title","Commissioners question Tyler software updates and postpone I. Bailey audit-bill decision","audioSeconds",1380,"startMs",7200000,"endMs",8580000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e&start=7200&end=8580","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6512037/Mercer-County/North-Dakota/Commissioners-question-Tyler-software-updates-and-postpone-I-Bailey-audit-bill-decision","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512037-85014485b60a634f88556d4cc1f889b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174480&Signature=odba6heuKeBhzt5G2vaBbuIufN9QhHCPsojncvj874qHKb~YC4AXe2c3ofbuYRjsVD~-BnRNsgm4Bz6gpPAWPJGZ1Xno5LDjF4FUUQ1sbn5GHn7zIGdSkRjaJp0PEiJMMYEa-eti-31FWoN1WMN60ly4Bx5XGkr2a3Qz1ChE2zuJ~w8TZ5sIdOr1zBMih5N3Pu5q4evAAkOnPaOYNS4uUL5HrQ2CWvEF9Q1swpKKtLO4~LMSjqd1dThjVfrxZNgw1xN8qZ6od3tWQMkRssgSBlRUBZAhR6V6aVgjVo9opas-L-209eulMyLe1XHXc7VEWXU7Uu5ToEq0UgZTCfMvJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mercer County, KS","date","2025-07-02T17:45:53.687Z","article","Commissioners spent substantial time discussing the ongoing county conversion to Tyler (enterprise financial and tax software) and reports from auditors and staff that Mercer County may be out of sync with vendor updates that other counties received.

Auditor Carmen and county staff said they and the county’s IT contractor have tried to reconcile version differences and update channels; staff reported Tyler updates are visible in the vendor community but not being applied consistently in Mercer County. Commissioners expressed concern that inconsistent updates and a rotating set of trainer resources could produce accounting errors or missed configuration steps.

\"If we're being told four different ways to enter the same information, I don't have a lot of faith in what's coming out the other end,\" one commissioner said, echoing staff concerns that incorrect inputs could produce inaccurate payroll or tax outcomes. Carmen and IT staff planned a conference call with the county’s IT vendor (Armor) and Tyler to pinpoint why Mercer County is behind peer counties on versions and to ensure update distribution is remedied.

Separately, commissioners reviewed a late invoice from I. Bailey, a firm hired to audit and correct payroll irregularities in January and February. Commissioners said the county approved hiring the contractor to perform work on specified months but that a final lump-sum invoice arrived shortly before the meeting; they voted to defer payment of that bill until the board could review the scope and confirm prior authorizations with the county attorney and finance staff.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to arrange joint calls with Armor and Tyler to resolve update distribution and to bring the I. Bailey billing and contract documents back for full-board review at the next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mercer County Commission Meeting 07/02/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners discussed problems with a county-wide Tyler software conversion, including update distribution and the role of the county’s IT contractor; they also deferred action on a recently submitted invoice from the I. Bailey payroll/audit contractor until the full board could review contract scope and billing.","taxTitle","Mercer County, North Dakota","taxId",73543,"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},6512044,"Commission authorizes deputy treasurer as account signer and accepts sheriff revenues; auditors to post transfers",340,600000,940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e&start=600&end=940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e/thumbnail_600000.jpg","/articles/6512044/Mercer-County/North-Dakota/Commission-authorizes-deputy-treasurer-as-account-signer-and-accepts-sheriff-revenues-auditors-to-post-transfers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512044-a8658bc2578674852bc39fffc0ae2c49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174480&Signature=dS0AclysG4Lu9Qi2lvkIByad~73CWQ8-ZbYtE7utx9YLQRg2gCpEdeUwd8KgM4eb3JL9FplGmgdv9c~Cgq~yBNZG7AHZCLVIU0j-N-s3NYCWJWw2APSH2RLNwpXXV1oY0W0ztG2krB7Bs10vGxrdP2zW6-ZOMCMtJ6xmZs~AXeOLw249p6keY2wp~6kY74XPbk1onkMF50pxHD5dv4aIGLCAdr-e0xU22wVdBurL6Djx5cH2Pbz6oTaEdXIwX4ZCmEr9YQXcB1Dp~Qxd6plUg5rNZY0B75F4mwSl~nB~iHiWwPG3nq8C1QPzwvaFa9T1BpHDIe2FLJhUjZxuxA6g7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mercer County Commission approved several routine finance actions during its meeting.

Treasurer Don asked the board to add Michelle Garrett as a signer on county accounts so she could move funds when the treasurer is out of the office. He said the move was intended to maintain continuity for transfers among county accounts and to reduce single-person dependency. After a motion and second, commissioners voted unanimously to add Garrett as a signer.

The commission also received the sheriff’s report showing revenues of $244,098.77 received from Dec. 24 through May, primarily from federal housing, transportation and other sheriff-related fees. Staff clarified some amounts are placed in a revolving transport account for deputy mileage and that not all of the total goes directly into the general fund. Commissioners voted to accept the sheriff’s revenues as reported.

