Dunn County commissioners appoint Terry Swartzenberger as road superintendent at $106,000 salary

The Dunn County Board of Commissioners voted in a special meeting to appoint interim Road Superintendent Terry Swartzenberger to the permanent position and set his salary at $106,000.

The hiring decision followed a five-week posting and a staffed interview process that drew seven applicants, four of whom were advanced to interviews and three of whom were actually interviewed after one candidate canceled. Human resources staffer Desi told commissioners the recommendation came from the interview team and was supported by combined applicant scoring and interview scores.

Why it matters: the road superintendent oversees county road operations and maintenance; setting the salary and confirming a permanent leader affects staffing continuity and the county’s road program budget and operations.

Desi, speaking as county HR staff, said the position was advertised for about five weeks with radio advertising for roughly four weeks. The interview panel included two county portfolio commissioners, Grace DeMars (engineering director, Mackenzie County), Dana Larson (Ward County engineer), and Matt Johnson (Western North Dakota transportation liaison). Desi said the posted salary range for the position was $92,000 to $120,000 and that the interim superintendent’s current wage was $97,406.

Commissioner Pelton moved to hire Swartzenberger at a salary of $106,000; Commissioner Klayman seconded the motion. Commissioners voted to approve the appointment and salary. Commissioners said the appointee has substantial county experience and familiarity with local operations. The board also discussed conducting a performance review in three to six months to reassess the salary and job performance.

At the meeting’s vote, commissioners present supported the motion and the chair declared the motion carried. After the vote, Terry Swartzenberger said he looked forward to serving the county’s residents and to improving roads in Dunn County: “I appreciate and look forward to serving you and the residents of Dunn County and making better roads in Dunn County a better place for everybody.”

The salary increase is planned to fit into the county payroll schedule; staff indicated the next pay period ends the coming Saturday and the change would be processed when it fits the next payroll cycle. No other funding sources, ordinance citations, or external approvals were specified during the discussion.

The county did not provide a formal effective date beyond aligning the pay change to the next payroll schedule. Commissioners closed the special meeting after the appointment and a brief opportunity for the new superintendent to speak.