Page 2
December 19th 2013
Commentary, Trade and:: Notices
Valley News
and Views
Though greeted with
hostility by the legislative
leadership, Governor Jack
Dalrymple appointed a
talented 14-member Task
Force on Property Tax
Reform to take a look at the
North Dakota property tax.
In its initial meeting, some
members of the Task Force
were impressed with the
array of specific mill levies
authorized for everything
from social services to
cemeteries. But talk about
the plethora of mill levies
is skirting the real issues
begging for reform.
There are bigger fish to fry
in property tax reform.
One is the gross inequities
in farmland assessment. The
detailed analysis of property
assessments by University of
Nebraska and North Dakota
State University researchers
published in 2007 is as valid
today as it was years ago
even though land prices
have increased radically
since then.
In fact, they noted that tax
inequities were prevalent
in counties experiencing
escalating prices. That's
exactly what we have today.
The study pointed out
that inequities existed
within counties as well as
among counties. That means
taxpayers within the same
county or school districts are
paying other people's taxes.
The researchers claimed
that "the county-level
productivity valuation
approach does not appear to
workparticularlywellin areas
of either rapidly changing
land values resulting from
rapidly changing agricultural
practices or increasing levels
of recreational and hunting-
based land purchases."
In the meeting of another
committee, Senator Dwight
Cook of Mandan expressed
concern over the 3-year
period during which local
assessors were assessing
without having completed
the certification process.
The2007reportunderlined
this issue by pointing out
that major reason for the
inequities in farm land
assessments could be traced
to the inability of county
directors of tax equalization
to adjust or apportion county
land values to township
assessment districts.
This suggests that the
Reform Task Force consider
ways to shorten the
certification process and
increase the content of the
coursework. More state
funding to overcome the
time lag would be helpful.
Another subject worth
the Task Force's attention is
the inequitable assessment
in small communities. The
smaller the town the bigger
the problem.
While residences in
smaller cities in western
North Dakota have gained
value from the oil boom,
many in .smaller. towns are
over-assessed because they
have a market value so low
that any assessment looks
extravagant.
The two most usable
methods for assessing
residential property
are market and cost
depreciated. Neither works
in communities where there
are no buyers and houses are
so old that cost depreciated
is speculative. Assessors are
required to grab a figure out
of the air.
Use of the textbook
methods taught in assessor
school, if applied to
unmarketable ancient
residences, leads to over-
assessment.
A third problem worth
attention is the practice of
communities giving away
the tax base as a gimmick
for economic development.
This usually involves a five
or 10-year forgiveness of
property taxes as a part of a
package deal offered on the
promise of a rosier picture
of new jobs than is ever
delivered.
Unfortunately, every city
and state is doing it, meaning
that communities and states
get into bidding wars in
which the only winner is the
recipient of the tax break.
Meanwhile, the hometown
taxpayers end up paying for
the subsidy through higher
property taxes to keep public
services functioning.
The Dalrymple Task Force
is seeking transparency. This
game could use some.
As a former tax
commissioner and chair
of the state Board of
Equalization, I could
continue but the editor has
other items of more interest
to readers.
I am not on Facebook. My
E-mail is ndmatters@q.com.
Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the
rich, by promising to protect each from the other. -Oscar Ameringer
Regular Meetings November 12th 2013
This is a record of the proceedings
of the regular meeting of the
Drayton School Board that was held
November 12, 2013, at the school at
7:00 PM.
Members present: Hatloy,
Emanuelson, Larson, Brosuis,
Littlejohn
Members absent: None
Also Present: Hy Schlieve, Judy
Stellon, Mathew Rarick
Presiding: Hatloy
Hatioy called the meeting to order
at 7:00 pm.
Larson made a motion to approve
the agenda as presented by Supt.
Schlieve. Littlejohn seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried unanimously.