Auditor Carmen requested approval to process previously approved fund transfers tied to the 2025 budget (for example, landfill and special vehicle funds). Commissioners gave general direction that transfers approved as part of the budget should be journaled promptly; the auditor will post the necessary journal entries and return with any items needing formal amendment.

Ending: The commissioners approved the banking-signature change and accepted the sheriff’s revenue report; the auditor will execute budgeted transfers as approved in prior motions and bring any unresolved journal items back to the board.","Mercer County commissioners approved adding Michelle Garrett as a signer on county banking accounts, accepted the sheriff's reported revenues totaling $244,098.77, and asked the auditor to process previously approved budget transfers into the funds.",{"_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},6512047,"Commission approves 22-mile chip-seal task order; inspection and testing contract signed",557,3002000,3559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e&start=3002&end=3559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e/thumbnail_3002000.jpg","/articles/6512047/Mercer-County/North-Dakota/Commission-approves-22-mile-chip-seal-task-order-inspection-and-testing-contract-signed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512047-2f081813513ab1087316c698a9c7d2c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174480&Signature=eg9zXJzcDgfLLW~Io-IycPMT~zseMBel5OloV-vpGdyoeLCGF3CA8fBb60gsD8BaRBV5G-4eh6jPekJUovCqIrYKpSucvqzqxaYMxjiNuM~hLuwU20zm~XP63vMh78Kef-0YL6Q3PeuQ~kikatXIFxjuwe1zej3e5zYN3IWEAw9d7zOppBNafnwLVBX-YMIhI~WZ7AZ1Nd~zsGSmvHSmN-fAhCxOG3rsxyr67rcxoL~UPgTOq9X6tRjBjDsvaBVgT40oZPc5yZtSxGNZYHr2QVbjY8npAuD6ZsYNKw-6qOWXwuumYAZOUwL~2ZLeRpyWI-WHdFzZcxku9PM6ehNB0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom, county road staff, presented a task order for a 22-mile county chip-seal project covering multiple county roads. He said the contractor expects about three days to place the chips, followed by fog seal, painting, traffic control and materials testing.

\"We expect the chip seal to take about 3 days total,\" Tom told commissioners. The project includes daily inspection, falling-weight deflectometer testing and ground-penetrating radar scans to determine pavement structural capacity across the route.

Commissioners approved the task order and the associated inspection/test work. The board also approved a separate inspection/test task order (Braun Intertek) estimated at $10,264 to evaluate pavement structure and determine whether mill-and-overlay or other improvements are appropriate for upcoming years. Commissioners and staff said the inspection work will inform design decisions for an approximately eight-mile stretch that will be prioritized for repairs.

Ending: County staff will sign the task-order documents and proceed with inspection scheduling; county staff said they will bring design recommendations back to the commission when testing and analysis are complete.","The commission approved a task order and inspection contract for a 22-mile county chip-seal project; county engineer and contractor will perform material testing, traffic control and a short construction window was expected.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6512052,"Western Plains Public Health asks Mercer County for nearly 3% mill levy increase; commissioners approve $15,520 in opioid settlement funds",690,1170000,1860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e&start=1170&end=1860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e/thumbnail_1170000.jpg","/articles/6512052/Mercer-County/North-Dakota/Western-Plains-Public-Health-asks-Mercer-County-for-nearly-3-mill-levy-increase-commissioners-approve-15520-in-opioid-settlement-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512052-66ecb48be2b2b1f7a0124ba7ae950656/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174480&Signature=ViMZ6tebZG1QnMPcrmEAUXdYomUgKiyKmMuHhWrVrumiZoGxdlfn8v~lvtZSut96I5h8wJ4-e1OtDBSig7PkO5yDWUt6HfECu0-EtdmWD1pfhreE2Z~BYi1SFK21142Lp~eAriuvTqD6OSbhcNbUTWSRkqJZvwhwui670eMBLsx5hGbYnic90pPfNS2aAtaXFp5kuCqWQ68W1Tet8AZI-ycdmzt-jdRHtEnBg53Dr~pZSiSsZ7yq~GAwXJQ7oK2qoMALDKO6DRJ0Ruae-LlAXOUKPq1j5AUJ3IbkJfJVZRj3MjJYls39a6eP0eArZ0X2Hw5Mw4-JqCb0bGzve83H~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Erin Arata, director of Western Plains Public Health, told the Mercer County Commission the local public health unit is seeking an approximately 3% increase in mill levy support from counties for its 2026 budget to cover federal funding shortfalls.

\"It's only $70,000 total across the 5 counties,\" Arata said of the proposed increase. She said Western Plains lost significant federal funding that ended abruptly in March, leaving the unit to reassess programming and staffing; federal funds previously made up roughly half of the unit’s revenue.

Arata said the health unit would consider fee increases and trimming expenses, and asked counties to convene on Aug. 19 to agree on the final mill levy request. She said the board approved the budget request understanding changes may be required later in the year, and noted the public-health board approved a 75-cent hourly raise for employees in the draft budget.

