11/3/26 Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners Meeting

The November 3, 2026, Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners meeting included several road and equipment matters. The board unanimously approved the annual ND DOT maintenance certification for county roads supported with federal-aid funds. Highway staff reported that 11 concrete box culverts are scheduled for installation this year, with work underway. The county’s flex-fund prairie dog projects have received state funding; three projects were estimated at about $3.6 million, while the county reported roughly $1.78 million in Prairie Dog funds. Commissioners supported moving ahead with the projects and discussed using some of those funds to address potential cost overruns, but took no formal spending action. KLJ was selected for engineering work on Mandeville Avenue, with a contract expected to return for board consideration. The board also discussed a possible Merrifield Road Bridge project, which the city would lead; no county funding commitment was made.

The Highway Department presented options for the county’s 12 leased motor graders, whose lease ends in September 2027. Commissioners discussed buying the current machines and replacing equipment on a rotation versus leasing new graders, along with warranty, maintenance, resale, and annual-payment options. No procurement decision was made; staff will develop comparative information, including bids and warranty terms, for the December 1 meeting, with a possible decision on December 15. The consent agenda, including bills and employee status changes, passed unanimously; no specific contract award or vendor selection was approved at this meeting.