Gov. Jack Dalrymple Friday called North Dakota's recently concluded legislative session a "landmark" for the Grand Forks area.
"It's really a stupendous day for Grand Forks and Grand Forks County," Dalrymple said in a meeting with the Herald editorial board, adding that Grand Forks' legislators were the "absolute champions of the session."
Dalrymple announced that $175 million in legislation was passed during the 2015 Legislative Session that was relevant to Grand Forks area commerce, education and infrastructure.
One of the biggest chunks of that money came in the form of $60 million for the city's wastewater treatment plant, which will be spread out over the next two bienniums.
"That's a great achievement for Grand Forks," Dalrymple said, noting that Fargo only received $30 million total. "Considering an apples to apples comparison, Grand Forks did extremely well."
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Another major area in which the city will benefit is at UND, where $17.6 million was received for ongoing campus operations and $62 million was received for the new School of Medicine and Health Sciences building.
Many funds will also come from the Department of Commerce budget bill-House Bill 1018-which Dalrymple would sign later that morning at UND's Clifford Hall.
Some highlights of the bill included $10 million to develop the state's Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry, including $7.5 million to develop Grand Sky.
The commerce bill also included $3.25 million for entrepreneurship grants and vouchers to assist startup businesses and $1.5 million for air base retention grants in Minot, Grand Forks and Fargo.
"It was a landmark session, a fantastic session for Grand Forks," Dalrymple said.
When asked whether he would run for governor again, Dalrymple said he has not yet discussed the decision with his wife or family, but plans to do so this summer.
"I certainly could," run again, he said.
