Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
“Glue for Gravel Roads: Making Gravel Roads Great Again,” a course offered by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, is billed as a must for all “Road Scholars” who touch gravel or gravel roads.
Eddy County Road Superintendent Todd Weber told the commissioners that he would like to see the entire road crew attend the course. The commissioners agreed and added that they will also be registering for the course.
Attendees will learn to make poor and tired roads better by adding a small amount of clay (or nature’s glue) to the existing gravel surfacing on roads and will learn how base stabilizers can enhance roads. Course organizers say that using clay to hold the gravel together can result in fewer washboards, less dust, better safety results and lower maintenance costs.
Weber reported that they are waiting for the frost to come out of the roads before they start blading but in the meantime are patching and working on signage. Motorists will be warned about surface breaks on Eddy County 1 until the area can be fixed. Weber will also conduct a bridge inspection and inventory for the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
There are also some office equipment at the county shop that Weber would like to see sold. He showed pictures of two wood desks and a metal desk, along with a storage cabinet. These will be advertised for sale and Weber will bring two old Century Code books from 1905 to be stored at the courthouse.
Eddy County Emergency Manager Jess Earle reported to the commissioners that they are still waiting for some townships to return their signed FEMA agreements stating that they are working with Eddy County.
The commissioners approved the Fire Emergency Declaration and Burn Ban Proclamation, which sets the guidelines for Eddy County to declare a burn ban during very dry, extreme or red flag warning dry conditions. The commissioners would be able to declare a fire emergency for all of Eddy County, except the city of New Rockford, which already has its own ordinances in place. The burn ban can restrict the burning of crop land, garbage and campfires, as well as off-road motorized travel and smoking. The Eddy County sheriff’s department is authorized to issue citations to violators.
Eddy County residents are encouraged to call Emergency Manager Jess Earle before burning. If conditions are favorable for burning, Earle will document the location and approximate size of the expected blaze, and relay information to appropriate fire authorities in the county. Having the proclamation in place would also give a fire department that has been called out during a burn ban, an opportunity to recoup some of their costs.
Eddy County Sheriff Paul Lies highlighted some of the recent training deputies have taken to meet continuing education requirements. One deputy attended a weeklong training on becoming an instructor for sidearms. Another attended an Emergency Management System training and a drug interdiction course on how to recognize people who may be transporting drugs. A third deputy attended a Glock Armorer School. These trainings, combined with online webinar trainings, will help keep deputies up-to-date and meet licensure requirements.
Lies also told commissioners that one of the squad cars was damaged after running over a piece of metal in the roadway. The estimate will be submitted to insurance, but the department is down a vehicle until it is repaired.
A representative from Allied Agronomy requested permission to haul 4-5 tanker trucks of anhydrous on Eddy County roads from Barlow to Bremen. Since only one of those roads was a county road, the commissioners gave approval for that road, but then gave the names of the township supervisors they would need to speak with to gain permission to haul on township roads.
The commission also took the following other actions at the meeting:
• The county is seeking someone interested in mowing the cemetery west of New Rockford on a “per time” basis.
• Approved a request from the North Central Planning Council (NCPC)for $1,000 in funding for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). NCPC has been partnering with the North Dakota Small Business Development Council to bring the SBDC to Region III since 2003. The SBDC offers business consulting services free of charge to entrepreneurs and for-profit business.
• Approved the purchase of a new mower for Warsing Dam. The mower currently being used at Warsing Dam will be moved to the Eddy County Fairgrounds.
The next regular meeting of the Eddy County Commission will be held on Tuesday, May 7 at 8:30 a.m.
