North Dakota Association of Counties

It's FAQ Friday!
Today's Q: I keep hearing about GIS as a great tool for so many things, but what is it?
A: Short answer, GIS stands for Geographic Information System. It's how your car's navigator knows where to take you and a lot of other applications for citizens and government. To learn more, you can visit the NDACo GIS page at https://www.ndaco.org/programs_and_services/gis/
AND another great way to dive into GIS is to attend the ND Geospatial Summit September 25-26 in Bismarck.
https://ndgeospatialsummit.vfairs.com/en/

North Dakota Geospatial Summit The North Dakota Geospatial Summit started out as GIS Day in 2001. In 2005 that event turned into the North Dakota GIS Users Conference. Reflecting the dynamic and widening geospatial field but not losing sight of the foundation continuing to be built upon by geospatial professionals, in 2019 the ev...

It's FAQ Friday!
Today's Q: You recently posted a reel from several counties. What's this "County Tours" all about?
A: Starting more than 20 years ago, NDACo Board officers and staff have been conducting listening tours - usually a two-day tour hitting 3 or 4 counties per day. During these tours, we not only get to tour our wonderful county courthouses, but we meet with county officials and listen to what challenges they are facing. What we learn from them face-to-face informs us on what kind of programs we can offer and how to develop a legislative agenda. We try to be sure we visit every county at least every four years. Our upcoming tours are: August 14-15: Barnes, Ramsey, Nelson, Griggs | September 10-11: LaMoure, Dickey, Richland, Sargent, Ransom. See you soon!

Send a message to learn more

Counties appreciate the strong partnership that make elections successful!

Did you know North Dakota statewide elections are a partnership between the Office of the Secretary of State and 53 county auditors? This partnership promotes and supports secure, accurate, fair, and open elections for the citizens of North Dakota. County Auditors are also a great resource when signing up to be a poll worker in your community. Start your sign up today https://bit.ly/NDPollWorker.

The County Tours recently stopped in Ward, Renville, Oliver, Mercer and McLean Counties. Meeting with county officials and hearing what is going on in their county is always interesting. Thanks for the great conversations!

It's FAQ Friday!
Summer is upon us, and that means burn bans. Today's Q: HOW DO I KNOW IF MY COUNTY HAS A BURN BAN IN PLACE?
A: In most cases, rather than declare a ban, lift it, declare again, the county will set a policy that a burn ban is in place when the fire index is high, very high or extreme. THAT information can be found on a map that is updated daily. Find that map HERE: https://ndresponse.gov/burn-restrictions-fire-danger-maps
Always check it before burning, and enjoy your summer!

Burn Restrictions & Fire Danger Maps | ND Response The Burn Restrictions & Fire Danger Maps page.

Dakota Datebook has done it again! VERY interesting profile on Pierre Bottineau, the namesake of Bottineau County, the city of Bottineau and more. What a character!

Dakota Datebook Sitting Bull to Phil Jackson, cattle to prairie dogs, knoefla to lefse.

Rolette County got a great profile on Prairie Public today. Terrific story about the namesake of Rolette County and City. He was what you might call a firebrand. Read or listen here:
https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/dakota-datebook

July 23: Joseph Rolette Located in Rolette County, St. John is one of the oldest towns in North Dakota, dating back to its 1843 origins as a trading post. The 1880s, saw towns springing up in that region as people gravitated to the area’s trading posts. Dunseith and Belcourt were organized in 1884. And the city of Rolett...

It's FAQ Friday!
Here's a common Q these days - What is a MILL and how are property taxes calculated?
A: A mill is a fraction: 1/1000. So a mill of $100 is 10 cents.
Now for the rest of it, we'll refer you to our "Understanding Property Taxes" page, where we use some nice round numbers to explain how a mill is applied to the value of a property:

NDACO.ORG This page is intended to help you understand property taxes in general, and the often confusing "mill" in particular. For specific questions regarding your property values or taxes, please contact your County Auditor or Tax Director. Contact information for all county officials can be found on our i...

ND was represented well at the National Association of Counties Annual Conference. Great learning opportunities about emerging and important topics and networking with County folks from across the country.

NDACo and several counties participated in the 2024 training conference in Bismarck. Donnell Preskey serves as a panelist on legislative issues today, along with John Bernstrom from Grand Forks.

ND County Auditors and Treasurers enjoyed learning and networking this week at their annual conference. Thanks to the great presenters in sharing information. The two associations also voted to combine into one which will be the ND County Auditors and Treasurers Association.

ND Counties on average, reduced property taxes in 2022, experiencing an overall decrease of 1.2%. Counties levy 23% of all the property taxes collected with nearly half of those county taxes paying for roads and public safety. Read more on the ND Counties Blog.

ND Counties Reduce Property Taxes in 2022 Tax policy is at the center of legislative discussions in preparation for the 2025 Session. The conversations are fueled by the potential property tax elimination measure and pressures to improve t…

It's FAQ FRIDAY!!
Today's Q: When will registration open for the Annual Conference Oct. 20-22?
A: Officially July 8, but you are my favorite people, so I'll let you in on a little secret: After testing the form, we left it open - so you can register now if you're a hard-working Friday on duty kind of person.
Go to https://www.ndaco.org/annual-conference/ and choose either the COUNTY REGISTRATION or EXHIBITORS/SPONSORS tab, depending on which one you are.

NDACO.ORG

Let's celebrate safely this week!

