Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Sale Chain Of Command topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Missouri Valley Complex committee presses county after surprise agenda item on possible land sale
Summary
Committee members told staff they were blindsided by a county agenda item proposing purchase of land at the Missouri Valley Complex and urged the county to reaffirm the chain of command, protect current lessees and review leases before any sale or exchange proceeds.
Members of the Missouri Valley Complex Committee said they were surprised and concerned after a county commission agenda item surfaced proposing a purchase of land at the Missouri Valley Complex, a public facility in Burleigh County.
Commissioner Munson told the committee he had not been consulted before seeing the proposed agenda and urged caution: "I was not a very happy camper when I saw it on the proposed agenda for Wednesday since I had not been consulted about it at all prior to me seeing it on the agenda." Committee members said the lack of prior consultation seeds uncertainty for user groups that have invested in the property.
Committee members stressed the land is zoned public and noted that selling or rezoning county land requires a formal public process. A staff member summarized the legal mechanics for sale: any sale must go to a county resolution, be appraised publicly, meet minimum‑price rules and follow public notice and hearing requirements. Members nevertheless warned that lengthy processes and changing political majorities can create uncertainty for lessees and organizers who plan multi‑year investments.
Several user groups were identified as potentially affected, including the Central Dakota Rodeo Club, motocross organizers and Buckstop Junction. Members said long leases (examples cited included 75‑year leases on some county properties) provide one durable safeguard for users; the committee asked staff to gather current lease copies for review and advised the committee should review any proposed land transactions before they go to the county commission.
The committee asked its commissioner liaison to carry forward the committee's concerns to the county commission and suggested the committee consider requesting a formal resolution or reaffirmation that the complex land remains designated for public use unless the full public process is completed. No formal motion to block a sale was made at the meeting.
The committee scheduled a follow‑up discussion for its June 18 meeting to review leases and consider formal recommendations to the county commission.
