Last year, on Jully 30, 2013,  I went on the Carrington Ag Business Tour.  At that time I took the following pictures and wrote a short review of the tour.  I really appreciated the chance to see firsthand four of the most successful ag businesses in our area.

The tour was very informative and successfully pointed out the intense focus/dedication that these business owners have in order to be so successful.

I hope that the Carrington Convention and Visitors Bureau will organize another Ag Business Tour this summer - with a focus on four more businesses.


Carrington Ag Business Tour - July 30, 2013

 

 

     The Carrington Ag Business Tour took place on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, visiting four ag-oriented establishments in our area: Andy Deterding Ag Aviation; NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center; Richard Zink's Wholesale Ag Products; and the Van Bedaf Dairy.

     The four ag businesses on this tour are excellent examples of ag-oriented endeavors at their best. These business owners and the staff at NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center need to be commended for the extreme effort they put into their work... and for the economic opportunities/prestige they bring to our community.

     Special thanks goes to Steve Metzger for hosting the tour and to Farm Credit Services, North Dakota Farmers Union, Arrowwood Prairie Co-op and the Carrington Convention and Visitors Bureau for making this tour possible.

Foster County, ND Auditor Refuses To Let Citizens Speak at Commissioners Meeting

Even though Judge Schmitz dismissed the restraining orders that Foster County Auditor Teresa Risovi filed against my husband (Ted Keller) and me, the restraint against our freedom of speech continues.  I requested to be on the agenda for the Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, but the auditor's assistant, Heather Martin, sent me an email denying my request to speak.   She also denied my husband's request as follows: "I am responding on behalf of Teresa to your email below.  She has consulted with the attorneys and you [mispelled] request has been denied."

Since Auditor Risovi LIED (under oath) in order to get restraining orders against my husband and me, and since she was caught COMMITTING PERJURY in court during the April 25, 2014, hearing, how can I believe that she has "consulted with attorneys" or that these attorneys have told her to deny my request to be on the agenda?

Most likely, Chairman Straley and Auditor Risovi don't want my questions/comments to be televised by way of DakTel, exposing the questionable practices that are taking place.  For instance, I want to know if our tax money went to pay for Risovi's attorney during the court hearing about our restraining orders.  That hearing and attorney's costs wouldn't have been necessary if she hadn't filed the ridiculous restraining orders against us.  

Also, do you realize that Assistant State's Attorney Scott Porsborg has been hired by Foster County to defend Teresa Risovi in a civil law suit which we have filed against her personally? Why do the citizens of Foster County have to pay for Risovi's wreckless actions?  Most importantly, who is authorizing this expense?  Is this something else that Chairman Straley and Auditor Risovi have cooked up between themselves?  (Haven't you heard, as we have, that Straley and Risovi were involved in getting rid of Ex-Auditor Roger Slotmann and in having Commissioner Chairman Jimmy Carr arrested?  Isn't it interesting that Paul Straley then became Commissioner Chairman and Teresa Risovi became Auditor?)

How are they continuing to get away with their questionably suspicious actions?!!  As well, who else is involved in their effort to keep the public in the dark about what is going on at the Foster County Courthouse?  What are they trying to keep hidden from the public?

For those of you who have been following the Foster County Commissioners' meetings, either by attending or by watching the meetings on DakTel, now would be a good time to get involved. When the Foster County Commissioner Chairman and the Auditor won't let community members speak at meetings, and when the Auditor files restraining orders against citizens who protest against her breaking the law, don't you think something needs to be done?  Please get on the Agenda and speak up.

Foster County, ND - Auditor Commits Perjury in an Effort to Stifle Freedom of Speech

On Friday, April 25, 2014, my husband and I appeared in the Foster County Court before Judge Jay Schmitz in a case entitled Teresa L. Risovi vs. Judy Keller and Ted Keller. Teresa Risovi, the Auditor of Foster County, had restraining orders for disorderly conduct filed against us, and we were in court to fight for our first amendment rights and to refute the charges that she had made. If her charges were found to be true, the temporary restraining orders would have been extended. Then, basically if we did anything that the Auditor considered a threat (like talking loudly around her, gesturing with our hands while talking near her, coming into her office and asking for public records, sitting behind her at Foster County Commissioners meetings, taking pictures of her at the meetings, writing critical articles about her on CarringtonNews.com, "watching" her, etc.), we could be arrested without a warrant and put in jail for up to a year and/or fined $2,000.

QUITE A WEAPON to have in the hands of a vindictive government official!

After listening to the testimony in court, Judge Schmitz dismissed both restraining orders, basically saying that he did not find our actions to be disorderly conduct, or conduct that threatened Auditor Risovi's safety. In his opinion our actions were included under constitutionally-protected activities.

After listening to Risovi testify in court that she is "terrified" of me, I truly have a hard time understanding how I've caused that intense fear, and I'm sorry that she feels the way she does. I want to assure her and her friends that my husband and I are no threat to her personal safety. However, because of the lies that she swore to under oath (committing perjury) in the restraining orders, we will most likely continue to be a threat to her job safety as Auditor of Foster County.

In my opinion, any person who is so insecure and terrorized by the above Constitutionally-protected actions, and who is so ignorant of the law, should not be holding a public office. We need people serving in our government offices who conscientiously make an effort to understand our county/state/federal laws and how they apply to their positions and to the communities they serve... people who we can trust to be honest and truthful with us.

