Williston, ND Active Issues

Jib

You do NOT have to give up your Canadian citizenship to become an American.  Once your a Canadian...u are always a Canadian.

The Americans do not recognize me as a dual citizen but the Canadians do....I wouldn't have done it if I had to give up my Canadian citizenship.  I just figured as long as I was going to be living down here I may as well do it....then I can vote or run for office if I want...not that I ever will :)

I know the whole immigration process is a joke!

I don't want to hijack this thread, BUT does anyone here have any idea when the improved tennis courts are going to be completed? I'm coming back to mosquito town for the dreaded high school reunion this summer and was wondering if I should pack the racquets and golf clubs.

I participated in Coyote tennis and golf in high school so I can't really put my 2 cents in on this one... we didn't have fans.

A Yankee!!!!  They couldn't swear you in as a Twin?

Congrats Clarke!! 

Slette wrote:

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As a board member of the Williston Basin Skating Club I want to take this opportunity to thank the members of District 1 school board for taking on the coaching saleries for next season. We as a club have come leaps and bounds in the last year and with Dist 1 agreeing to help us we are looking forward to a great future for our members. Working together great things can happen

Dave Slette

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Dave:

Good for you guys....anything that gets kids off their hineys, and out exercising their bodies is good stuff.  A board that is pro-active that way gets my sincere appreciation.....

 ;o)
R

As a board member of the Williston Basin Skating Club I want to take this opportunity to thank the members of District 1 school board for taking on the coaching saleries for next season. We as a club have come leaps and bounds in the last year and with Dist 1 agreeing to help us we are looking forward to a great future for our members. Working together great things can happen

Dave Slette

Yes Randy, at some point in our lives all of us need to tap out.  The pic is there for all to use.

Dave if you are going to tap out you need the picture

Randy...
Let it GO!

Find something else to rant about!

I took Vacation to help the local team....

Darin

Randy...
I never sent you anything until 2 minutes ago....

Once again...saying I sent you something before I even said anything to you!
"I immmediately received forceful responses from You, Darin and Larry. This just re-inforces that my point was being made."

Read my email to you! Sent at 358pm not before you wrote that I SENT FORCEFUL RESPONSES! Are you kidding

This is WHY I wont post on a public Message board...people may "read" things wrong!

Darin Krueger
Director
Williston Parks & Recreation

Willistonrecguy wrote:

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I think when people are going to say things they should be completly honest.  Put all of the facts out there.

Randy,

Say it like it is.  Darin "the Director of Parks and Recreation" went to Arizona with the Williston Teton Baseball team.  He took a vacation (which he was originally going to use to visit his parents and go to the state basketball tournament and support the Coyote Boys and it just happened that at the same time Coach Heller needed somebody to come with to be the assistant coach, as you son Zack the assistant coach could not go)  I am guessing that Zack is where you got your information from.

Is Darin allowed to take a vacation?  If you are implying that he should not.  I am glad that you have not been on the park board since I have been here,  Because every once in a while i like to do things with my family.

Finally Darin used his vacation to help out the college baseball team.  He did not get paid to go.  Coach Heller needed some help and Darin felt it was aapproprate to do so.  How many others would use their vacation to help a local sports team.

In the short time Darin has been here he has became a big supporter of many of the activities in Williston.  This is just another example.

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Jeremy...you are entirely correct in that I should just call it like it is and say so in as many words.  I just spent 10 minutes composing a reply to your post and lost it when I tried to send...the on-line server went down. So I will try again.

I was aware that Darin went to help the Tetons and Kelly. He was nice enough to take Zach's place as Assistant Coach as Zach was gone that week.  I entirely believe you when you state that he made a sacrifice to help, and as I have already heard other good things about him, and am in agreement, it is a moot point to restate that to me.  I harbor no hard feeling towards Darin. I think you might have missed some of the irony and facetiousness of my statement, or did not read the last part of it.

I did not intend to attack Darin.  I was making what is known as a comparative analogy.  This was very similar to the situation with Warren Larson in relation to Dave's post recently which I took exception to, as a very harsh statement to make.

The point was that Dave, one of both yours and Darin's bosses, questioned whether Warren Larson was taking advantage of his position as Superintendent of Schools, and implied that in some manner he might have been scamming the School District and the taxpayer. I still believe that is a strong statement to make and should not be made lightly. 

I was not attacking Dave either, for that matter, and was merely making a statement for discussion/debate puprposes.  I have always liked both you and Dave, and appreciate your loyalty to fellow Staff and Board members. I respect that.  It is how it should be.

