[{"_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",6428042,"mediaKeyId","5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784","parentId",5905525,"title","Walsh County discusses bridge grants, construction updates and pressure on township roads","audioSeconds",2410,"startMs",642000,"endMs",3052000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784&start=642&end=3052","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784/thumbnail_642000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6428042/Walsh-County/North-Dakota/Walsh-County-discusses-bridge-grants-construction-updates-and-pressure-on-township-roads","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428042-aea3670dc02a554242b90599eae58a33/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064761&Signature=o6Hng2FwAJrUz7PiX4xMNlRNQPTU2j0YA6XILCKY9h6rZgliQ-R7jUCY8lOryKU1CIbFk9PSQ0Luaq-LydylYNuOG~bOAHUlnnlpmxvWMmGDC229BuFsjSfRM0rWwnDJULVum0xljVjhqpstKbM1VJM-hRmf4984j1UsLhbWOLZ89xQfyKnf9I2enBHB0~rJMJGchRJR0whKvFpOt-eXMAXSoUu-3jCSXvsJpwNOapN2~PZSM2CSuzc2eM2TKjgww6evq-tpON2L2K2uUdinFlye86Cr2OM10crwvhebWniyW8uwg~lDcHySV9F5X2cwT2b~1NtZB1OaPBSnFhxJrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Walsh County, KS","date","2025-10-07T17:20:57Z","article","Walsh County commissioners spent a large portion of their Oct. 7 meeting reviewing bridge grant applications, construction progress on three county bridge projects and the financial strain of adding township roads to the county system.

County planner Jason (staff member) told the board that township, county and city applicants had requested more than half a billion dollars from a statewide set of bridge and flex funds. \"The request is for $517,789,834.78,\" he said, and noted available funding was substantially less. Jason said the flex-fund and bridge applications had been submitted in separate rounds and that the county expects final funding notices in December.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said Walsh County has many structurally important bridges and limited local resources. Taking on additional township roads would increase gravel miles the county must maintain and require new equipment or operators, officials warned — a recurring local funding and maintenance challenge.

County Highway Superintendent Lloyd (staff member) updated the board on construction: the Swanson and Mintel bridges have had concrete pours completed and contractors are stripping and grading; a different contractor will install a box culvert on a third structure next week. He said both the Swanson and Mintel bridges should be open \"in a couple weeks\" pending finishing work and guardrail installation. Lloyd confirmed a contractor that had repeatedly missed work on an earlier project was subcontracting the remaining work; the county will pursue contract remedies for earlier delays.

Commissioners and staff discussed statewide grant buckets and competition for funds. Jason said there were 184 township, 120 county and 106 city applications statewide and that the total requested after administrative deductions was $517,789,834.78. He said roughly $200,800,000 was available in one major bucket and that a separate bridge pool had about $45,000,000; a Prairie DOT fund noted by staff was an $80,000,000 pool for subsequent submittals.

Several commissioners pressed staff on operational impacts if the county takes over township roads. Staff cautioned that adding miles is not just a line-item decision: it increases the county’s gravel and blading workload across dozens of townships and can require another machine and operator. As staff put it, adding 144 miles (an example used in the meeting) of gravel would require at least one additional machine and operator the county cannot presently fund without taking personnel from other work.

Township maintenance and grant timing also drove debate. Staff and commissioners urged townships to coordinate on corridor roads and to pursue available grants. Commissioners and staff said many state grant rounds are announced in the fall, creating a short window for design and bidding before winter; that timing complicates township participation because local officers and volunteers are busiest during harvest season.

Public comment illustrated local frustration. Resident Gerald Wazinski told the board he and other landowners could not reach their property because a township road had not been graveled for six or seven years and said, \"If they don't wanna take care of the road, they should close it.\" County staff replied that the road is under township jurisdiction and noted township officers can close township roads but enforcement and practical access remain problems.

Other operational details and concerns raised at the meeting:
- The county has roughly 487 structures on the bridge list the highway office monitors; inspections currently cost about $1,000 per inspection in some cases.
- Staff urged townships to pick main corridor routes to prioritize for gravel and maintenance to best use limited grant dollars.
- Where township roads do not provide maintained access to a structurally sound bridge, staff said it may be appropriate to remove the bridge rather than continue high inspection and maintenance costs for an inaccessible structure.

