StutsCourthouseJamestown (CSi) On a 5-0 vote, the Stutsman County Commission decided to move toward pursuing litigation against the city of Spiritwood Lake, for denying a requested zone change of agricultural land to recreational use.

The vote came after an executive session and authorized Stutsman County Auitor/COO, Casey Bradley, to work through Stutsman County State’s Attorney Fritz Fremgen in the process of identifying an outside legal counsel to pursue possible litigation against the city of Spiritwood Lake.

The action follows the denial of a Stutsman County zoning change request by the Spiritwood Lake City Council on October 6, 2015.

The Spiritwood Lake City Council had voted 2-1 against rezoning agricultural land within the city for recreational use by Stutsman County. The lands in question were dedicated to Spiritwood Lake City in 1928 to be used as a public park.

The Stutsman County Commission’s action also authorizes Bradley to contact the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund to represent Stutsman County against potential litigation against the county from the concessionaire, Lake of the Prairies LLC.

In other business, the County Commission decided against voting on a resolution for a county fire ban created by Stutsman County Emergency Manager Jerry Bergquist, and recommended he seek a more enforceable ordinance process for better compliance.