The Mandan City Commission, unable to come to mutual terms with its present formal agreement with Captain Freddy’s, has agreed to allow the establishment to write up a revised set of terms that both sides will agree to.

Last Tuesday the city agreed to accept the terms from Captain Freddy’s by mid-August, in time for the commission to review it for its Tuesday, Aug. 17, meeting.

Commissioner Thomas Jackson said at the time of July 20 commission meeting, no agreement had been reached, as the business isn’t willing to accept the agreement as it is. “Freddy’s is still willing to an agreement, but said it was not acceptable in the present form,” Jackson said.

Captain Freddy’s representative, attorney Todd Kranda, said the reason the agreement can’t be reached is because the city changed its noise reading formula, in order to cover not only noise but vibrations as well. This, Kranda said, made things too difficult to not only monitor, but to enforce. “You changed the reading standard in the agreement, which is a very difficult formula for converting the decibel level,” Kranda said.

Complaints this summer have been significantly lower than the previous summer, when the business had 67 noise complaints. This year, there have been 11, which have all occurred on three separate nights.

Since the city began discussions with Captain Freddy’s, the establishment has invested thousands of dollars in order to damper the noise, including adding a taller fence and a tent cover on its patio. Despite this, the group of homeowners that originally brought this issue to the city commission have backed out of the agreement process.

“They (Captain Freddy’s) have done significant work to mitigate the issues, but the homeowners are out of the discussion,” Jackson said, “and quite frankly, I’m not sure what to do at this point.”

Mayor Tim Helbling said he is pleased to see noise complaints have been minimal, but pointed out that this process has been going on for nearly a year. “I’m happy that the complaints are going down, and that progress is being made,” he said. “But we need to come to some agreement. I think you’re trying to correct the situation, but if it does get out of hand we’ll have to revoke the license.”

One option Jackson proposed was a cabaret ordinance, which is currently in effect within the city, but not enforced. The ordinance does not allow any music inside or outside a business without a license, which would require a nominal fee.

Kranda told the commission that in addition to the new reading standard, he is worried what kind of repercussions this agreement may have on the city.

“Do we accept an agreement that is only on (Captain) Freddy’s? I’m still not sure what the consequences are, but there will have to be some safeguards to say that we are not being unfairly treated,” he said.

Helbling said since the establishment has a history of noise complaints which are significantly higher than any other business in Mandan, a signed agreement is needed.

Kranda told the commission that a revised agreement will submitted to the city before the Aug. 17 meeting, and the commission will revisit the issue at that time.

The 50th annual Morton County Fair is scheduled from Thursday, Aug. 5, to Sunday, Aug. 8. The four-day event is set to take place at the Morton County Fairgrounds, located in New Salem.

A number of events will highlight the county fair, including a Friday and Saturday night rodeo, livestock judging, an antique tractor pull and a street dance on Friday and Saturday, in addition to live music daily and several games and events for children.

Thursday, Aug. 5, will kick off with General 4-H Achievement Day, with a 4-H horse show set for 10 a.m. and the public display of exhibits beginning at 1 p.m. that day.

On Friday, Aug. 6, the NDRA Rodeo will begin at 6:30 p.m., which will feature mutton busting. Admission to the rodeo is $6 for seniors and students and $8 for adults. A Friday night dance will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight with the music of Rock Creek.

Saturday, Aug. 7, will include a barrel racing competition at 11 a.m. and a tractor pull at 1 p.m. Live music and a variety of entertainment from several area acts, including The Old Five and Dimers and Marv & The Moonlighters, will take place throughout the day. A chicken supper is set to take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The second night of the NDRA Rodeo will continue that night at 6:30 p.m. A Saturday night dance will be held from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., with the music group Thunder Road proving the entertainment.

The final day of the county fair, Sunday, Aug. 8, will begin with live musical acts all day, and a Morton County Power Pull event set to start at 1 p.m.

Learn more about the Morton County Fair online at co.morton.nd.us.

