Latest news with #StutsmanCountyCommission
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stutsman County Park Board accepts water trail grant
Jun. 5—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County Park Board unanimously approved on Tuesday, June 3, accepting a grant from the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department's Recreational Trails Program. North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department awarded $240,000 to the Stutsman County Park Board to establish destination kayak launch sites at key recreation points along Jamestown Reservoir, according to the department's website. The 80-20 matching grant through the Recreational Trails Program requires a match of $60,000 from the Stutsman County Park Board that can include in-kind donations and labor. The park board has 18 months to complete the work. Projects include purchasing concrete picnic tables and docks and installing them at various areas along Jamestown Reservoir and ordering a skidsteer. The Jamestown Sun previously reported that 25 concrete picnic tables can be purchased at $1,000 for each one. The grant funds can also be used for docks for less than $20,000 each and a skidsteer for under $100,000. Stutsman County Commission Chairman Levi Taylor said his only concern is agreeing to purchase items and not having the $60,000 in in-kind donations and labor. The Stutsman County Commission unanimously approved a change in boundaries for the Jamestown Rural Fire Department that won't include a parcel where the new North Dakota State Hospital will be built. Jessica Alonge, Stutsman County auditor/chief operating officer, said the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services is looking to annex the parcel for the new State Hospital into the city of Jamestown. "I received the notice (from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services), verified that it was in compliance with everything that's required with the petition and then determined their proportionate percentage of taxable valuation (to the Jamestown Rural Fire District)," she said. Alonge said the Jamestown Rural Fire Department has two loans — one for a ladder truck and another that is a 30-year building bond. She said the total balance of the truck loan would be about $425,000 and the total balance left on the building loan would be about $3.4 million beginning Jan. 1, 2026. She said the total taxable value in 2024 for the parcel was about $9,000 and using a proportionate share of 0.02%, the total responsibility for the bonded indebtedness of the parcel that the fire district will lose out is about $700. A public hearing will be held on the topic at the Stutsman County Commission's meeting on June 17. In other business, the county commission unanimously approved: * the appointment of Beth Dewald to the Great Plains Housing Authority board for a five-year term that begins July 1 and expires June 30, 2030. * the appointment of Susan Koropatnicki as treasurer/recorder of Stutsman County. * a request to reclaim County Road 39 east of Medina. The road would be reclaimed by adding gravel over the top of the road east from Medina to 58th Avenue and then south to Interstate 94. The total cost is about $129,000.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In case you missed it in The Sun the week of May 19, 2025
May 24—The following stories from this week appeared on and in The Jamestown Sun. Students, faculty, staff and administrators of Victory Christian School as well as parents and Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce ambassadors marked the completion of the school's new addition on Friday, May 16, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It's going to benefit the church and benefit the community of Jamestown to have this space," said Mike Woodley, executive director of Victory Christian School. Beginning this fall, Victory Christian School will offer classes for students prekindergarten through ninth grade. The school offered classes for students prekindergarten through eighth grade this past school year. A new grade will be added each year with the addition of 12th grade in 2028. Victory Christian School launched its $5 million "Growing Together" capital campaign in April 2024 for the construction of the new addition with a goal of starting a high school. Woodley said $4.2 million has been raised of the $5 million goal. The Stutsman County Commission in a 4-0 vote on Tuesday, May 20, appointed Benjamin Tompkins to serve on the board. Tompkins was one of 11 applicants who applied to fill the vacant seat on the county commission."I'm very excited," Tompkins said. "I think that I can bring a lot of perspective that not everybody gets to see." The other applicants were George Barnes, John Baumgartner, Paul Belzer, Dernel Denning, Steven Gerszewski, John Grabinger, Daren Peterka, Trever Sahr, Taylor Vining and Alan Williams. Tompkins took the oath of office and filled the vacant seat after he was appointed on Tuesday. The vacancy was created after the death of Commissioner Jerry Bergquist on April 24. Bergquist was elected to the commission in November 2022. Tompkins will hold the office at least until the next general election. North Dakota Century Code 44-02-05 says the appointee holds office until the appointee's successor is elected at the next general election that occurs at least 95 days after the vacancy and the successor has qualified. The next general election cycle is in 2026. The Jamestown Building, Planning and Zoning Committee unanimously recommended approval on Tuesday, May 20, of a minor subdivision in northeast