[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6124057,"mediaKeyId","2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50","parentId",2686547,"title","Dunn County commissioners approve liquor license, JDA appointments and settlement offer; accept multiple administrative motions","audioSeconds",412,"startMs",8348000,"endMs",8760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50&start=8348&end=8760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50/thumbnail_8348000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6124057/Dunn-County/North-Dakota/Dunn-County-commissioners-approve-liquor-license-JDA-appointments-and-settlement-offer-accept-multiple-administrative-motions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124057-4fb8533e0dc4277b6438d81e79ef446b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000368&Signature=DIs0f8ryXAnyOeYQ8EbDirnD~Otn9BQyKDjaNGw~pmupGFreb6KzB~yYFN7dnrAZDJH-3tl1SXsiMd7iqVLGvIdCXhsFzaOzs0mIq6dzdYfNFTYk578d37iySADFuuC0aUyRQAubv6WqWqcchVedhtYFLmPpmRXsiCBz~QCbZehqQLBZt6KtMXlphrnKAWM6VnmvdgQ6X5XAprejpZZsfZAjGAP~UvN915YL1UdXuiYPf2osIjCB4ePEdTO66Zgn51oNOiqkccra-rPyfMLcN9oTt3wzsCK8IBUuLLByedqBFM4Ok4jhZ~a-gZwyeGLGA14UcwLcPfxP7jjdViGl5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dunn County ND","date","2025-01-02T00:00:00Z","article","Dunn County commissioners considered and voted on several administrative and legal items at their Jan. 2 meeting, approving a liquor license renewal, board appointments, stipend adjustments and motions related to a legal demand and county indemnity.

Cowboy Station liquor license
The commission approved an annual beer and liquor license for Cowboy Station (operator: Cliff Baumbeck) for 2025. The motion to approve was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote. No further conditions were added at the meeting.

JDA board appointments
The commission approved two unexpired-term appointments to the Joint Development Authority (JDA) as presented by county staff. The appointments were recommended by the JDA board and motioned and seconded on the floor; the motion carried by voice vote.

Continental Resources indemnity and Scott Bice demand
Following an executive session on legal matters, commissioners discussed a demand letter filed by landowner Scott Bice and an indemnity offer from Continental Resources related to Continental's unauthorized use of Bice's dirt. The commission first moved to accept Continental’s offer to indemnify, defend and hold Dunn County harmless for claims arising from Continental’s unauthorized use of the dirt; that motion was seconded and approved by roll call (Commissioners Heizer, Olsen, Pelton, Kleiman and Dalzo voted yes).

After further discussion of options in the demand letter, the commission voted on an alternative proposed by Mr. Bice — acceptance of restoration in the form of materials and services. The board approved the alternative that would provide two miles of fence at a location of Bice's choosing; the motion passed on roll call (four voted yes, one no). County counsel and commissioners discussed attorney-fee considerations and the scope of the alternate remedy before the vote.

Stipends and administrative approvals
Commissioners approved monthly stipends for county extension agents that align a portion of their pay with county-equivalent positions (amounts adjusted for COLA), approved vouchers presented by the auditor and authorized staff follow-up on potential property for a public safety building (committee to gather more information). The vouchers passed on roll call vote; the stipend and bookkeeping items carried by voice vote.

