It’s not news to anyone living in the northern tier of North Dakota that snow has been a major headache this year. That’s why your Senator, Ryan Taylor of Towner, deserves a big pat on the back.

Snowed in on his own ranch and witnessing first-hand how this year’s snowfall affected his neighbors, Taylor sprung to action. He was among a group of senators who immediately asked for a meeting with Gov. John Hoeven to push for a snow emergency declaration. This declaration provided National Guard and other emergency assistance to the counties with the heaviest snowfall.

In the following weeks, Taylor took the reins as the lead sponsor of SB 2393, a bill to appropriate $1 million for emergency snow removal grants to cities and counties. The bill also opens the door for additional snow removal funding if such funding becomes necessary. Taylor steered this bill through successful passage in the State Senate and is working for successful passage in the State House.

So if you see your county snow plow this winter, or find yourself driving down a road that has already been cleared, know that Sen. Taylor’s hard work in Bismarck helped your local officials get the job done.

O’Connell, Lansford, is North Dakota’s Senate Minority Leader.