Bismarck  (CSi) Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen and Valley City Commissioner Matt Pedersen have been appointed by Gov. Burgum to the State Water Commission, bringing a broad variety of experience in flood protection, water supply and other water issues to the board.

Mayor Andersen has been appointed to the commission for the James River area.  The news release says, she owns a dry cleaning business and has been mayor of Jamestown since 2010, where she has been involved in a variety of water topics including flood control, storm water management, drainage and waste-water treatment. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from South Dakota State University. Her term on the State Water Commission expires June 30, 2019.

Valley City Commissioner Matt Pedersen has been appointed commissioner for the Upper Red River, whose portfolio includes flood protection, finance and planning and zoning. He currently chairs the Valley City Permanent Flood Protection Task Force. Pedersen has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  His term on the State Water Commission expires June 30, 2023.

The nine-member State Water Commission consists of Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring as an ex-officio member, and seven members appointed by the governor, with one member each from the seven major drainage basins in North Dakota.

The governor expressed his gratitude to the outgoing State Water Commission members for their more than 100 years of combined service to the state.