State to Pay Tax Refund to Enbridge
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Post 117 swept by Detroit Lakes THIEF RIVER FALLS BlackLance wins again at Greenbush Race Park Sports - Page 10 WEDNESDA Y, JULY 7, 2021 $ 00 1 Volume 110, Number 27 • www.trftimes.com Newsstand Price State to pay tax Fun refund to Enbridge in the Big win for In 2018, the Minnesota case, it was estimated that Tax Court ruled MDR had Enbridge was owed some- Sun counties overvalued Enbridge’s where in the neighborhood pipeline system through 13 of $2.4 million. With inter- affected by counties in Minnesota. Ac- est, the amount was ex- cording to Enbridge, the pected to be $3 million. miscalculation total settlement to resolve If the county had been the state’s miscalculation is forced to refund the full nearly $47 million. Of that amount on its own, the by April Scheinoha amount, $29 million is the county would have been Reporter local government share. forced to bill the Thief River Enbridge released a Falls School District, town- The State of Minnesota is statement saying, “From the ships and special taxing dis- providing $29.3 million in beginning, we have acknowl- tricts. The school district county aid to northern coun- edged that counties were was expected to take the ties impacted by a miscalcu- caught in the middle of this biggest hit – an estimated lation related to Enbridge tax valuation issue, and $407,000 plus interest. Ear- Energy LLC’s properties. have been committed to lier this month, Peterson “It’s a big win for the 13 working with them to ensure said it would have finan- counties affected by this,” undue hardship does not re- cially broken two or three said Pennington County sult. In coming to this agree- townships he represents. Board Chairperson Neil Pe- ment, Enbridge did make Kittson, Marshall, Polk terson, who added it’s also concessions for taxes in 2017 and Red Lake counties were important that the state fix and 2018 and forgave inter- also affected by the miscal- the formula that led to the est for those years. We are culation. Marshall County initial error. pleased to have come to an would have had to refund In a press release, Sen. equitable conclusion to this the most money – $3 million Mark Johnson (R-East issue.” – which didn’t include inter- Grand Forks) noted the Many counties, including est. state tax bill requires the Pennington County, earlier In its statement, En- Minnesota Department of passed resolutions saying bridge said, “Once the re- Revenue to review the that MDR should be respon- placed Line 3 comes online, process by which utility and sible for the payment since it Enbridge will pay an addi- pipeline properties are val- caused the assessment error. tional $35 million in taxes in ued. In Pennington County’s the first year of operation.” 2021 Pennington County Outstanding Seniors Faye Auchenpaugh cares for her community Sutton Boespflug, 4, followed by the Hemley grandkids, was a participant in the Kiddie Pa- by April Scheinoha Auchenpaugh has been rade during the spectacular Fourth of July celebration in Plummer. There were about 60 en- Reporter involved in a multitude of tries in this year’s parade. volunteer projects over the Faye Auchenpaugh may years. Her greatest contribu- never know what effect her tion in the volunteer realm volunteer work has had on may be grant writing. Operating levy referendum? others. However, she knows Thanks to her grant-writing it’s appreciated. efforts, nearly $24 million in Auchenpaugh and Skip grant funds have been allo- School District budget woes Swanson will be honored as cated to Pennington County the Pennington County Out- and the region over the last standing Seniors at the Sen- 20 years. Granted, some of prompt serious discussions ior Citizen Program. The those grants were written program will be held Friday, while Auchenpaugh worked by David Hill healthy 7 percent. The Dis- trict received $517,000 from July 16 at 1 p.m. in the bus at the Northwest Service Co- Editor trict has a policy of main- the CARES Act, then an- garage on the Pennington operative in Thief River taining that fund balance at other $600,000 or so in County Fairgrounds. Falls. The projected unassigned between 10 and 25 percent, ESSR funds. It then received Auchenpaugh was flat- Grant-writing wasn’t a fund balance for the 2022 which is very common another $810,000, which will tered to receive the award. path that Auchenpaugh an- school year now stands at 11 among school districts that be used for such things as About volunteering, she ticipated. The late Bob Lar- percent or $2,376,489. Mon- rely to a large extent upon behavior