Tobias, a representative of the North Dakota Council on the Arts, briefed the Williams County Park Board on the Arts on the Prairie regional public‑art program and the search for a site in the county for a piece called "Writing Rock." Tobias said the project began in earnest in 2021 and that the council is seeking a rural public site that reflects local history and landscape.

Why it matters: the project would place a large‑scale public artwork on public or public‑adjacent land and includes state funding for both construction and ongoing maintenance; a site selection could bring tourism and interpretive value to the selected location.

Funding and timeline: Tobias told the board that the Legislature provided $1,000,000 for the statewide program in 2021 and that the council may spend the interest; he said $50,000 per year was explicitly intended for maintenance. He said the council has a project budget of about $150,000 for materials, construction and artist fees for a single installation and described that the funds are committed, though staff will confirm commitments once a site is chosen. Tobias said the council hopes to have a site selected by around August and, if a site is agreed, to plan construction in the next construction season.

Board discussion: board members asked about maintenance and placement concerns (for example, siting away from ATV or motorcycle jump lines). Tobias said the project stakeholders are eager to be "good neighbors" and to address safety or access questions as the site evaluation continues. Jeremy, parks staff, said he has helped steer the council to possible county parcels and to regional partners while the site search continues.

Next steps: staff said they will continue conversations with Tobias and will return to the board next month with a more concrete site proposal if a suitable parks parcel is identified.