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City, N.D. – The selection of a Barnes County Water Resource District board member drew a crowd as the Barnes County Board of commissioners voted 4 to one choosing Jerry Hieb over current 9 year board member Jeff McMillian on Tuesday.

McMillian received more letters of support compared to Hieb but Commissioners; Eldred Knutson, Phil Leitner and Jon Frohlich expressed strong vocal support for Hieb being he lives downstream along the Sheyenne River.

The commissioners said it was important to get someone on the board who shared the interest of downstream Sheyenne River Valley residents. 

Commission President Cindy Schwehr supported keeping McMillian on the board being he would be the only representative north of Interstate 94. She said there are a number of water issued that McMillian is working on in the northwest corner of the county that still need his attention and it wouldn’t be a good time to let McMillian go.

Rural Kathryn resident Neil Tangen said it was time to put someone on the board who didn’t support installing bigger culverts to drain water faster into the Sheyenne River. Tangen was referring to the Sanborn outlet northwest of Valley City.

But Jeff McMillian said, that outlet near Sanborn is a controlled release compared to an uncontrolled release prior to the outlet’s installation.

Barnes County Water Resource District board member Pat Hurley said, it appears the interest of The People To Save The Sheyenne will be represented on the water board.

Hurley said, he and the other board members have always been concerned about the interest of downstream residents. Hurley supported McMillians reappointment but he said Hieb is a no nonsense type of guy and he will work with Jerry on the board.

Barnes County resident Scott Gullickson said McMillian was a board member who checked out water problems at a moments notice. Gullickson said he supports the idea of returning back to a 5 member board so McMillian could continue serving.

Barnes County board members said they would be willing to discuss the idea of re-creating a 5 member water resource district board. The topic maybe placed on the next regular meeting agenda.

Board members Knutson, Froelich, Leitner and Berntson vote to select Heib. Commission President Cindy Schwehr voted no on Tuesday.