Submitted Photo Cornerstone Bank representatives Chairman Gary Petersen, left, and Market President Grant Wentz, right, look over paperwork with the transfer of the bank building to the city with Makoti Mayor Chase Karna as they stand outside the building.

MAKOTI – A former branch bank building is to become the new city hall in Makoti.

Cornerstone Bank, having served the Makoti community for more than half a century, has shut its doors and turned its building over the community.

“While the bank remains committed to their customers in the area, they reluctantly closed their Makoti location this past summer due to continued staffing challenges along with a limited number of transactions,” according to a release from the bank.

“The bank building has been a fixture of Makoti’s Main Street for many decades,” Cornerstone Bank Chairman Gary Petersen said in the release. “It was important to us that it continued to be an asset to the community.”

After discussions with community leaders, the decision was made to donate the building to the City of Makoti. Petersen, along with Cornerstone Bank Market President Grant Wentz, recently met with Makoti Mayor Chase Karna to hand over the keys to the building.

“Mayor Karna graciously accepted the building on behalf of the city. We’re happy to see them take over the building and use it as they see fit to benefit the community,” Petersen said.

Makoti City Auditor Stephanie Huus said the building will be converted for use as a city hall, where the auditor will be able to have an office and council meetings can be held. Currently, Makoti, a community of 151 residents in the last census, has no city hall.

Cornerstone Bank has 10 locations in North Dakota and one in South Dakota.

Submitted Photo
The Cornerstone Bank building recently was given to the City of Makoti for a city hall.