Commissioners set to raise city electric rates

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Hillsboro utility customers will pay more for electricity in 2008.
Commissioners again considered the first reading of an amended ordinance at Monday’s meeting but opted to delay the first reading until November 5. A second reading November 19 would enact the ordinance change and the rate hike would become effective in December.
A recent rate study by Missouri River Energy Services advised electric rates should increase to keep pace with rising wholesale power costs. MRES, the city’s supplemental power supplier, recommended a 20-percent increase spread over two years for both residential and commercial customers to keep the electric department from slipping deeper into the red.

City bends rules to help with HMC construction congestion

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Voluntary “no parking” has been working to keep the road clear near Hillsboro Medical Center’s overcrowded construction zone on 3rd St. SE.
HMC administrator Patricia Dirk had asked the city for help October 1 to ease the space crunch by allowing contractors to park storage and office vans on the east side of the street until construction is complete in about 18 months. To keep the street passable, HMC employees and construction workers were urged not to park on the west side of the street.
The friendly persuasion worked. Now the city has taken formal action to allow four 50-foot trailers to park in the one-block construction zone until the work is complete. HMC must post temporary but official “no-parking” signs — at their own expense — on the opposite side of the street as soon as possible. The signs will allow the local police to enforce the parking restrictions.

City issues first building permit for Prairieview

By Michelle McLean
Prairieview Addition has been issued its first building permit.
Michael Ketterl of Grand Forks was granted a building permit at Monday’s city commission. The home, with an estimated value of $275,000, is the first slated for construction in the new 32-lot residential development in southeast Hillsboro.
Prairieview Addition is being developed by A&P Properties — a partnership of local builder Doug Abentroth and Crookston, Minn. businessman Tim Persson. A&P purchased farmland located north of Loyal Avenue from Hillsboro Economic Development Corp. less than a year ago. Abentroth is the contractor for the new home, which is on a corner lot on the northern edge of the development.
This summer about $700,000 worth of infrastructure was installed — paved streets, curb and gutter, and water and sewer lines. The work is paid for through special assessments applied to the yet-to-be developed neighborhood.
Prairieview will grow north of Loyal and east of 4th St. SE. New streets include an extension of 5th Ave. SE and the newly named McDonald Drive, running parallel to Loyal Avenue. Both streets connect with the truck bypass, also know as 8th Street SE.

City projects coming in under budget

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Hillsboro’s city-wide street improvement project — a summer’s worth of construction — is expected to come in about $120,000 under budget, city commissioners learned Monday.
While some work remains to be completed in the spring, manholes and inlets were to be cleaned this past week by Jetway.
A supply shortage prematurely shut down Central Specialties and its subcontractor Morris Seal Coat in early September. The remaining paving work will be done next spring followed by a warranty inspection next summer, explained Roger Grimsley, Advanced Engineering representative.

Vension from field to table

November is quickly approaching and one of my favorite times of the year, deer hunting season. What person would not enjoy getting up at 4:30 a.m. eating a good breakfast and going out into the subfreezing outdoors to sit still and watch for that elusive buck? Well maybe I don’t enjoy the cold or the getting up at 4:30 as much as I used to, I still enjoy deer hunting. What I really enjoy is the outdoors and challenge of a good hunt with friends and family. The other part of hunting I personally enjoy is making venison sausage. I get a lot of satisfaction from making my own sausage.

Economic develoment board defends director Rick Forsgren

By NEIL O. NELSON
Dissatisfied with the lack of economic development across the county, Traill’s five commissioners have indicated they wanted a change in the leadership of the Traill County Economic Development Commission
Specifically, they wanted director Rick Forsgren removed from office.
The board, in making their intentions public, was not aware that Forsgren’s job was not theirs to terminate.
The county commission, meeting Tuesday in Hillsboro, was reminded of that fact.
Any hiring or firing of the TCEDC’s director is a function of the economic development board. The Traill County Commission simply approves such actions taken by the TCEDC board.
Softening the commission’s stand of a couple of weeks ago, board chairman Ron Peterson said Tuesday, “We’re not trying to remove anyone.”

Timothy Mayo pleads guilty to reduced assault charge

Charged with attempted murder in April, Timothy Mayo pleaded guilty to a reduced felony charge of aggravated assault Wednesday in East Central District Court in Hillsboro.
Mayo, 44, of Hillsboro was accused of stabbing 18-year-old Stephen Johnson April 5.
Appearing with his court-appointed defense attorney, Steve Mottinger of Fargo, Mayo was sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Douglas Herman. Mayo was ordered to serve a minimum mandatory sentence of two years, with the remainder suspended. He was given credit for 197 days served in the Traill County Jail. He has been held there on $100,000 bail since turning himself into authorities the day after the altercation with Johnson.

2nd quarter sales continue positive trend in Hillsboro

By NEIL O. NELSON
Despite concerns nationwide of a downturn in the economy, North Dakota registered a 7.7 percent increase in taxable sales and purchases made during April, May and June 2007.
The state recorded an identical 7.7 percent increase in the first quarter of business this year.
Traill County and its two largest cities followed the statewide pattern.
Traill businesses reported a 9.41 percent increase in taxable sales ($8,877,871) and an 8.35 percent increase in taxable sales and purchases ($9,188,305).
Hillsboro, meanwhile, recorded more than $3.7 million in taxable sales in the second quarter, an impressive 21.73 percent increase over a year ago. Hillsboro businesses reported $3,871,790 in taxable sales and purchases, a 22.46 percent increase over 2006’s total of $3,161,645.

Community Future Fund accepting grant applications

The Hillsboro Community Future Fund is accepting grant applications for its annual grant awards. Applications are available at The Goose River Bank and are due by December 1.
Any organization holding a current 510(c)3 tax status from the IRS would qualify for a grant, including schools, park districts and organizations with a formal city government relationship.
Last January, the HCFF awarded two grants to local non-profit groups during its annual grant process.
The Hillsboro Medical Center Foundation received $1,500 toward the building fund campaign. HMC is raising money toward a $12.5 million construction project.
The Hillsboro Community Partnership received a $1,000 grant toward its renovation of the southern half of Union Block in the city’s downtown.

New officer joins city police dept.

By DONNY TE
Be on the lookout for the newest police officer in town — Scott Crump.
A Missouri native, Crump’s ambition of being a police officer began when he was just a boy.
His father was a police chief in Ryan, Iowa.
“I’ve always had the desire since I was young,” the 34-year-old Officer Crump said.
After being in the military for six years, Officer Crump began a career in the sales industry. After 12 years, he decided to follow his childhood dream of becoming a police officer. He is a recent graduate of the Peace Officer Training Academy at Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, N.D. He was hired in mid-September and has been on patrol for about a week.