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Resident and gravel‑pit operator press Ward County on timing, communication for pit weed control
Summary
Gravel Products presented an updated Roen Gravel Pit weed plan and resident Brent Johnson complained that aerial spraying in 2025 occurred too late; the board directed follow-up with the aerial applicator and asked staff to develop staffing and budget options to improve scheduling and inspections.
Tore Knudsen of Gravel Products presented an updated Weed Management Plan for the Roen Gravel Pit, saying the company mowed in fall 2025, may reshape stripping piles to improve access and has designated a staff weed‑control manager. Knudsen said Dakota Helicopter Spraying missed one area in 2025 because the pit was active and that Gravel Products has contracted Walker Landscaping to use drones for targeted pit spraying.
Resident Brent Johnson told the board he had sprayed some areas himself and questioned why taxpayers bear control work that Gravel Products should perform. Johnson said the timing of spray operations was his main concern and asserted that the helicopter didn’t spray until August 2025. "Timing is of primary concern as he doesn't want seeds on his land," the transcript records. In response, the board directed Weed Officer Derrill Fick to contact Dakota Helicopter Spraying about beginning applications in May and asked Fick and Secretary Sarah Walker to prepare a job description and budget estimate for additional staff to increase inspection and coordination capacity.
