News
Jacobson testifies on senate bill
Scott Wagar
02/03/2015
Vern Jacobson of Bottineau testified in front of the political subdivision committee in favor of Senate Bill 2263 this past Thursday which calls for an act of appropriation to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for matching grant money to be utilized in townships’ streets and roads.
Jacobson, who is the chair of the Roland Township Board of Supervisors, is requesting $2 million to improve the roads in Roland Township.
“Lake Metigoshe is located approximately 20 miles west of the International Peace Garden. As such, thousands of Canadian and United States citizens visit the area each year,” Jacobson said.
“Many may think it (Lake Metigoshe) is simply a summer vacation spot. However, it is so much more than that. The Bottineau Winter Park is located approximately eight miles west of the lake and attracts skiing and winter sports participants all through the winter months.
“Hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails are groomed and maintained throughout the winter,” he continued.
“During the past 18 months, volunteers from New York state and places east converged on the ski hill to build Annie’s House,” a state of the art ski lodge for special education and recreation to handicapped children. Additionally, every year, year around, local and nationally known fishing organizations sponsor fishing tournaments at Lake Metigoshe,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson also testified of the population growth of Metigoshe and the large number of building permits, along with the heavy traffic it has brought to the lake.
“In 1998, approximately 20 miles of roads were paved at Lake Metigoshe. From 2000 through 2010 the number of building permits grew to over 360 new dwellings and other major buildings being constructed, with an additional 104 from 2011 through 2014,” Jacobson said.
“These projects require the use of heavy equipment and heavily loaded trucks. The construction projects have had a detrimental effect on the roads, requiring major preventative maintenance. It is important, I believe to not only maintain the investment in those roads, but to bring them to the DOT standards required to carry those loads,” he continued.
“In addition to roads serving the 885 property owners, Lake Metigoshe is visited by thousands of people every year, summer and winter, making it known as The Four Season Playground,” Jacobson said.
“The area serves as a major recreational gateway for citizens from a major portion of North Dakota, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Lake Metigoshe State Park is filled to capacity during the summer weekends. The state of North Dakota owns roughly one-third of the shoreline of Lake Metigoshe, preserving it for the benefit of the citizens of the state and making it one of the state’s best natural and environmental attractions.
“The DOT generally projects a 20 year life expectancy of a paved road. Lake Metigoshe paved roads have been in service for 16 years, with the gross expansion shortening that life span. In addition, with property values that have soared in recent years, families who have owned their property for decades and now live on a fixed income, find it very difficult to pay an additional large special assessment to resurface the roads,” he stated.
Jacobson concluded in his testimony on SB 2263 the importance of the legislators to approve his request for the future of Roland Township and Lake Metigoshe.
“Senate Bill 2263 provides North Dakota with the opportunity to preserve one of its best recreational and environmental assets. The state, over the past decades, has had the foresight to keep a large portion of the lake open to the public, residents and visitors,” Jacobson said. “With such an investment already in place, it only makes good common sense to pass Senate Bill 2263 to preserve the investment the state and the citizens have already made.”
At the time of the Bottineau Courant’s publication, no action has taken place by the political subdivision committee.
Sen. David O’Connel, Rep. Bob Hunskor and Rep. Dick Anderson introduced SB 2263.