What’s next: staff said they will continue submitting cost estimates and will report back after December funding decisions. Commissioners asked staff to push for clearer timelines from state programs and to encourage townships to collaborate on corridor projects and grant applications.

Ending: commissioners did not vote on any change to the county road system at the Oct. 7 meeting; they instructed staff to continue outreach to townships and to bring specific road-addition requests back for formal consideration when submitted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","October 7,2025 Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","County staff updated commissioners on bridge and flex-fund grant applications, construction on several county bridges and growing strains on township road maintenance if the county adds mileage to its system.","taxTitle","Walsh County, North Dakota","taxId",73643,"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},6428034,"Commission delays final Walsh County budget after lengthy mills and weed-control debate",4668,3271000,7939000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784&start=3271&end=7939","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784/thumbnail_3271000.jpg","/articles/6428034/Walsh-County/North-Dakota/Commission-delays-final-Walsh-County-budget-after-lengthy-mills-and-weed-control-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428034-7bb27fb14d1a56545b226e8ee924cb88/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064761&Signature=Khn989VkGiSeGI0uuV2RrizyMwAQiSoz6PhVinAsvp5do3~bm3OVoyFoIRNur7~ejCbKFqhRmfMr2WQhqb~8BgpBEelgYwl0bQoJITSh47E3~RKAQFyGnFEFVn-RRyXDdg~wWc3ZigDKNerpyZYmrwEtJKgrPBeQUuWLaGlSXvtngcGprOrFCgQMUuFuyI1mf5TmyFYelFOFlaxqJeG5qSYJy2J096Cz-1Z3sSK1YhmdScxMZtaNCqlhrXGU-Gu9pp2wToDTaJgHmrQVK3LW9AhUtV6cWtpSEtqQzURDXiVZowlzrWuNlIq-mupSUd7bgxaHautqJXq7-4r4s3su8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walsh County commissioners postponed final approval of the county's budget at their Oct. 7 meeting after extended debate over mill levies, weed-control reserves and whether a voter-approved additional 10 mills can be included this year.

Why it matters: the county's final levy and budget must be published by statutory deadlines. Commissioners said they want a clear legal opinion on whether a 10-mill measure approved by voters Nov. 5, 2024, can be applied to this budget cycle.

Christina (staff member) presented revised levy worksheets and told the board the countywide levy total in the updated worksheet was about 122.45 mills (including a state levy). The discussion then focused on several special funds, with prolonged attention on the weed-control budget and how projected reimbursements and cash reserves were treated in staff worksheets.

Commissioners and staff noted differences between prior-year budget book figures and the working worksheet. Staff explained that some grant reimbursements (federal/state reimbursements and landowner-assistance reimbursements) had not yet been fully included in the worksheet Christina presented; when those revenues were accounted for, staff said the weed-control mill could be adjusted. Commissioners asked staff to match historical reimbursement levels to provide a stable estimate and to re-run worksheets before final adoption.

On the question of the additional 10 mills, staff confirmed that county measure number 1 on the Nov. 5, 2024 ballot — \"shall the Walsh County commissioners be authorized to levy up to an additional 10 mills for capital projects\" — did pass, but Christina said the preliminary budget had not included those 10 mills. The county's attorney will research whether the voter-approved 10 mills may be added to the current final budget without further procedural steps. Commissioners agreed to postpone final adoption and schedule a special meeting for Thursday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m. to finalize the budget after the attorney’s review.

Weed control: staff and commissioners reviewed the existing contract payments to J and J (weed-control contractor) and noted the county has used significant reserves this year; staff proposed using a higher projected reimbursement figure to avoid an upward mill spike. No final change to the weed-control levy was adopted Oct. 7; staff will update the worksheet to reflect typical reimbursement history and present a corrected levy at the special meeting.

Next steps: the board set a special meeting for Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. to consider the final budget after legal review of the 10-mill voter measure and after staff updates to the levy worksheets. The county must publish the final budget by the statutory deadline once the commission adopts final numbers.