Jamestown . The final plat of the Buffalo Estates First Addition is a replat of a portion of Horizon Estates First Addition. Buffalo Estates First Addition is located east of the Two Rivers Activity Center between 25th and 27th Avenue Northeast and north of 5th Street Northeast. There is no street for 25th Avenue Northeast at the location. In related business, the Building, Planning and Zoning Committee unanimously recommended approval of the future land use plan amendment for Buffalo Estates First Addition from vacant/agricultural to a single-family residential district. The committee also unanimously recommended approval to introduce the first reading of an ordinance to amend and reenact ordinance No. 1556 of the city code by amending the district map to change the zoning of blocks one and two of the Buffalo Estates First Addition from a one-family residential district to a one-family residential and duplex or two-family residential district. The reason for the requests of the future land use plan and zoning map amendments is "to have the optimum ability to develop the area between single-family homes and single-family attached homes," according to the applications. The Jamestown chief of police says an ordinance is needed that would impose fees for repeat offenders of false burglar or fire alarms at businesses in Jamestown. Scott Edinger, chief of police, told the Jamestown Police and Fire Committee on Thursday, May 22, that the discussion for an ordinance is in the preliminary stages. He said the Jamestown Police Department has responded to an average of 218 false alarm calls per year for the past 10 years. In a letter to the Jamestown City Council, Edinger wrote that less than 0.25% of the alarms the Jamestown Police Department responds to have any actual emergency involved. Edinger said many of the false burglar alarm calls are at the same businesses. Fire Chief Jim Reuther said the Jamestown Fire Department is also experiencing a lot of false fire alarm calls. Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said city staff should research what can be put in an ordinance and present it to the City Council. Edinger said the ordinance should be in place starting on Jan. 1, 2026. "That gives us an opportunity to get this information out to the businesses," he said. No action was taken on the issue. The status of funding for Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center and other facilities operated by the U.S. Geological Survey through its Ecosystems Mission Area is still unclear even after the House of Representatives passed the Trump administration-sponsored budget bill on Thursday, May 22. Sen. John Hoeven's office replied in an email to a request for information before the budget bill passed the House of Representatives by saying, "We checked with the Department of the Interior regarding the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. DOI is evaluating their facility options and no budget decisions have been made at this point regarding staffing or funding." Rep. Julie Fedorchak's office did not provide information regarding the status of funding for the Ecosystems Mission Area the morning after the budget bill passed during the overnight hours. Various media outlets and national and regional wildlife and ecological organizations have reported that the Ecosystems Working Group and its laboratories around the country will be eliminated as part of budget cuts going into the next federal fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Benjamin Tompkins appointed to Stutsman County Commission
May 20—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County Commission in a 4-0 vote on Tuesday, May 20, appointed Benjamin Tompkins to serve on the board. Tompkins was one of 11 applicants who applied to fill the vacant seat on the county commission. "I'm very excited," Tompkins said. "I think that I can bring a lot of perspective that not everybody gets to see." The other applicants were George Barnes, John Baumgartner, Paul Belzer, Dernel Denning, Steven Gerszewski, John Grabinger, Daren Peterka, Trever Sahr, Taylor Vining and Alan Williams. Tompkins took the oath of office and filled the vacant seat after he was appointed on Tuesday. Earlier at a special meeting, the county commission voted to narrow the field to one. The commission recommended appointing Tompkins at the special meeting. County Commissioner Levi Taylor said the commission appreciates having a wide range of applicants to choose from. "Competition is a good thing for our county," he said. "I would encourage you all to stay involved and continue to engage if you can." The vacancy was created after the death of Commissioner Jerry Bergquist on April 24. Bergquist was elected to the commission in November 2022. Tompkins will hold the office at least until the next general election. North Dakota Century Code 44-02-05 says the appointee holds office until the appointee's successor is elected at the next general election that occurs at least 95 days after the vacancy and the successor has qualified. The next general election cycle is in 2026. The commission narrowed the field of 11 to five with the first round of voting on a paper ballot. Peterka got four votes, Tompkins received three and Grabinger got two. Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser was called to be the fifth member to decide on two of the three final applicants for the top five between Baumgartner, Denning and Vining, who each received one vote. Kaiser voted for Vining and Denning. The final five applicants each spoke in front of the commission for about a minute before the commission narrowed the field to the final three. The commission chose Peterka and Tompkins, each with three votes, and there was a tie for the final applicant between Denning and Grabinger with one vote each. Kaiser chose Grabinger as the final applicant to break the tie with Denning. Tompkins received three votes and Peterka got one for the final vote. Tompkins resides in rural Pingree, North Dakota. He farms from Buchanan to northeast Stutsman County. Tompkins said he has lived in a rural area his entire life and understands what the gravel roads look like in rural Stutsman County. He said county roads need to be safe for motorists. "(I) want everybody to have good access to all the wonderful things that Stutsman County has to offer," he said. Tompkins said he wants to help find solutions to any issues in Stutsman County. "If there's any problems, I feel like I'm good at finding solutions for them," he said. Tompkins said he's willing to listen to his constituents in the county. "I'm easy to get a hold of," he said. "If anybody has any concerns or questions, feel free to call."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stutsman County Commission approves request for applications for vacant seat
May 8—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County Commission unanimously approved on Tuesday, May 6, a request for applications for the vacant seat on the board. The county commission is expected to make a decision on who will fill the vacant seat at its regular meeting on May 20. The county commission will hold a special meeting, if needed, on May 20 before its regular meeting to go over the applications. The deadline to apply for the vacant seat is noon May 16. The commissioner's term will commence immediately after the county commission's appointment. The vacancy was created after the death of Commissioner Jerry Bergquist on April 24. He was elected to the commission in November 2022. The appointee will hold the office at least until the next general election. North Dakota Century Code 44-02-05 says the appointee holds office until the appointee's successor is elected at the next general election that occurs at least 95 days after the vacancy and the successor has qualified. The next general election is in November 2026. State's Attorney Fritz Fremgen said the last time an appointment was made to the Stutsman County Commission in September 2023 the four commissioners voted for an applicant. If someone received three or more votes, the individual was appointed to the county commission. Fremgen said in the case of a 2-2 tie for two applicants, the county commission could call for another elected official to break the tie. Fremgen recommended Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser to be the elected official to break the tie since the state's attorney advises the county commission. To apply for the vacant county commission seat, visit, . The county commission unanimously approved purchasing a building that will be installed in Buchanan. The county commission approved the purchase of property in Buchanan in October 2023 to construct a building to store its blade. The total cost of the building and to install it is about $120,000, said Jesse Christianson. He said the post building is walk-in ready. Christianson said it will cost over $13,000 to get electricity to the building and more than $17,000 for heating, which includes floor heat. He said there will be additional expenses including electrical work to the interior and hooking up water. Stutsman County will send a letter to Kidder County and Peterson and Williams townships about creating an access point for farmers west of Medina. Stutsman County Road 39 west of Medina was closed due to high water making it unsafe and unpassable. Christianson said County Road 39 will be closed until water can be drained from Stink Lake. "As of right now, I just don't see that we can do anything with it," he said. "The way the water is coming up is deteriorating fast. It's not safe to travel." An access road would be created at 35th Street Southeast that goes west to 47th Avenue Southeast. Christianson agreed with Commissioner Mike Hansen that it would be a minimum-maintenance road. Christianson said the estimated cost to create the access road would be about $130,000. He said adding gravel to it would cost an additional $10,000 to $20,000. "This is kind of roughing it in to get it as travelable as it could be," he said. Christianson said the access road is owned by Kidder and Stutsman counties and Peterson and Williams townships. No timeframe was given when work would start to create the access road. Jessica Alonge, Stutsman County auditor/chief operating officer, said a formal letter should be sent to Kidder County and Peterson and Williams townships. She said county funds shouldn't be spent on the access road without having other legal pieces figured out. Commissioner Levi Taylor said the letter should ask for a response from Kidder County and Peterson and Williams townships and ask them if they would be interested in a meeting. A meeting will be scheduled if there is interest for one. Stutsman County Park Board will receive a $218,000 grant through the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department's Recreational Trails Program. The county's share is $36,000 for the 80-20 grant. The $36,000 can include in-kind donations, including labor. With the grant funds, Stutsman County Park Board member Henry Steinberger said 25 concrete picnic tables can be purchased at $1,000 for each one. The grant funds can also be used for docks for less than $20,000 each and a Toolcat for under $100,000. Steinberger said the park board has through June 2026 to complete the projects. Alonge said the grant hasn't been accepted by the county yet and to not order anything until a contract for the grant is completed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jerry Bergquist remembered for his dedication, work for Stutsman County
