North Dakota
West Fargo city commissioners discuss scope of issues in ’embarrassing’ utility billing errors
![West Fargo city commissioners discuss scope of issues in ’embarrassing’ utility billing errors West Fargo city commissioners discuss scope of issues in ’embarrassing’ utility billing errors](https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/fb0af46/2147483647/strip/true/crop/815x315%200%200/resize/2758x1066!/quality/90/?url=https://fcc-cue-exports-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/inforum/binary/28000_10151341846417962_1234464218_n_binary_922358.jpg)
WEST FARGO —The West Fargo City Commission dove into the city’s utility billing errors at its Monday, May 15 meeting after a Forum analysis of figures uncovered the underbilling that resulted in a $1.25 million loss in taxpayer money.
Commissioner Roben Anderson asked the commission to discuss
The Forum article published May 10
as part of the commission’s regular agenda. Anderson pointed to the issue that he and other commissioners had not been alerted to the scope of issues and the amount of potential lost revenue to the city prior to the article’s publication.
West Fargo city officials discovered this year that some properties had been overbilled, underbilled or, in some cases, not billed at all for up to years at a time for city utilities such as water, garbage, and sewer service.
This included an estimated $1.4 million undercharge for water and sewer use by Cargill, one of the city’s largest water users. The company has agreed to pay about $509,000 of that amount, but not the remainder.
David Samson / The Forum
“How broad the errors were is embarrassing to anybody and everybody involved,” Mayor Bernie Dardis said. “This is beyond comprehension of how this mess got to this point. This is so deep and went for so long. It stems from previous commissions as well.”
Anderson said he found a lot of the information from the article interesting. “We all kind of knew there was an issue, but did anyone know the extent? Did everyone know the detail of what was out there, the different categories of what was out there,” Anderson asked.
Commissioners Mandy George, Brad Olson and Mark Simmons, along with Mayor Bernie Dardis signaled that they all had been made aware of a potential $2 million billing error and then told that it was paid back.
While commissioners said they were made aware of an issue, Anderson said The Forum article uncovered further details. “A lot of information was lacking, that became apparent with the May 10 article,” he said.
Commissioner Simmons pointed to the fact that Cargill only repaid some of its $1.4 million it was underbilled due in part to an inaccurate utility meter.
”Who made that decision that we weren’t going to recharge,” Dardis said. “Because no one up here made that decision.”
Public Works Director Matt Andvik confirmed that he had proof that Cargill was undercharged that amount.
“If we have proof, why wouldn’t we go back for the whole ($1.4) million?” Simmons said.
City Attorney John Shockley said he was not aware of any contract to absolve Cargill from repaying additional underbilled amounts, but he would investigate the matter further and return to the commission to move forward.
Andvik said the issues were uncovered as his department prepared for a sanitation study to be returned in July. Any discovered issues of underbilling or overbilling were forwarded to then City Administrator Tina Fisk and former Finance Director Judy Afdahl.
According to city emails obtained by The Forum, Afdahl reached out by phone to the Cargill plant manager and the company agreed to pay for the underbilled water usage between Feb. 1, 2021, and Dec. 1, 2022, for a total of $509,652.
Cargill plant manager Michael Gregoryk said in an email to Afdahl that the company would pay $509,652 and the matter would be considered settled.
Afdahl reported the agreement with Cargill to Fisk as well as then Assistant City Administrator Dustin Scott, who’s now interim city administrator, and Andvik.
Three women in the finance department
were fired from the city by Fisk shortly after the billing issues were reported. Fisk later resigned March 15 and
Afdahl has also since left the city.
Shockley on Monday cautioned commissioners to discuss any personnel issues related to the billing topic.
“I would avoid talking about any of the personnel that were involved in it,” he said. “We’re seeing potential litigation there.”
City staff is also taking additional steps to ensure better communication between staff and the commission. Andvik said a new meter was installed Friday, May 12, at Cargill that will help prevent future issues.
Dardis said while commissioners may not have examined line item billings before, they certainly will moving forward and that policies and procedures will be put in place to prevent similar situations in the future.
Commissioner Olson said while the commission was previously briefed on the billing problems, it shows the need for commissioners to take additional steps.
“As officials we have to take responsibility to ask more questions,” Olson said.
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North Dakota
Huskers add top recruit in North Dakota to 2025 class
![Huskers add top recruit in North Dakota to 2025 class Huskers add top recruit in North Dakota to 2025 class](https://www.klkntv.com/content/uploads/2023/04/n/i/vlcsnap-2023-04-20-22h34m35s341.png)
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football staff got commitment No. 17 in the 2025 class on Sunday, adding four-star defensive lineman Kade Pietrzak.