Other administrative business
The commission tabled appointment action for the housing authority to the next meeting to allow staff to confirm candidate details and continued discussion of possible land acquisition for a public safety building by directing the building committee to gather additional information.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dunn County ND Commission Meeting January 2, 2025 Part 2","oneSentenceSummary","At its Jan. 2 meeting the Dunn County Board approved a 2025 beer and liquor license for Cowboy Station, appointed two JDA board members, accepted an indemnity offer from Continental Resources and later approved a settlement alternative accepting two miles of fence as requested; stipends and vouchers were also approved.","taxTitle","Dunn County, North Dakota","taxId",73486,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6124062,"Dunn County commission hears long-running dispute over ‘laid out’ road; commissioners ask staff to study repairs",683,1677000,2360000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50&start=1677&end=2360","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50/thumbnail_1677000.jpg","/articles/6124062/Dunn-County/North-Dakota/Dunn-County-commission-hears-long-running-dispute-over-laid-out-road-commissioners-ask-staff-to-study-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124062-3a181cbd24ed93733e68c90f7aa9f3e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000368&Signature=aUyg6wRXTHhuqGuEQVQ-xZ9mmBt0CrL1u95KNcbSSEUq7nzEE5x0MFTSNaGYQjN0sDkdRzd3tVzrxxgUuUgX8VfqHTA3ZsDJqeBLL0r5CFRNTLmZx31IqIZ7zKjWAJk9AgEH81jgmIOdSMYwoFCocVT-adZbBvIMEoK-OPRrUPmjG58ppr2l9ylJjCaoYIr~USJButDCHWCHli3er7swJsfQAQ2DTdvx0rhIuQWhF-vxhehVkFU8aKpuH9eT76nVvUE9D33ttOF-27p6~D59ZtazSmUek4M3dsBMoC8RfjKpNToQDRkcNzePAXbXUYm1ZHpy4OktH3aBSmwrOY31jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A long-running dispute over maintenance of a laid-out county road drew several residents, county staff and attorneys to the Dunn County Commission meeting, where competing accounts about who has authority to maintain the road and whether dirt was removed from a neighbor’s property dominated more than an hour of public comment.

Resident Dean Burwick told commissioners that operations on an adjacent section line repeatedly removed soil from his fence line and left a significant cut along the road. \"When they take out my dirt for 33 feet, they took it all away,\" Burwick said, showing photos he said documented the change.

Neighbor Willard Tormach told the commission he had repeatedly sought permission to maintain the dirt road and said county staff at various times had told him he had authorization. Tormach said he applied for and received a permit in 2022 to perform maintenance, that he carried out work in late 2022 and 2023 and that he later returned soil to the ditch at the county's direction. \"I did the work in '22... I think I'm doing what the county asked me to do,\" Tormach said.

Ross (county staff) and Assistant State's Attorney Sandeen summarized a complex history: a county letter sent to property owners in 2007 warned against making improvements to section lines without county permission; at different times individual commissioners and a county road superintendent gave permission to maintain the road; and prior legal advice in 2018 had characterized the dispute as primarily a civil matter between private parties. Sandeen told the commission that while the county's counsel can pursue an injunction if directed by the commission, the legal record shows prior permissions and a history of permitted maintenance and that the county's authority has limits.

Commissioners and staff reviewed a packet of emails, permits, maps and photos submitted by both sides. The materials included a map and a permit Tormach provided showing the locations where he reported doing maintenance and emails from county staff requesting that he replace dirt in the ditch. County staff said they had told Tormach to replace soil when his work appeared to block ditch flow.

Commissioners said the disagreement has become personal and recommended that county crews or engineers — rather than private parties — conduct any restoration or shaping of the laid-out road to avoid further conflict. \"I would offer this as a thought... consider directing the county forces to go out there and shape that laid out road the way they want it shaped out,\" a commissioner suggested.

The commission voted to table final action on the dispute and directed county staff to assemble engineers and road department personnel to inspect the road, review the laid-out-road paperwork and present options for repair and surfacing at a later meeting. The motion to table was seconded and carried.

The commission did not order immediate enforcement action or an injunction at the Jan. 2 meeting; both residents said they will continue to compile documentation. Commissioners suggested that a future staff visit include engineering recommendations about whether to place a gravel or scoria surface to reduce maintenance needs and dust.

