New commissioner will work for the whole county--rural and urban

Berthold man took his seat this week

By Caroline Downs

When John Fjeldahl of Berthold officially took his seat among the Ward County Commissioners yesterday as the group’s newest member, he did so with the understanding he works for all the county’s residents and the hope those citizens communicate with him.

"The best way to make good decisions is to be well-informed," he said. "That takes activity from the people I represent. I’ve always tried to encourage that."

In the November 7th general election, Fjeldahl received votes from 7,604 residents throughout the county, enough to edge him past incumbent Molla Romine for the second open seat on the County Commission. Chairman Jerome Gruenberg collected 8,153 votes to maintain his position.

Fjeldahl has a lifelong interest in Ward County. He graduated from Berthold High School and then left briefly to attend the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, where he played football and studied in the auto technician and drafting programs.

He has farmed in the Berthold area for more than 30 years, growing cereal grains and oil crops and raising a small herd of beef cattle. With his wife Connie, he also operates John’s Cabinets and Woodworks, which has been in business for 20 years.

The couple has three grown sons, ages 25 to 32, living in Berthold, Fargo and Minneapolis. Two young grandchildren, ages one and two and living in Minneapolis, are part of the Fjeldahls’ family now, too.

Fjeldahl likes being involved with both the private and public sectors of the larger community. He has served on several area boards, including four years with the Berthold school district, six with the Berthold Fire District, and nine with the Ward County Farm Bureau where he spent seven years as chairman. He belonged to the Berthold Farmers Elevator board at one time, served a term as president of Berthold Farmers Union Oil, and was a member of the board for United Agronomy, LLC, at the time the company was created. He has also participated in administration and service at Berthold Baptist Church as a deacon and trustee.

"Being involved has been a great education over the years," he said. "Hopefully, now I can use [that knowledge] for the county as a whole."

He referred especially to lessons he has learned about the use of taxpayers’ money while on the school board. "That was a good education about how the tax structure works and how government spending affects people’s tax loads," he said. "You want to provide the best service for the most effective cost."

In addition to his service experience, Fjeldahl believes his background in business has prepared him for his new role as a county commissioner. "Owning the company, my wife and I have been involved with building projects from drawing the plans to the hands-on work," he said.

Before he turned to farming, he worked in construction, including road building and pavement projects. "I’ve got a little experience in that, too," he said. "And a big part of the County Commission’s job is overseeing roads, as well as building them."

He is likely to draw upon that experience soon. With county engineer Roger Kluck’s recent announcement that Ward County is facing a federal funding decrease of $715,000 for the highways and roads fund, Fjeldahl expected the shortfall to be one of the first issues the commissioners address in the new term.

"The highways and roads in the county are always an issue and bids have already been let for projects," he said. "It’s going to be an issue how to fund these projects with considerably less dollars. The budget will have to be adjusted."

He also anticipated continued discussion about the future of the current courthouse building and solutions to the crowded conditions that have been documented by every county department. Prior to the general election, he took advantage of the tours offered at the Ward County Courthouse to see the problems for himself.

Voters in the county rejected a $19.9 million bond issue to fund construction of a new administration building, with renovations proposed for the jail and courthouse. "That’s an issue that will surface quickly," he predicted.

He added that he had some ideas to address the shortfall that may not necessarily require a new facility, which was proposed by the commission’s Vision Committee. However, he agreed with the committee’s assessment about the inadequacy of the present courthouse and jail, given the demands in the county and judicial district. "I think that should dealt with legislatively," he said.

He wants the commissioners to work with the state to address the lack of financial support that resulted when the North Dakota legislature moved the county courts to the district court system a few years ago. "How that’s funded should be looked at," he said. "I hope the county takes a proactive approach as a group."

Fjeldahl would like to see an affordable solution to the county’s need for space that also encompasses common sense. He mentioned the screening system proposed to improve courthouse security as an example of an impractical step.

"I understand the need for safety in the courthouse," he said. "But in my personal opinion, it’s an encumbrance to the average citizen."

Of course, he was well aware he would find himself studying new issues in his new role. "I’m looking forward to learning the whole scope of the involvement of the county," he said. "As a commissioner, I hope to positively affect the county and growth in a way that will benefit all of us. That’s why you get on these boards, to make whatever’s there better. My goal is to do that without hurting taxpayers."

He would like to see the commission use its authority to keep county government efficient in a way that stimulates economic development, too, especially in the long term. "The growth I foresee is tied to agriculture or some type of mining or oil exploration," he said, adding that one of the commission’s roles would be to educate the public about how such development could be beneficial.

The division between Ward County’s rural and urban residents, and the interests of the city of Minot versus the interests of smaller towns like Berthold, Kenmare, Carpio, Ryder and Surrey, are no secret on the county commission. Fjeldahl hopes to encourage the commission’s responsibility to work for the entire county.

"Bringing that all together can be nothing but positive, and it can be brought together in baby steps," he said. "When you don’t talk about that quiet rift, you can’t move forward. That’s what the county commission can do. It’s about getting people on the same page." He paused and laughed. "I just don’t know what that page is yet!"

He did say he would prefer to see the commission promote county interests and economic growth through its regulatory authority, rather than monetary incentives that burden taxpayers. "Things can happen without the idea you’ve got to buy a company to get them to come here," he said.

Whatever the issues and decisions facing the County Commission, Fjeldahl maintained he could best serve the public by receiving their input. "To accomplish these things takes everyone. It isn’t just me," he said. "It takes people involved in the whole county to let me know their feelings, too."

He would like to hear from Ward County constituents who call his home phone number at 725-4386.

He repeated his intention to work for all the county’s residents. "I hope people have faith in me in Minot and the surrounding area," he said, "that I can represent them all well."