The highly sought-after recruit from West Fargo, North Dakota, is the No. 1 recruit in his state and chose Nebraska over Oklahoma, Kansas State and Wisconsin.
Pietrzak checks in at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and has been on Rhule’s radar since he was hired at Nebraska.
He will join two other defensive linemen in the class of 2025: Omaha North’s Tyson Terry and Malcolm Simpson from Texas.
Pietrzak is the second-highest rated recruit for Nebraska in this year’s class so far behind Simpson.
COMMITED‼️@HuskerFootball @CoachMattRhule @Coach_Knighton @HuskerCoachTW
#GBR pic.twitter.com/SAXF1FOQ2J— Kade Pietrzak (@KadePietrzak) July 21, 2024
North Dakota
North Dakota Superintendent Helping Schools Develop AI Guidelines
![North Dakota Superintendent Helping Schools Develop AI Guidelines North Dakota Superintendent Helping Schools Develop AI Guidelines](https://townsquare.media/site/1140/files/2024/07/attachment-Untitled-design-2024-07-08T115534.336.jpg?w=1200&q=75&format=natural)
North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced new state guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) designed to assist local schools in developing their own AI policies and to help teachers and administrators work more efficiently.
A group of educators from North Dakota schools, the NDDPI, the Department of Career and Technical Education, and state information technology agencies created this guidance, which is available on the Department of Public Instruction’s website.
Baesler emphasized that implementing AI, like any instructional tool, requires careful planning and alignment with educational priorities, goals, and values.
She stressed that humans should always control AI usage and review its output for errors, following a Human-Technology-Human process. “We must emphasize keeping the main thing the main thing, and that is to prepare our young learners for their next challenges and goals,” Baesler said.
Steve Snow and Kelsie Seiler from the NDDPI Office of School Approval and Opportunity highlighted that the guidance was drawn from various state education agencies and technology websites, such as Code.org and TeachAI.org, with the process taking about eight months.
“We had a team that looked at guidance from other states, and we pulled pieces from different places and actually built guidance tailored for North Dakota students,” Snow said.
Seiler explained that AI excels at data analysis, predictive analytics, and automating repetitive tasks but lacks emotional intelligence, interdisciplinary research, and problem-solving abilities.
Snow added that AI can help teachers design lesson plans aligned with North Dakota’s academic content standards quickly and adjust them for students who need more support. AI can also simplify the development of personalized learning plans for students.
“You have so many resources (teachers) can use that are going to make your life so much easier,” Snow said. “I want the teachers, administration, and staff to get comfortable with using (AI), so they’re a little more comfortable when they talk to kids about it.”
Seiler noted that the NDDPI guidance is not a “how-to” manual for using AI but offers general suggestions on developing local policies to leverage AI effectively.
“Our guidance is meant to provide some tools to the school administration and say, ‘Here are some things to think about when you implement your own AI guidance,’” Snow said.
“For instance, do you have the infrastructure to support (AI)? Do you have a professional development plan so your teachers can understand it? Do you have governance in place that says what AI can and can’t be used for?”
8 Everyday Foods That Are Legal in Montana, Forbidden Elsewhere
These foods are easy to find on store shelves wherever you buy your groceries in Montana. However in other states they’re banned from the shelves!
Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart
Big List Of The Best French Fries In Montana
Gallery Credit: mwolfe
North Dakota
The most deadly time to drive is between Memorial Day and Labor Day
![The most deadly time to drive is between Memorial Day and Labor Day The most deadly time to drive is between Memorial Day and Labor Day](https://www.kxnet.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2024/07/Cars-on-Road5-1.png?w=1280)
NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The hundred-day span between Memorial Day and Labor Day is marked as the most deadly period on the road here in North Dakota.
According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s 2022 crash summary report, fatal crashes are twice as likely during this time.
That’s why North Dakota leaders are urging drivers to not fall into a “false sense of security” during the bright and cheery days of summer.
According to Travel and Leisure, North Dakota has been marked as the state with the most reckless drivers.
There’s a range of reasons for this from drunk driving to speeding. But another reason is that when the snow clears, North Dakota drivers are eager to get out more and drive faster than they would in the snow, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Division director.
And because North Dakota has some of the lowest citation fees in the nation, ranging from $5 to $100, the Highway Patrol’s safety and education officer says that drivers aren’t given enough deterrents to drive safely.
However, with growing concerns about safety, there could be talk of increasing citation amounts in coming legislative sessions.
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