Separately, commissioners voted to transfer opioid-settlement money held by the county to Western Plains Public Health for prevention programs. The county’s auditor reported a current opioid-settlement balance of about $15,520.23. A motion to pay out that balance to Western Plains to continue an existing opioid prevention campaign — which includes youth messaging on screens at area schools, print materials, peer-support funding and take-back and leave-behind kits for first responders — passed on a unanimous voice vote.

\"We have them come to our office twice a week,\" Arata said of a partner that provides peer recovery specialists, and she suggested opioid funds could help sustain that service as federal support winds down.

Ending: Commissioners asked to be notified of the Western Plains board’s final mill-levy recommendation after the multi-county meeting in August; they approved the one-time transfer of available opioid-settlement funds to the unit.","Erin Arata of Western Plains Public Health presented a 2026 budget request that would raise the mill levy by nearly 3% for five counties; commissioners voted to pay $15,520.23 in opioid-settlement funds to Western Plains for youth prevention and peer-support initiatives.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6512056,"Mercer County commissioners defer decision on Coyote Creek Road; landowner, mine and county to negotiate easements",1860,3600000,5460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e&start=3600&end=5460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119045-eda0e4819453adc9fc9444099f7fec4e/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6512056/Mercer-County/North-Dakota/Mercer-County-commissioners-defer-decision-on-Coyote-Creek-Road-landowner-mine-and-county-to-negotiate-easements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512056-b7212be85971ab6b882d0c74796e8ec9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174480&Signature=QIBdz5GuA77TgnXSrJnUOw9VGLyck8688RO8dq~LsC8sBeePTtga6bT0vhrK4IjjOEpCcnQBE9Sr-OlPjHl9tSUeyg68UvoFdnKXfa1RUwVk6QSlVPnS1j6xnelB8t7srwe0i1l~KZJzmhUCEA~hlPk3~IdbMn9aM5qzV7gVI39DSkVCv6bQAPIf2FZzSPoZjeoyKxp9npAGjBQiDqcAQSwRA2ztu1HoP2vmywj-W5natmvxy9oBU17FrnHww-nXhiO8ZYMzZ9y6~~9KfZ-bEQ~8vL5YkU2KR2plgvuj4McVhTTaSeguqtzWGxv17Om4KNinxdj-QNS3GjkWnQVDtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mercer County commissioners postponed a final decision on restoring Coyote Creek Road after a lengthy discussion on Thursday that brought the county attorney, mine representatives and affected landowners to the meeting.

The dispute centers on whether the county should restore the road to its pre-mining alignment, and who must secure or pay for easements where no formal recorded right-of-way exists. County State’s Attorney Todd said the county could pursue an easement by prescription or secure recorded easements, but warned either route carries legal and survey costs.

The debate matters because the mine needs the road reconstruction completed to finish reclamation work in the area, while landowner Casey Boyd and other neighbors have pressed for the route to be returned to the alignment they used before mining. Jeremy, who represented the mining company at the meeting, told commissioners, “The route that we discussed in March, we’re…good with. It’s basically going back to what it was premined.” State’s Attorney Todd told the board the county could enforce a prescriptive easement in court but that securing a recorded right-of-way would be cleaner for future county maintenance.

Commissioners and the mine said practical constraints — topography, drainage and the location of disturbed ground — complicate putting a new county-grade road exactly on the original alignment or on a section line. Commissioners noted options include: (1) negotiating recorded easements and rebuilding the road on the historic alignment; (2) the county building an alternate section-line route (a longer, more expensive option that would require more construction); or (3) seeking a court judgment recognizing a prescriptive easement if the landowner and the company cannot agree.

The county asked Boyd to consult his family and present a proposed compensation figure for easements before the commission’s next meeting. Commissioners said they would weigh that number against the cost of litigation or building a new section-line road. Todd advised that any negotiated easement should include a clear definition of the right-of-way width and the intended construction standard.

The commission did not vote on any motion or authorize construction at the meeting. Commissioners said they want township, state and survey information compiled, and asked the parties and the county attorney to return with more-detailed proposals. Commissioners also noted earlier agreements dating back to 2016 referencing reconstruction obligations; those documents will be re-examined as part of follow-up work.

For now, the road remains unbuilt and the mine said it is pausing reclamation work that depends on an access route until the easement question is resolved. Commissioners set a goal for the landowner to submit a monetary proposal to the auditor before the next meeting so the board can consider concrete options then.

Ending: The commission scheduled the issue for continued discussion at the next meeting and asked the mine and landowners to negotiate in the interim, with county counsel available to review proposed easement language.","Commissioners discussed a long-running dispute over restoring Coyote Creek Road after mining disturbed the route. The county, a coal company and a landowner agreed to continue talks; commissioners asked the landowner to propose an acceptable compensation figure before the next meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners question Tyler software updates and postpone I. Bailey audit-bill decision

Commission authorizes deputy treasurer as account signer and accepts sheriff revenues; auditors to post transfers

Commission approves 22-mile chip-seal task order; inspection and testing contract signed

Western Plains Public Health asks Mercer County for nearly 3% mill levy increase; commissioners approve $15,520 in opioid settlement funds

Mercer County commissioners defer decision on Coyote Creek Road; landowner, mine and county to negotiate easements