Littlejohn made a motion to
approve the consent agenda,
September 10, 2013 regular board
meeting and mandatory Tax
Levy Review meeting minutes,
September, October and November
financial reports, bills and quarterly
reconciliation report as presented
by Stellon. Littlejohn seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried
Supt. Schlieve presented
communications from the following:
1. NDSBA Dues Restructuring
2. Pembina County Auditor
3. Stegman Family
4. ND Department of Emergency
Services
5. DPI - Title Ila Funding
6. ND Department of
Transportation
7. DPI - Sequestration/Shut
Down
8. NDHSAA - Super Regional
9. DPI - AYP Information
Dissemination
10. Email - DPI re State
Assessment
11. Title II Grant Award
12. Global Safety
13. DPI - Access Score Cap
Reports were given for the
following items:
North Valley Career Tech
Center
Pembina Special Education
Board
Walsh - Pembina
Administrators
NE NDASA
Pembina County Educators
PSEC/UV Cooperation
RRVEC Administrative Board
RRVEC Governing Board
Coop Board
Transportation Report
NDCEL
NDSOS Board
NDSBA Conference
NDSBA Legal Seminar
Hot Lunch
Student Activities
Matt Rarick presented the
board with possible options for the
prom committee. After a lengthy
discussion: Littlejohn made a motion
to continue with prom as in the past
and reward the prom committee
members that did all the work. Due
to lack of a second, motion failed.
Larson made a motion to accept
the second reading of policy for
Section A, Descriptor Codes; ACBD,
ACBD-E1, ACBD-E2, ACBD-E3,
ACBD-E4, ACBD-E5, ACBD-E6,
ACBD-E7, ACBD-E8, ACBD-E9,
ACBD-E10, ACBD-E11 and ACBD-
R. Emanuelson seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried unanimously.
Superintendent Schlieve
presented the following policies
for First Reading; ABBA, FAAA-E,
FACB-E, FACB-E2 and FGA-E3.
Supt. Schlieve presented the
following policies for distribution;
DBD, DBD-E, FCA, FCA-E and
FCBD.
Larson made a motion to approve
the pledge of securities provided by
KodaBank. Emanuelson seconded
the motion, and upon vote, the
motion carried unanimously.
Littlejohn made a motion to
accept the 2012-2013 Audit Report
and approve payment to W.W.
Weispfenning CPA's. Brosius
seconded the motion, and upon vote,
the motion carried unanimously.
Littlejohn made a motion to
approve an open enrollment
application from the Grafton School
District. Larson seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried unanimously.
Brosius made a motion to accept
the proposal from Supt. Jaszczak
of Kittson Central regarding open
enrollment weighted payment as
follows; kindergarten at 0.612,
grades 1-3 at 1.115, grades 4-6
at 1.06 and grades 7-12 at 1.30.
Littlejohn seconded the motion,
and upon vote, the motion carried
unanimously.
Emanuelson made a motion
to approve an Ergonomic grant
application. Littlejohn seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried unanimously.
Larson made a motion to approve
a school security grant from the
Dept. Of Emergency Services and
Homeland Security in North Dakota.
Emanuelson seconded the motion,
and upon vote, the motion carried
unanimously.
Littlejohn made a motion to
accept the audit report from the
state of North Dakota and authorize
payment. Brosius seconded the
motion, and upon vote, the motion
carried unanimously.
Discussion was held on the 2014-
2015 school 6alendar. No action
was taken.
Setting a date for a special
meeting for the Strategic Plan
Review was tabled.
It was the consensus of the board
to complete the annual formative
evaluation of the superintendent
on-line next month. Deadline for the
evaluation is December 15.
Larson and Hatloy agreed to
serve for negotiations.
Supt. Schlieve reviewed the
following items:
Important Dates: Available on
the DPS Website at www.drayton.
k12.nd.us
Knight's Herald/Blue Knights"
Notes/Superintendent's Monthly
Report
November Monthly Reading
Topics: Three articles from the
May 2013 edition of Educational
Leadership and all three touch on
the subject of negative effects of
poverty on learning.
