North Dakota officials recently gave the go-ahead on millions of dollars for outdoor conservation and recreation projects, but an opportunity to help fund basketball court improvements in an economically disadvantaged town fell through due in part to a policy technicality.
The Outdoor Heritage Fund, overseen by the state Industrial Commission, will dole out nearly $4 million across seven projects. The three-member commission made up of the governor, attorney general and agricultural commissioner approved the funding.
Grants are available to state agencies, tribal governments, political subdivisions and nonprofit organizations. Money comes from oil and gas production tax revenue.
Projects funded in this grant round are:
- $900,000 -- North Dakota Forest Service: ND Statewide Windbreak Renovation Initiative
- $145,125 -- City of Belfield: Belfield Dam Improvement
- $1,625,000 -- North Dakota Natural Resources Trust: Bakken and Working Lands Program
- $77,000 -- North Dakota Natural Resources Trust: Badlands Restoration Project
- $200,000 -- North Dakota Wildlife Federation: North Dakota Prescribed Fire Program for Ranchland Enhancement
- $10,000 -- Grenora Sunset Park District 1: Pre-K Park Enhancement
- $1 million -- McLean County Water Resource District: Painted Woods Lake Flood Protection and Recreation Project
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One project that did not move forward which came up as a topic of discussion in the Industrial Commission meeting was refurbishments of basketball courts in Dunseith, a majority-Native American town in Rolette County. The northern North Dakota county is among the poorest in the state.
Industrial Commission Deputy Director Reice Haase explained that the fund typically cannot give cash to basketball courts, but there is a provision for exceptional circumstances. In the past these have been helping economically challenged communities and increasing compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Haase said he told the Outdoor Heritage Fund advisory board earlier that the Industrial Commission would view the project as an exceptional circumstance if it received a vote. The vote was tied, which prevented the project from moving forward.
Haase added that a legal technicality might have also held the project back. The fund requires a vote from a majority of all advisory board members as opposed to just those in attendance for a project to go through. Haase said the project might have gone through had the whole board been present.
"If two members don't show up they're automatically considered a no vote, unfortunately," he said.
Gov. Doug Burgum said the Legislature should revisit the law.
"The concern that I have is we've got good projects and then the money doesn't get allocated and then there would be a temptation by the Legislature to say, 'Outdoor Heritage doesn't need as much money,'" he said.
Haase said that he has flagged the inconsistency for the next legislative session, in 2025. He is in discussion with the project sponsor and a nonprofit that has interest in providing nonstate funding.
Fund outgoing Chairman Bob Kuylen said, "You've got small communities coming in and working on these project (grants) and they have the disappointment of it not going through."
Kuylen's tenure is up. He will be replaced by Tyler Dokken of Minot, who works for the oil and gas company Hess.