Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland County commissioners clear personnel hires, grant support and engineering contract; receive highway, water-supply updates
Summary
On Sept. 17 the Richland County Board approved allowing part‑time NDSCS criminal justice students to work at the county jail, authorized a letter of support for an EPA 319 Soil Conservation grant, accepted Interstate Engineering for Flex Grant construction engineering, approved election inspectors, and heard highway and water‑supply project updates.
At its Sept. 17 meeting, the Richland County Board of Commissioners approved several administrative items and heard updates on transportation and regional water projects.
The board unanimously approved a motion allowing the county corrections operation to hire part‑time, non‑benefited criminal justice students from NDSCS to fill in at the jail. Steve Gjerdevig told commissioners that the student positions would be part time and that "standard training, PREA, CPR/First Aid would all be done in house." Commissioner Nathan Berseth moved the authorization and Commissioner Rollie Ehlert seconded; the vote was unanimous.
Jen Klostreich asked the board for a letter of support for an EPA 319 grant proposal to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality to support a Richland County Soil Conservation project. Klostreich said this is "the seventh grant I will be applying for," and the board voted unanimously to provide the letter on a motion by Berseth and a second from Terry Goerger.
On transportation matters, Jesse Sedler reported multiple road projects: County Road 1 south of Mooreton was paved and complete; landslide repairs north of Mooreton were in dirt‑work stages with paving scheduled; County Road 10 west of Walmart was being paved and expected to open the same day; County Road 16 crews were tiling with paving to begin the first week of October; and County Roads 2N, 3, 8 and 26 had been milled, with County Road 8 being paved. Sedler also said the county will share costs 50/50 with Wilkin County for the Enloe Bridge repair. The Board accepted Interstate Engineering for construction engineering on a Flex Grant on a motion by Commissioner Ehlert and a second by Commissioner Berseth; the motion passed unanimously.
Administratively, Sarah Erickson distributed foreclosure packets and the Board set a Minimum Sale Price hearing for Oct. 15 with a sale date of Nov. 19. Commissioner Tim Campbell moved to approve election inspectors and to allow Auditor/Administrator Sandy Fossum to fill vacancies; Commissioner Terry Goerger seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Fossum said a five‑county meeting was scheduled for Oct. 10 and was asked to inquire about rescheduling after the election. Commissioner Perry Miller asked that exit interviews be done in person rather than by email; the Board agreed that Fossum and Mechelle Olsen should conduct the interviews and asked Fossum to draft a policy for approval at the next meeting.
Under unfinished business, Commissioner Campbell said he had contacted Paul Laney to request a business plan for the proposed correctional facility. Commissioner Miller updated the Board on a joint Water Supply Project meeting, saying Southeastern Water is pursuing access to the Brightwood Aquifer at a fraction of the initial project's cost, although the group may still pursue a cooperative agreement to nominate 1 cubic foot per second in the Missouri River Water Supply Project.
The meeting adjourned at 9:56 a.m.; the Board's next meetings are Oct. 1 and Oct. 15.
