From Shabby to Chic

The basement of the Eddy County Courthouse has gone from shabby to chic.

As shown in the photos, the dark, dingy basement is a thing of the past. The asbestos tiles were safely removed and the wood paneling stripped, replaced by fresh drywall and durable vinyl plank flooring. Local contractor Randy Linderman took the lead on the renovation work, which he spent the winter months completing. A grid ceiling, featuring energy-efficient LED lights installed by Viking Electric, covers up the myriad of electrical, plumbing and heating infrastructure above.

The hallway has been updated, and wood doors with modern hardware lead into the various rooms. Even the stairwell

got a facelift, namely new drywall and paint.

The renovations, which cost nearly $115,000, were paid for with COVID-19 relief funds the county received late last fall. A breakdown of the costs is illustrated in the sidebar.

Junior and senior Rocket football players helped move furniture into the newly finished meeting room last week, just in time for the Eddy County Commission to convene its Sept. 7 meeting in the space. 

Mill Pump property to be reappraised, road projects prioritized by commission

State's Attorney Ashley Lies recommended that the county reduce the sales price for the former Mill Pump property along U.S. Hwy. 281. This action is possible due to SB 2280, which passed the N.D. legislature earlier this year. The new statute effectively changes the process for appraising property obtained via tax foreclosure.

Per the statute, a property is eligible to be reappraised at least 30 days prior to the sheriff's annual tax sale, which occurs in mid-November, and a public hearing must be held before the new sales price can go into effect.

Commissioners reviewed a schedule of costs incurred by the county to comply with N.D. Department of Environmental Quality rules. The $26,445 spent includes underground tank removal, asbestos abatement within the structure and a preliminary assessment of the contamination present in the ground underneath.

The commission agreed to proceed with the reappraisal of the former Mill Pump, with a proposed minimum sales price of $26,000. A hearing will be held during the Oct. 7 meeting. The property will then be placed on the November tax sale. If it doesn't sell, the county can relist it with a realtor.

The county has $412,521 in federal funding available for road projects. Commissioners discussed giving top priority to Eddy County 8 (Lake Washington Road), as there are two bad spots that need to be repaired, about eight-tenths of one mile. The most recent cost estimate for the work came in at $531,000, so the county would have adequate funds to complete it next year.

Commissioners discussed their plans via phone with Ben Aaseth of Interstate Engineering. Aaseth said that the federal program requires a 19.7% local cost share, which commissioners agreed was manageable.

Aaseth will prepare an updated cost estimate for the project, and Rud and Aaseth will present their plans to the DOT at the N.D. Association of Counties meeting in October. Brantford Road will also remain on the list, although shifted to second priority. An updated cost estimate will also be prepared for this project, which involves a mill and overlay on the seven-mile stretch of County Road 10 from the junction of N.D. Hwy. 15.

Aaseth informed commissioners that the Brantford road project would be a good candidate for Prairie Dog infrastructure funds established by the N.D. legislature during the 2019 session. He said some larger cities have already received their allocation, and that counties should expect to be next on the list.

The county also has $32,000 in COVID-19 funds that can be used for federal aid eligible projects, according to Aaseth.

Also regarding roads, townships received a funding boost courtesy of HB 1015. This one-time emergency relief for non-oil producing counties was approved by the N.D. legislature in 2021, due to extraordinary flooding in 2020 and, subsequently, the excessive cost of road maintenance. The payments, based on township road miles, were sent to all the county's townships. Some received $11,000 or more, according to Eddy County Treasurer Kathy Anderson.

An updated Courthouse Emergency Preparedness Plan was presented by Emergency Manager Lisa Thompson. This is one integral part of the Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP) for the county, which Thompson intends to finish by the end of the month. The LEOP also encompasses plans from other local entities and major industries, including Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd and BNSF Railway.

Thompson has also officially completed her emergency management education. She is now organizing an active shooter training at the courthouse, which is set for later this month, to help fulfill a requirement to provide training to local emergency responders.

Also related to emergency preparedness, Todd Allmaras updated commissioners on his task to divest the county of a large trailer generator that is no longer needed. A company in Cooperstown has expressed interest in purchasing the generator, which they will then resell. Allmaras explained that since the generator was purchased using Hazard Mitigation grant funds, they need to get approval from the N.D. Department of Emergency Services before selling it. Assuming they obtain the proper approval, the county will use the funds from the sale to purchase an adequately-sized generator for the county shop.

County employees will have the option to purchase supplemental insurance through Colonial Life. Williams made the request to offer dental and vision coverage to employees, which they will pay via payroll deduction if they choose.

The next county commission meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m.