-Brian L. Gray

Lt. Col. Warren Pauling (left) with the North Dakota National Guard's demobilization team welcomes home 1st. Sgt. Richard Marschner, Mandan, as he exits the plane at Camp Atterbury, Ind., on July 18. Marschner served as the 1st Sgt. with the North Dakota Army National Guard's 957th Liaison Monitoring Team with the KFOR 12 contingent. Marschner is at Camp Atterbury participating in the demobilization process before returning home to North Dakota. Photo by Staff Sgt. Billie Jo Lorius, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, and other senior leaders, greeted nearly 400 North Dakota Soldiers who have spent the past year serving as part of the Kosovo Force 12 as they arrived at their respective demobilization stations at Camp Atterbury, Ind., and Fort Benning, Ga., July 18 to 20.

The first group of about 225 Guardsmen arrived in Ind. on July 18 with the second group of about 131 soldiers arriving this evening about 8:20 p.m. About 15 soldiers that were stationed in Pristina, Kosovo and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina arrived at Fort Benning that weekend. They are arrived home to North Dakota by the end of the week after participating in the demobilization process.

“It’s a great day in North Dakota when soldiers return home from a successful mission,” Sprynczynatyk said. “Let’s remember all of the other North Dakota soldiers and airmen still serving in countries all across the world. Their ongoing efforts in defense of our nation will always be greatly appreciated.”

About 40 North Dakota Soldiers will remain in Kosovo in order to effectively coordinate mission handover to the succeeding unit, the Puerto Rican National Guard, which will lead KFOR 13. A ceremony to formally assume mission responsibility from the North Dakota National Guard took place July 24 in Kosovo. These remaining soldiers are expected home by the end of the month.

About 160 Soldiers of the 231st Maneuver Task Force (231st Brigade Support Battalion), Valley City, N.D., and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade returned home early last May. The soldiers were mobilized last August.

Functioning as part of the Multinational Battle Group East, the charter mission of KFOR is maintaining a safe and secure environment and providing freedom of movement for the people in Kosovo. MNBG E is comprised of nearly 2,200 soldiers, including Task Force Hellas and Task Force POL-UKR (Polish and Ukraine) and Turkey.

Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann, of Bismarck, commanded MNBG E during the KFOR 12 rotation.

The KFOR 12 mission was the largest mobilization for the North Dakota National Guard since the Korean War. While many units have deployed simultaneously for separate Global War on Terrorism missions in recent years, the KFOR mobilization encompasses the largest single element to mobilize in more than five decades.

Mandan Public Schools Foundation Chairman Lee Fleischer (left) and board member Wayne Papke (right) extend appreciation to donors Jack and Kristin Paris. Submitted photo

The Mandan Public Schools Foundation for Education applauded its first major donors at a board of directors meeting last week.

Jack and Kristin Paris contributed $5,000 to help catapult the foundation towards its goals of providing student scholarships, grants for school employees and students, and carrying out projects that meet student needs.

Kristin Paris served as a teacher in Mandan Public Schools for 23 years. Jack Paris is an alumnus of Mandan High School.

The foundation was formed in April and has filed for not-for-profit tax exempt status. Foundation Chairman Lee Fleischer thanked the Paris’ for their leadership and sizeable contribution to the foundation in its infancy.

“We greatly appreciate the Paris’ generous donation to help get the foundation off the ground. This will assist us in achieving the goals of the foundation, which is to reward our students and staff,” Fleischer said.

The foundation welcomes additional donations and is seeking ways to reach out to current and former teachers, alumni and other potential supporters. For forms and more information, visit the website mandanschoolsfoundation.org, or call Fleischer at 220-8939.

The need for a public schools foundation was reinforced during Mandan’s strategic planning process conducted in 2009 as a means of augmenting available funding for local education.