October Monthly Reading
Topics: "Handling Student
Handbooks" by Leander Dolphin
and Anne Littlefield, "MOOC's go
to K12" by Nancy Jackson and
"Hunting the Whole Enchilada" by
Dian Schaffhauser".
Building Projects Update
Extended School Day Program
Update
ITV Equipment Update
Site Assessment Visit
Teacherage Bathroom
Hot Lunch Changes
Ice Machine
Fulltime Substitute
School Election
Custodian
Christmas Gifts
There being no further business
before this Board, Littlejohn made
a motion to adjourn this meeting.
Brosius seconded the motion,
and upon vote, the motion carried
unanimously.
This record of the proceedings of
this meeting is subject to review and
change at the next regular board
meeting to be held December 10,
2013 at 7:00 AM.
Mark Hatloy
Judy Stellon
Expenditures
AFLAC 1,260.38 AGRI-VALLEY -
GRAND FORKS 566.70 ASSURANT
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 486.85 B
CLEAN SUPPLY, INC 64.00 BC/BS
OF ND 11,026.20 BIG JIM'S TIRE
UP NORTH 164.33 BLUE CROSS/
BLUE SHEILD OF ND 906.00
CAPSTONE PRESS, INC. 767.59
CITY OF DRAYTON 534.45 COLE
PAPER INC 79.99 DISCOVERY
BENEFITS, INC 1,240.13
DISCOVERY BENEFITS, INC
3,216.21 DISCOVERY BENEFITS,
INC 60.00 ED'S LAWNcARE 265.00
EDMENTUM 7,652.96 EDUTECH
50.00 EXPRESSWAY INN 329.30
EXPRESSWAY SUITES 224.10
EXPRESSWAY SUITES 448.20
Hundreds of Norwegian
Americans -- many from
North Dakota (ND) -- will
be celebrating Norway's
200th anniversary of its
Constitution and will gather
in Oslo's Frogner Park in
July 2014 to memorialize
the 100-year history of ND's
sculptured gift of President
Abe Lincoln's bust to honor
the Homestead Act and the
immigration from Norway.
The gift-idea originated
when ND Governor Louis
Hanna was inspired
by attending the 50th
anniversary at Gettysburg in
1913, learning more about
Lincoln's role as president
that impacted ND, such
as homesteading, and
recognizing that an entire
regiment of Union soldiers
from Wisconsin were
Norwegian immigrants.
Gov. Hanna raised money
from the legislature to
commission talented 21-year
old Valley City student, Paul
Felde, to sculpture the bust.
Felde became a prominent
artist as a professor,
directorship in Art Institutes
nationally and well-known
sculptor internationally.
It was reported that 20,000
Norwegian Americans
revisited Norway in 1914.
The delegation included
former Grand Forks Herald
founder and editor George B.
Winship, who sent frequent
reports via cablegram to
the newspaper, according
to ND Historical Society
accounts. Winship reported
in a July 4 cablegram that
"the presentation of the
statue further cements
the friendship between
Norway and the United
States, and especially North
Dakota, about one-third of
the population of which is
Norwegian."
The image of Lincoln in
Frogner Park has sustained
itself as an honoring
event for independence
and equality, even during
WWII, as described in NO
Historical reports. "During
Germany's occupation of
Norway in World War II, the
Lincoln bust became the site
of silent anti-Nazi protests.
Each July 4 beginning in
1940 until the war ended in
1945, Norwegians gathered
at the site by the thousands,
their heads bowed in silence.
Typically, the Germans
forbade anypublic gatherings
or demonstrations, but did
not halt this annual event."
2014 will be a banner
year for travelers to visit
Norway with century
celebrations of Norway's
constitution declaring itself
an independent nation. With
today's smart phones and
bloggers, the numbers of
viewers next year will likely
be exponential to the onsite
visitors.
