Jamestown Sheriff Leads All Counties, Shapes Local Funding Priorities
Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser was elected president of the North Dakota Association of Counties on Oct. 28, 2025, giving Jamestown a prominent voice in statewide county policy ahead of the 2027 Legislature. The position could influence local tax policy, emergency funding, jail standards and road-aid formulas that directly affect residents of Jamestown, Medina, Streeter and surrounding rural areas.
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Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser was chosen president of the North Dakota Association of Counties (NDACo) Board of Directors during the closing session of the NDACo Annual Conference & Expo at the Bismarck Event Center on Oct. 28, 2025. The election concluded a three-day gathering of more than 500 county officials that featured workshops, vendor exhibits and legislative planning sessions. Outgoing president Trudy Ruland of Mountrail County formally handed over the association’s leadership.
The conference opened Oct. 26 with Kaiser attending as first vice president. The event included a full day of workshops and board election preparation on Oct. 27, followed by membership voting and the officer slate announcement on the afternoon of Oct. 28. The Jamestown Sun published a report with a photo of the gavel hand-off on Oct. 30; the North Dakota News Cooperative amplified that coverage on X on Oct. 31. The election has not yet been covered by Prism Stutsman County, making it new local reporting for many residents.
Kaiser’s election places a Jamestown native with 15 years in the sheriff’s office at the helm of the association that speaks for all 53 counties. In addition to his role in Stutsman County, Kaiser sits on the ND Sheriffs & Deputies Association; the NDACo presidency expands his platform to a statewide audience and to county officials preparing for the 2027 legislative session.
Policy priorities identified as central to Kaiser’s agenda include rural emergency funding, jail standards and road-aid formulas. Those issues have direct, tangible implications for local taxpayers and service delivery. Changes to road-aid formulas could alter the level of state support for County 52 and roads leading to Pipestem Reservoir; jail-standard decisions could affect staffing and conditions at local detention facilities; and shifts in emergency funding policy influence preparedness and response capabilities for Jamestown Regional Medical Center and Stutsman County Emergency Management.
NDACo’s lobbying on matters such as property-tax relief and allocation of opioid-settlement dollars will now carry the additional weight of Kaiser’s signature representing Stutsman County’s roughly 21,000 registered voters. Local school districts—five within the county—stand to gain or lose funding depending on state budget outcomes shaped by NDACo priorities. The association’s coordinated advocacy often determines how county needs are framed for Bismarck budget writers and lawmakers.
Residents and local officials should expect further clarity when the NDACo board meets in November 2025 and when Kaiser’s 2026 legislative platform document is published on ndaco.org. Those materials will spell out specific proposals and lobbying priorities that could translate into budget shifts, service changes and tax implications for households across Stutsman County.