The Mandan Public Schools Foundation for Education board of directors is comprised of Lee Fleischer, president; Wayne Papke, vice president; Jim Neubauer, treasurer; Tom Bair, secretary; along with Karen Kautzmann, Gordon Binek, Ellen Huber, Ryan Leingang, Vicki Roehl, Tim Tausend and Marilyn Keller.

-Brian L. Gray

North Dakota National Guard airmen and soldiers gather at Camp Grafton South, for a two-day marksmanship contest July 17 and 18. The N.D. National Guard Adjutant General's Combat Marksmanship Match takes place annually, and offers soldiers and airmen in the North Dakota National Guard an opportunity to test their marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition.

Story and photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, North Dakota Air National Guard

Some of the best shooters in the North Dakota National Guard gathered at the firing range at Camp Grafton South July 17 and 18 to test their skills in the N.D. National Guard Adjutant General’s Combat Marksmanship Match. 

The marksmanship match is an annual state competition held “to promote battle-focused marksmanship training and to enhance overall marksmanship proficiency,” said Lt. Col. Stephen P. Herda, of Mandan, who works with the North Dakota National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters. “This match offers soldiers and airmen in the North Dakota National Guard an opportunity to test their marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition. The Adjutant General’s Match is designed to test and improve the capabilities of our National Guard forces in a tactically oriented environment.”

The competition involves the use of both pistols and rifles in various shooting scenarios.

A team from the 817th Engineer Company, in Jamestown, took top honors in the event and produced the best individual shooter, Sgt. 1st Class Gary Varberg.

Varberg and the 817th – which is comprised of many members from the former 141st Engineer Combat Battalion’s Company B – are no strangers to the winners’ circle. Varberg has been the best individual shooter 29 out of 30 years, by his own account, and his team has finished first all 30 times that he’s competed.

Varberg, of Cooperstown, has competed on the national-level All-Guard Shooting Team several times and has traveled to places such as Australia, South Africa, France, Germany, Canada and England with the team.

“I’ve qualified to shoot for the Queen’s Medal Match, held in three different countries. I’ve even had dinner with the Queen. Marksmanship has taken me places that I thought I’d never see. It’s been awesome,” Varberg said.

The North Dakota Air National Guard team finished a respectable sixth place out of 12 teams in its first time back to the competition in several years.

“We have had great support from our leadership at the Wing for this contest and we hope to make a better showing next year,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua VonBank, of Fargo, the North Dakota Air National Guard’s team leader. “The North Dakota Air National Guard can have as many as four teams in the competition. It’s a good time… a good experience.”

The top scoring team and individuals move on to a regional competition at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., and the top finishers at that contest will advance to the Winston P. Wilson National Championship, which will be in Little Rock, Ark., later this year.

Caroline Conrath works on a rock painting at the 2010 Mandan Art Show, held this spring at the Mandan Community Center. Members cite the loss of the Community Center as one of the reasons to consider discontinuing the Mandan Art Association. Submitted photo

By Brian L. Gray

The Mandan Art Association is at a crossroads. Its members are deciding whether to keep the organization and its gallery going, or to end it altogether.

The MAA has been primarily operated and maintained by one member, Rose Heiser, the last few years. She was the group’s president, bookkeeper and director, and handled a large portion of organizing special events and workshops. She also volunteered the majority of the required time the MAA’s gallery needed someone present.

But Heiser was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon learning the news, Heiser resigned from her duties in the organization, following the orders from her doctor to refrain from too much stressful activity. She is currently undergoing treatment.

And now that stress related to the art association has been placed on other members of the group.

Without an active leader present, some members have brought up the idea of ending the organization and its gallery.

The MAA has been a fixture in Mandan for 52 years. It hosts a popular annual art show, and several workshops, exhibits and special art events throughout the year.

Three years ago, for the first time in its history, the MAA settled into a permanent office and gallery on West Main Street, in the former beanery.

One of the group’s original members, Caroline Conrath, is in favor of continuing the MAA.