","Landowners disputed who may maintain a laid-out county road and whether private maintenance removed 33 feet of dirt from a property; commissioners agreed to send county engineers and road crews to inspect and tabled a final decision to a later meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6124068,"Dunn County official says $25 \"notice of construction\" applies to structures; resident questions charge for bathroom fixture",1027,612000,1639000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50&start=612&end=1639","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2686547-85b4f61fae94052af4d045ddfcdd0b50/thumbnail_612000.jpg","/articles/6124068/Dunn-County/North-Dakota/Dunn-County-official-says-25-notice-of-construction-applies-to-structures-resident-questions-charge-for-bathroom-fixture","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6124068-dcaeabd1095e2d93fb95b7129729d473/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000368&Signature=h9qi-9iuPSQ8CUGHfniXC8drvqIwaAtJ5LVYapRU3w~4WDtLri0yopBZFWu2PXLboNbpPbWUb4s65SRHbBrSlSHo7WMqg6WZNkB3SBBAM3Hv7UKGqTbLA1PlD4p9EqloP9n-Ja9uMphCOYrf~FBgu~2ElgH438mep1gu7XqFr~9PZHWOeKFu~5x8NO6OpOgOXTp~Fkbu4QLuKtw-nZPmcPJwizAFrtTch4YBhcrXv~zNHM0GDIAzb6t9LN2JNDN~jt7Zgk4kcJn4nHwsxOVPzaBace9ChcAoumzjM7IfqN99xIwqRBQ1k3zR1PDwIkxJnrhafiBIngdpcZD1Fqymfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Dunn County resident who replaced a bathtub and shower fixture asked the county commission on Jan. 2 why he received a $25 charge after his contractor filed paperwork with county offices.

\"I put in a new bathtub and shower fixture in my house, Can I get a permit? Are I gonna pay a permit to the county for $25,\" resident Jason Reese said during the public-comment portion of the meeting.

Sandy Rode, Dunn County code administrator, told the commissioners and Reese that the county does not issue building permits for every remodeling job but does require a $25 \"notice of construction\" whenever a new structure is built. \"So, first of all, it's not a building permit. It's a notice of construction,\" Rode said, adding that since 2011 her office has required notices for new structures and that contractors commonly submit the notices and pay the fee on customers' behalf.

Rode said she traced a February 2022 filing related to Reese's address to a home-improvement contractor and that the company often submits notices to the county when it performs work. \"They sent the permit in... and your home improvement paid the bill,\" she said.

Reese told commissioners he received correspondence that looked like a bill and questioned why a bathroom fixture replacement would trigger a county charge. Rode and commissioners said the notice requirement is intended primarily to inform the county assessor and other departments that a structure has been added or altered so the property can be assessed for taxation; Rode explained the $25 fee had been set years earlier.

Rode described the practical difference between Dunn County's notice of construction and a building permit used in larger jurisdictions: a notice does not trigger county inspections or a certificate of occupancy, while a building permit does. She also said many financial institutions increasingly require a building permit or analogous documentation before financing a new house.

Several commissioners and staff said the situation illustrated unclear language in the county code about titled manufactured homes and a variety of structures. \"I think we should maybe have when we do some code reviews we should talk about that in the planning and zoning and bring a recommendation to the County Board,\" Commissioner Heizer said during the discussion.

The commission did not vote on a specific policy change at the Jan. 2 meeting. Commissioners suggested that planning and zoning review the county code language and fee practice so staff can recommend whether minor interior plumbing work filed by a contractor should automatically prompt a notice and fee, and Rode said she could administratively return fees when filings clearly should not have resulted in a charge.

The county said it will address the wording of the notice-permit rules during an upcoming planning and zoning code review. In the meantime Rode advised residents to call the code office before starting work if they are unsure whether a notice or permit is required.

","A Dunn County resident questioned a $25 charge after a contractor filed a notice of construction for a bathtub and shower fixture; county code administrator said the county requires a $25 notice for new structures and that planning staff will review whether minor plumbing work should trigger the notice.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dunn County commissioners approve liquor license, JDA appointments and settlement offer; accept multiple administrative motions

Dunn County commission hears long-running dispute over ‘laid out’ road; commissioners ask staff to study repairs

Dunn County official says $25 "notice of construction" applies to structures; resident questions charge for bathroom fixture