The North Dakota Racing Commission was no closer in its search for a new director on Tuesday than when the commission fired former director Dean Meyer in June.

At Tuesday's meeting, the commission held off its search for a new director until it gets more information about how many positions the agency is allowed to have and an update on the commission's budget.

The Racing Commission currently has one full-time employee, administrative assistant Helen Tessmann.

Tessmann said the workload in the office has increased since the commission became a stand-alone state agency in July. It was once a division of the attorney general's office. "The workload is huge,"Tessmann said. "There is not a how-to, user-friendly little manual that says how you as a state agency become a stand-alone state agency."

Commissioner DeAnn Pladson said she would be in favor of hiring someone to help Tessmann with clerical duties. Pladson said the last time the commission hired a new director it took some time to find qualified candidates.

Tessmann said the office has hired a temporary, part-time employee who works 20 hours a week, but that she would like to have someone on a long-term basis. Tessmann said it would be ideal to have someone on staff full time to help with clerical duties, but the Legislature has only authorized two full-time positions for the office.

Commission Chairman Jim Boehm said he has met with the staff from Gov. John Hoeven's office about how many employees the commission can have, but he is waiting for more information. Boehm said the commission could also consider hiring a part-time director.

After Meyer's firing, Boehm was designated by the commission to oversee the operations of the office.

The three commissioners who voted to fire Meyer - Boehm, Pladson and Jim Arthaud - did not state a reason for his firing in June, but Boehm told the Associated Press in a July news article that Meyer was fired because he had difficulty enforcing the rules about registering horses and racing.

The commission oversees the regulatory functions of live and off-track horse racing in North Dakota.

There are eight simulcast locations in the state where people can bet on horses, and there is live horse racing in Fargo and Belcourt.

The commission did not set a date for its next meeting.

(Reach reporter Tom Rafferty at 223-8482 or tom.rafferty@;bismarcktribune.com)