Category: Monke

Receiver recommends dissolving DSU Foundation: Organization unable to pay loans, financial settlements as it loses donor support

The attorney appointed as financial receiver for the Dickinson State University Foundation says the foundation’s money issues are so bad, it will have to be dissolved.

Court-appointed receiver Sean Smith, in his latest report filed Aug. 31 in Southwest District Court, stated “the continued operation of DSUF is not a viable option” based on its inability to negotiate a financial settlement with developer Granville Brinkman, overall donor reluctance, and because receiver-retained accounting firm Brady, Martz & Associates was unable to determine the foundation’s net assets.

The DSU Foundation was forced into financial receivership by North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem last November. During a meeting on Nov. 12, Stenehjem used the word “chaos” to describe the foundation’s financial records. In December, Smith — a partner at Tschider & Smith law firm in Bismarck and a certified public accountant — was appointed as receiver.

 Over the past nine months, Smith has released seven reports detailing his work in trying to determine the cause behind the DSU Foundation’s financial issues, which the attorney general alleged stemmed from numerous financial and ethical issues, including that the university used scholarship funds to cover its operating costs.

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Convenience concerns: Rep. Cramer works register, hears issues at The Hub

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The new guy working the register at The Hub convenience store on Monday took a few customers by surprise.

Rep. Kevin Cramer said this wasn’t his first time working at a gas station — he ran a bulk fuel truck at a co-op in Kindred for one summer during his college years — and the North Dakota Republican took to the challenge just fine.

“He actually caught on really well,” said Melanie Stradling, The Hub’s new assistant general manager.

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Football game postponed by possible MRSA outbreak: Richardton student diagnosed with staph infection; season opener between RTH and Hettinger-Scranton scrubbed

RICHARDTON — A possible outbreak of MRSA staph infection led to the postponement of the season-opening 9-man football game between Richardton-Taylor-Hebron and Hettinger-Scranton on Friday.

Richardton-Taylor High School Superintendent Brent Bautz said one student, a member of the football team, has a confi rmed case of MRSA — a bacterial skin infection — and that other students, including football players, complained of skin sores on Friday and were sent to health care facilities for treatment and testing.

However, their skin cultures won’t be available until Monday. Because of that, Bautz said it was only right to postpone the football game, which was scheduled for Friday night in Richardton.

“We want to be on the safe side,” Bautz said.

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Editorial: North Dakota governor’s race is going to be good

Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s announcement Monday morning that he won’t seek re-election in 2016 was shocking to many, including some members of his own party. But, unlike many states, it’s unlikely the governor’s decision is foreshadowing a vast political shakeup in North Dakota.
Instead, it’ll make for great debate into next year as to who is the best fit to replace him. The Republicans, led by Dalrymple, have an undeniably “deep bench,” as state Sen. Kelly Armstrong, the GOP chairman from Dickinson, told Forum News Service capitol reporter Mike Nowatzki on Monday.
Within minutes of Dalrymple’s announcement, Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem were on Republican’s lips as his potential replacement. Even Fargo businessman Doug Burgum said he’s “open minded” about considering a run for the office, despite having no prior political experience. Heck, we’ve even had people ask if Dickinson Mayor Dennis Johnson would consider running.

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Editorial: Belfield street assessments should have been handled better

Belfield’s streets need to be fixed. There’s no doubt about that. Complaint after complaint is heaped on the city by both residents and visitors regarding the state of its streets, and clearly something must soon be done. A special assessment to property owners, offset by oil-impact “surge” funding dollars, is the most logical way to do this.

However, considering the individual price tag associated with these improvements, it’s safe to say Belfield leaders went about informing property owners the wrong way.

When your citizens stand to pay thousands of dollars in extra taxes over an undetermined length of time for a city infrastructure project, it’s best to involve them as much as possible — not to hold a couple meetings and then send them a bill eight months later.

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