What's the plan, Stan?
- Jan 28
- 3 min read
For many months, the Burleigh County Commission has discussed moving forward with hiring a County Administrator. I believe this can be a smart move for the county; one I support and would act on accordingly. But there is a fundamental question that still deserves a clear public answer: what is the plan guiding that decision?
At the January 20, 2026 Burleigh County Commission meeting, the topic resurfaced. In support of the position, Commissioner Bakken stated that the county is “looking at re-envisioning to a great degree what Burleigh County looks like moving forward,” repeating variations of “re-envisioning county government” multiple times during the discussion.
That’s an important goal, and, again, one I agree with. But re-envisioning only works if we are clear about where we are headed and why.
Based on Burleigh County's publicly adopted and available documents, the county last completed a Comprehensive Plan in 2014 under Section 11-33 of the North Dakota Century Code. A Future Land Use Plan was finalized in early 2016 in partnership with the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization. Since then, there has been no substantial countywide update tying growth, zoning, infrastructure, and budget priorities together in a single guiding framework.
This is not unusual, but it does matter.
Best practices consistently show that growing communities should revisit their comprehensive plans on a regular, time-bound basis. In communities experiencing moderate to higher growth (Burleigh County is growing at just over 1% annually) many jurisdictions conduct meaningful updates every 5–10 years. At minimum, professional planning organizations recommend regular evaluation, public reporting, and targeted adjustments as conditions change.
The North Dakota Planning Association identifies several indicators that a plan may be overdue for review, including:
Misalignment between county and township zoning and land-use policies
Significant turnover among elected officials and senior staff
Both conditions apply in Burleigh County today. (Burleigh County Commission Special Meeting - January 29, 2026: Discussion of various Departments (agenda) & https://www.burleigh.gov/news/posts/extraterritorial-area-eta-discussion-maps/)
A review of the county’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan highlights areas where current realities have outpaced the assumptions of that document - particularly around zoning authority, growth at the edges of Bismarck’s extraterritorial area, and the sequencing of infrastructure and development decisions. These are not abstract issues; they directly affect property rights, service costs, and long-term tax impacts.
This is why planning matters.
A Comprehensive Plan is not about bureaucracy or delay. It is a tool for fiscal discipline, consistency, and transparency. It helps ensure that policy decisions, budget priorities, zoning actions, and administrative structures reinforce one another rather than pulling in different directions. As the NDPA notes, an adopted comprehensive plan helps jurisdictions avoid arbitrary decision-making and reduces long-term risk.
None of this means putting needed operational improvements on hold. A County Administrator can (and should) help stabilize operations, support staff, and improve coordination across departments. But execution works best when it is anchored to a clearly defined, publicly informed direction.
That is precisely why I am running for Burleigh County Commission.
I believe planning should guide county decisions. I am committed to prioritizing a focused, time-bound review of Burleigh County’s Comprehensive Plan, conducted alongside ongoing county operations, with meaningful public input. The goal is not another report on a shelf, but a practical framework that helps the Commission make better, more predictable decisions on behalf of taxpayers.
If Burleigh County is serious about re-envisioning its future, structural change alone is not enough. Clarity of direction must come first. A County Administrator can help execute a vision, but it is the responsibility of the County Commission, working with the public, to define that vision clearly and responsibly.
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