On a 4-3 vote, Minot City Council voted to release executive session records from April 15th and May 6th related to the purchase of the Nok Back Tavern properties. This story is part of ongoing coverage of the land acquisition that has raised questions on executive session practices and transparency. An Attorney General Opinion has
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Before you agreed to make an offer and start a negotiating process, you must have first become convinced that you wanted to make the offer at all, right?
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On May 6th, at 4:49 p.m. at a Special City Council Meeting, Minot City Council entered what is known as an executive session to consider two agenda items. The one germane to this commentary is included here: 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION: POTENTIAL LAND PURCHASE. The topic of discussion will be regarding a potential land purchase by
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Minot’s City Council will meet Tuesday, February 19 at 5:30 p.m. The full agenda along with the comments of one Alderman can be found below. 1. ROLL CALL 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PERSONAL APPEARANCES 4. PUBLIC HEARING Alderman Notes: On each of the public hearing/second reading items below, I expect to approve. That said, I’m
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Outlined below are the agenda items for the City of Minot’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting for February 4, 2019. Also included are brief comments of one Alderman. Regular City Council Meeting Monday, February 4, 2019 at 5:30 PM City Council Chambers – City Hall Any person needing special accommodation for the meeting is requested
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How do we awaken citizens from their apathy and get them engaged with the decisions being made in their communities? One town in Colorado made an investment in technology, trashed the traditional model that only allowed input at live meetings, and catered to the lives of their citizens. The result is a cross-section of public
Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns
None of that changes the fact that as a City Council member, I’ve got the job of deciding the issue. Mark your calendars, our meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 17th.
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When it comes to immigration formalities, the children of naturalized parents and those adopted by American parents are often notified by of their citizenship by a letter in the mail. But at a recent ceremony at the Children’s Museum of Minnesota, the full oath and recognition of the occasion were celebrated. The Star Tribune has
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All is not well inside the Devils Lake Police Department and responsibility for the situation is landing at the top of the food chain. The department’s chief and second in command have been placed on paid administrative leave by the City Commission. April Baumgarten with the Grand Forks Herald has the story.
Read & Share sourced from: Grand Forks Herald
Elected officials for the City of Winnipeg have taken an unprecedented step in hiring an in-house ethics officer who will operate under the title of ‘integrity commissioner’. The first task of the newly appointed office — writing a new code of conduct including penalties for breach of conduct.
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Rob Port makes the argument that North Dakota legislators would do well to put some intentional, explicit places for public input within the governing process. He doesn’t think it has to be all the time or at every meeting, but there should be opportunities codified in law.
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Two officials at the city-owned Alerus Center in Grand Forks have been placed on paid administrative leave following allegations of misconduct. An independent investigation into the matter has been commissioned by the City of Grand Forks to help deliver a resolution.
Read & Share sourced from: InForum
The committee advising on Minot’s transition to a smaller, 7-member Modern Council next June is recommending raises be given to elected officials starting in the 2018 budget year. Alderman currently earn $595 per month; if approved by the full City Council, that wage would increase to $1,000 per month. Joe Skurzewski with KMOT has more on
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Transparency was a popular theme at Minot’s recent meet the candidates forums. But when the 14th is behind us, we all need to do a better job of holding elected officials accountable to the task. To put it simply, the City is clearing the low bar when it comes to transparency. But in a town
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Former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran has recently pled guilty to two felonies that would not have been detected and arguably not a crime if she had been an elected state official or legislator in North Dakota.Her crimes were that she admitted using campaign contributions for her personal use. In addition to having
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In my investigation into how Minot does municipal government, I uncovered an interesting and possibly even disturbing fact. Nowhere in Minot’s easily accessible governing documents, i.e., our home rule charter, and our published code of ordinances, is there any written, legal foundation for our present Ward-based system or the establishment of 14 Alderman. It’s not
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