We are sorry to announce that our website for the City of Kramer will be turned off permanently in the very near future.
We want to thank the over 700 visitors for their use of the site.
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"We are not our best intentions. We are what we do."
Upon careful examination of your personal intentions, before an action,
you may discover the better practice is cast away those intentions and simply do what is right.
For those people that don't get the Bottineau Courant...
Letter to the Editor
The Kramer City Council wishes to express its deep appreciation for the support entrusted to the City of Kramer as the year comes to an end. Many organizations, foundations, banks, nonprofits, as well as out-of-area gaming committees helped sustain the community in 2025. We also provide this information to support the council’s vision of transparency.
The North Dakota Community Foundation – Greatest Needs, helped the community by providing funds to help with the city lift station and above ground electrical control panel. Also instrumental in this process was the donation from the First National Bank and Trust of Bottineau and the American Legion Earl Nermoe Post #269 of Upham. This grant and donations were used to fund the above ground electrical panel instead of being forced to use funds in the General Operations Account as the Utilities sub account had been empty since 2020, and the remaining certificate of deposit funds in the capital project were already dedicated to the closing costs of the project to ND Sewage, Pump and Lift of West Fargo and Burlington Electric. In total, the council funded a $49,000.00 project which included the payment of several outstanding repair bills, totally from the city certificate of deposit, foundation grant, donations and gaming funds.
The North Dakota Westhope Community Foundation funded the purchase of 27 pair of new quad roller skates, new skate laces, and skate tools for maintenance. The Walmart of Bottineau Spark Good Program funded food and drinks for the rink in 2025, and enough funds remain to start off the 2026 season, along with funds for the cash drawer start up. The Walmart of Minot Spark Good Program purchased 8 roller skating safety helmets of all sizes toddler through adult, five smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and signage for the rink. An anonymous donation sponsored free ice cream and free pizza skating events and the means to resolve various electrical issues in the rink, the purchase of two beginner skating aids, and paid for the rink scrubber/vacuum rental, which cleaned the hall for the first time in years. Collectively, these entrusted funds have reshaped the Kramer Skating Rink and made what was previously only a wish become a reality. The Kramer City Council removed and replaced two unserviceable (1994) fire extinguishers and purchased two powered Emergency Fire Exit signs that need to be installed and two magnetic Emergency Exit Only signs.
Out-of-area gaming funds also helped with city needs. The Towner Community Foundation provided funds to purchase barbed wire and post connectors for fence repairs at the landfill and lagoons. As noted earlier, gaming funds from the Earl Nermoe American Legion Post 269 in Upham also helped with the lift station above ground electrical panel.
The city wishes to thank Bottineau County at various levels. First, we need to thank the Bottineau County Road Department and staff for the superb efforts to keep Kramer roads, ditches, culverts and the watershed functional in 2025. Thanks go the Bottineau County Sheriff for their continued support in the law enforcement efforts in Kramer and for their direct support to the city council. We must also thank the tax assessor and auditor offices for tolerating the relentless phone calls seeking help with reports and budgets.
Lastly, we extend thanks to the North Dakota DOT for helping the county remove a potential flood threat this past spring by clearing out the right of way ditches along County Road 14. And to end it all, we send thanks to the North Dakota League of Cities for their sample codes and resolutions, and assistance with budgets. To the Bottineau Courant, thank you for your patience, kindness in billing, and working with old people. And to our “most excellent” city attorney, Racheal Michelson Hendrickson we send a heartfelt thanks for keeping the council in compliance with the law.
Signed: The Kramer City Council -------------------------------
Update on changes directed by the North Dakota state legislators on Public Commentary Rules at Council Meetings.
Following the November 6, 2025 League of Cities webinar on Public Commentary, it has become necessary to make changes to City of Kramer Resolution 25-10: Public Commentary at Kramer City Council Meetings. To be in accordance with North Dakota SB 2180 we need to just tweak a few issues. We could leave it alone but it would not meet the full intention of the bill as proposed. So, here we go...
The training video: Public Commentary Guidance video
Part I of the City of Kramer Municipal Code
After two readings, the Kramer City Council approved the following municipal codes with no abstentions or nay vote. Penalties were submitted to the Bottineau Courant and posted on November 11, 2025 and the code was enacted on November 11, 2025.
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 1 - Management of Kramer Municipal Code and the Governing Body
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 2 - City Council - Management of Chapters and Resolutions
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 4 - Management of City Garbage Disposal System
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 5 - Management of the City Sewage Disposal System
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 7 – Regulation of Animals within the City of Kramer
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 9 - Property Maintenance
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 10 - Regulation of the Sale and Consumption of Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverage in the City of Kramer
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 13 - Manufactured and Mobile Home Code
Part II of the City of Kramer Municipal Code has completed the first reading on October 5, 2025.
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 3 - Flood Management
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 6 - Police Services by Contract
- City of Kramer Municipal Code – Chapter 11 - Otter Tail Power Company
The second reading will be on December 7, 2025.
North Dakota Community Foundation (AgriBank)
The foundation just informed the Kramer City Council that the grant for helping with the rip rap installation at the city lagoons pond #2 has been accepted. So the review process is about to begin. We may not get the grant, or perhaps be awarded only part of request. The city may have to do a pared down repair by focusing on the worst areas at the lagoon until more funds can be obtained. Keep your fingers crossed and pray we get this help or at least part of it.
With the grants all paid out and the lift station project completed, a review of city funding reveals the city has the money to accomplish the lagoon project if we are awarded the grant. These dollars, our contribution to the project ($5,000.00), will be used to prepare the road to the lagoon for heavy trucks, replace the gates as those in place will be removed for access to the area by large trucks and excavator, and make up for the increase in the bid price from 2025 to 2026. But everything will be determined by the next city council. Yet we are confident that the pillars of the community you have already selected to replace us will see the work done with the grant or not and move forward into 2026. -------------------------------