03-04-2025
Stutsman County auditor says special election won't be pursued for ambulance district
Apr. 3—JAMESTOWN — Jamestown Area Ambulance will not push for a special election to create an ambulance district to help with funding, according to Jessica Alonge, Stutsman County auditor/chief operating officer.
Alonge told the Stutsman County Commission on Tuesday, April 1, that Jamestown Area Ambulance will continue to educate the public on its issues. She said Jamestown Area Ambulance could revisit the creation of an ambulance district during the next election cycle.
Jamestown Area Ambulance
is facing issues
with staffing and reimbursement prices for ambulance transports. The cost of operating an ambulance service has increased by 66% over the last decade while reimbursement prices for the transports have increased 12%, The Jamestown Sun reported in March.
At an emergency medical service town hall in March, community leaders discussed the possibility of creating an ambulance district to help with funding. The creation of an ambulance district would require voter approval.
The county commission unanimously approved extending the completion date to July 2025 for a feasibility study on how to move water from basins in western Stutsman County and Crystal Springs Lake.
Jerry Bergquist, commission chairman, said the study was expected to be complete in March.
Mike Gunsch, senior project manager with Houston Engineering, said his staff has to find more information for the feasibility study.
The feasibility study will show the benefits of removing excess waters, how much of the 250-square-mile watershed is contributing to flooding, regulatory issues, alternative options to remove water and the cost to remove the excess water.
The study will also help determine what the cost is to move water in different directions. The county is looking to move water to the west to the Missouri River, north to Wells County where Pipestem Creek and the James River originate, or east from Crystal Lakes toward Pipestem Creek and James River.
Gunsch said five different routes to move the water have been looked at.
He added that he will request additional funding for the study at the next commission meeting on April 15. He said additional funding will need to be requested from the State Water Commission.
Gunsch said an additional $40,000 would be needed and the local share would be about $20,000.
The county commission unanimously approved supporting a request from the Stutsman County Fair Association to begin the necessary steps to transfer a county parcel to the association.
Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser said the Stutsman County Fair Association and the county each got a parcel in 1959 when the fair moved from downtown Jamestown to the current fairgrounds. He said one parcel was given to the association and the other was given to the county, which was then given to the association for the Stutsman County Fair.
Alonge said the county paid $4,250 to for the property.
Kaiser said past commissioners have tried to remove the county's name off the parcel and transferred to the association because of liability reasons.
Alonge said the parcel cannot be sold, leased or disposed of without the consent of the secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Kaiser said approval is needed by the county commission to allow the Stutsman County Fair Board to contact the Bureau of Reclamation to remove Stutsman County's name from the parcel.
In other business, the county commission unanimously approved a letter of support for the 70th anniversary of the debut of "The Lawrence Welk Show."
Scott Wheeler said he is trying to raise awareness about North Dakota native Lawrence Welk's contributions to music and entertainment. Wheeler said he is looking to request a proclamation from Gov. Kelly Armstrong honoring Welk.
