At the Tuesday, Aug. 4, 8 a.m. meeting of the Ramsey County Commission following the Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, Approval of meeting minutes (2), Approved Payment of all Bills (by roll call vote), and Approved Treasurer’s Checks (by roll call vote) and they Approved of the Agenda.
Present at the meeting were Blaine Volk, Ed Brown, Bill Hodous and Jeff Frith with County Auditor Kandy Christopherson. One commissioner was absent, Paul Wilhelmi.
Dominic Eritano was called first to the podium to present his proposed budget for 2027. Eritano highlighted parts of his proposal and stated the reasons why he had to make a few increases. Commissioner Frith remarked that it was “extraordinary how the situation at the regional airport had improved over previous years” giving Eritano credit for the increases in use of the local flights, each month has been a record month for the Airport. Eritano pointed out that as the numbers have increased so, too, has the funding from the FAA. Commission chair Volk stated that his [Eritano’s] was a “straight forward budget” and thanked him for his work and presentation.
Jason Kraft, County Highway Superintendent was next on the Agenda. He discussed purchases the department needed, including the low bid for carbide edges for blading, expandable cones with lights for washed-out roads and a crushed rock project near Lawton.
The Ramsey County Snag and Clear Public Hearing was set for 8:30 a.m. but Ramsey County States Attorney Daniel Howell
had to leave, so he wanted to give his advice before he had to leave. The Department of Water Resources for North Dakota are in possession of the emergency application but are questioning the definition of “emergency” when the flooding has been going on for, what 30 years? Howell will continue to follow up on this matter and hearings will be set up either here or in Bismarck, but they will have to make sure to attend to defend the application and the emergency wherever they are scheduled – “we have dealt with this locally everyday for decades. If they deny the application, we can appeal.” Howell says it is important that they stay on this. “It is the only legal recourse we have,” Howell stated. Plus we want to make sure that county citizens get as much information as they can about the situation as it unfolds. He is hopeful that the legislature will set up a process to deal with the water issues of our area. Frith mentioned a different approach that Dickie County did, a sub-surface drain project, that might be an answer for us, too, another alternative, “it worked for them in another part of the state, we need to seek every possible solution possible,” Frith added.
They were informed that the Ramsey County North Snag and Clear Public Hearing was held and finalized back in July 28.
Two residents representing Stevens Township spoke up, one said, “anything they need we can do it.” The other assured there were private funds available and that the “payback would be more like five years” rather than the 9-year payback originally discussed. Someone in the gallery said “That’s a great idea” to that.The costs involved, up to $47,000, were assessed for the 6.9 mile long road in the Crary area.
Therefore they voted on it, the testimony to approve the snag and clear discussed contingent that the culverts get taken care of, too. A roll call vote of the Water Board members was approved unanimously. Then the Ramsey County Commission voted, too, with the same condition, that the culverts get fixed. That also was passed unanimously.
Finally the 2027 Budget was the topic to be discussed. This led to a discussion about why departments are having difficulty obtaining print-outs in order to help them prepare their budget proposals. Commissioner Hodous asked “How do we approve a preliminary budget without a financial statement? We haven’s seen one for months!”
This led to a lengthy discussion regarding a problem with the software the county switched to half-way through the year and the lack of training and help for staff attempting to close out the 2026 books without assistance from the product provider they had selected. The commissioners asked about finding someone who knew something about the product and its application and how to help county employees with transitioning to a new way of doing things and reconciling the records needed to close out one year and begin another.
The concensus of the commissioners, the treasurer and the auditor was to contact the provider of the software or other counties working with the product but to find some help for staff to go forward and to be able to use the software the county had purchased. Plus, it was suggested they withhold further payments for the software and to the software company until they provide adequate assistance for the county’s employees.