Here's to coming out of the fourth with the same number of fingers and toes as you have going in! Be sure to respect your local ordinances and the manufacturer's instructions. Here are a couple of tips for fireworks safety from our friends at Homeland Security, link in the comments:

🎆 Designate a safety perimeter. If you have ground-based fireworks like a fountain, spectating from at least 35 feet away is best. For aerial fireworks, you’ll want everyone to move back to a distance of around 150 feet.
🎆 Ditch faulty fireworks. Sometimes fireworks don’t go off, but duds always pose a risk. The important thing to know is that you should never try to relight or approach a failed firework. Let duds sit for 5 -10 minutes before you put them in a bucket of water. This can prevent injury from a delayed explosion and disarm the firework permanently so you can safely dispose of it.

It's FAQ Friday! (almost forgot)
Today's Q: What kind of benefits do counties offer employees, specifically regarding retirement savings?
A: WHAT A GREAT QUESTION! Benefit packages vary from county to county, but one great retirement benefit ALL counties offer is the Nationwide 457 plan. We've recently posted a brochure about it on our website. Nationwide, and ND Counties, are ON YOUR SIDE!

Send a message to learn more

Join the Keep it Local ND movement. The coalition officially launched this week to help educate voters on the need to protect vital local services and local decision making. Visit keepitlocalnd.org for more details.

Join the Keep It Local Movement!

We're excited to announce the launch of the Keep It Local campaign! Discover how we're working to protect vital local services and keep decision-making power within our communities. Visit keepitlocalnd.org for more details.

NDACo Board President Jayme Tenneson is featured in the National Association of Counties County News feature "Now I Know..."

Nice job, Jayme!

Now I Know to Build Your Network When Jayme Tenneson took over as Nelson County and Griggs County, N.D.’s state’s attorney, he leaned on his friends, colleagues and law school classmates to help him learn the ropes.

Good news about the polling locations our counties run!

Voting at North Dakota primary polling sites ran smoothly, observers say • North Dakota Monitor Primary election polling sites received high marks from the League of Women Voters’ volunteer election observers, according to an announcement from the organization.

It's FAQ Friday!
Today's Q: I see your profile picture is about the Annual Conference. When can I register?
A: Exhibitors and sponsors can register NOW. at https://www.ndaco.org/annual-conference/exhibitors-sponsors/
County officials can register beginning on July 5th at https://www.ndaco.org/annual-conference/. In both cases, there will always be a link on our home page, so you don't have to remember the longer links.

NDACO.ORG Once you are familiar with the exhibit types, please click on the link for much more detailed information,  including the registration link.

Thank you poll workers!

Behind every successful election, there are hardworking poll workers. They help voters check-in, manage lines, troubleshoot equipment, and provide assistance. Learn how you can get involved by visiting https://bit.ly/NDPollWorker.

Our counties are busy administrating elections across North Dakota. Get out and vote!

Today, June 11, is North Dakota's Primary Election Day! If you are at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and have been a North Dakota resident for at least 30 days, you can exercise your right to vote.

Find your polling location information (address and hours) at vote.nd.gov/myvotinginfo

Remember to bring one of the following forms of ID with you to the polls:
-ND driver’s license
-ND non-driver ID
-Tribal ID or letter
-Long term care certificate

Tuesday is the June Primary. Here's what you need to bring to vote in ND.

Remember to bring your valid ND ID with you to the polls. Election officials will ask you to present it when you check in.
Valid forms of ID include:
-ND Drivers License
-ND Non-Driver ID
-Tribal ID or Letter
-Long Term Care Certificate
For more information about voter ID requirements, go to https://bit.ly/NDvoterID.

It's FAQ Friday!
Today's Q: There's a Primary Election coming up Tuesday 6/11. Where do I go to vote?
A: This is a very important question. You must live in your precinct for 30 days, so if you moved less than 30 days ago, vote in the precinct you moved from.
Enter the address at this link to find out exactly where to vote. They even provide a link to a map!

Polling Place Search Welcome to the North Dakota Secretary of State Voter Information Portal

The ExpressVote is a super easy way to vote for anyone, regardless of ability, and there will be at least one at every polling station. No obstacle to voting! :-)

Where Are We Wednesday?

Tom and Mike stopped by Center For Independent Living, Inc. to learn about voter education!

Hillary and Kelsey from the ND Protection and Advocacy Project brought along an ExpressVote machine.

ExpressVote is an accessible voting machine that helps voters across the state mark and cast their ballots with ease.

The primary election is just around the corner on June 11th! Make sure your voice is heard and get out to vote.

ND Protection and Advocacy works with the North Dakota Association of Counties and the North Dakota Secretary of State to ensure elections systems are accessible.

If you have any questions or need more information, check out the P&A website at this link: https://www.ndpanda.org/resources/voting

You can early vote in many counties! Go to https://vote.nd.gov/myvotinginfo to see if your county has early voting. You can also vote by absentee ballot. Request an application from your county auditor and make sure to return your ballot by June 10th.

Some counties offer the option to vote at a polling location before election day. Go to https://vote.nd.gov/myvotinginfo to see if your county has early voting.

Two ND Sheriffs testified today at a U.S. House Judiciary hearing on the effects of the border crisis.

What would be better: ND Sheriffs testifying to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement...
OR
That subcommittee coming to North Dakota?
How about both? Jesse Jahner - Cass County Sheriff and Roger Hutchinson, Renville County Sheriff will testify along with A.G. Wrigley and Rebecca Davis, Director of the Walhalla Area Chamber of Commerce.
You can watch a live stream of the hearing on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. CT at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFGdnfon9pk

Send a message to learn more

Congrats to Sherry Adams! Way to go, supporting the Guard and Reserve on top of everything you do for your county and beyond! Well deserved.