The Morton County Commission adopted Policy 700-017 on Thursday to formalize procedures for weight, size, width and height permits on county roads, and to outline enforcement and public education steps.

County staff said the policy uses the LoadPass system for permit issuance — a platform already used widely in the region — and aligns permit processing with North Dakota Department of Transportation standards for routes and design. Sheriff Matthew Kirkmeyer and county road staff described enforcement initially as an educational process: officers would weigh trucks to inform operators rather than immediately issue citations.

Sheriff Kirkmeyer told commissioners the department currently lacks manpower for sustained weight enforcement but wanted a clear county policy in place should the county later expand enforcement capacity. “The first thing was to get a policy in place … the mechanism of enforcement is not necessarily set up at this point,” Kirkmeyer said. He added that short, targeted spot checks during harvest season could educate haulers and help preserve county roads.

Why it matters: Road wear from overweight loads is a recurring local concern. Commissioners and staff said early outreach and coordination with the county’s public information officer and local newspapers will be used to notify area farmers, haulers and businesses before any enforcement actions begin.

Action taken: The commission voted to adopt Policy 700-017; the sheriff and highway staff will develop the education plan and enforcement protocols and return to the commission if additional resources or changes are needed.