Not fifteen minutes after I posted that I received a personal email from one of your other bosses....heck, let me call it like it is....Larry Grondahl, condemning me for attacking Darin, which I reiterate...was not intended as an attack.  He stated in no uncertain terms that Darin requested vacation time from the board for this trip which was unanimously approved. I expected as much from the Williston Park Board. My question is, knowing that... why in the Sam Hill would Dave and/or any other Board Member expect anything less from Warren Larson and the  District 1 School Board?

Larry and I have been having an ongoing conversation since that statement was made. I just wish that he would post his perceptions and opinions publicly since he is so free and easy with them in private.

I immmediately received forceful responses from You, Darin and Larry. This just re-inforces that my point was being made.

Now that you are seeing the effects of a post like that from the other side of the room, doesn't it strike you as harsh?  Again, I apologize to Darin if my comments were construed as an attack.

Randy

SteveKemp wrote:

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Slette wrote:

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This doesnt really have anything directly to do with the topic but I didnt want to start a new one.

I had a chat with  a gentleman this morning who informed me that Mr. Warren Larson is only spending 2 days a week in the district office and the other 3 days in Bismarck.

I wonder if his very nice salery that he draws has lowered any or is he still getting full pay for the rest of his employement??

I also wonder if we the tax-payers are paying for the 4.00 a gallon gas to get his District 1 vehicle back and forth

Just a thought!!!!!

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Slette, I have heard this from a different angle, and this comes from someone in the district office. 

Warren is spending 3 days a week in Williston and 2 days in Bismarck.  He is using his vacation time for the 2 days a week that he is in Bismarck.  If anyone would like to verify it, call the district office and request the information, after all, it is public information.

I am a strong supporter of teachers and I wish they would have gotten what they were promised and asked for, but I am also a strong supporter of the facts, and those are the facts as I have heard them.

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It is still a political season....and I still seem to have too much free time on my hands, but I'm gonna bite on this one....First, I have many good friends that teach in the public school system, not only here, but in other districts as well.  I think they should be making a gob more money than they do, because without teachers, there simply ain't much else.  As a teacher myself, I can sincerely tell you that good teachers do NOT teach for the money. They would have to be insane.  On the other hand, without a decent salary, it is pretty hard to sustain the enthusiasm, and drive that led you to become a teacher in the first place.

So to paraphrase Steve, the facts are the facts.

Which leads to the political thing.  I recently had a chat with a fellow who informed me that the Director of Parks and Recreation spent the better part of a week assisting one of the local sports teams on an away trip to points south.  I wonder if the nice salary that he draws, and that the taxpayers fund, was docked, or if someone else paid his salary that week.

just a thought.

Now that I have said it, I apologize... firstly to Dave, for the crass sarcasm, and then to The Director of WPR, because this is the very sort of statement that I recently decried in a a very vocal manner. 

The point I am trying to make is that we should expect the best of these people in leadership positions, rather than try to gain some political capital by attacking those individuals.  As professionals, who are hired based upon their character, integrity, inititative and other factors integral to a successful implementation of their job, they cannot come onto a public forum, and "bite back" at the rank and file of us who have no such restriction on what we say and do.

Lets try to keep it clean, huh guys...and ladies.

;o)
R

Wow this is a really entertaining topic.  It's interesting to see that this arguement continues to rage on albeit in a slightly different form.  When I was a senior at WHS in 1990, during oil BUST times, superintendent Easton released the 1991 school budget and cut funding for all high school sports.  A decision was made at the time to keep sports in school but require payment by the families of the kids that participated.  As evidenced by the info in this thread, things have evolved over the years.  But here we are in oil BOOM times and the song remains the same.  What to pay for and what not, and with whose money.

One post a couple of pages back by "colearndt" that stated something to the effect of: more people are moving to Williston, so property values are going up, therefore the collected property taxes are rising.  But the people moving in are renters or live in hotels and don't pay property taxes so the burden falls back to the "locals." 

First of all, renters definitely pay property taxes, just indirectly.  As a landlord when my property taxes go up, I raise the rent.  But the hotel comment got me thinking.  I travel around the country all the time and everywhere I go there are additional hotel & rental car taxes (often in the 15-25% range) that are essentially levied on the tourists & business travellers.  These usually go to pay for the "new pro sports stadium de jour" in whatever city I'm travelling to.  I'm not sure if Williston levies such a tax, but it might be worth considering.  The cities that have levied this tax show no decrease in visitors.  Citizens like this type of tax because "they don't have to pay for it."  Which is a point of view to be debated but regardless, these resolutions almost always pass.  Call it a "mosquito tax" and pitch it that it will be paid for by "big oil" (ie business travellers) and it will pass with flying colors.

One thing is for sure, no matter how much money is collected there will never be a shortage of places to spend it, and never a shortage of debate as to the best places to do so. 

Whatever the case, intelligent debate is the key.  As I like to say, "I can be right, and you can be wrong, and we can still be friends."

