A PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH DAKOTA LEAGUE OF CITIES | MARCH 2015 6 Celebrate IN THIS 8 March Cities Day ISSUE Madness We create more than infrastructure. We help build great communities. Consult with our municipal experts today. Recognized municipal engineering experts bring you: Contact us. See our Work. • Capital improvement planning 701-282-4692 • Comprehensive plans for water & sewer mooreengineeringinc.com/ourwork • Site planning & traffic circulation [email protected] • Utilities master planning & design • Solutions to improve where you live, work & play North Dakota – Minot • West Fargo Minnesota – Fergus Falls • Wadena 2 MARCH 2015 CITYScan 36580_40 MEI_8_5x11_Sky_CS_a4.indd 1 12/1/14 4:04 PM Volume 83 ■ Issue 3 CITYScan is published 10 times yearly by the North Dakota League of Cities at 410 E Front Ave, Bismarck, POSTMASTER: SEND ND 58504. Subscriptions are $20 per year. Advertising rates on application. Deadline for advertising and ADDRESS CHANGES TO: copy is the first of the preceding month. Permission to use any original article if credit given. Opinions NORTH DAKOTA LEAGUE TABLE expressed in articles do not necessarily express the position taken by the North Dakota League of Cities. Editor: Nicole Peske, NDLC Advertising/Circulation: Rebecca Haag, NDLC OF CITIES, 410 E FRONT AVE, of Contents Design Director: Chelly Bosch, Elegant Designs BISMARCK, ND 58504 Executive Director’s Column ........................ 4 CityBeat ...................................... 17 We create more than infrastructure. President’s Column ............................... 5 Dissecting Drug Testing Dilemmas .................. 18 Celebrate Cities Day .............................. 6 Random Drug and Alcohol Testing Program ........... 20 Webinar Series .................................. 7 Business Associates .............................. 21 March Madness .................................. 8 We help build School Orchard Grants Awarded ................... 22 MFOA Membership Application ..................... 9 State Clean Diesel Grants ......................... 23 Don’t Miss Out ................................. 10 Hometown Homegrown ........................... 24 great communities. Jan Jordan Scholarship Application ................. 11 Ask NDLC ..................................... 25 UGPTI/NDLTAP Training Schedule ................. 13 Attorney General’s Opinions ....................... 26 City Matters ................................... 13 Community Forestry Grants ....................... 14 Dakota Digital Film Festival ...................... 26 Railroad Crossing Requests for Input ................ 15 Bulletin Notes .................................. 28 Annual Conference Save the Date ................... 16 Community Calendar ............................ 29 State Office Supply Contract ...................... 17 League and Municipal Calendars ................... 30 About the cover: Photographed on the Dennis & Elaine Lovcik farm, near Pisek. Photo by Rebecca Raber, Fargo, ND. NDLC Executive Board 2014-2015 Consult with our President: Larry Weil, City Planner, West Fargo • Vice President: Chuck Andrus, Council Member, South Heart • Past President: Kimberly Nunberg, City Auditor, Beach municipal experts today. Regional Executive Board Members Diane Affeldt, City Auditor, Garrison; Katie Andersen, Mayor, Jamestown; Darrell Bjerke, Mayor, Beulah; Tate Cymbaluk, City Commissioner, Williston; Jim Hatlelid, Council Member, Minot; JoyAnn Holsten, Council Member, Wing; Alisa Mitskog, City Council, Wahpeton; Anita Mjolhus, City Commissioner, Killdeer; Kim Steffan, City Auditor, Ray; Dan Stenvold, Mayor, Park River; Fred Wangler, Council Member, Casselton; Chris West, Mayor, Grafton NDLC Staff Blake Crosby, Executive Director ([email protected]) • Jerry Hjelmstad, Deputy Director/Staff Attorney ([email protected]) Chelsey Benson, Administrative Assistant ([email protected]) • Rebecca Haag, Member Services Manager ([email protected]) • Nicole Peske, Education Director ([email protected]) Municipal Calendar ADVERTISERS INDEX page 30 Abrasives, Inc ..................................... 14 Moore Engineering, Inc. .................. Inside Front Cover Ackerman Estvold .................................. 10 Nationwide Retirement Solutions ....................... 16 Advanced Engineering (AE2S) .......................... 8 NDIRF .......................................... 18 AE2S Nexus ...................................... 19 Recognized municipal engineering experts bring you: Contact us. See our Work. NRG Technology Service ............................. 15 Bartlett & West Engineers ............................. 6 • Capital improvement planning 701-282-4692 Black Mountain Software ............................ 