The Ward County Commission on Aug. 19, 2025, entered a closed executive session for legal advice regarding the Project Bee judgment and then voted to authorize Council Nici Meyer to execute the judgment as discussed. The action followed a 10-minute executive session and a roll-call vote in open session.

The commission’s closed session was held under the authority of the North Dakota Century Code § 44‑04‑19.1, the minutes show; the record does not include the substance of the legal advice or the terms of the judgment. The vote to authorize execution of the judgment was recorded after the executive session.

Commissioner Rostad moved, and Commissioner Merritt seconded, that the commission enter an executive session “for legal advice regarding the Project Bee judgment” at 1:01 p.m.; the motion passed on a roll call with Commissioners Rostad, Merritt, Olson, Schuler and Chairman Fjeldahl voting yes. Present for the executive session were Commissioners Rostad, Merritt (by phone), Olson, Schuler and Chairman Fjeldahl, along with Auditor/Treasurer Marisa Haman, State’s Attorney Roza Larson, Council Nici Meyer and Secretary Amanda Winkels. The board closed the executive session at 1:11 p.m. and immediately returned to open session.

After reopening, Commissioner Schuler moved and Commissioner Rostad seconded a motion “to have Council Nici Meyer execute the judgment as discussed.” The roll call again showed all five commissioners voting yes; the motion passed. The minutes do not specify the content of the judgment or any implementation timeline.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:12 p.m. The minutes bear an approval notation dated Sept. 2, 2025. The record provided does not show any public comment, the text of the judgment, or further direction to staff beyond authorizing execution by Council Nici Meyer.

Because the minutes record only that the commission sought and received legal advice in executive session and then authorized execution, this report does not characterize the judgment’s terms, enforcement steps or any outstanding legal appeals; those details were not included in the transcript.