Tom Ford

The primary discussion revolved around a vacancy on the Board of Commissioners. The States Attorney advised that the remaining commissioners are obligated to appoint an individual to serve until November 30, 2026. A formal process for selecting the appointee was approved, requiring interested candidates to submit a statement of interest, explanation of interest, time commitment description, and resume by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 2, 2026.

The County Commission meeting involved several key actions. The consent agenda was approved, which included a significant list of bills and check payments, employee status changes, overtime approvals, and various game of chance permits for entities such as the Larimore Golf Club and Forks Builders Association. The Director of Facilities provided an update regarding a courthouse watermain break. The board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for bridge 18-146-30.0 and revisions to the MPO CMC routes. Budget amendments totaling over $1.2 million were approved to reallocate excess 2025 carryover funds to the 2026 road improvements and construction funds. The letting of bids for the replacement of several bridges was authorized. Furthermore, the commission voted to waive taxes and sell a specific parcel to the City of Inkster for $25. Voting locations and early voting precincts for the 2026 Elections were established, along with setting the official polling hours. Legislative Committee meeting details were noted, and a request for a Public Safety and Infrastructure meeting was made. An update on the Pilot Site for Diversion Program was presented. A vote on a Grand Sky invoice and a related bill approval occurred with one commissioner recused.

Key discussion items included the need for external contractors for vertical window cleaning due to equipment limitations, and replacement of carpeting in the correction center's public office and master control areas due to extreme wear. Commissioners discussed purchasing a lift for high-level exterior work, though the cost was noted to be substantial (potentially six figures) and the lift would not reach the highest floors, requiring specialized contractor methods regardless. Replacement of 27-year-old carpet on the sixth floor of the County Office Building in high-traffic areas was requested. A significant discussion centered on the necessary upgrade of the building's elevator controls, as the original manufacturer is defunct, leading to servicing difficulties; the estimated cost for controls upgrade alone is around $400,000, excluding interior remodels. Further capital requests involved resealing exterior vertical and horizontal joints and seams on the 27-year-old County Office Building to prevent water ingress, with an initial requested dedication of $250,000 towards the estimated $400,000 to $600,000 project. Other items included replacing aging commercial washers and dryers at the correction center (costing approximately $28,000 for a set), roof repairs at the highway department shop, ensuring committed funding for a network grant, and replacing drafty, damaged windows at the highway department shop for approximately $30,000. There was also a discussion regarding addressing the flooding and security issues in the courthouse basement by relocating records storage to the annex space, which requires modification of door security features.

The meeting primarily addressed the process for filling a board vacancy following the passing of a commissioner. Discussions centered on statutory requirements for filling the midterm vacancy, including the appointment process by the remaining board members and the subsequent ballot inclusion in the next general election. Detailed procedural steps were outlined regarding candidate petitioning, which requires 300 signatures by April 6th, 2026, to appear on the primary ballot, with the top two vote getters advancing to the November election. The board also established a timeline for accepting interest statements/applications (due by the following Monday), planning to review them, set a special meeting for interviews, and hold the final appointment vote in a subsequent regular meeting in March to allow time for consideration.

The meeting included the approval of the agenda order and the consent agenda, which covered numerous bills submitted by the County Auditor and various ACH payments. Key discussions involved an overview of the Grand Forks Air Force Base Compatible Use Study and a presentation on the Total Trans Care, Inc. New or Expanding Tax Incentive Application. The board set a public hearing date for the Total Trans Care, Inc. tax incentive application for March 3, 2026. Additionally, Commissioner Bjerke was reappointed to the Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Policy Board. The County Engineer provided an update on the 2026 Flex Fund Award, and the County Administrator announced that a new tax incentive policy would be presented in March 2026. Recognition was given to the team managing the Courthouse watermain break.