5-12-26 Township Tuesday

NDTOA Legal Counsel, Jayme Tenneson, leads a discussion about township zoning, moratoriums, and data centers

4-14-26 Township Tuesday

Jayme Tenneson, NDTOA Legal Counsel
Open Meetings Issues
On-Site Inspection Open Meetings Exemption
Public Comment Policy - Senate Bill 2180
Section Lines and Obstructions
Trees within right-of-way adjacent to state lands.
ADA standards for Township Websites

6-9-26 Township Tuesday

NDTOA Legal Counsel, Jayme Tenneson, joins the discussion on zoning, comprehensive plans, and data centers.
Prairie Dog and Flex-Fund payments are also discussed.

7-14-26 Township Tuesday

Jayme Tenneson, attorney for the NDTOA, discussed open records and meetings, emphasizing the importance of transparency and compliance with state laws. Key points included defining public records, handling open records requests, and the proper protocol for posting meeting notices. Tenneson clarified that exempt records can be released by board action, while confidential records, such as social security numbers, are statutorily confidential. He also explained the process for executive sessions, the importance of public comment policies, and the need for clear meeting notices. The meeting concluded with a discussion on the upcoming convention and the use of technology for meeting summaries.

8-18-26 Township Tuesday

This meeting focused on legal regulations regarding section lines, road maintenance, and township responsibilities in North Dakota.
Road Regulations
Jayme provided an educational presentation on Century Code sections regarding section lines and public roads. Key points included:
• Century Code 24-07-03: Congressional section lines are public roads open for travel up to 33 feet on each side of the boundary.
• Improvements: Landowners may petition the township to improve section lines for agricultural travel at their own expense, provided they meet township safety standards.
• Obstructions: It is a class B misdemeanor to willfully damage or obstruct section lines through plowing or placing permanent obstructions like fences.
• Gates: Jayme noted that while gates might be allowed with board permission, they cannot be locked if they restrict open public travel.
Maintenance Duties
The discussion addressed the extent of township liability and maintenance requirements for section lines. Township Obligations Jayme clarified that townships are not required to make section lines passable for vehicles, but they do have a responsibility to ensure they are free from known hazards. Larry noted that landowners are responsible for mowing ditches adjacent to their property, though townships can perform the work and assess the cost to the owner's taxes.

4-8-25 Township Tuesday

Discussion on township meetings and the duties of township officers.

3-11-25 Township Tuesday

Legislative update and general township questions

2-11-25 Township Tuesday

Discussion about mailboxes on roadsides
Legislative update and discussion

1-14-25 Township Tuesday

Legislative Update and Discussion

NDPA Zoning Webinar

Zoning Webinar
Basic Zoning
AFOS
Data Centers

To view on YouTube
https://youtu.be/cAKTmztMzjU

7-8-25 Township Tuesday

Discussion on the Flex Fund Grant program for Townships with Traci Sletmoe

Shelli Myers, State Supervisor of Assessments

Centrally and Locally Assessed Valuations

Katie Paulson, McKenzie County Tax Director and Recorder

Calculating New Growth Value - New Growth & Final Values for Budgets

Adam Tescher, School Finance Officer- NDDPI

NDDPI Property Tax Update

Linda Svihovec - ND Association of Counties

Cap Calculations - Step by Step

Q&A Panel

Aaron Birst, ND Association of Counties Executive Director
Stephanie Dassinger Engebretson, ND League of Cities Deputy Director
Amy DeKok, ND School Boards Association Executive Director

8-12-25 Township Tuesday

Township Flex Fund Grants - Traci Sletmoe from the NDDOT answers questions about Flex-Fund Grants

Budget Hearing Requirement & HB1176 - Why do Townships need to hold another meeting about the budget?

Public Comment Period Requirement for all Government Boards - Why do Townships need a public comment policy?

NDTOA 2024 Workshop in Fessenden

NDTOA 2024 Workshop in Fessenden
Barb Knutson - Treasurer Reports 3:40
Mark Verke - Road Safety Issues 12:30
Denise Brown - Grant Applications 49:10
Larry Syverson - Handbook Changes 1:16:00
Lee Brandvold - Unclaimed funds, Dues Increase, Tax Measure 1:41:00
Tom Moe - Township Law 2:06:40

8-13-24 Township Tuesday

Meeting notice requirements
Zoning
Data Centers

9-10-24 Township Tuesday

Zoning 101
Data Centers
BitCoin Mining

10-8-24 Township Tuesday

Tom Moe gave a presentation on Section Lines, Right-of-Ways, and Roads;
Discussions about Initiated Measure 4;
Fish and Wildlife Easements.

11-12-24 Township Tuesday

Road mowing and the liability for paid individuals.
Unpaid volunteers doing work for the benefit of, and at the direction of, the township board are covered by NDIRF. Any compensation would require contractor insurance.
Setbacks from roads.
Larry gave a presentation on two budget tools which are now available at:
https://www.ndtoa.com/resources-downloads/township-budget-tools/
Mock township annual meeting to be presented at December convention.
Is a township required to remove snow from roads?

12-10-24 Township Tuessday

Tom Moe gave a short talk about the duties of States Attorneys as they relate to townships.
Discussions about how a township can recover zoning authority once relinquished to the county.
Discussions about a bridge on a township road on the SD state line. Question if a bridge removal grant would be available.
Discussions on legislative priorities as we count down to the 2025 session.

Mock Township Meeting

Tom Moe guided a township annual meeting demonstration at the 2024 convention.

Clerk Training

2022 Forms, Budgets, Levies

Workshops

2022, Jamestown