The Whistler

Sorry, looking in my Crystal Ball I see a flight delay and you come back Sunday with no sleep and without the chance for your return to inspire the Gopher Skaters to gaining a split from the dominant Sioux team.

That was part of the entrance exam back in the old days. We didn't have skyways either.

When it opened it they had a USHL team that was home there. That didn't last long. I'm working on a project concerning that building.

Sorry about that. I forgot that I had chosen. My memory is good, but it's short.

Matt the Fratt Frattin!

Just like Youngblood.

At times tonight we looked real fast and were dominating the game against the really good kids. That's the positives. The downside is the the flogging puck never goes into the net. Gotta learn to finish guys.

Aside from playing games with the open records and open meetings (which don't carry jail times) I don't see that they've done anything illegal. (Of course we should do a complete forensic accounting audit after we fire Venuworks to see where the money went.) Aside from that this is a political, not criminal issue.

I'm not sure about that, but I think people spending public money should be held to a much higher standard.

"Dean of Business at NDSU" is involved in those roadside produce sales and the chair of communications teaches calling an auction?

The state legislature increased support of the agricultural school from from $77.5 million to $128.5 in the last two sessions. That

I picked him first in the first SS this year. Like most Gopherweenies you're just jumping on the bandwagon.

I'm relying on the intentional part from a story that I think was linked from this thread. They said that they knew they were over on the original design but figured they'd get some in-kind donations. Whether they did or didn't (they didn't and apparently had NO idea where these donations would come from) it doesn't affect the true cost of the building. Then they went ahead and added in a room. They also assumed that landscaping doesn't count, which I don't agree with, but apparently there is some precedent.

Blood. I think I should have gotten a pass last week since Kristo was denied his opportunity to score by the phantom CFB.

Those are good points, but what really angers me is the fact that the Alerus Commission had a secret meeting to waive portions of Venuwork's contract with the city. They took concert losses out of the calculation of their guarantee that they wouldn't get paid their management fee if they lost money. So all year I've been asking why Venuworks got paid. The contract said they shouldn't. Finally Terry Bjerke forced the issue and made the city attorney review the situation. Turns out that Venuworks owes us over $100,000 from 2008. The Alerus commission rather than look out for the public was looking out for a city contractor. So the public had an expectation of what was in the contract. The Alerus was being run on a backroom handshake deal. Venuworks owes us the money but they say they aren't paying us. The head of Venuworks is claiming that losses in the concert fund have never ever counted that way. Um, 2008 was the first year we had the no management payment if they lost money. This is outrageous.

Only in my own mind. Let's see, I'm a hockey fan and putting the Ralph as my home town (not as a signature line. The Toni Lucia false quote is my signature line) was a humorous way of saying I was from Grand Forks. I don't work at the Ralph. Regarding what needs to be done. The Alerus Gang made all kinds of promises when they were campaigning to get the sales tax passed. They've pretty much broken everyone of those promises. We need to hold them to that. Pay off the bonds with the 3/4 sales tax. They've been raiding that fund over and over, most recently last night when the accepted over a million dollars of bids to rebuild the convention center entrance. We've already paid for one. No subsidies outside of the hospitality tax. Open their books. Let us know where they've lost money in the past. Fire Venuworks, they haven't done anything but lose money for us and insult us. Sue them for the money they owe us from 2008. Eliminate the Alerus commission. That was formed to make mismanagement of the center unaccountable to the voters. The Alerus commission broke the law to have secret meetings to benefit Venuworks when they should be looking out for the taxpayers.

Sure and those working at Cow College could definitely have their lives improved by learning how to count goats and shovel out barns and important things like that.

Good point. I know UND started giving away tuition for employees as a perk a couple years ago. I disagree with the practice myself, not that you don't make a good point. I think it makes it even easier to raise tuition if the guys that you work with don't have to worry about paying it.

I hardly would claim to be neutral on the matter. I claim to be the #1 Alerus critic. I think perhaps Terry Bjerke would not agree with that. That's ok I have him at #2 on my list and I think he's got me in the same on his. However I endeavor to be fair and present my arguments full of facts rather than insults. It's not that I don't enjoy fleeing poo, but I don't think you change many minds.

The city lost a lot of money in the event fund last year. The newspaper reported a loss of $720,000. The Alerus Commission bought an ad saying they lost $680,000. This fall they're saying they lost $500,000. Last spring the paper reported a loss of $252,000 on the Neil Diamond Concert. Now they're saying it was $370,000. Other concerts have swung from the negative to positive side of the ledger but they haven't released any data. I put an open records request for all of the events they lost money on. Hyman sent me the Diamond concert figures. I haven't had time to do another request. Hyman has lied to us in records requests. Are you saying that they've been open and honest or are you saying they don't need to be when you dispute my statement? To be open and honest I don't expect anything but insults from the Alerus gang anymore. Last year the Alerus lost $720,000 on the event fund. That was covered by the city. The hospitality tax cost the public about $380,000. The rest of the eight million is the 3/4 percent sales tax. The bond payment fund surplus has been spent 100% on further projects at the Alerus. Anyone claiming that the Alerus isn't costing us that much is.....I'm searching for the word. The civic auditorium cost us $250,000 I've heard. That's it. The Alerus is costing us $8 million. Suppose you had a car that was costing you $200/month for repairs. Because of that you decide it's better to buy a brand new car. The new car is great but you have a payment of $500/month. Well you're ok with that but if it started breaking down every month and the dealer told you it's ok because it's not costing as much to repair as the old car you wouldn't buy it for a moment.

Another source of the financial problems at Silo Tech would be the enormous cost overruns on their building in downtown Fargo. It probably costs more than just that for the move as well. I heard they're paying to rent an empty building downtown for some reason I don't understand. I don't get the desire of these guys to increase expenses and hassles for the students by having a downtown presence.

Wouldn't a tuition waiver be unnecessary if the NDSU foundation were to use their money for scholarships. It's too bad that the state legislature was such pikers and didn't increase spending for higher education. Oh wait, they gave the higher education system increases over 60% over the last two sessions.

If they want a consensus, they need to open and honest in the future. Packing a committee with people responsible for the unacceptable status quo isn't the way to go about taking care the problem. For example these guys seem to think that because the old civic auditorium cost $250,000 to run it's ok to lose money at the Alerus. When you look at it, the Alerus subsidies in 2008 totaled about 8 million dollars of subsidies.

Honest mistake? BS. They intentionally spent money belonging to a state institution in a way that was specifically prohibited by state law. They should be prosecuted and face the appropriate penalties.