BISMARCK (AP) - North Dakota's Emergency Commission has given Secretary of State Al Jaeger approval to hire three more staffers.
Jaeger says his office is dealing with a big increase in business registrations and paperwork, in part because of the oil boom in the western part of the state. He recently shortened his public office hours to give employees uninterrupted time to handle paperwork, and asked the Emergency Commission for permission to spend $295,000 on three new employees.
State Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ray Holmberg is a member of the Emergency Commission. North Dakota Public Radio reports Holmberg voted yes on the proposal but told Jaeger he wasn't happy about the office hours reduction. Jaeger says the reduction has not affected walk-in traffic.
The Legislature's Budget Section also must approve the proposal.