NorthDecoder.com -- North Dakota's Most Influential Political Blog

I'm not going to write this blog post. It's not that I'm too lazy or that I don't understand it. I'm just not going to write it. The commenters should write this blog post.

I will tell you just a little about what this is: This is a single page from the working papers of the audit that was done of the North Dakota Department of Commerce by the State Auditor's Office last year. The information on the page below did not make it into the State Auditor's Office's final report. (That report can probably be found somewhere else online.)

If you have any questions that might be answered with another document or a link to legal authority, contract or data, please ask your question in the comments section or post the link to legal authority (or ask me to, if you don't know how to find it) or ask about the data. I've got a bit more documentation relating to this. If you ask the right question(s), I'll probably post updates with info I've got that might answer your question or clear up an issue.

[UPDATE #1: Answer to the first question that was submitted to me (privately): Click here to view appraisal.]

[UPDATE #2: In a comment, below, "What the heck" asked how much money the state pays out renting offices around the state. Click here to read a document that shows (among other things) how much NDSU is paying to "lease back" some of the property it leases out for $1.00 a year.]

nimrod said:

	Gosh, Batman! I didn't know the ND legislature had the power to enact a statute exempting state agencies from the North Dakota Constitution. How convenient! Somebody call the Tea Party!
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 09, 2010, 02:00 PM
Votes: +0

Latecomer said:

	AG agree? Did Lori Mickelson consult with her boss between April 1 and May 13?
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 09, 2010, 07:58 PM
Votes: +0

What the Heck said:

Notation: JMW
Just guessing this question was first raised by Wahl, an auditor at SAO. Do you suppose his eyes were rolling just a little with that legal opinion?

And yes, Latecomer, odds are the AG did review and approve said opinion.

Maybe Chet can shed more light on that particular question? Where are all the legal eagles out there, no comment?

Here's what I want to know: Did the state really need to use that land for this venture, or could it have been run out of the existing university campus?

This is a different issue altogether, but does anyone have any idea how much rent the state is paying for various office sites across the state? Do you suppose we pay below market rates for any of those offices? I highly doubt it.

March 09, 2010, 08:51 PM
Votes: +0

Tony G. said:

	Nothing to see here move along. Tony: He can go about his business. MSM: You can go about your business. Tony: Move along. MSM: Move along... move along.
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 09, 2010, 09:41 PM
Votes: +0

Chet said:

	Answer to What The Heck's Question I've updated the post and included a partial answer to WTH's question, above.
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 09, 2010, 10:38 PM
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Chet said:

	Of course Of course Wayne Stenehjem's fingerprints are all over this "opinion." Here's my question: Why do we even bother having an Attorney General?
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March 09, 2010, 11:06 PM
Votes: +0

doug d riley said:

	answer answer to Chet question,north dakota has an AG so that they have someone to send to Italy also without the ag and his puppets how long to you think wsi would be able to hand out safety grants......
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March 10, 2010, 12:13 AM
Votes: +0

nimrod said:

	Gosh, Batman! again. And is Tony Grindberg (a) the executive director of the NDSU research park, (b) a North Dakota legislator, and (c) a member of the higher education committee?
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 10, 2010, 09:49 AM
Votes: +0

What the Heck said:

	We need an AG Chet, why don't you run? Someone needs to clean house. You'd do a great job.
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 10, 2010, 12:06 PM
Votes: +0

What the Heck said:

	Rents Wow. What a creative way to siphon off state funds from the university system. I wonder who the legal eagles involved in this could have been? Something of this magnitude would have required counsel on the front side. Makes crafting the legal opinion pretty simple, I would bet. Check, check done. I wonder who owns the businesses paying the other rents?
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 10, 2010, 12:16 PM
Votes: +0

nimrod said:

	Is it bigger than a bread box? Howzabout an IRS 990 for ndsu tech park inc.?
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 11, 2010, 10:11 AM
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Chet said:

	Form 990 http://tinyurl.com/yjqhaph and click here (might talk about what you're looking for)
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 11, 2010, 10:17 AM
Votes: +0

Bill in GF said:

Amazing
This would be a front-page story in any state other than North Dakota. Why hasn't the MSM picked this up yet?

I have some questions. First, does the media know about this? Second, it look like you have known about this for more than three months. Why have you been sitting on this?

I bet there are limousines full of Republicans in North Dakota who are pissing themselves right now because they're afraid a newspaper might read this blog and the comments, understand what it's about and steal your work.

You deserve a Pulitzer for this one, Chet. And you didn't even write it.

March 11, 2010, 11:44 AM
Votes: +0

Deb' said:

	can somebody dumb this down for the little people? 'cuz right now I'm thinking "so what? who cares? they're the state - they do what they want"
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March 11, 2010, 02:30 PM
Votes: +0

nimrod said:

	Nope. If Chet spelled it out for you, he'd be taking the livelihood away from the crack reporters of the ND mainstream media.
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 12, 2010, 09:48 AM
Votes: +0

ND Heritage said:

...
I would like to develop a non-profit and have three lease requirements which will aid my organization’s fiscal ability to carry out the mission of helping people living in North Dakota communities.
Does anyone know of an entity who offers lease agreements that will provide the following options?
1. Enter into a lease agreement for office space (approx. 2000sq ft.) which will charge me $1.00 per month rent for the next 50-75 years.
2. The lease must allow me the freedom to sublet my space for $10,000 per month and pocket the $9,999.00 for my organization's use.
3. I will agree to a “handshake partnership” with you, and TRY, successfully or unsuccessfully to utilize your entity for purchases, staffing, consulting etc.
Thank you.

March 25, 2010, 11:05 AM
Votes: +0

nimrod said:

Even better
I want to be a member of the legislative committee that drafts legislation to allow creation of a new quasi-public entity. I want to be hired to be executive director of a new quasi-public entity created under legislation my committee drafted and sponsored. I want the chairman of the board of that entity, and my boss, to be the president of a university. I want to be on the legislative committee that oversees the state commission that manages the university system and has oversight authority over the presidents of the universities, including my boss. And, I'd like some new double-knit suits. I'd also like to know where I can go to get my poodle clipped in Burbank.

March 25, 2010, 01:22 PM
Votes: +0