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(AE2S) Offices: Bismarck Dickinson Fargo Grand Forks Minot Watford City Williston Eagan Maple Grove Moorhead Great Falls Kalispell www.ae2s.com 2 MARCH ’12 CITYScan POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: TABLE OF NORTH DAKOTA LEAGUE OF CITIES, 410 E FRONT AVE, Contents BISMARCK, ND 58504 Ready, Set, Learn ................................. 4 ND Hosts Nation’s First Snowmobile CERT Class ....... 20 How Old Is Old? ................................. 6 Pages From the Past .............................. 20 Worth a Look: NLC Best Practices .................... 8 Be an HR All Star Conference ...................... 21 2012 Webinar Series .............................. 9 Checklist for Carrying Out Employee Terminations ...... 22 March Madness vs. Sense & Sensibility ............... 10 Apply Now for Clean Diesel Grants .................. 23 Hometown, Homegrown ........................... 11 Attorney General’s Opinion ........................ 25 2012 Scholarship Application ...................... 12 If I Were Mayor for a Day Essay Contest .............. 13 Water Rates Seminar Registration ................... 25 2012 City Government Week ....................... 13 Dulltown, USA ................................. 26 Ask NDLC ..................................... 14 CityBeat ....................................... 27 Applause, Applause .............................. 15 Calendar of Events ............................... 28 Spring Regional Meetings Ahead .................... 16 MFOA Institute Scholarship Application .............. 29 2012 Election Primer ............................. 18 Bulletin Notes .................................. 30 CITYScan is published 10 times yearly by the North Dakota League of Cities at 410 E Front Avenue, NDLC Executive Board 2011-2012 Bismarck, ND 58504. Subscriptions are $20 per President: Don Frye, Mayor, Carrington • Vice President: Brad Wimmer, City Commissioner, Fargo year. Advertising rates on application. Deadline for Past President: Lyn James, Mayor, Bowman advertising and copy is the first of the preceding month. Permission to use any original article if Regional Executive Board Members credit given. Opinions expressed in articles do not Katie Andersen, Mayor, Jamestown; Richard Barta, Assessor, Mandan; Leslie Bakken, Mayor, Crosby; Brad Bekkedahl, necessarily express the position taken by the North City Commissioner, Williston; Rick Duquette, City Administrator, Grand Forks; Dean Frantsvog, Council President, Minot; Dakota League of Cities. JoyAnn Holsten, Council Member, Wing; Tom Larson, City Administrator, Park River; Scott Mitchell, Mayor, Rolla; Ronald Editor Connie Sprynczynatyk, NDLC Narum, Mayor, Rutland; Kim Nunberg, City Auditor, Beach; Larry Weil, City Planner, West Fargo Design Director Chelly Bosch, Elegant Designs MUNICIPAL Monthly - City auditor submits to the governing body of the city a monthly financial Calendar statement showing revenues, expenditures, transfers and fund balances. (NDCC 40-16-04) March business incentive during the previous calendar year shall prepare an By March 1 – City auditor shall cause to be published in the official annual political subdivision grantor report. (NDCC 54-60.1-08) newspaper the financial statement for the preceding year. (NDCC 40-16-05) April March 1 – On or before - City auditor submits to the governing board April 6 – Good Friday - State holiday (NDCC 1-03-01) an annual financial statement showing revenues, expenditures, transfers, April 10 – Second Tuesday in April - City governing board meets and fund balances of the city for the year ended December 31. (NDCC as board of equalization. Meeting may adjourn from day to day. 40-16-04) (NDCC 57-11-01) March 1 – First installment of real estate taxes and yearly installments of April 13 – 4:00 p.m. - Deadline for candidates for city offices to file their special assessment taxes becomes delinquent. (NDCC 57-20-01) election petitions is 60 days before the election. (NDCC 40-21-07) By March 14 – Thirty days before the filing deadline for candidates’ By April 18 – The city auditor shall determine the arrangement of the names to be printed on the ballot (April 13, 2012), an official notice names of the candidates upon the ballot by conducting a drawing within of this deadline must be published in the official newspaper. (NDCC five days following the last day for the filing of nomination papers. The 40-21-02) city auditor shall set the date, time