Bismarck Tribune

Compiled by Compiled by LAUREN DONOVAN

The Golden Valley County Commission held a special meeting recently to deal with a very good problem.

How would it spend more than $1 million from the federal government?

The money is PILT, or Payments In Lieu of Taxes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service's receipts from mineral and grazing leases in the county.

This year's PILT money is three times more than the county received last year.

Most of the money will go toward the county's road department, which typically gets a half mill from county property taxes.

County road foreman Pete Wirtzfeld said the bonus comes from a balloon in oil leases, but the county should spend it well and wisely because it's not likely to be repeated next year.

"This burp in payment is temporary," Wirtzfeld said. "We need to proceed cautiously in how we spend it"

Some possibilities are to finance the Highway 10 project slated for 2007, buy down motor grader loans, replace culverts in the Johnstone Bridge, crush scoria for township roads and pay off county trucks.

Generally, the county gives 10 percent of the payment to the schools to split between Beach and Golva.

"We all share in the wealth when the money comes in, and we all share in the bad times when the money isn't there," said Wirtzfeld.

- Golden Valley News

Give it back

Crosby giveth, and now Crosby would like to get it back.

It may take an act of Congress, though.

The city donated the old P&H Motel property to the federal government, which planned to use it to build housing for additional Border Patrol agents.

The government planned to bring in prefabricated Canadian houses, but the project was delayed because local contractors wanted an option to bid on the construction.

When the Department of Homeland Security decided not to add any housing, the donated land could not be returned to the city. Instead, it became classified as surplus property and regulations required that it be offered first to other federal agencies, and next to organizations that serve the homeless.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., is trying to fix Crosby's problem so it can have its land back.

He amended a Senate supplemental appropriations bill that directs the department to return the donated land at no cost. A vote on the bill is expected this month.

"Talk about being cheated by the system," Conrad said. "If the Border Patrol is not using the land, it should be returned to Crosby, free of charge. My amendment simply rights a wrong."

David Olson, Crosby job developer, said the land would make good building property for the city and Crosby shouldn't have to pay for something it donated in the first place.

- The Journal

To more Tibors

When Hebron holds its annual Watermelon Day celebration July 8, there'll be plenty of music to go with the fun.

And because it's Hebron, the music will be associated with the Tibor family.

It's been 60 years since the Joseph and Margaret Tibor family started what's become a well-known regional musical dynasty.

The family wants to celebrate that tradition, so it's staging a reunion in conjunction with Hebron's summer celebration.

Francis Tibor, of the Tibor Brothers Band, said he anticipates about 300 Tibors from places like Alaska, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Florida, Louisiana and elsewhere will be in town.

The Tibors will set up three stages on the Modern Grain property and play from noon to past midnight.

The idea is to get a round robin going, with one song from each stage in succession.

Francis Tibor said the family's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are bringing bands to town, and possibly as many as 15 bands will be performing throughout the day.

Some of the band names are Cypress, Shiss, Decade, Crawling Inward and Misfit Toys.

Francis Tibor said the Tibor Brothers celebrated a more traditional 50th music anniversary a decade ago, performing all the music themselves.

This will be quite different.

"This year, we decided to emphasize the offspring," he said.

He figures the community will need some food vendors to keep up with the festivities and anyone interested should call him at 878-4628.

- Hebron Herald