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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Residents from Courtenay and other surrounding communities met in Courtenay Monday evening to discuss proposed state budget cuts that would close eight state highway department shops.
The open town hall gave residents a chance to learn more about the proposed cuts and what they could do to protest it.
Brenda Thoms is a resident of Courtenay and has been leading the way by providing information and gathering signatures for those against Bill 2012. The state senate recently approved the Bill, which would save the state $2.1 million if they cut eight state highway shops.
Courtenay resident Robin Barnes says that if the local shops close, they would need to rely on Jamestown or Cooperstown to provide service to the area. She used her own situation as an example of what it would be like relying on services from those other communities.
Justin Sherlock of Dazey was present at the meeting too. He said the best way for the members of the community to get their points across was to be present and make sure the importance of the highway shops locally were understood by the committee.
Thoms reported that she had collected over 380 signatures from Courtenay and the surrounding communities asking for the Bill to either be voted down or recommend changes to the proposed bill.
Community members agreed that they would testify on Thursday, March 2nd at 10 AM in the Medora Room at the State Capitol. They will be asking them to add an amendment, originally proposed by Senator Terry Wanzek, giving the shops two years before cutting them.
Thoms stated that she was working with Warren Zenker of Gackle on the state highway department cuts. She said that other communities were busing in kids to help testify against the bill as well.
The Stutsman County Commission has also written a letter to the Governor asking for the bill to be reconsidered earlier this month.
