Hearing set for section line closure

Recycle and reuse were the words of the day for the Foster County Commission at their meeting last week as they discussed using doors from the old sheriff's residence in the courthouse basement.

During the meeting held on Tuesday, March 19, Chris Thomas of EAPC Architects and Engineers attended the meeting via telephone to update the board on the progress of the courthouse basement project.

He asked if some of the doors in the sheriff's residence could be used in the basement as they are historically accurate and of the same vintage.

Thomas said he was recently in the sheriff's residence and looked at the doors.

Commissioner Becky Hagel told the board that the Foster County Historical Society has expressed interest in utilizing the space in the old sheriff's residence several times, as they are running out of room in their facility.

The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Commissioners Alan Scanson and David Utke said they would like to see the doors from the sheriff's residence used in the basement.

The commissioners will inspect the doors before making a decision about whether or not to use them.

The board also heard from Foster County State's Attorney Kara Brinster about the section line closure request from Lee Walen.

Walen petitioned the county to close 2,500 feet of section line from 66th Ave NE to Highway 200 in Carrington Township.

Brinster explained to the commission that the section line does meet all the criteria for closure:

1) Not used for 10 years

2) Not traveled due to natural obstacle or difficult terrain

3) Not required due to readily accessible alternate routes of travel

4) Intersected by public highways that cause the section line to be a dead end

The matter will be discussed at a public hearing set for April 23 at 9 a.m. in the court room.

Should the section line be closed, the county would retain its easement permanently and property owners may not obstruct the section line in anyway without permission from the county or township board.

Brinster noted, however, that if the City of Carrington decides to annex that property, as it is in the city's extraterritorial zone, then the county would lose their easement.

In other business:

• Foster County Auditor/Treasurer Ellen Roundy asked the board to update election worker wages.

She said it has been quite a while since they had a pay raise and other counties are paying election workers up to $20 per hour.

A motion was passed to pay election workers $17.81 per hour.

• The board approved changes to the Joint Powers Agreement with Stutsman County for emergency manager services.