Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Morton County Commission approves $36.31M preliminary 2026 budget, $1.22M paving contract and land-use changes
Loading...
Summary
At its Aug. 7 meeting in Mandan, the Morton County Commission approved a $36,308,571 preliminary 2026 working budget and a $10,804,792 tax levy (down $3,251,847 from 2024), accepted a $1,217,918.80 paving bid, approved a subdivision final plat and a land-use code amendment, and made several routine authorizations and appointments.
Chairman Boehm called the Morton County Commission to order Aug. 7, 2025, in Mandan, and the panel voted unanimously on a slate of county business, including the county’s 2026 preliminary working budget and several infrastructure and land-use measures.
The commission approved the 2026 preliminary working budget of $36,308,571 and set a tax levy of $10,804,792 — a decrease of $3,251,847 from the 2024 levy. Commissioner Morrell moved to approve the budget and Chairman Boehm seconded; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all commissioners recorded as voting aye. The budget approval is a preliminary working figure used for planning and the levy's reduction was recorded in the motion; staff did not detail in the meeting the specific line-item changes driving the decrease.
The commission accepted the low bid from Northern Improvement Company of $1,217,918.80 for paving or overlay work in several subdivisions — Mantahni, Entzel 2nd–9th, Prairie Ridge Estates, Yellow Rose Estates and Howe’In Wolf Estates — funded through special assessments (Nos. 2490, 2586, 2589 and 2588). Commissioner Buckley moved to accept the bid and Commissioner Morrell seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
On land-use matters, Commissioners approved the final plat for the short-form Lennie Subdivision and a zoning map amendment changing the parcel from Agricultural to Residential, finding the subdivision conforms to Article 7 of the Morton County Land Use Code and the county’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Zachmeier moved and Commissioner Tokach seconded that motion, which passed on a unanimous vote. The commission also adopted an amendment to Section 5-270 of the Morton County Land Use Code addressing minor meat processing facilities; that motion was moved by Commissioner Buckley and seconded by Commissioner Tokach and passed with all voting aye.
The commission approved Policy 700-017 concerning weight, size, width and height restrictions for seasonal permits (motion by Commissioner Morrell, seconded by Commissioner Tokach), authorized $1,400 in travel costs for the Morton County 4-H Dairy Team to attend the national conference in Madison, Wisconsin (moved by Commissioner Zachmeier, seconded by Commissioner Morrell), and authorized the Highway Department to execute a gravel pit lease for the Vern Kaye pit (NE1/4 Sec. 33, T135 R80) at $2.50 per yard through Dec. 31, 2027 (moved by Commissioner Tokach, seconded by Commissioner Buckley). The commission also approved a $300 payment for a temporary construction easement needed to replace Bridge 30-128-19.0, one mile south of Almont (moved by Commissioner Buckley, seconded by Commissioner Tokach).
Two appointments to the Morton County Weed Control Board were made: Elwood Barth was appointed to District #5 (Flasher area) and James Bahm to District #3 (New Salem area) for four-year terms expiring Aug. 1, 2029 (motion by Commissioner Tokach, seconded by Commissioner Morrell).
Auditor Dawn R. Rhone reported that county fund expenditures totaled $1,976,995.87 from July 23 through Aug. 7, 2025, and noted that a detailed list of expenditures is available for public inspection in the Auditor’s Office during regular business hours. The meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m. after Commissioner Morrell moved to adjourn.
The approvals taken at the meeting are preliminary or routine board actions as recorded in the meeting minutes; no contested votes or recorded dissents were noted in the transcript.