Audit 'disaster'

By Amy Dalrymple | Editor

By Jack Dura

A legislative audit committee voted Tuesday to urge the full Legislature to shut down a state-backed business financing program and send problematic audit findings to the attorney general for investigation.

Members of the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee pressed state officials about the North Dakota Development Fund’s lack of documentation for millions of dollars in transactions, number of high-risk loans, loans written off and how conflicts of interest were disclosed, among other findings in two audits.

A key official said changes have already been made or are underway. But committee members said they see the situation differently, including the chair, who called the audit findings a disaster.

By Michael Achterling

The debate over a ballot measure to change North Dakota’s constitution took center stage Tuesday at a policy summit in Bismarck.

The Greater North Dakota Chamber event featured a proponent and opponent of Measure 1, a constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature that would require a 60% vote threshold to pass future constitutional ballot measures.

Speaker of the House Robin Weisz, R-Hurdsfield, the chief sponsor of the resolution that became Measure 1, said event organizers gave him seven minutes to speak in support of the measure, but he only needed a few words.

“It’s all about the constitution,” Weisz said.

Kathy Tweeten, president of the League of Women Voters of North Dakota, spoke against the measure. She said the group opposes the higher voter threshold because it places a “significant barrier” for North Dakotans participating in the political process.

By Michael Achterling

A proponent of the free school meal ballot measure touted the benefits to North Dakota families Tuesday while an opponent cautioned against adding the program to the state constitution.

Voters will decide the fate of Measure 2 in November, a constitutional measure that would provide free breakfast and lunch to North Dakota K-12 students at no cost to the student.

Robin Nelson, chair of Together for School Meals, told attendees of the Greater North Dakota Chamber policy summit that Measure 2 would be like giving every North Dakota family with a K-12 student a tax break.

Sen. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, opposes Measure 2 and said the free school meals program should not be included in the state’s constitution with mandatory spending. He added the measure isn’t really about providing breakfast and lunch to students at no cost.

By Jeff Beach

The president of the University of North Dakota said Tuesday the college has properly reported foreign funds in its aviation program and emphasized that a Chinese pilot training program is run by an affiliated foundation, not UND. 

UND President Andrew Armacost commented on an investigation into the college’s  aviation programs announced last week by the Department of Education and State Department. The agencies investigating UND say the college failed to properly report foreign gifts and contracts.

Armacost said the contracts and funding that have been identified deal with training contracts for pilots with Chinese airlines. 

“These contracts are set up through the UND Aerospace Foundation, and now the training for Chinese pilots happens entirely in Mesa, Arizona, which is a site run by the UND Aerospace Foundation and not the University of North Dakota,” he said.

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