interventionists said, “You don’t do it for per- son, who then served as Faye Auchenpaugh day, June 28, the Board of state and federal aid. and mental health experts sonal reward, and you don’t NWSC director, saw her tal- Education for School District Prior to diving into an ini- and other efforts to help stu- do it to make a name for ent and convinced her that 564 took a little deeper dive tial discussion of an operat- dents close the learning gap yourself.” she could do it. Long after funded. Her average has into what needs to be done to ing levy referendum, the caused by COVID. These are Auchenpaugh added that she left NWSC, Auchen- been much higher. If that improve the District’s finan- Board of Education learned one-time funds that expire she volunteers because she paugh still finds herself hadn’t been the case, she cial future. An operating ref- about the different funds it after two years. Superin- cares for the community and writing grants as a volun- said she would have quit erendum appears to be one received during the year - tendent Donita Stepan wants it to continue to be vi- teer for local groups. years ago. option. special COVID funding and noted that the District has brant for the next genera- Writing grants can be Her two Teaching Ameri- Before reductions were Education Stabilization to be very careful and pur- tions. She was also quick to stressful, said Auchenpaugh, can History grant applica- made to bring the unas- Funds, which are both re- poseful about how it uses point out that others are who noted the highs are very tions were successful and signed fund balance to 11 stricted to COVID-related these funds. In determining outstanding volunteers. “I’d high and the lows are very the most satisfying project percent for the 2022 school expenses. The amount the where and how the funds rather talk about anything low. A grant-writing organi- during her time as a grant year, it looked like the bal- School District received was are to be used, the District’s else other than me,” she zation once said that 25% of writer. History teachers and ance would settle on an un- not unsubstantial. The Dis- (Continued on Page 9) said. all grant applications are (Continued on Page 9) Skip Swanson sees a lot of benefits to volunteering by April Scheinoha p.m. in the bus garage on the Board handled quite a bit of representative on the Pen- involvement in the Sanders Reporter Pennington County Fair- the fix-it projects on the fair- nington County Historical 4-H Club as a youth and grounds. grounds. Sentence to Serve Society Board. Swanson Happy Acres 4-H Club when It’s safe to say Skip Swan- Swanson felt honored to now helps with those proj- helped facilitate a grant his children were young. son won’t be sleeping on a receive the award. “I guess it ects. from the late Ralph Engel- However, Swanson was bench during the Senior Cit- makes you feel like some- It was during Swanson’s stad for the construction of quick to point out that his izen Program at this year’s body appreciates what you time on the Fair Board that the Engelstad Building at late wife, Pat, was more in- Pennington County Fair. did do,” he said. then-Editor Marv Lundin Peder Engelstad Pioneer Vil- volved in their kids’ 4-H ac- Swanson and Faye Swanson has volunteered snapped a photo of Swanson lage in the early 1990s. tivities than he had been. Auchenpaugh will be hon- his money and time for a va- sleeping on a bench outside Swanson’s interest in gov- Swanson credited 4-H ored as the Pennington riety of activities over the of the Fair Board office. ernment began many years with leading him to volun- County Outstanding Seniors years. He and his family Swanson credited Lundin ago. When he was a kid, he teer. Over the years, his vol- at the Senior Citizen Pro- funded the construction of a with helping him get elected often accompanied his dad, unteer service has also gram. The program will be shelter at the Pennington to the Pennington County George, to the feed store in included serving as chair- held Friday, July 16 at 1 County Humane Society. Board since people remem- St. Hilaire. While there, person of the Heritage Cen- One big activity in Swan- bered his name. George would talk politics ter a couple of times and son’s life has been the Pen- Swanson served on the with a fellow farmer. serving on the board of the nington County Fair. Pennington County Board Another interest was ce- Golden Pioneers. Swanson served on the Fair for 32 years. During his time mented in Swanson’s youth. Swanson said, “You get a Board for more than 15 as a county commissioner, He became interested in lot of benefits back out of years.