and location for conducting the March 15 – On or before - At the discretion of the governing body, the drawing and shall give advance notice of the drawing to the candidates city auditor of each city may advertise in the official newspaper once involved. (NDCC 40-21-08) (It is suggested that the auditor notify each week for two consecutive weeks for bids for the furnishing of gravel candidates of the time for the drawing at the time nominating petitions in place for gravel surfacing of highways within the city, upon a cubic are filed.) yard basis. (NDCC 40-54-01) By April 18 – At least 55 days before the election, when the city has By March 31 an annual report on transportation project funding and entered into an agreement to hold a joint election with the county, the expenditures shall be submitted to the tax commissioner within 90 days city auditor shall notify the county auditor of the offices to be filled of the close of the calendar year. (NDCC 54-27-26) and of any measures appearing on the city’s election ballot for ballot Before April 1 of each year, each political subdivision that granted a preparation and publication purposes. (NDCC 40-21-02) View the online Municipal Calendar at www.ndlc.org. About the cover: The legendary Herschel Lashkowitz served Fargo as mayor from 1954-74, then served 20 years as state senator. MARCH ’12 CITYScan 3 Don Frye 2011-12 NDLC President Ready … Set … Learn! This year marks the 100th anniversary of the North Dakota center on many cities’ agenda. League of Cities. On September 25, 1912 a handful of North Having a unified presence at the North Dakota state legislature Dakota cities sent representatives to Grand Forks to work toward in 1913 was important to city leaders. The League’s decision to a common goal of promoting best practices and making the cities hold the meeting in 1913 in Bismarck during the session was of North Dakota great places to live. The League’s focus on solving to ensure the voice of the cities was heard. Our League staff problems and promoting excellence has not changed in 100 years. and our elected officials who attend the sessions on behalf of No doubt each of us has examples of groups working together their communities continue to carry out this mission during the for a common cause. Lately, I’ve been thinking Measure 2 is a legislative session. If you are curious, the complete recap of the prime example of a pressing need for the cities of North Dakota 1912 event by the Fargo delegation is on the League’s website to work together. The task of providing factual information to (www.ndlc.org). our local voters would be difficult without a strong clearinghouse I ask that each city send at least one person like the North Dakota League of Cities. This unified voice, and to attend the North Dakota League of Cities’ the accurate information the staff provides city leaders, is just as 100th anniversary conference in Grand important a resource today as it was 100 years ago. Forks, not only to celebrate our rich history, Some of the same issues that faced city leaders over 100 years but to learn from the many educational ago are still cropping up in conversations when we get together opportunities. Now is the time to make your today. In reading an account of the first meeting submitted by plans. Watch for more information in upcoming the Fargo delegation in 1912, one of the most important issues issues of CITYScan. was infrastructure. This is still something communities spend Finally, I would like to encourage each city to attend the a major portion of their time addressing. The rapid growth in regional meetings that will be held the first two weeks in May, as western North Dakota, flood protection all across the state, well as the March Madness event in Bismarck March 20-21. I will roads and many other infrastructure needs are front and see you there! 4 MARCH ’12 CITYScan Industry-Leading Expertise Ulteig has more than 65 years of engineering experience in North Dakota, and we want to put that experience to use by offering innovative solutions to the various municipal Bismarck • Cedar Rapids infrastructure concerns facing the communities and industry Denver • Detroit Lakes Fargo • Minneapolis leaders in North Dakota. Sioux Falls • Williston Engineering, Surveying, and Consulting Services www.ulteig.com • 877-858-3449 MARCH ’12 CITYScan 5 800-472-2692 [email protected] Connie Sprynczynatyk Executive Director Connie Sprynczynatyk, Executive Director How old is old? In September,