Cavalier County
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Single Copy Volume 134
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In this issue:
Copyright © Langdon, North Dakota
Read Leon Hiltner's Veterans Update and Carrie Hope's A Saint's Shout Out on Page 7. Part 2 of the ND politics can be found on Page 12.
Index
OPINION AG CHURCH COMMUNITY SPORTS PRO DIR PN CLASSIFIED
PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 8-10 PAGE 11 PAGE 12-13 PAGE 14
Monday, October 12, 2020
Number 41
Understanding Measures One and Two on the ballot of Higher Education Board has changes that would take place nominating committee with By Linda Timian Republican Writer
Turn to Page 3 to read the latest from the Cavalier County Commission.
Official Newspaper of Cavalier County Published since 1889
There are two measures on the General Election ballot this fall. Both measures were put on the ballot by the 2019 ND Legislative Assembly, and both propose changes to the ND Constitution. Measure One proposes changes to the State Board of Higher Education. Measure Two proposes changes to the process for voter initiated constitutional amendments. Measure One: State Board of Higher Education The ND State Board of Higher Education governs the North Dakota University System, which is comprised of eleven ND colleges and universities. Currently there are eight board members. Seven are qualified electors/taxpayers who have been ND residents for at least five years. These members have four year terms and can serve two terms. There is also one fulltime resident student in good academic standing at an institution under the jurisdiction of the board. Testimony at the Senate’s Standing Education Committee stated the state’s higher education institutions have been faced with increasing challenges to respond to the rapidly evolving student needs and out of state competition. The eight-person State Board
been stretched thin and has struggled to deal with these rapid changes. Measure One intends to address the challenges of 1) attracting large, diverse pools of candidates for board membership and 2) managing the responsibilities, oversight, and scope of an eight member board. Some feel there is no need to expand the number of board
if Measure One is approved (yes votes win): • Increase the number of individuals who serve on the State Board of Higher Education to fifteen: fourteen electors/taxpayers and one student. The student would have a one year term and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. • Increase the term of board membership to six years. They can serve two terms but not
members. Some feel that increasing the number of board members and length of term will help address the challenges the board faces. Others felt the steps taken in Measure One do not go far enough. Many proposals were made and options weeded out. The result is Senate Concurrent Resolution 4016 with bipartisan sponsorship. These are the constitutional
back to back • Require the board to meet at least annually with the heads of each institution under the board’s control • Prohibit state legislators, elected state officials, and fulltime state employees from serving on the board • Replace the Chief Justice of Supreme Court on the board
the Secretary of State If approved, the effective date would be June 30, 2021. Unexpired board positions will serve the remainder of their terms. Board positions that expire on June 30, 2021, plus the seven new positions will be filled by individuals appointed by the governor, and their terms must be staggered so that no more than three positions expire in any year, even if that means their initial term is less than six years. The estimated financial cost of Measure One is $147,000 per biennium (two year period). A ‘Yes’ vote would implement the changes listed above. A ‘No’ vote would keep the board the same as it is now (8 members, 4 year terms, etc.) Measure Two: Voter Initiated Constitutional Amendments There are three types of laws that we deal with in North Dakota: the constitution, the Century Code, and administrative rules. Measure Two only applies to constitutional amendments proposed by the public/voters, which is called an “initiated constitutional measure.” Constitutional amendments can also come from the legislature, like the measures on the ballot this year, but the concont. on page 2
New radio infrastructure for public safety and emergency services
Kubat honored with Excellence in County Government
North Dakota public safety there were only 40 radio towers here,” said Cavalier County Sherand emergency services are statewide and local units had to iff Greg Fetsch. “She has taken getting a long overdue radio up- supplement that to get better a leading role in the state and is grade as part of a new program coverage.” the reason Langdon has been called SIRN20/20. SIRN stands The governor established the involved since the beginning of for Statewide Interoperable Ra- Statewide Interoperability Exec- this project.” dio Network. “Interoperable” utive Committee (SIEC) in 2012, The existing radio system opmeans all the agencies involved and the Legislature established erates on Very High Frequency (law enforcement, firefighters, the committee as a permanent (VHF) and is comprised of fragEMS, emergency mented statemanagement, the wide, regional public utilities, and local twotranspor tation, way voice and others) will be and paging able to commusystems with nicate with each varying levother, on demand, els of perforand in real-time. It mance and is a joint effort by sophisticastate, county, and tion. municipal public “The new safety agencies to infrastructure build and mainwill get us tain a statewide way better rainteroperable radio coverage dio communicathan we’ve Pictured is one of the 911 dispatchers using the new radio tion system for had before,” first responders 911 Statewide Interoperable Radio Network. said Kempert. and the public “It will opersafety community. body in 2013. Under the SIEC, ate on the 800 MHz frequency “Since 2011 there has been studies were conducted, rec- which has much better clarity a statewide grassroots effort ommendations were made, and and less static interference.” between local and state law in 2017, the SIRN20/20 program The SIRN20/20 program is enforcement, fire, EMS, and was initiated. Kempert is on currently in Phase One of the many other agencies to ask the the SIEC and many SIRN project deployment. Some of the 911 state to fund good radio cov- workgroups as a rural represen- dispatch centers, called Puberage for their organizations,” tative because she is passionate lic Safety Answering Points said Cavalier County Emergen- that rurals are taken into con- (PSAPs), are getting new concy Management Coordinator sideration. soles. Langdon is now installcont. on page 3 Karen Kempert. “At the time “We are lucky we have Karen
Congratulations to Cavalier County Recorder Vicki Kubat who was recently honored with the 2020 Excellence in County Government by a County Official Award from the North Dakota Association of Counties (NDACo). The award seeks to honor those who have shown exceptional dedication, leadership, and in-
“Vicki has been a mentor to other recorders around the state. Most recorders would know Vicki and received good advice from her.” The NDACo is an organization that aims to represent the needs of county government in legislative matters and act as a liaison between counties. Working closely with Congress
volvement for the good of all counties. “The selection committee looks for people who go above and beyond, reaching across county lines,” said Jeff Eslinger, Assistant Director of Member Services for NDACo.
and the National Association of Counties, NDACo also alerts county officials to national developments that impact county government. “Almost every year there are changes in the law that affect
Farmers & Merchants State Bank 816 3rd Street, Langdon, ND 58249
(701)256-5431 • www.fmbanklangdon.com
Roxy Theater is planning a ND Smart Restart Member FDIC
See inside for details and movie listings
cont. on page 2