The RRRC Board of Directors Update – Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Board Members Present: Amy Suda, Scot Becker, Kimberly Hagen, Mary Houdek, and Lizzie Crowston.
Board Members Absent: Barry Wilfahrt, Amie Vasichek, JoLynn Dickson, and Cameron Swenson.
Staff Members Present: Dawn Mandt, Lori Estad, Stacie Sevigny, Lisa Rotvold, Kristi Kasprick, Heather Hanson, Anna Halvorson; and Lisa Ann Watkins and Brenda Baumann (contractors).
At its regular meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the RRRC Board of Directors took the following actions:
- Approved the minutes of June 17, 2026.
- Adopted June 30, 2026 financial statements.
- Received and preliminarily approved 2025 audit from Brady Martz.
- Received preliminary update on accounting services from Kim Droog, Legacy CPA Services.
- Approved health insurance renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield due November 1.
- Received update on Region 4 housing development.
- Considered and passed resolution to support a $100,000 line of credit with United Valley Bank to support the Region 4 housing rehabilitation project. The Federal Home Loan Bank has converted their grant program to a reimbursement basis which requires interim financing for this $1.2 million project.
- Approved adding Lori Estad to the Region 4 Housing Rehabilitation Project checking account in a viewing role to support timely processing of reimbursement requests.
- Discussed ND Department of Commerce $35,000 Housing and Comprehensive Planning Grant offer which requires a $10,500 match. Reviewed staff recommendations on options for possible use of this opportunity. Decided to initiate a regional inventory of available lots for housing development as well as dilapidated properties that could be used for infill housing development.
- Received update on regional community foundation proposal.
- Received updates on regional workforce development initiative Real. Good. Northeast North Dakota and the July regional virtual job fair. The first Real. Good. Northeast North Dakota Rural Virtual Job Fair, held July 23, promoted 101 job openings and connected 39 job seekers with regional employers, generating 16 job applications and 28 resume uploads. The event’s digital campaign generated more than 114,000 touchpoints, while 43% of participating job seekers indicated they were willing to relocate to northeast North Dakota. Planning is underway for a second Rural Virtual Job Fair in April 2027.
- Received update on ND Rural Health Transformation Program. Red River Regional Council was contracted by North Dakota Health and Human Services to support Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) promotion and participation across Region 4. RRRC provided information and guidance to 60 individuals, supported eight grant applications, and connected healthcare and community organizations with resources, partners, consultants, and vendors to strengthen their applications.
- Received an update on The Reyleck’s construction and sought direction on processing pay requests. The Board was interested in keeping up to date informally throughout the construction of pay requests and stay abreast of the development of operations planning and budgeting.
- Scheduled the State of Region 4 for Wednesday, October 28, at the Minto Community Center