------,!--
[
t _./
Sl.OO
I
ISSUE NUMBER 42
NORTH DAKOTA WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014
Sunshmne Kids Center hosts anfiual Spring
: Photos:Larry Biri
Hunt"
The annual Sunshine Kids Center Spring Carnival and Egg Hunt entertained kids from Park River and the surrounding area
with games, treats, and the Easter Bunny. Above: Izley Hoenke really could care less about the Easter eggs what with a
delicious sucker in her mouth. Left: Hey dad what is it? Vaya Stark watches as her dad Ryer figures out one of the prizes
they got from the Spring Carnival. Morn, Katie Stark is rather curious also while daughter Zola doesn't seem the least bit
interested. See more photos from the carnival on the back page.
i •
Wes tern Walsh Townships say:
Land valuations not adding up
ta township in Western Walsh saw a Soil Valu-
ation increase of over $300 per acre.
The KXPO report added Commissioner
Luther Meberg said that he voted yes because the
county had no choice adding that he didn't want
to end up in a position where Bismarck could
withhold state funds because the commission
isn't doing its job.
According to the law, for any county that has
not fully implemented use of soil type and soil
classification data from detailed or general soil
surveys "the tax commissioner shall direct the
state treasurer to withhold five percent of that
county's allocation each quarter from the state
aid distribution."
The State Tax Commission's Guide to As-
sessing Agricultural Land in North Dakota de-
scribes the method of determining value using
the following considerations in descending or-
der of significance:
1. Soil type and soil classification data from
detailed or general soil surveys;
2. The schedule of modifiers that must be used
to adjust agricultural property assessments with-
in the county as approved by the state supervi-
sor of assessments (under subsection 9); and
3. Actual use of the property for cropland or
noncropland purposes by the owner of the par-
cel.
The guide states that "The Agricultural Land
Valuation Committee recognizes counties
throughout the state may have unique perspec-
tives and concerns about the assessment of
Property taxes
Co, niL, p,a,ge, j
By Allison Olimb
, of The Press
ADAMS, N.D• -- Western Walsh County is
taking a stand against taxation without proper
representation of land values.
At the tax equalization proceedings held
Monday, April 14 in Lankin, township officers
were presented with the assessments; and because
of a new Soils Land Valuation Map implemented
by state law, some in the eastern part of the coun-
ty saw their property taxes decrease, while
many west of Park River found their property tax-
es more than double.
"We would not sign the assessor's book with
these values," said Jeff Boe of Adams who is
spearheading this grassroots effort to get the at-
tention of the state that something needs to be
done about the property tax assessments.
He said that the law uses a formula that as-
sesses the county across the board, but Walsh
County is not an area where a one-size-fits-all
formula is the solution
"My soil type is being valued the same as the
east," he said explaining that though it is one
county, the law does not account for the transi-
tion in landscape from the Red River Valley to
the Prairie Pothole Region, "It's a struggle in
these diverse counties."
In February of this year, the Walsh County
Commission approved the new Soils Land Val-
uation Map for 2014, but not without some hes-
itation. County Commissioner Jack Karas vot-
ed no on the roll call vote to approve the map.
According to a KXPO, Karas cited the dra-
matic rise in values being a problem noting the
example of Acton township in Eastern Walsh saw
a value drop of about $215 per acre, while Ves-
Edinburg General Store to celebrate
National Register dedication
EDINBURG, N.D. -- The
Edinburg General Store will be
hosting communit festivities
on April 26, beginning at 4 p.m.
with its Annual Customer Ap-
preciation Day. The festivities
will include a history of the
General Store, Burning the
Mortgage, and celebrating the
General Store's recent place-
ment on the National Register
of Historic Properties with a
presentation by the Walsh
County Historic Preservation
Commission and music• Food
will be served.
i •
General Store
Oo, v.. /p,,o,e, 6,
Saint Gianna's Maternity Home to hold
Spring Banquet in honor of anniversary
There is no charge to reserve a
seat and attend the banquet. An
opportunity to support this pro-
life apostolate will be extend-
ed that evening. Saint Gianna's
Maternity Home also is seeking
WARSAW, N.D. On
Monday, April 28, Saint Gian-
na's Maternity Home in War-
saw will continue its year-long
10th anniversary celebration
with a Spring Banquet that will
be held at the Ramada Plaza
and Suites in Fargo, N.D.
The keynote speaker will be
Monsignor Thomas J. Richner,
rector of the Cathedral of the
Holy Spirit in Bismarck• He
will share a message of hope
based on the Home's anniver-
sary theme of "I came so that
they might have life and have
it more abundantly." John
10:10.
Doors will open at 5 p.m.
with dinner served at 6 p.m.
Late- (very late-) breaking news
Se'e' page,
Zlkmund wins writing award
See p,oLge' 3
Easter iL dhe o,]n tunnte @f
" t
tlhe y, eaur wlhen t s 1perfe, ctl,
aafe to lpUlt al[l[ o,un? ,e, ff, ff ant
• "o,]nue lbaskell="" ""
Kurt Avish
Parenting workshop
Se'e' p,at,,',e' 3
PRA takes second at speech
See p,aKe'
