Lack of workforce affecting county

“The lack of workforce is a national problem.”

Those were the words of Alan Scanson, the chairman of the Foster County Commission, at their meeting last week.

During the meeting held on Tuesday, February 21, a discussion arose about applicants for the open county road position.

Apparently, several of the applicants want more money than the county’s step pay scale allows.

Commissioner Pat Copenhaver suggested they go above the pay scale to get someone hired as they only have three weeks before the employee holding the current blade operator position retires.

Commissioner Becky Hagel said if they hire someone above the pay scale, then all the road department wages would shift upward.

The consensus of most of the commission was to hire someone new at the top of the pay scale wouldn’t be fair to the other road crew employees and then they would want more money.

“Everyone is experiencing a lack of workforce, but what do we do about it?” asked Scanson. No action was taken.

In other business:

• The newly hired emergency manager, Darlene Thomas, attended the meeting via phone from Minot.

She attended to discuss an EMPG (Emergency Management Performance Grant) that is available.

The board asked Thomas what it is used for. She gave examples of what Jamestown used it for, but didn’t really know. The board asked her to find out.

• The board heard from Foster County Tax Equalization Director Karen Evans who attended the meeting to discuss the flood plain permit.

Apparently the state requires a flood plain permit from the county because they are resurfacing Highway 9 in the James River 100 year flood plain. Part of that flood plain goes through Foster County.

The board appointed Thomas as the flood plain administrator.

• The board heard from Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster who attended the meeting to discuss the current opioid litigation.

She said 70 percent of the money the county receives will got to future remediation.

Brinster suggested giving the money to public health.

She also said the county only received $300 from the first settlement.

• In a GIS meeting Hagel attended she said she found out the line dividing McHenry and Carrington ambulance districts must be redrawn to match geographic lines.

• Apparently no bids were received for the basement project. A motion was passed to extend the bid opening for two more weeks.

• Commissioner David Utke told the board that he was informed the next building project will be the roof on the public health building.

• Utke also told the board that a structural engineer will look at the crumbling corner stones of the old county shop.

• Foster County Road Superintendent Nate Monson brought up a conversation about renting the crack sealer from the City of Carrington.

He said when the city’s crack sealer breaks down, the county has to fix it. He said they could rent a crack sealer for $1,950. Monson said he likes to use two crack sealers at once to get it done faster.