Burleigh in the news

Jun 6, 2023

The Burleigh County Commission has recommitted to moving county staff into the Provident Building in downtown Bismarck and has set a target to do so by late next year, despite not knowing what a remodel will cost or how it will be funded

Oct 20, 2024

Hart declined a Tribune request to comment on the specific reasons behind her job stress. She did not immediately respond to a follow-up question asking if office conflict was a factor in her resignation.

Oct 22, 2024

Burleigh County State's Attorney Julie Lawyer on Wednesday confirmed an internal investigation that appears related to the abrupt resignation of County Elections Coordinator Lisa Hart just three weeks before the general election and a week before the start of early voting.

Dec 2, 2024

Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski is accused of violating federal law and county policy by sending a text message while at work urging voters to oppose a county commissioner candidate, according to findings from an internal investigation.

Dec 6, 2024

Two years into his four-year term as Burleigh County's auditor and treasurer, Mark Splonskowski's qualifications -- and possibly even his motives -- have become questionable.

Dec 17, 2024

Burleigh County Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Brandi Caya gave her two-week notice this week amid controversy in the Auditor's Office, citing personal reasons.

Caya on Monday submitted her letter of resignation to the county, bidding farewell after over eight years working for Burleigh. According to her resignation letter, which the Tribune acquired on Wednesday, her last day will be Friday, Dec. 27.

Dec 16, 2024

Burleigh County investments underperformed benchmark market rates due in part to mismanagement by the Auditor/Treasurer's Office, causing the county to miss out on hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a recent report from County Finance Director Leigh Jacobs.

Apr 16, 2026

The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Board of Directors on Thursday denied a petition from Burleigh County asking to leave the district.

Mar 14, 2025

Nearly six months after Burleigh County commissioners approved the county's budget for 2025, it's finally on the county's website for residents to view.
But why the delay happened remains unclear after Commissioner Wayne Munson and county Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski gave conflicting explanations for why the budget posting was hampered for so long.

Mar 17, 2025

Agroup of Burleigh County residents has begun a petition drive to try to recall County Commissioner Brian Bitner.

The petition, filed on Feb. 20 and approved by the Secretary of State's Office on Feb. 26, alleges that Bitner abused his position as county commissioner and accuses him of "contempt for the voters of Burleigh County."

Mar 17, 2025

Burleigh County delayed sending income tax forms to election workers due to confusion over which form they should receive.

Meanwhile, county Human Resource Director Pamela Binder believes that Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski asked her to "commit fraud" by asking her to send out W-2s to workers who were not processed through payroll.

Mar 23, 2025

Drama continues to swirl in Burleigh County government. Public hearings continue on a controversial proposal to make the auditor/treasurer position appointed rather than elected. That stems from discord between the County Commission and Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski. The latest developments there include disagreement over why it took about half a year for the county's 2025 budget to be posted online, and either confusion or incompetence that led to the county not sending income tax forms to 2024 election workers on time.

May 8, 2025

Burleigh County was more than two weeks late in distributing Primary Residence Tax Credit funds to political subdivisions due to confusion over how to administer the funds and a lack of awareness of the allocation deadline.

May 20, 2025

Commissioners during a special meeting Wednesday evening voted 4-1 to direct State's Attorney Julie Lawyer to send the petition to the attorney general's office. The move comes as the board has been at odds with Splonskowski for months over alleged misconduct and inaction. Splonskowski has defended his actions and work.

Jun 29, 2025

Wrigley in a Thursday letter to the governor noted that allegations about Splonskowski's conduct and performance in office are "troubling and "raise concerns" about his administration. However, Wrigley ultimately concluded that Splonskowski should not be removed.

Jul 7, 2025

The County Commission on Monday night voted to divide the office of auditor/treasurer into two: an elected auditor and an appointed treasurer. The board also approved a plan to facilitate the transition and appointed county Finance Director Leigh Jacobs to serve as interim treasurer. There is no timeline yet for when a permanent director will be hired.

Jul 8, 2025

Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Attorney General Drew Wrigley agree on two things about Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski: He’s doing a lousy job but the state shouldn’t launch proceedings to remove him.

Dec 3, 2025

Burleigh County has officially begun the process to leave the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, setting in motion a process that could be lengthy and may ultimately land in court.

Oct 16, 2022

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Apr 20, 2026

The Burleigh County Commission has approved scaled-back restrictions on off-highway vehicle use in county road ditches, backing off from a broader proposal that had been on the table

Jul 26, 2026

Burleigh County Commissioner Steve Schwab sought reimbursement after performing groundskeeping work on county-owned land without prior commission approval, raising questions about his authority and whether proper conflict-of-interest procedures were followed.