Ending: commissioners did not adopt a final budget on Oct. 7; they directed staff to update spreadsheets with historical reimbursements and asked the state's attorney to advise on the legal status of the voter-approved 10 mills before the special meeting.","Commissioners postponed final approval of the 2026 budget to allow legal review of whether voters' November 2024 measure authorizes an additional 10 mills for capital projects. A detailed discussion of the weed-control fund's revenues and reserves prompted further revisions to levies before a special meeting.",{"_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},6428026,"Walsh County commissioners approve utility and drainage permits, authorize settlement sign-on and set tax-sale minimums",6729,1487000,8216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784&start=1487&end=8216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905525-da9bc054fafe7119de6043ed2ea04784/thumbnail_1487000.jpg","/articles/6428026/Walsh-County/North-Dakota/Walsh-County-commissioners-approve-utility-and-drainage-permits-authorize-settlement-sign-on-and-set-tax-sale-minimums","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428026-99e219faba47cc6c15996569e04fecd7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064761&Signature=M~6p7DN3khk7aWqHJkxyRRcFWwI0CFf7YYz7J9V6f9awmbvoF8RVvAilJ3n1WLbi8If4I5mhktKERH7jKIFzSHPk76r3DVAQqRyrhgR8-lFVcsp6jUiJ4wMtMfikAtanVq3qMf1zqCKdcwBbMvQJAr~sZi81jktyPRYt57BbGdqkZegr-g2rkYVcv8WjuDFVyUzxllNp71I2TehUYyluZfy0Vnie~H-EebXfcnc68upO0NINl2K1Hb1Fsd~S1prvirUCpmvktQhS6rhrmYEJXNzvH2V~i-Q09ZHefdbXF-Tq6QhNLltm4fxhh~bUpmT2ZAHFTkZVm2JnmAoz13hEnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walsh County commissioners took several routine but formal actions during their Oct. 7 meeting, voting to approve two permits, authorize county sign-on to a secondary-manufacturer settlement and set minimum bid policy for delinquent tax parcels.

Utility permit: County staff presented an application from the electric utility to replace an existing line on County Road 8 as part of an update project. A commissioner moved to approve and the motion was seconded; the board then took roll call. The recorded votes were: Paul — yes; Danny — yes; Amy — yes; Randolph — yes; the motion carried.

Drainage permit: The board approved a drainage permit for Allen Plant Farms to clean out a south-side ditch and replace an approach culvert on County Road 11. The county confirmed the replacement culvert will match the size of the existing culvert and that the Waterboard had no objection. Roll-call votes recorded: Danny — yes; Bernie — yes; Paul — yes; Amy — yes; motion carried.

Secondary-manufacturer settlement sign-on: Christina explained the county received late notice of a secondary-manufacturer settlement (attorneys recommended signing). Staff asked the commission to authorize the county to sign the settlement and to delegate authority to sign future similar settlements to staff to meet near-term deadlines. A motion to authorize signing and to permit staff to sign future settlements passed on roll call: Danny — yes; Amy — yes; Ernie — yes; Paul — yes; chair — yes.

Tax-sale appraisal / minimum bids: The county held the statutorily required tax-sale appraisal review and set the minimum bid for delinquent tax parcels at \"all taxes owed,\" following past county practice. Staff noted some parcels had received payments postmarked Oct. 1 and were removed from the published list. Owners have until Nov. 15 to redeem by paying all delinquent years plus recording fees; the tax-sale option follows on Nov. 18 for properties not redeemed.

Votes at a glance (key items from Oct. 7):
- Electric utility permit (County 8) — motion passed (roll call: Paul yes; Danny yes; Amy yes; Randolph yes).
- Drainage permit (Allen Plant Farms, County 11) — motion passed (roll call: Danny yes; Bernie yes; Paul yes; Amy yes).
- Authorization to sign secondary-manufacturer settlement and future delegations — motion passed (roll call recorded in transcript).
- Tax-sale appraisal: set minimum bid = all taxes owed — motion passed (roll call: Danny yes; Bernie yes; Paul yes; chair yes).

Ending: county staff will publish notice of the tax-sale appraisal results and continue to process awarded permits and delegated settlement sign-ons as directed by the commission.","At its Oct. 7 meeting the commission approved an electric utility permit, a drainage permit, authorized signing a secondary-manufacturer settlement and set minimum bids for delinquent tax parcels at amounts equal to taxes owed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Walsh County discusses bridge grants, construction updates and pressure on township roads

Commission delays final Walsh County budget after lengthy mills and weed-control debate

Walsh County commissioners approve utility and drainage permits, authorize settlement sign-on and set tax-sale minimums