WAHPETON — Richland County commissioners discussed a proposal to use cross-trained sheriff’s deputies as dispatchers to address staffing shortages, learned that the Corrections Department has not been properly invoicing agencies for expenses from outside inmates, and allocated remaining opioid settlement funds toward treatment court programming at their regular meeting on Aug. 18th.
County Sheriff Gary Ruhl presented crime statistics showing increases in several categories from the prior year, including property crime and domestic violence calls, the latter of which Ruhl said often require two to three deputies to respond safely. Ruhl said his department continues to run short-staffed, an issue compounded by National Guard deployment commitments that have pulled deputies away for up to three months at a time.
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Ruhl proposed hiring one new deputy and sharing an already cross-trained deputy with Dispatch to help fill gaps, floating a model where deputies, floating a model where deputies could split shifts between patrol and dispatch duties rather than adding an entirely new position. Commissioners raised concerns about the pay difference between the two roles and whether deputies would be willing to take a pay cut to work dispatch shifts. Ruhl said the approach could ultimately reduce overtime costs on both sides and pointed to a similar restructuring in the county's highway department, which eliminated two positions and redirected a portion of the savings into pay increases for remaining staff to reduce turnover.
Commissioners did not commit to adding a new position and asked to continue exploring efficiencies with existing staff before considering additional hires.
Commissioners learned the Corrections Department has not been properly billing outside agencies for medical and booking expenses for their inmates at the Richland County Jail, likely leaving revenue uncollected for years. As of the meeting, the jail held 25 inmates, including individuals housed for the U.S. Marshals, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Traverse County, Minnesota.
Commissioner Nathan Berseth asked how long the county had gone without properly billing these agencies and expressed frustration that the problem had gone unnoticed for so long.
Commissioners approved allocating the county's remaining $35,900 in retained opioid settlement funds toward treatment court programming, following a request from treatment court staff outlining specific needs.
County Auditor Fossum said North Dakota law has required the county to transfer 85% of opioid settlement proceeds to the county health department since August 2023, with the county permitted to retain the remaining 15% for remediation and treatment-related uses. To date, the county has transferred $75,174.61 to the health department. Of a separate $10,000 previously provided to the Treatment Court for related services, officials said about $6,855 remains unspent, having been used primarily to help cover a counselor's salary while grant funding was pending.
Treatment court staff identified several priority needs for the newly allocated funds, including a contract with a mental health counselor at an estimated $160 to $190 an hour for two to three hours weekly, roughly $500 down payments to help participants secure sober living housing after completing residential treatment, and staff training in a cognitive-behavioral programming curriculum aimed at helping participants address patterns of criminal thinking. Staff said the down-payment assistance addresses a common barrier for participants who cannot work during 30- to 60-day residential treatment stays and lack income to cover housing deposits afterward.
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County Engineer Jesse Sedler said Otter Tail Power is expected to resume hauling for the solar project after Labor Day, continuing into early November before the work carries over into next year.
Commissioner Perry Miller also addressed earlier public concerns about overweight trucks associated with solar farm construction traffic in the county. Sedler said spot checks found most trucks were within legal weight limits. Officials suggested that road wear blamed on solar construction traffic may also reflect the cumulative impact of other heavy truck traffic, including FM diversion trucks, over recent years.
The highway department also received approval to advertise for an open position due to an upcoming retirement in the department.