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Minot explores options for weed control with Ward County

Jill Schramm/MDN Derrill Fick, Ward County weed officer, speaks to a city committee Tuesday about noxious weed control.

A committee investigating better control of nuisance weeds in Minot gained some insight Tuesday into the work of the Ward County Weed Board and how the city and county might work together.

Derrill Fick, Ward County ward control officer, spoke to the committee about the board’s efforts to eradicate noxious and invasive weeds, which are narrower categories than general nuisance weeds.

The county has conducted noxious weed control in Minot in the past. Fick cited work to control spotted knapweed in north Minot and purple loosestrife along the river and ponds at Wee Links and in north Minot. The board also has released certain beetles and weevils in the city to kill weeds.

Fick said weed boards were established to address problems in agricultural areas but there has been an increasing awareness of weeds in urban areas.

Fick said some cities that have created their own weed board have designated their councils or regular governing bodies to serve as that board. State law requires they meet at least once a year.

An option to creating a city weed board is to designate an employee certified in chemical weed control who can oversee the city’s efforts and work with the county weed board, he said. That person typically would be engaged in other city duties most of the time but would be a point of contact for weed issues.

“I believe there is a need for a designated person within the city to do this,” he said. “Talking with other cities that have weed officers, some of them are more than happy to have that position.”

Fick said the county’s process of dealing with landowners who fail to control weeds is similar to the city’s process. The first step is to visit with the landowner, but if the landowner still doesn’t act, a certified letter is sent and the enforcement process can begin. Fines of $80 a day can be assessed, up to $4,000. The county also can spray or mow and assess the cost to the land taxes.

Ward County’s five-member weed board meets every other month. It assists landowners, rural or urban, by paying 70 percent of the cost of chemicals for spraying noxious weeds. The board provides weed control along township and county roads and also hires the weed officer, whose job is to follow up on complaints, spray weeds and educate landowners on the best way to control noxious weeds. Fick said he is assisted by two employees, who help with spraying, and by contractors. The county hires a helicopter to spray pastures and gravel pits.

The county weed program currently has a property tax levy of .9 mills and a budget of $290,000. In addition to the tax, money comes from grants and charges for services to landowners. The State Agriculture Department provides a grant of up to $4,000 to county weed boards and $2,000 to city weed boards. Work done in the right of way along state highways is reimbursed by the state Department of Transportation.

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