Municipal judge elimination explained

The Foster County Commission learned at their last meeting that the City of Carrington is considering eliminating the Municipal Judge position and letting the district court handle the city's lesser crimes.

During the meeting held on Tuesday, December 5, the board heard from Carrington Mayor Tom Erdmann about the city's dilemma.

Erdmann said the state has a long list of requirements for someone being a municipal judge.

According to The State of North Dakota Courts website, https://www.ndcourts.gov, each municipal court judge, including alternate judges, is required to complete a new judge orientation program within 3 months of their election or appointment. They are also required to have 18 hours of continuing education training within each three-year reporting period. The Court System provides annual municipal court judge training that meets this requirement.

Erdmann added that it is especially difficult to find someone to serve because it is only one day per week for a few hours.

"It makes the most logical sense to eliminate the municipal judge position," said Foster County State's Attorney Kara Brinster.

The board told Erdmann that the Foster County Clerk of Court told them it wouldn't take her much more time in her job to handle the paperwork for the crimes the municipal judge would rule over.

In other business:

• Commissioner Pat Copenhaver brought up a discussion about requiring gravel haulers to pay more fees to help with road repair.

The discussion continued with questions about possibly charging the gravel pit owner instead and what would happen if the county were a home-rule county, which Foster County is not. No action was taken.

• Foster County Road Superintendent Nate Monson attended the meeting with updates on 2024 chipping projects.

A motion was passed to enter into a contract to chip nine miles of the McHenry Road and six miles of the Barlow Road going west at a cost of $825,000 and at $55,000 per mile.

• The board received their Ipads just before the meeting and learned how to use them.

• Commissioner David Utke talked briefly about grants for grinding some county roads, but no action was taken.