Fair board to allow Northern to survey for future of grounds

The Great Northern Fair Board has entered into a partnership with the department of civil engineering at Montana State University-Northern to survey and make plans for desalinating the land at the fairgrounds.

Bob Sivertsen presented the idea to the board meeting Tuesday at the fairgrounds during its monthly meeting.

“We need to make sure (the fairground) is functional for the 21st century,” Sivertsen said, adding that landscaping the fairgrounds would ensure its proper use later on. “ … Salinity is a big issue around Montana.”

Salinity is the level of salt content in water or soil.

Sivertsen said the salinity of the land is going to limit what can be done with the fairgrounds.

Professor Eleazer Resurreccion said part of his class is giving his students real-world projects to plan and wants to have them start surveying the land as soon as possible before it gets too cold.

With the information they gain from surveying, they will be able to present to the board cost estimates of various projects that the land would benefit from.

The board allowed the professor to start work immediately.