Several groups are being
organized through Brekke
Tours in Grand Forks, ranging
from Norwegian American
HistoricalAssociation, family
groups, and personalized
adventures, such as Lauraine
Snelling's "Discovering
Ingeborg's Roots." Lauraine
will accompany the escorted
tour along the spectacular
fjords in the homeland of
the author's real life relative,
upon which the fictitious
central character in her "Red
River" series of novels is
based.
Lauraine will lead the tour
for 45 travelers, drawing
from followers of "Blessing
ND" based at the Historical
Museum at Drayton and her
fan-based network from her
80 published works. Her tour
will begin in Oslo, including
the wreath laying at Frogner
Park, where throngs will
attend the annual event of
the Lincoln statue. Some
great grandchildren of the
original delegation plan to
attend.
Lauraine's tour will wind
through the most scenic
parts of Norway's fjord
country, spend two days
in the beautiful Aufland
Valley to visit sites where
her family Norwegian roots
originated and on to Bergen
for departure. The tour dates
are Friday, June 27 to Sunday,
July 6.
One hundred years ago,
reports of the Lincoln "gift
tour" were sent by cable to
the Herald to engage readers
of the events. Plans for
Lauraine's tour next summer
include "blogging" a daily
account with a few photos of
her search for her roots, and
dessert "circles" following
dinner to discuss her notes,
possibly for a new book.
"Discovering (Family)
Roots" will .involve many
tour members to search their
own heritage genealogies.
As a tour member, I plan
to stay on in Norway for a
week or so with some of my
grand children, to visit three
sites (and relatives) where
the family name originated,
dating back to the year 800
in pre-Viking times.
What an adventure that
can be and what a "gift"
to document for future
generations.
EXPRESSWAY SUITES 448.20
EXPRESSWAY SUITES (224.10)
EXPRESSWAY SUITES (448.20)
GRAFTON AUTO ELECTRIC 81.90
GRAND HOTEL 138.60 GREEN,
SUSAN 268.94 HALCROW'S INC
884.42 HUGO'S #10 8.24 JACKSON,
AARON 65.00 JOHNSTON, LINDA
63.00 JPMORGAN 4,461.25
JPMORGAN (4,461.25) KELLY'S
COUNTRY STORE 103.39
KORNKVEN, MICHELLE 300.58
LAQUINTA INN & SUITES 298.80
LEE, RACHEL 273.93 LEE, RACHEL
273.93 MERRILL, LINDA 214.87
MERRILL, LINDA 74.50 MERRILL,
LINDA 68.47 MERRILL, LINDA
214.87 NARDINI FIRE EQUIPMENT
CO. 133.50 ND CENTER FOR
DISTANCE EDUCATION 65.00 ND
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT
2,371.43 ND TEACHER FUND FOR
RETIREMENT 20,799.19 NDASFAA
COUNSELOR WORKSHOP 10.00
NORTH VALLEY CAREER-TECH
1,329.00 NORTH VALLEY CAREER-
TECH 8,272.00 NORTHDALE OIL,
CO. 2,522.69 OFFICE OF STATE
AUDITOR 165.00 OFFICEMAX
INCORPORATED 6.79 OI-FERTAIL
POWER CO 4,208.23 PARKER,
CHERYL 453.00 PEMBINA CO
SPECIAL ED COOP2 6,2 5 0.0 0
PEMBINA COUNTY MEALS &
TRANSPORTATION 340.00 POLAR
COMMUNICATIONS 258.49
POLLESTAD, LINDSAY 376.96
PRINCIPAL CENTER, THE 249.00
RALSTON, DEAN 362.70 RALSTON,
DEAN 110.04 RATCHENSKI,
RAICHL 376.96 RATCHENSKI,
RAICHL 376.96 SAM'S CLUB 174.68
SAM'S CLUB 49.92 SCHLIEVE,
HY C.J. 1,044.66 SCHOLASTIC
EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 612.77
LLC SCHUMACHER, REBEKAH
357.46 STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY OF ND 85.00 STEIN'S
INC 75.52 TEACHER DIRECT 34.82
US BANK4,461.25 VALLEY
BUILDING CENTER12.36 VALLEY
NEWS & VIEWS 261.53 VALLEY-
EDINBURG HIGH SCHOOL 3,360.00
VERIZON WIRELESS 144.51
WATERS, APRIL 376.96 WATERS,
APRIL 376.96 WEBSTER, SCO-I-F
271,850.00 ASSOCIATED POTATO
GROWERS, INC 20.00 BLUE
RIBBON MAINTENANCE SUPP.
