County wants to know what residents think

Talk about it

Amid a time of rapid area growth, the Stark County Commission requested the county’s comprehensive plan be revised and public input is being sought, but no one showed at a meeting aimed at just that at the Ramada Grand Dakota Lodge and Conference Center in Dickinson Tuesday evening.

The county’s comprehensive plan, adopted in 1982, is “a guideline for decision makers as they face the issues,” said Rod Landblom, executive director of the Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development.

With such rapid growth and additions of housing, oil wells and industrial and commercial businesses, county officials want to be sure the plan covers all scenarios.

“We want to know what people think or maybe it’ll bring up something we didn’t think of,” said Gene Buresh, community development coordinator for RCRCD.

The cost of revising the comprehensive plan is about $20,000 although it is projected to be less.

Landblom said the process is in its first step, with presentation of a draft of the Stark County background report which highlights detailed county information covering all avenues, from family incomes to populations and health services.

Information from the report will be used in updating the county’s plan.

Working for the county, RCRCD is seeking public input as to the issues and ideas for approaches in policy development, Landblom said, adding the plan probably won’t see many changes.

Additional public input meetings are scheduled for today in Richardton at the American Legion Hall and on Thursday in Belfield in the basement of City Hall. Both meetings are at 7 p.m.

Another public input meeting will be held in the fall when the final draft is presented to county commissioners. No date has been set.

Tags: stark county, rod landblom, comprehensive plan, news