“Rose ran this place practically by herself,” Conrath says. “When there was no traffic, or members wouldn’t show up, she was always the one who was there to help out. But I don’t think it’s right to discontinue the art association because she’s no longer active. I’ve always felt that we should give it more time and keep it up.”

The current MAA president, Mary Quintus, for the last two years has worked as the Heiser’s primary assistant, also assuming the role of the vice president. She says the group relies on volunteerism to persevere, but too much work has been assumed by Heiser in the last few years, which has led the association to this point.

Quintus says the trouble at MAA is not a financial one; in fact, the organization is doing well, with the help of a few grants that have been secured by Haiser. The issue here is a matter of members not being active enough.

“If we have 50-some members, and only a handful are involved, what direction do we go from here?” Quintus said. “This organization was based on the concept of volunteers. We first started with eight volunteers, and that number dwindled down to Rose and I.”

Quintus says another reason for discontinuing the MAA is because the organization no longer has a place to hold its annual art show. Now that the Mandan Community Center is no longer available to hold the show, with the school district now taking over ownership of the buildings, no replacement venue is offered in Mandan, she says.

For the MAA to continue, Quintus says, it will need a new director, one with experience in bookkeeping. The problem with this, she says, is that the position is part-time and it doesn’t offer much pay, which will limit the number of potential applicants.

Quintus believes people go in so many directions these days that volunteer organizations like the MAA are not as important in people’s lives, and are dwindling in popularity.

“We need to reenergize people that want to be a part of the Mandan Art Association, or we’re in trouble,” Quintus says.

A few weeks ago a meeting was held to vote on whether or not to continue the MAA. The vote came to a 4-4 tie, so another meeting has been scheduled. The meeting is planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, at the MAA gallery, located at 411 W. Main St. Members of the MAA are encouraged to attend, and members of the public are free to add their input as well. If unable to attend, you can email any opinions to mandanartassociation@yahoo.com.

In the meantime, all special events at the gallery have been cancelled. The gallery may be opened by request during weekday hours by contacting the Mandan Progress Organization office, also located in the former beanery.

Conrath believes some of the members are overreacting, and that the art association can continue with the help of restructuring during this trying time. Even with Heiser no longer running the MAA, she says, other members are able to step up and take over the duties she once handled. “I think where we are now is absolutely ideal, and we’ve done so much work to be where we are,” Conrath says.

Conrath says she is optimistic that once Heiser gets through her chemotherapy, she will return to her normally active self, because that’s the type of person she is. “Rose is not the kind of person that likes to sit around and do nothing. She needs to be something all the time,” Conrath says.

The MAA is a non-profit organization that started in 1958 by a small but dedicated group of artists and art lovers who wanted to share their interest in art with Mandan and the surrounding area.

“We’ve been a part of Mandan for 52 years,” Conrath says, who was one of those small but dedicated original members. “It would just be a shame to throw it all out the door.”

Nearly 500 homes are set to have improved roads in their neighborhoods, if the plan is approved by its impacted homeowners.

The Mandan City Commission approved a $3.8 million project that will cover the area from Collins Avenue to Eighth Avenue N.E. and Fifth Street N.E. to Interstate 94.

The project will consist of crack sealing, curb and gutter, valley gutter replacement, asphalt patching and overlay and chip seal.

Another area involved in the project will be parking lot and minor street paving to the west of the Mandan Municipal Golf Course.

The city commission approved moving forward for the advertising of bids and receiving public input from the homeowners involved. For the project to move forward, at least 51 percent of the homeowners must approve the plan. Owners will have 30 days to protest the project, beginning July 30.

City Project Manager Dave Bechtel said homeowners could receive anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 in special assessment taxes over a period of 15 years. A total of 477 households are a part of the area planned to be worked on.

“We have gotten a number of calls about these roads. Some have been adamant and were not concerned with the costs at all, but there will probably be a good amount of people that will be against this,” Bechtel said.

