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ROCK MACHINERY, GORMAN-RUPP ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
Oil Rebound Puts N.D. Infrastructure Fund Back On Track
By James MacPherson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A major spending initiative aimed at infrastructure projects outside western North Dakota’s oil patch is on pace to be fully funded for the first time since the Legislature approved it three years ago, due to strong oil prices and steady production, officials said Aug. 3.
“Operation Prairie Dog,” named for the industrious burrowing mammal, was passed by the 2019 Legislature to provide $250 million in every two-year budget cycle for counties, cities and airports in non-oil producing areas for such things as roads, bridges and airport projects.
The bill, which won wide legislative support, assumed oil production and prices would hold though the two-year budget cycle.
But “due to the pandemic-related collapse in global oil price and the resulting drop in North Dakota oil production,” oil tax revenue was only $3.6 billion, or 25 percent lower than had been projected for the last budget period, said Joe Morrissette, the state’s top budget writer.
That meant only $29.9 million was distributed for the 2019-2021 budget period, based on the legislation’s funding formula that puts municipalities with higher populations at the head of the line.
Still, the Legislature distributed more than $300 million in federal coronavirus relief funds for statewide infrastructure projects during its special session in November, Morrissette said.
Oil revenues during the budget cycle that ends next year already are $730 million more than forecasted due to greaterthan-expected oil prices and steady production, state budget data show.
Morrissette said if oil revenue continues at the current rate, Prairie Dog would be fully funded and distributed early next year.
The legislation was the brainchild of Republican Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, who crafted the plan after much grumbling by lawmakers outside the oil patch that their oil-rich colleagues were getting too large a share of money for their infrastructure needs.
“I was hearing: ‘When are we gonna get ours, when is it our turn?’” Wardner said.
The longtime lawmaker, who is retiring this year, said he was confident Prairie Dog would get the entire $250 million this year.
“It’s going to fill,” he said.
All but the eight oil-producing counties are eligible for the funds. The bulk of the money, $169.2 million, is to be shared between municipalities and counties and townships for infrastructure. Counties and townships get an additional $30.4 million, as do municipalities. Another $20 million is set aside for airport infrastructure to be used mainly to match federal funds for projects, Wardner said.
“Every incorporated city in non-oil counties will get something,” Wardner said. “They will be able to do things they haven’t done before.”
The allocations will range from a few thousand dollars for small communities to several million dollars for the larger, higher-population cities, he said.
Matt Morrison
Loftness, the manufacturer of vegetation management and agricultural equipment, has hired Matt Morrison as its new director of sales and marketing. He will lead the sales effort by managing Loftness’ territory representatives, establishing pricing programs, forecasting sales and coordinating sales efforts with other departments. He’ll also help ensure a high level of customer satisfaction through technical and sales support.
Morrison comes to Loftness with an extensive background in agricultural equipment sales. He most recently worked as director of sales and marketing of a diversified manufacturer of agricultural equipment, snow and ice removal equipment and other products. Prior to that, he gained experience in international sales for two major equipment dealerships.
“It’s an exciting time to join Loftness,” said Morrison. “Business is growing rapidly, due to innovations in our vegetation management product line, expansion in fertilizer spreaders and continued leadership in grain bagging and crop shredding equipment. I look forward to helping further build the Loftness legacy.”
Morrison is the latest in a string of new hires at Loftness, preceded by Jeff Reinhart, the company’s new CEO.
Loftness, an employee-owned company, manufactures the VMLogix line of vegetation management equipment, the GrainLogix line of grain bagging equipment, the FertiLogix line of fertilizer application equipment and the CropLogix line of crop shredders.
For more information, visit loftness.com.
Rock Machinery Co. LLC, Gorman-Rupp Announce Partnership to Supply Pumps
Rock Machinery Co. LLC, a distributor of processing equipment and parts for the aggregate, mining and recycling industries, announced its partnership with Gorman-Rupp on supplying submersible, self-priming and diesel-driven dewatering pumps.
Gorman-Rupp has been manufacturing pumps and pumping systems since 1933. Its 825,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Mansfield, Ohio, accommodate the most advanced technology available. Fully automated machining centers provide highspeed, high-quality machining of pump castings.
“We are pleased to partner with Gorman-Rupp to offer our aggregate customers a highquality dewatering pump,” said Bryant Fazer, president of Rock Machinery. “Dewatering pumps have been a gap in our product offering, and we are confident that Gorman-Rupp is the right manufacturer to represent this.”
“Gorman-Rupp is excited to welcome Rock Machinery as a distributor for our construction and dewatering markets,” said Mike Swiatkowski, north central district sales manager of Gorman-Rupp. “Rock Machinery’s extensive service capability, coupled with their broad sales reach and expertise in quarry operations, make them an ideal distributor. Their ability to help a customer from beginning of operations to the end will lead to Rock Machinery being a great resource on dewatering, plant operations and remediation. We look forward to working with Rock Machinery across the midwest.” For more information, call 262/536-4603 or visit www.rockmachinery.com.