Apr. 30—JAMESTOWN — Gerald "Jerry" Bergquist is being remembered for his dedication, loyalty and hard work for the county and Jamestown community. "I don't think the county has ever had a more dedicated, loyal employee than Jerry Bergquist," said Mark Klose, who served on the county commission for 40 years. Bergquist, 72, Jamestown, passed away on Thursday, April 24, in SMP Health Ave — Ave Maria. He was serving as the Stutsman County Commission chairman when he passed away. "He was just one of those guys that loved our community and was involved in every aspect of it," said Scott Edinger, Jamestown chief of police. "Actually, he didn't just talk about how he'd like to make change. He went out and was constantly involved in making change." A post on Stutsman County's Facebook page on Monday, April 28, says everyone is "shocked and saddened" about Bergquist's death. "To honor Mr. Bergquist, and to allow County staff the opportunity to attend his funeral, all non-essential County offices will be closed all day this coming Friday, May 2nd, 2025," the Facebook post says. Bergquist was serving his first four-year term on the Stutsman County Commission. He was elected in November as a write-in candidate. Klose said Bergquist was doing a "great job" as a county commissioner. He said Bergquist was very knowledgeable about county government operations. "He was always wanting to know all sides before making a decision and he thought it out well," he said. Klose said Bergquist was well liked by many people in the community. "When we reorganized the commission, ... I think every one of the portfolios wanted him on their board because they liked the way he operated and had a way of getting things done," he said. Bergquist served as the Stutsman County emergency manager for 32 1/2 years before retiring in 2021. Klose was a member of the commission when Bergquist was hired as the first emergency manager and 911 coordinator in Stutsman County. Klose said Bergquist did a "very fine" job while he was employed by the county. "I always kidded him when I went to visit with him that he had so many damn many awards that they are going to have to build another wall to hang them all on," Klose said. "He was recognized quite a few times at the state level." After Bergquist was hired, he managed the process of establishing addresses for people living in the country, The Jamestown Sun reported in June 2021. That replaced the rural routes that previously served as addresses outside cities. The 911 system in Stutsman County was the second countywide system in the state when it became operational in 1990. Stutsman County Emergency Manager Jessica Moser said Bergquist was excited to help her in her new role and share his knowledge about emergency management. "There was no one who was more selfless and willing to serve the community and making sure we were on the right path as far as being proactive in safety, mitigation and preparedness," she said. Scott Cebula, Stutsman County Communications Center/911 supervisor, worked with Bergquist from 2005 to 2021. Cebula said Bergquist was an extremely hard worker who put in a lot of hours. "He's gonna be sorely missed," he said. "He had a wealth of knowledge that nobody else had concerning the county and 911 operations as a whole because he basically is the one who put together the 911 for Stutsman County way back in the day." Edinger said Bergquist did a great job working with all the agencies while he was employed by the county. "The guy knew everything that was going on," he said. "He was just really detail oriented, and was always looking to improve things and make sure he did the best for the community that he could." Edinger said Bergquist also was involved with different organizations and served on their boards as well. Bergquist's obituary says he served on committees and boards for the Jamestown Salvation Army, St. John's Academy (Foundation for Advancement of Christian Education), South Central Homeless Coalition, American Red Cross, Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce committees, emergency planning committees, land use and transportation planning, Central Valley Health District Board of Health, Stutsman County Weed Board, Jamestown Regional Airport Authority, Stutsman County Human Rights Coalition and was treasurer of the Jamestown Amateur Radio Club. "It's hard to find somebody that cares that much and is involved as deeply as he was," Edinger said. Bergquist was named the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2020, an award that was co-shared with Reuben and Clarice Liechty. He also received the chamber's Above and Beyond Award in 2009. When Bergquist was named the Citizen of the Year, he told The Jamestown Sun that the award "raises the bar" but it would not change the way he did his job and participate in the community. "Keep doing what I've been doing," he said. "Trying to make the community a safer and better place." Eddy Funeral Home is handling Bergquist's funeral arrangements. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. with a vigil service at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, at St. James Basilica in Jamestown. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, at St. James Basilica. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery.
