Stark County commissioners were pleased with reports they received concerning the new fairgrounds and a report from the Stark County sheriff concerning the Fourth of July weekend, they said during their regular meeting on Thursday morning.
Sheriff Terry Oestreich reported there were few fireworks calls and only one burn ban call, which was near Taylor where there was a bonfire. He said it was quickly extinguished when the deputy arrived.
The drought is also causing problems for the county Road Department. Al Heiser, county road superintendent, reported the dry conditions caused a scoria gravel operation to be temporarily closed down.
Heiser said while haying this weekend, he became concerned about rural fires and access to water for the rural fire department. He suggested to county emergency manager Bill Fahlsing that they work with MBI to position filled water tankers in rural fire districts throughout the county to provide water necessary to fight potential fires.
"There are some places in the county where there is no access to water and other place where streams and ponds used in the past are now dry," Heiser said.
ADVERTISEMENT
He believed that even if the county has to provide the water, it will allow for fires to be controlled sooner.
Other business
The North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction has reviewed and rejected the school annexation proposal from the county. The auditor must appoint a separate five-person committee to study and present a plan for the annexation to the DPI.
The Stark County Veterans Association returned to the commission to request additional funds for its building near the Veterans Memorial at Rocky Butte Park. Commissioner Ken Zander reminded his fellow commissioners that they had told the Stark County Veterans Association to come back to the county when they got closer to the start of the building project to receive additional monies.
Chairman Jay Elkin called for a special County Park Board meeting later Thursday afternoon to pledge another $100,000 to the project to meet a Monday deadline needed to start construction to finish the project before the fall.
Scull Construction reported on the process of the Stark County Courthouse and change orders to finish the third floor with office spaces. The commission approved the recommendation of the contractor and the courthouse building committee to spend up to an additional $600,000 to finish the third floor project and contingency dates. Commissioners feel completing the third floor would never cost less to complete than now. The completion of the courthouse is scheduled for Oct. 13 with finish date for change orders for the third floor in December.
The commission approved a request from Joe Hirschfield, Dickinson city appraiser, to deny an abatement of the West Ridge Properties.
