State reports land commissioner opening after 5 applications

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — State officials are renewing their search for a new land commissioner after receiving five applications.

Gov. Doug Burgum’s spokesman, Mike Nowatzki, said four of the five applicants met the minimum qualifications for the job, the Bismarck Tribune reported Monday. The last search for a land commissioner in 2017 netted 32 applications, according to Tribune archives.

Burgum’s administration is looking for a new commissioner after Jodi Smith announced in October she planned to resign to join a group managing a Red River diversion projection. The land commissioner job posting lists the salary range as $130,000 to $145,000 annually.

The commissioner leads the Department of Trust Lands. The agency manages educational trust funds and assets, including 700,000 state-owned surface acres and 2.6 million mineral acres. Revenue from oil development and livestock grazing on state-owned land goes toward public education.