Frank Gross, who had served Dist. 2 as a Clay County commissioner since 2013, has retired from the Board of Commissioners.

Dan Haglund

After a dozen years of serving the people of Clay County as a commissioner in District 2, 80-year-old Frank Gross decided he has served his last term.
Gross’s post has been filled by Hawley resident Ezra Baer, who ran unopposed in the district comprising the northeastern portion of the county. The area includes Dilworth, Felton, Georgetown, Glyndon, Hawley and Hitterdal, as well as 16 surrounding townships.
Gross said a heart attack this past summer precipitated his decision to hang it up, as well as plans to do more traveling with his wife, LaVonne. For years, Gross said they traveled abroad, but their adventures will probably be limited to bus trips around the southern states like Texas, Arizona and Florida now. That and some hot pinochle games with friends and neighbors, and probably some volunteering.
“It was time to step back,” Gross said. “I really loved my job. I really didn’t want to go, but the good Lord started talking to me a little bit.”
Frank and LaVonne have three adult children and four grandchildren.
One of those children, daughter Julie Nash, followed in her father’s footsteps of public service. She is Dilworth’s vice mayor and has served for the past 19 years on the city council there as well, and lives near her parents.
“My daughter (Julie) said I needed to do something after I retired,” Gross said.
Gross retired from management in the U.S. Postal Service in October 2003, and began serving on the Dilworth City Council, where he remained for nine years.
Gross was born in Napoleon, N.D., in the heart of the state’s Germans from Russia country. He joined the U.S. Army in 1963 at 18, and served until 1965. He said his whole unit was deployed to Vietnam just a day after he completed his service.
Fast forward to 2025, Gross said he feels one of the biggest accomplishment the board has made during his tenure would be the completion of the Law Enforcement Center and other new buildings.
“But what I’m very proud of are the good employees and real good supervisors (in Clay County),” he said. “You can have as many new buildings as you want, but you need good employees to make the whole county work.”
With regard to issues facing the board now, Gross also lamented the ongoing issues with drug control in the county, and trying to help the Sheriff’s Department keep up to date on how to best serve those with these problems. He cited drug misuse and mental health problems as two keys issues of highest importance for the board.
Gross said he would like to see drug use go down in the county, the number of prisoners drop, as well as keeping the overall budget down.
“I just really enjoyed working with the people,” Gross added. “Just visiting with all the people in 16 townships. There are some great people out there. Keeping the county going was most enjoyable.”