A part of this plan was originally intended to be paid for by a second round of federal stimulus funds. Ninth Street was set to be paid by the funds in the amount of $600,000, Bechtel said, but those funds have not been handed out.

Bechtel said the roadwork in this project will have a shelf life of 15 to 20 years. He pointed out that some of these roads have not been worked on since the 1970s.

Commissioner Sandi Tibke instructed Bechtel to prepare for alternative projects, in case the proposed $3.8 million plan is not met with 51 percent approval. Bechtel said no alternatives have been arranged, but the engineering department will come up with smaller projects as an alternative.

“We want to do anything we can to bring the cost down,” Bechtel said.

Bechtel said if the plan moves forward and bids are received, the project could begin this summer, with a possible completion by next summer.

All-hazards radios are the best way for citizens and businesses to receive emergency information, watches and warnings directly from the National Weather Service. The radios can be purchased at many local retail stores.

An important feature is that the radio will turn itself on to alert you when a warning has been issued no matter what time of day. This is especially significant for nighttime.

The newer radios can be programmed specifically to your county and some of the radios let you program exactly which warnings you want to receive. You can take them camping, fishing, traveling and business trips.

The National Weather Service website has additional information on the radios and programming codes available online at weather.gov/bis. Click on “Weather Radio.”

As part of the bill, the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan was approved for $543,000 in funding to study ways for family farmers to use biomass to produce energy. This will also continue the Southwest Feeders program, which is aimed at working with ranchers to develop feed management practices using locally produced feed.

A number of research projects for North Dakota are in the bill, including: $1 million to North Dakota State University Research in funding to determine the economics, production and policy effects of biomass conversion to biofuels and other products; $188,000 for the Red River Valley Agricultural Center in Fargo, which will be used to expand its research into cereal crops, sunflower, sugarbeets, potatoes, and insect and disease resistance; $350,000 to Cool Season Legume Research; and $3 million for the durum wheat quality program, which will help address the scab problem in durum wheat by offsetting part of the cost of a fungicide application until genetic scab resistance is found. North Dakota has the nation’s highest durum milling capacity of over 85,000 bushels per day and is home to several pasta plants.

The bill also restores funding of $3.92 million for the Tribal College Grants, Rural Community Facilities Program that the FY11 budget originally proposed to eliminate. The important program is a critical source of funding for tribal colleges.

“The Agriculture Appropriations bill for 2011 maintains important investments in ongoing research that will benefit our producers and strengthen agriculture in North Dakota,” said Senator Byron Dorgan, a senior member of the Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee. “These cutting-edge projects help North Dakota farmers and ranchers continue to innovate and expand the agriculture industry that’s so important to our state.”

The ND500 is set to begin in Bismarck on July 29, with a special event planned at KTM Cycle Hutt on The Strip on Saturday, July 24. Submitted photo

By Chad Hatzenbuhler for the Mandan News

The ND500 is a road rally event starting in Bismarck on July 29. The event is being hosted by Nic Cruz, owner of CiNcity Designs and the driver of the NSX from Speed Channel’s show Bullrun Season 3. The ND500 is meant to enjoy the company of car enthusiasts alike and to finally do something that this area has needed for a very long time.

The rally is made up of 50 cars that will be traveling over 2,500 miles in four days through the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, and stopping in the cities of Denver, Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole.

There will be an awards banquet held on the last night of the rally in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Some of the awards include fastest and slowest rally time, spirit of the rally, most times pulled over and even the ugliest car.

The entire event is being professionally filmed and photographed and will be hosted online on the multiple CiNcity Designs and ND500 websites. 

This event will be promoted this Saturday, July 24, at KTM Cycle Hutt in Mandan, with a Drift Demo from 12 to 8 p.m. TJ Fry of The Mob Theory will be offering ride-alongs in his CiNCity Drift Car for $10. So if you are interested in a day of sideways action, come check out this drifting event.

For more information, go online to ND500.com or cincitydesigns.com.