Committee OKs bill to fund Rural Water expansion

Talk about it

The bill to appropriate funding for the Stutsman Rural Water District’s planned expansion passed its first hurdle Tuesday. The House Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 1269 on an 18-2 vote, according to Rep. Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, who was a sponsor of the bill and member of the committee.

“Representatives from Bismarck and Grand Forks voted against,” he said. “The rest of the committee felt it should move ahead.”

The bill contains $9.97 million in grant funds for Stutsman Rural Water District for its planned expansion in the area between Woodworth and Streeter. It also contains funding for the North Central Rural Water Consortium and McLean-Sheridan Rural Water.

The bill’s passage by the House Appropriations Committee comes amidst an ongoing territorial dispute between Stutsman Rural Water and the city of Jamestown.

Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen testified she could not support the bill unless it contains language to facilitate territory transfers from rural water groups to cities.

The bill includes an emergency clause that would make the appropriations immediately available to the rural water districts. This would allow construction to start this summer, Pollert said. For the emergency clause to take effect, the bill must pass both houses by a two-thirds majority.

The bill now moves to the North Dakota House where it may come to the floor on Feb. 1 or Feb. 5. If the bill passes the full House, it will move to the Senate for consideration.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, water