commission

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Mark Klose, Stutsman County Commission Chairman, declared an emergency for Stutsman County Tuesday.

The declaration comes to support the emergency declaration approved by the Jamestown City Council on Monday. A county level declaration is required if the City chooses to ask for specialized flood fighting assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The county declaration was also made to bring attention to the deteriorating township road network,” Stutsman County Emergency Manager Jerry Bergquist reports.

“Township roads have slowly been succumbing to high water over the last several months with the above normal precipitation the region has received. Many roads are now becoming either soft, undrivable, or completely inundated with water as the very wet snow from last weekend’s record storm begins to melt.”

There is currently no outside funding available to assist with road repairs.

An emergency declaration made by a principal elected official may remain in effect for a maximum of seven days. After that, the continuation of the declaration requires consent from the entire County Commission. The next regular meeting is scheduled for October 22nd.

A Public Information Meeting has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) in the lower level meeting room at Jamestown City Hall. There, officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Weather Service, City of Jamestown and Stutsman County Emergency Management will answer questions concerning the emergency declaration as flows from both Pipestem Dam & Jamestown Reservoir continue to increase.