2026 RESOLUTIONS BY
THE NORTH DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND
THE NORTH DAKOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION
2026-01. Reserve Fund Balances. NDCC 57-15-31 requires the deduction of non-property tax revenue from estimated expenditures before setting the property tax mill rate. However, the statute clearly allows the governing board to also include a reserve fund calculation in determining the property rate. This Association supports elimination of percentage caps on the reserve fund and/or supports the Gross Production Tax Revenue being excluded from NDCC 57-15-31(1)(b). New Resolution
2026-02. Budget Caps. House Bill 1176 passed in the 2025 legislative session capped local government budgets at a 3% growth rate. However, counties have little to no control over costs such as health insurance, elections or jail/detention costs. Health insurance costs continue to rise by double digits on a yearly basis, elections are critical to democracy and jails/detention centers are necessary for public safety. Additionally, elections only occur every other year making it difficult to calculate into a base line budget. This Association supports health insurance, elections and jail/detention exceptions to the CAPS imposed by the State Legislature. New Resolution
2026-03. Road Funding. The North Dakota legislature has been extraordinarily helpful to funding local road infrastructure. This support has come in different forms over the years from Prairie Dog funding to now a hybrid of Prairie Dog and Flex Fund Grants. Although grants are appreciated, creating an application process only causes more bureaucracy and less predictability. This Association supports a single State Road Funding bucket to be distributed to the political subdivisions. New Resolution
2026-04. Animal Feeding Operations. North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers feed the world. Agriculture is the economic backbone of the State and local government. As time has progressed many larger industrial efficient feeding operations have become a tool in agriculture practices. Such large-scale operations have significant impacts on local infrastructure but are not taxed like commercial business. Additionally, if such operations close they potentially burden the local taxpayer to clean up. This Association supports large commercially owed feedlots to be commercially taxed and a requirement that an appropriate bond to the State or local government is provided before being permitted. New Resolution
2026-05. Diversion of Excess Water. Over the last few years parts of North Dakota have been dealing with excess overland and groundwater issues. Such excess water causes issues for landowners wishing to keep their land productive and raises costs for State and local road infrastructure. This Association supports State and local officials to work together to evaluate the value of grade raises verses drainage projects before such work commences. New Resolution
2026-06. Township Road Funding. The township form of Government is one of the oldest forms of political subdivisions in the United States. Townships supported infrastructure serves as the “first mile” in almost all agricultural production. Inadequate support for township infrastructure only places an increase demand on county governments to support the local citizens. This Association supports increased infrastructure support for township roads and further objects to State funding requirements that have the effect of raising property taxes. New Resolution
2026-07 Onsite Wastewater Systems. This Association supports the continued development and implementation of a uniform statewide minimum standard for onsite wastewater treatment systems and statewide installer licensing administered by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ). This Association supports the timely completion and adoption of comprehensive administrative rules establishing clear, consistent, science-based statewide minimum standards and uniform statewide education and licensing requirements for onsite wastewater system installers. This Association further supports maintaining the role of local public health units in permitting and inspection of onsite wastewater treatment systems. This Association supports adequate state resources and continued collaboration among NDDEQ, local public health units, installers, and other stakeholders to complete implementation of the statewide system while preserving effective local oversight and public health protection. Revised Resolution from 2024-08
2026-08. Public Health Funding. This Association supports public health core services (NDCC §23‑35‑02) and requests adequate funding to carry out the overall operation and delivery of these public health services to meet local needs. Revised Resolution from 2022.
2026-09. Wetland Valuation. The prairie pothole region of North Dakota supports a wide variety of plants and wildlife. Wetlands also provide many recreational opportunities to hunters. Many of North Dakota’s wetlands have been leased out to private or public entities including the USDA and US Fish and Wildlife over generations. This Association supports adding modifiers for land that is taken out of production due to lease rules and/or modifiers to require easement holders to pay based on the value of the lease. New Resolution
2026-10. Support for and Study of Clerk of Courts Structure. The North Dakota Association of Counties recognizes the importance of the Clerk of Court offices throughout the State of North Dakota as a point of public access to the Court system. This system has been in place since approved by the 1999 North Dakota Legislature. NDACo remains committed to keeping the existing contract Clerk of Courts offices in the employ of the counties under current law, as per Chapter 27-05.2 of the North Dakota Century Code. NDACo believes that all existing Clerk of Court offices are a valuable resource to the general public in the counties in which they serve. The transition of contract county offices to State offices, without further study, could potentially limit public access to the court system and create a substantial financial impact to the State and county. The Association supports the current clerk’s structure and requests that the Legislature authorize an interim study of the Clerks of Court to receive full input and effect that would be occasioned by changes made to existing law. Renewed from 2022
2026-11. Support for North Dakota North Dakota’s Coal Industry. Coal-based power plants generate more than 60 percent of the electricity consumed in the state, and export additional power throughout the upper Midwest. This baseload capacity is vitally important to maintaining the reliability of the electric grid and is crucially important for the State’s residences and industries. The association supports legal, regulatory and financial solutions that will for all energy resources maintain baseload generation assets and integrity of the electrical grid. Renewed from 2022
2026-12. Human Service Zone Team Member Equity Compensation. North Dakota Counties recognize that human service zone team members are county employees yet are subject to state appropriations for operational costs including salary and host-county offered benefits. In addition, North Dakota Counties recognize the Department of Health & Human Services and the Legislature’s outstanding commitment to social services redesign and the development of human service zones. Understandably, such significant changes require further adjustments over time as additional information becomes available. For efficient and effective administration, total compensation equity across the entire human service delivery system must be improved. This association supports legislative efforts and the accompanying funding to provide equity across all human service zones. Renewed from 2022
2026-13. NDSU Extension Service Support. NDSU Extension is recognized as providing valuable services for the citizens throughout North Dakota. The Extension funding model represents a valuable partnership between the State and Counties with the State supporting agent’s salaries while the county supports staffing and other direct and indirect costs. However, over the years the State’s salary contribution for agents has not kept pace with other costs creating inequalities. This Association supports increased State contributions for Extension Agents. Renewed from 2022
2026-14. Behavioral Health. Lack of behavioral health and chemical dependency treatment programs or access to transportation to existing programs places a significant burden on county services. Behavioral Health services need to be available in all areas of this State including rural areas outside of the population centers. County jails should not be de facto behavioral health service providers. This Association supports increased State funding for fair and competitive compensation for State behavioral health professionals, for the delivery of behavioral health services for the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections, and to preapproved private behavioral health providers to ensure those seeking help or those on probation/parole have access to substance abuse and mental health services. Renewed from 2022