Emily R. Deschamp

The meeting included the presentation and approval of financial reports and appropriations. The Board discussed the status of various assessment drains, including the Brander Drain and White Spur Drain, and approved an easement for the White Spur Drain Reroute. Potential projects were reviewed for inclusion in the 2027-2029 Water Development Plan. Staff reports provided information on upcoming training sessions regarding drain tile permits and the advertisement of mowing and maintenance services.

The Board of Managers meeting agenda covers the approval of the financial report and appropriations. The primary focus is the review of various assessment drains, pending projects, and proposed drain improvements, including specific easements and clean-outs. Old business includes discussions regarding legislative issues and the Water Development Plan. The agenda also incorporates staff reports from the engineer and attorney, as well as updates regarding the Souris River Joint Board.

The key discussion points included the approval of the February 2026 financial report and proposed appropriations, as well as the confirmation of the January 19, 2026, meeting minutes. Detailed discussions occurred regarding the status of assessment drains, specifically the Haas Coulee Improvement (2026-1) where the engineer's report is in progress. Significant attention was given to Easement 01 (Kersten et al.) concerning the LaPorte Coulee Drain, where grantors expressed concerns about the project scope not including responsibility for the Kersten dam's rehabilitation and maintenance; the Board decided to coordinate a meeting to address these concerns. Additionally, the Board discussed the White Spur Drain easement responses and reviewed the status of 2027 Legislative Issues. New business involved planning for the 2027-2029 DWR/SWC Water Development Plan submissions, emphasizing the need to submit projects by April 30, 2026, to qualify for cost-share funding, and the need to revise the advertisement language for assessment drain mowing services before publication.

The meeting proceedings included the approval of the agenda with additions such as snow day closures and the Assessing Services Agreement with the City of Bottineau. Discussions covered the county snow day policy, where it was determined the policy will remain unchanged unless the school district implements virtual learning days. The board approved tax cancellations for properties foreclosed on by the county in 2025 and approved Amendments to the 2025 Budget. Following discussions on 2026 Law Enforcement agreements with outlying cities, the board approved signing and sending the agreements. Updates were provided on county projects, including box culvert work and future bidding schedules. The board approved an invoice for Bridge Inspections from the Department of Transportation. Following a report from the Sheriff's Department, the board accepted the Tax Director's recommendation to maintain 2026 Ag values at 90.18% and approved the Assessor Services Agreement with the City of Bottineau. Finally, the Gross Production Tax Distribution was allocated across several county funds.

The meeting agenda included several key items for discussion and approval. Specific topics involved the approval of the budget report and bills, discussion of engineering contract amendments, and updates on various project phases (MI-4, MI-5, MI-6, MI-7, MI-8/9, WC-1). Action items included authorizing a change order and subsequent bidding for MI-7D and MI-7I, adoption of the PER Update, and discussion regarding a Rural Program Update, Rural Bridges Update, and Public Access Policy. The session concluded with a review of the Annual Financial Audit for 2023-2024 and setting the date for the next meeting in March 2026.