Morton County Commission 2026-11-12

The Morton County Commission regular meeting was held November 12, 2026. Commissioners approved the amended agenda and prior meeting minutes, and approved bills and payroll by roll-call vote. Emergency Management Director Patrick Martin requested lifting the countywide burn ban and reinstating the daily burn restrictions adopted January 27, 2026; the commission approved the change. Commissioners also approved forming an open-burning study group to develop recommendations for a consistent county policy, with findings and proposed language to return to the commission.

The commission approved two property-tax abatements related to a garage that had been assessed both in Morton County and the City of Hebron, and approved several planning items, including a gravel-mining and crushing special-use permit conditioned on a road-use agreement with the county engineer. The auditor presented tax-incentive scenarios for the proposed Rough Rider ethanol plant, including a requested $350,000 annual in-lieu payment for 20 years; commissioners selected representatives to discuss options with the school district, with no incentive approved at this meeting. No contract award, bid approval, or vendor procurement was identified.