News

During the latter part of November, the Highway Department along with Northern Improvement, Circle C Enterprises and Knife River conducted an all-out effort to haul a mixture of high-grade gravel, Blended Base and Crushed Concrete on a number of gravel roadways throughout the County. An unusually long cold snap in October created a frozen layer below our gravel roadways, once the weather turned warmer in November the roadways started to thaw from the top down. Since the water could not be absorbed into the road bed (due to the frozen layer) the surface gravels became super saturated. Gravels with high Plasticity Index (PI) are prone to rutting under these conditions and made driving conditions hazardous. Fearing that this could also happen in the spring, it was decided to try and firm up as many roadways as we could (by adding high-grade gravel, Blended Base and Crushed Concrete to the roadways) before winter set in for good. (See attached map material locations) During the coming years we will continue to monitor these locations to evaluate the performance of each of the repair materials.

Click here to view the November 2023 Emergency Gravel Operations Map

The Burleigh County Commission is seeking applicants for several opportunities to support local county government. Submit an auxiliary application by noon, December 12, 2023:

https://www.burleigh.gov/government/boardscommittees/

Bismarck Planning and Zoning (1 term from the ETA ending 12/31/2023)
(5 year terms)
This 11-member advisory board makes recommendations on requests for designation as a Renaissance Zone project. This Authority also provides guidance on Downtown Design Review and other activities impacting the core of the community. This Commission includes the Mayor, five members representing the City of Bismarck, A Burleigh County Commissioner, three members representing the extraterritorial area (ETA), and the City Engineer, who serves as an ex officio member.

County Planning & Zoning Commission (2 terms ending 12/31/2023)
(4 year terms ending December 31st each year)
The Burleigh County Planning Commission is a 9-member advisory board to the Burleigh County Commission and meetings monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 5:15 PM in the Tom Baker Meeting room, City/County Office Building. The County has zoning jurisdiction in unorganized townships and those townships which have relinquished their zoning authority to the County. The County's subdivision authority is County-wide, except for incorporated cities and the extraterritorial areas of those cities. The Burleigh County Planning Commission includes five at-large members, who are appointed by the Burleigh County Commission. Attempts are made to find members from different areas of the County. The purpose of the Burleigh County Planning Commission is to promote the health, safety, orals, public convenience, general prosperity, and public welfare of County residents and to regulate and restrict the location and the use of buildings and structures and the use, condition of use, or occupancy of lands for residence, recreation, and other purposes (NDCC 11-33-01). The Burleigh County Planning Commission plans for the orderly and efficient growth of the County and hears requests for subdivision plats, zoning changes, zoning ordinance text amendments, special use permits and variances.

Water Resource Board (1 term ending 12/31/2023)
(3 year terms ending December 31st each year)
Five (5) member board that generally meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 8:00 AM located in the City/County Building. The water resource district shall do all things reasonably necessary and proper to preserve the benefits to be derived from the conservation, control, and regulation of the water resources of the district. NDCC 61-16.01-09.

Weed Board (5 positions available)
(4 year terms ending December 31st each year)
Five (5) member board which meets monthly. The County Weed Board shall implement a program for the control of noxious weeds. The Board employs a Weed Control Officer and works closely with townships, landowners, and the ND Department of Agriculture. ND Century Code 4.1-47-06.

Housing Authority (1 term ending 12/31/2023)
(5 year terms ending December 31st each year)
Five (5) member board that meets monthly on the 3rd Monday at 8:30 AM at the Housing Authority Administrative Office. The Housing Authority makes policy and furthers housing assistance programs through interaction with local, state and federal government units. The Housing Authority exists to provide decent, safe, and sanitary urban or rural dwellings, apartments, or other living accommodations for persons of low income. NDCC 23-11.

Burleigh County is experiencing hazardous road conditions across the region due to the snow event in late October and the recent freezing and thawing temperatures.  These conditions have created a situation in which the snow melt and recent moisture have saturated the gravel road beds and is causing severe rutting and dangerous driving conditions.

County forces are working on roadways that are accessible and will be addressing repairs as soon as conditions allow.

We advise limited travel on gravel roadways until conditions improve.  Thank you for your patience while we address these issues.

Weed Board - Application
If you are interested serving on the Burleigh County Weed Board, complete this form, print and sign, and send to Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer, PO Box 5518, Bismarck, ND 58506.

Estimated tax statements have been mailed to all Burleigh County property owners whose estimated property taxes will be $100 or more.

PLEASE DO NOT PAY these estimated statements. This is not a billing, but rather an estimate of what your taxes may be when the statements are delivered in December. These estimates DO NOT include special assessments or the 5% discount for early payment.

The estimated tax statements are a result of legislation intended to explain in dollars the effect of each taxing entity's preliminary budget; and, to increase taxpayer participation in the budget process by providing the date, time, and location of each taxing district's final budget hearing.

The direct cost of these estimated tax statements will be allocated between the taxing entities.

If you have questions about taxes levied by any of the listed entities, please contact that entity directly.

Mark Splonskowski
Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer

When FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency issues preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps that involve changes to flood hazard information, a statutory 90-day appeal period is required. Burleigh County's 90-day appeal period began on February 17, 2023 and runs through May 18, 2023.