Chris - Austin, TX

I agree eduaction is the most important thing.  But i also think we all want a high quality of life, and that is what parks and rec does.

education. 

-- Edited by SKM at 01:54, 2008-09-03

Probably not by a lot. Oh did I say that out loud!!!

Come on Steve, They dont have time to worry about our miserable little 100 grand. They have millions to find a place for!!!!!

 

Slette wrote:

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Randy,
 
I guess I would first have to ask, What is the on going war between the Park Board and the School Board.  The last issue the Park Board had with the school was the indoor pool, which has been over with for months now.

On the other hand, your right, I should not have brought it up at all. But as you know, Im not the only one who has asked questions on this board. Or I guess you call it gossiping.

But I do seem to remember a certain hearing that I attended that you were not at,  but had plenty of information concerning it.

Again I apologize for bringing it

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Nahh  Dave...it is all good. I congratulate you for having "big ones".  It was a factual question, just was a very strong statement to make publicly.  You are one of the guys who are not afraid to call it like you see it.  I respect that.

The "war", as I called it...at least from what I read in the papers, etc...started with the mils, a confrontation which went all the way to the State level....then it escalated to the indoor pool, (or was it the other way around? Sorry, the Senior Moments kick in from time to time); but again, that is just my perception of the issue... 

Not sure which other hearing you mention that I was not at, but if it had to do with Warren Larson using the public dollar to feather his own nest, or use public monies, for his own personal agendas, I would sure like to hear about it.

...and "gossiping" might have been a little strong use of the language, so I'll back off on that one.  And you are entirely correct in that questions of all sorts are asked on this forum...heck! Even Steve P liked your comment.... and I guess, being the frail, neglected, undervalued, underpaid, overworked, unappreciated, mortal human being that I am, I am not immune to being a little gossipy my ownself from time to time...
 
;o)
Randy

I think that if we, the general public ,
knew where our tax dollars were really going we would all be shocked!!!  Or maybe just mad as h@#$.

And not just at the school district, at all levels.

Slette, you trouble maker...    I like your style man!!

Excellent questions, by the way.  I'll ask the other Dave.

This doesnt really have anything directly to do with the topic but I didnt want to start a new one.

I had a chat with  a gentleman this morning who informed me that Mr. Warren Larson is only spending 2 days a week in the district office and the other 3 days in Bismarck.

I wonder if his very nice salery that he draws has lowered any or is he still getting full pay for the rest of his employement??

I also wonder if we the tax-payers are paying for the 4.00 a gallon gas to get his District 1 vehicle back and forth

Just a thought!!!!!

From the way I understand it, the school board is working on getting the districst mills below 200 this year which will be the first time in over roughly 20 years.  IMO the district is doing it's share in keeping our taxes from skyrocketing.  Who knows, if the population of the county continues to grow, the district could do even better next year. 

SKM wrote:

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 I think this might be a legal issue.  I don't think the WHS has the copywrite or patten on the "Coyote" name do they?  They may have the patten on the little Coyote logo guy tho.  Speaking of which, does the coyote masscot have a name?

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Yeah, that coyote sure does look a lot like "Wile Coyote"  ;o)

 I think this might be a legal issue.  I don't think the WHS has the copywrite or patten on the "Coyote" name do they?  They may have the patten on the little Coyote logo guy tho.  Speaking of which, does the coyote masscot have a name?

Willistonrecguy wrote:

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rwaitman wrote:

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Now, much the same as Boys Baseball, and Williston Hockey Club, The Williston Taekwondo/Judo Academy would rather not give up its' autonomy, but since he costs of running a club or feeder programs are pretty dadgum high, it would be rather nice to have our traveling team get some financial support such as that which is apparently offered to girls' softball and boys baseball.

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Boys Baseball and Girls SOftball has given up its atonomy.  They are run by parks and rec.  Darin, Nick, and Jeremy are the boss of the Keybirds and Softball coaches, we have final decision about what more is spent on.

Adult softball alcohol permit-  We have always required an alcohol permit in our parks.  We have not enforced this with softball.  Making teams purchase an alcohol permit is a standard around the state.  The cost in WIlliston is $15, that is about $1 per person.  Not a large cost to cross all t's and dot all i's.

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Jeremy,

In that case...I stand here humbly before you and thank you for your graciousness and my former statements are hereby rendered moot. 

However, I would like to ask one more question, if you will bear with me.  Since Boys Baseball, including the Keybirds, and Babe Ruth have given up their autonomy, will you assure me that 100% of the $200,000 that Boys Baseball raises, goes into the general fund of Parks and Recreation and is not diluted or diverted into any other accounts, cash, checking, savings, or other financial instrument not controlled completely by WP&R?  If so, I will sit quietly by and shut up on the subject.  If not, then apparently the autonomy has not been transferred. Correct?

;o)