Hillsboro walk around

Make no mistake who’s in control when Paulette Bowersox walks her dogs — Daisy and Queenie.

The beagles, of course.

Just ask Daisy or Queenie.

You’ll only get a mild rebuff from Paulette

What she needs in her every evening walk with the two dogs is a reprieve.

On that note, you’ll likely get another mild rebuff.

The beagles might want a say in who pulls their chain, but they’ll likely agree with Paulette: It’s good exercise for all involved.

And they like Paulette, truth be told.

Engineers offer funding updates on regional water project

By MICHELLE MCLEAN

Hillsboro city commissioners considered a $1.3 million contract with Advanced Engineers and Environmental Services to see the city through the planned construction of a new water treatment plant.

AE2S president Charles Vein hand-delivered the 35-page draft contract to commissioners Monday night.  It outlined in detail the relationship between Hillsboro and its engineering firm as the city moves toward completion of a regional water system in conjunction with Traill Rural Water Users and the City of Mayville.

The city has had a working relationship with the Grand Forks company for more than a decade and the firm has overseen multiple infrastructure improvement projects for the city.

Under the terms of the contract, the city would pay $870,000 for the design of the project (nine months); $355,000 for construction administration and observation (12 months); and $42,800 for post-construction services (12 months). The bill also carries a $5,000 fee for permit work performed by AE2S and $35,000 for “piloting” the new plant once it begins operation.

The contract also offers a $120,000 option to have a professional firm set up the initial instrumentation and controls for the computerized plant.

“We think it’s what it will take to get the job done right,” Vein told commissioners. 

Calculated increase

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Hillsboro city water customers will start paying more for their water this summer. Commissioners agreed to an “interim” rate hike at Monday’s regular meeting.
After months of debate by commissioners and numerous calculations by city hall, the decision to increase rates addresses two primary concerns — a water department that regularly loses money and anticipated expenses for a new water treatment plant and the city’s part in a regional water system.
According to estimates by water commissioner Charlie Stock and commission president Kevin Burg, an “average” monthly water bill of $18 will increase to about $30.
At a public meeting about a year ago, city leaders had forecast an average monthly water bill of $44, once the new water plant was built.
The city has about 840 water customers. The goal, Burg said, was to increase water department revenues to about $300,000 a year, an increase from about $135,000. 

In Minnkota’s path

By NEIL O. NELSON

Minnkota Power Cooperative is planning to build a $280 million transmission line from Center, N.D. to Grand Forks.

A Minnkota spokesperson in Hillsboro this week said there’s a possibility the 225-mile transmission line originating at the Milton R. Young Station at Center could pass through Traill County.

The power line of single pole structures running through the heart of Traill then north to Grand Forks is one of three corridors being studied as the Center to Grand Forks (CGF) Transmission Line Project reaches eastern North Dakota. Another corridor cutting through the northwest corner of the county is also under consideration. A third corridor heads north and east after entering Steele County.

All six of the west to east lines being considered by Minnkota Power are contained in two corridors running the length of the state parallel with Hwy. 200. The two corridors break into three paths as the project nears Grand Forks County. 

In Harm’s Way

By NEIL O. NELSON

Flooding has damaged roads and bridges all across the Red River Basin this spring.

Few areas were spared as the rivers after spilling out of their banks cared little which direction they took and which roads they took out.

Still totaling the damages, Traill County’s road and bridge man, Aaron Lande, reported this week that 95 miles of roads in the county were closed to traffic at some point in the recent flooding.

Three bridges will need considerable repairs.

There were 59 sites (roads and bridges) impacted by the flooding rivers and ever-spreading overland flooding, according to Lande.

It will take an estimated $150,000 to $200,000 to repair County Road 2 running alongside the Red River in East Traill. 

Maroney named CEO of Halstad Telephone Co.

The board of directors of Halstad Telephone Co. recently named Tom Maroney the new chief executive officer of the telecommunications cooperative headquartered in Halstad, Minn.

Maroney will take over the CEO post September 1, replacing Ron Laqua.

Maroney, who is currently plant manager for HTC, has been with the co-op for more than 34 years. 

Mueller family files lawsuit against truck driver, farmers

The family of a 72-year-old Cummings, N.D. woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in connection with the accident that killed her last summer.
Barbara Mueller was killed July 25 when her SUV struck the tires of a combine being hauled on a trailer. The semi hauling the combine stalled on a bridge near Blanchard, N.D.
Her heirs are seeking at least $50,000 in the lawsuit, which was filed against Ryan Berggren, the driver of the semi truck, and the farmers he worked for, Raedell and Dan Braaten of Braaten Farms of Kindred, N.D.
Berggren, 27 of Walcott, N.D., has been charged with negligent homicide and reckless endangerment in connection with the incident, which also involved another vehicle striking the combine’s tires before Mueller. Berggren has pled not guilty to three felony charges.
Mueller’s relatives have stated they will not comment until the case is resolved. 

Golf course hopes to open in 2 weeks

With a little help from Mother Nature, Hillsboro’s Goose River Golf Course will open in two weeks.

It all depends on the weather, said Mike Crocker, golf club president.

Hopefully, Crocker said, the course will open sometime the week of May 3

There was considerable flood damage thi syear on the 9-hole, 3,018 yard grass green golf course.

The flooding Goose River depositied up to three inches of silt on the lower levels of the Hillsboro course. 

Sheriff still unable to work full-time

Traill County sheriff Mike Crocker wants to return to work.

But his doctors are advising against it.

On medical leave since the March 10 accident on I-29 north of Hillsboro that claimed one life and injured the Traill sheriff, Crocker informed Traill county commissioners this week that he cannot return to full-time work for another two months.

“I want to come back to work,” Crocker told the commissioners. “But they (his doctors) won’t let me until after July 4.”

Crocker suffered a concussion in the March accident. 

Ice, beavers, thieves hit city park

Caretakers of Hillsboro’s city park, already facing the long and tedious task of cleaning the park after the flood, were hit below the belt when they discovered last week that one of their small pull-behind trailers was stolen.

It was bad enough that ice and beavers destroyed many of the three and four-year old trees, and the flooding Goose left a thick layer of silt on the park grounds, “but to have our trailer stolen, that was a low blow,” said park board president Tim “Teak” Kelley.

“We would like to have it returned.”