27 Rath & Mehrer ..................................... 5 Bolton & Menk, Inc. ................................. 4 Red Wing Software ................................. 23 • Comprehensive plans for water & sewer mooreengineeringinc.com/ourwork Butler Machinery .................................. 12 SRF Consulting Group, Inc. ........................... 17 • Site planning & traffic circulation [email protected] Dougherty & Company LLC .................... Back cover Stantec .......................................... 24 • Utilities master planning & design Gompf Displays .................................... 23 Starion Bond Service ................................ 21 H & H Coatings .................................... 7 • Solutions to improve where you live, work & play Titan Equipment ........................ Inside Back Cover Houston Engineering, Inc. ............................ 13 Interstate Engineering ............................... 20 T & R Electric .................................... 11 North Dakota – Minot • West Fargo Minnesota – Fergus Falls • Wadena Jet-Way Multiple Services, Inc. ......................... 29 West Plains Engineering, Inc. .......................... 22 Maguire Iron ...................................... 25 Wold Engineering .................................. 26 CITYScan MARCH 2015 3 36580_40 MEI_8_5x11_Sky_CS_a4.indd 1 12/1/14 4:04 PM 800-472-2692 [email protected] Blake Crosby Executive Director Diversify our economy Happy March! The month of March is a busy one for the we want to avoid the wide swings in our economy inherent to League. We have Celebrate Cities Day at the Legislature, Mayor agriculture and oil, we need to diversify and we have the funds to for a Day essay contest winner announced, March Madness do so. Many projects are a one-time expenditure and will show rolls in and the Jan Jordan Scholarship applications are due. an immediate return-on-investment. We know revenue streams Information on all those activities are in this issue, so please plan will come back up but we need to be ready. We also know we to participate. are in competition with other oil producing states and dropping Legislatively, the crossover date for bills occurred on Feb. 27 back to number three or four in production should not be even a and there are two days of recess so we have a little time to catch remote thought. our breath before we start the second half on March 4. The Some questions that should drive the infrastructure League is tracking about 180 bills and they range from the usual conversation are about the next couple of generations. How property taxes to sales tax to water projects to new ways to fund important is it to retain the young adults with families that have city infrastructure. returned to the state? How important is it to encourage North The conversations in the hallway and on the floor of the House Dakotans living in another state to come back? How important and Senate have been driven by the drop in oil prices. Both is it to encourage families to put down roots? It all hinges on chambers and both parties are working diligently on “what if” infrastructure, whether it is schools, hospitals, parks, affordable contingency spending plans. As many have said, “it is gloom, but housing, job creation or ultra-fast internet connectivity. If we not doom.” Fortunately, this change in revenue happened when build it for them, they will come…and stay. There are many the legislature was in session so they are able to be proactive. It interesting conversations taking place across the state and your would have been a real mess in an off-year. League is at the table. North Dakota, since statehood, has seen the economy rise A special thanks to all of you who have come to testify, given and fall with the prices of a commodity … agriculture. Now, input on the Friday calls and/or provided written testimony. we have the addition of another commodity … oil. Those two We would not be successful without you. commodities provide 68% of North Dakota’s economy. So, if Remember, the BEST government is LOCAL government! 4 MARCH 2015 CITYScan Larry Weil 2014-15 NDLC President Cultural diversity North Dakota communities are becoming more diverse each meaning for me in the quote by Jawaharlal Nehru, “Culture is year. The diversity in cultures enriches our lives with new ideas the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” and customs, as well as new art and music. New Americans With the increasing population and work force in North are also helping to fill jobs in a state that boasts the lowest Dakota, people are coming from all over the United States, unemployment rate in the nation, which was 2.6% in July 2014 and even from other countries, to find a new place to live, and 2.8% in December 2014. New Americans include refugee work and play.