517.87 CASS CLAY CREAMERY,
INC 1,350.95 KELLY'S COUNTRY
STORE 92.40 ND PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES RETIREMENTC
528.63 SAM'S CLUB 173.95 U.S.
FOODSERVlCE INC 7,197.04
SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR PUBLICATION
NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBUC INSTRUCTION
OFFICE OF SCHOOL FINANCE AND ORGANIZATION
SFN 7616 (06-08)
TO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OR DESIGNEE
Name and AddreSs of Offimal Newspaper of the School OtrCt
r
L Valley News and Views, 104 N Main St, Drayton, ND 58225
The pubhsher ts requested to send a copy of the pub;mhed statemen! and the ling for publcatXl to
'.me. BusrH-m$sMan..r ShooO,stt.,Nam. andNufflbet '108 S ,,h ''''T',,
Judy Stellon o,yton us 34-os Scnd O.,:td.,., Drayton
r
Beginmng Fund Revenue Explmdtures [ Ending Fund
Balance July 1. Balance June 30
2012 2013
Gane Fund .... ,7.677 2a" 2.464i : ...... 21661666::i.- aa0:673 Oo
High SChOOJ Tuition 0 00 0 00 0 O0 0 00
" H,gh School Transportabon ............................................................................. 000 000 0 O0 i 0 O0
: .................................................... 0 00 ...........................................
Judgement 0 00 0 00 0 00
i A,,,, .......................... 0b0 ........... 0 o0 ! o 0o o oo
i ................................ ............................ : ................. ........................... J,
Technology 0 00 000 : O 00 i 0 00
RemoOen, 0 00 000 i 0 00 0 00
Aiiarnat e Edi.;. g;a., ....... 00- ............ 01o0 .................. oloo[ ......... o 0o
............................ ., ............ ........... _ .............. ,
General Fund (01} 927,577 28 2454 661 84 2 5S1.566 12 830 673 00
Beginning Fund Revenue Expenditures Ending Fund
Balance July 1. : Balance June 30.
2012 i 2013
s.i R,,.,re ,,nd Po2i ................................. 0oo: ............... o Do ......................... i o DO
C..pda, Projec Futld Group i03) ............................................................. 57 918 0 '3.311 97 I'9.617 0" ............. 48,386 12
Food Serves Fund Group (05) -256 9 ....... 132.739 44 ........... ;13;54S 7" ............ 5 3i
Student Activ es Fund Group () ....... 000 + ........... 000 ' ........................... 000 ................................... 000
Tr,,st and Agenonmum Fund (0-7)
ooo ooo 000 0oo
.......... ........................................... s o .......
3ENERAL iNFORMATION CONCERNING CH OL DISTRICT DEBTAS OF JUNE :0. 2013
t Bonds Outstanding 3150.00000
2 CerficBtes of Indebtedness Outstand g 0 00
3 Amount Owed to the State Schoo! Co-strucbon Fund 0 00
3 150 00000
4 TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS OF DISTRICT - Total of I*nes 1-3
t do solemnly swear/hat to the best of my knowledge and
behef the mformaton within s a ttue and correct statement of
ati revenue and expend lures of the schoo, dis'ict
X JJ") ........
;-oo .....
This mporl is found coffect in even/particular and is hereby
approvad
g
Signature o Schoo Board Preaiont
: Community First- "Living together,san a . ' William Pickens
