County makes municipal court offer

Local News County makes municipal court offer By JILL SCHRAMM November 6, 2026 3 min read JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Ward County Commissioner Ron Merritt, right, speaks during the commission’s discussion Thursday, Nov. 5, on bringing municipal court into the courthouse. Commissioner Jim Rostad listens at left. JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Minot Municipal Court Judge Ashley Beall listens to Ward County commissioners' comments after giving testimony at the commission meeting Thursday, Nov. 5, on municipal court operations. 1 / 2 expand close ✕ JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Ward County Commissioner Ron Merritt, right, speaks during the commission’s discussion Thursday, Nov. 5, on bringing municipal court into the courthouse. Commissioner Jim Rostad listens at left. JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Minot Municipal Court Judge Ashley Beall listens to Ward County commissioners' comments after giving testimony at the commission meeting Thursday, Nov. 5, on municipal court operations. 1 / 2 Trending A plan to bring Minot Municipal Court in the Ward County Courthouse now will go to the City of Minot for review after the Ward County Commission's decision Thursday, Nov. 5, to offer space on the north side of the main floor. The proposal agreed upon by commissioners was one of two alternatives that rose to the top after a number of discussions with city officials and with municipal court and North Central District Court judges and staff. The plan will require relocating district court administration to other space on the main floor, which is somewhat smaller in square footage.However, it keeps municipal court functions in one connected area. "I understand that they aren't necessarily really excited to move," Commissioner Miranda Schuler said of the district court staff. "But the challenge is we've got a lot of wasted space. We've been through all of these areas. I've given a lot of this a lot of thought. I'm most in favor of this option right now. I think it makes the most sense." "If we want to focus on a long-term solution, I think we bite the bullet and all and make this a long-term solution," Commission Chairman John Fjeldahl. "I don't think we are ever going to find the perfect solution. As this moves forward, we're going to have to adjust something. But if this is the focus we're going to take and work towards that, the issues that come up, we'll deal with them. Otherwise, we're going to have give and take forever." Fjeldahl stressed that district court's costs of moving and renovation of space for municipal court will fall on the city. Under the approved plan, the district court administration would move to an area largely used for district court and state's attorney records storage. Those records would be relocated, as would records in the storage area slated to become the municipal courtroom, which would be similar in size to the existing courtroom in Minot Municipal Auditorium. The county has identified space in its Administration Building for records storage. Minot City Manager Tom Joyce called county's choice the most favorable option. "Our current estimate is on or about $55,000. I can't answer for the council, but I think that's a reasonable amount," Joyce said of the projected cost of adapting the space. Fjeldahl said a lease agreement between the city and county also will need to be worked out. Commissioner Jim Rostad agreed. "This is just getting us started," Rostad said of the offer of Courthouse space. Fjeldahl and Rostad, who make up the commission's building committee, also favored conducting an assessment of the existing uses of the Courthouse to see if any spaces, especially storage spaces, can be better used for court functions.