The question is.. how do we get qualified people to run for those offices?
.................................

NOTE: By the way, for the auditor's friends/supporters who thought my husband and I were sending her threatening letters, the letters were simply notifications of legal motions, filings, dates that Auditor Risovi needed to be aware of for the hearing. They were letters with information that would help the auditor prepare for the hearing, a hearing which she, herself, instigated by filing restraining orders against us. Somehow or other... in her and her friends' minds... those official letters turned into "death threats," bullying, and harassment from "crazies." If they're ever in a situation like this again, I hope they make it a point to get some facts before they start spreading the gossip and lies.

Foster County, ND: Auditor Files Restraining Order against Concerned Citizens

Believe it or not, our Foster County Auditor, Teresa Risovi filed a "Disorderly Conduct Restraining Order" against me (and my husband - in two separate orders). According to the petition,"Disorderly Conduct" means intrusive or unwanted acts, words, or gestures that are intended to adversely affect the safety, security or privacy of another person."

I don't think Auditor Risovi understood the following sentence which is also in the petition: "Disorderly conduct does not include consititutionally protected activity," such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to obtain public records, freedom to take pictures of public officials at public meetings, freedom to criticiZe the performance of a public official, and freedom to park in a public parking space, namely the parking lot of Foster County.

The Restraining Order goes on to say that I cannot:1. Engage in any disorderly conduct toward the petitioner 2. Cannot "come within 50 feet of petitioner when petitioner is outside Foster County Courthouse building or come within 25 feet of petitioner's vehicle or residence."

"Violation of this order is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2000. Any peace officer may arrest you with or without a warrant and take you into custody if the peace officer has probable cause to believe you have violated this order."

Well, Auditor Risovi, you are not going to take away my 1st Amendment rights by threatening me with a frivolous restraining order that is filled with paranoid statements and lies. Anyone who has been following CarringtonNews.com knows that I have not threatened you in any way. I have mostly been stating facts about the illegal/abusive way that Chairman Paul Straley has been running the Foster County Commissioners meetings and not allowing community members to speak. The fact that you were hired during an illegal meeting is a matter for the courts to decide.

Could you be more obvious about the fact that your restraining orders were purely retaliatory and meant to quash my civil rights and the rights of my husband? Why didn't you just come out and say that you filed frivolus restraining orders because my husband filed a complaint to remove you from office!

The courts will decide whether or not you are holding your office legally. As well, the courts will decide if you can restrict constitutionally-protected speech and activities here in Foster County, the way you are trying to do with your restraining orders.

Lastly, I think it's pitiful that you can pretend to fear for your safety around a 68-year-old, overweight, arthritic grandma who taught for over 35 years about our constitutional rights... rights which I dearly value and will not give up because of threats from a government official like you.

Beware the Auditor of Foster County, ND

Auditor Teresa Risovi and Commissioner Chairman Paul Straley

One must be careful nowadays when you enter the Foster County Auditor's office... especially if you're there to request public records. Foster County Sheriff's deputies are close at hand, seemingly ready to escort you out, if the auditor, Teresa Risovi, doesn't like you or your "tone." As well, have you heard that your phonecalls are being recorded without your consent? Not a very welcoming or citizen-friendly situation....

I truly think everyone in our community should BE AWARE OF and BEWARE of what's going on at our Foster County Courthouse. 

I personally experienced being told by Teresa Risovi to leave her office and was "walked out" of the auditor's office by two Foster County Sheriff's deputies... along with my husband, Ted Keller. I was there to request the log of the people who had requested public records in the last month because during the last commissioner's meeting, in her report Risovi only mentioned and emphasized names of people who think she was not legally appointed auditor. 

Ted was there to request a copy of Risovi's "Oath of Office" to make sure that she had been sworn in as Auditor legally. Risovi's response to Ted's request was that she didn't know where the Foster County oaths of office were located in her office, and that she had three days to provide him with her Oath of Office or any record that was requested. She raised her voice to tell us to leave her office, and that's when two deputies showed up behind us and walked us out the door. They were nice about it actually, but I felt rather uncomfortable and intimidated by their escort. 

Commissioner Straley Invites Law Suits - April 1, 2014

The Foster County Commissioners Meeting took place at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at the Foster County Courthouse in Carrington. At the meeting, Chairman Paul Straley continued to invite lawsuits to be filed against Foster County. Ted Keller explained to him that he shouldn't have to file a lawsuit against the county in order to get Straley to listen to concerned citizens and follow the law. On March 18th, at the last Commissioners Meeting, Chairman Straley told Keller that if he had a complaint about the way the commission was being run that he should file a lawsuit against them. At that time, Keller explained that if they admitted their errors, they could correct them without a lawsuit. He even explained how to do it. 

Sadly, it seems like the only way to be heard by Chairman Straley is to file a lawsuit against the commission's actions. Ted Keller and Leo Straley did just that. They filed a complaint alledging that Paul Straley and the Foster County Commission violated the North Dakota Century Code § 44-04-20 by acting beyond what was stated in the notice and agenda for their "special" meeting on March 3, 2014. That notice stated that the meeting would only involve the application process for the vacated position of Auditor, not actually appointing a person to be Auditor. Chairman Straley and Commissioner Greger voted to appoint Teresa Risovi as Auditor, against Commissioner Carr's objection to their actions. 

In their Complaint, Keller and Leo Straley asked the Court to rule that the March 3rd "Special" meeting was in violation of North Dakota law and that the appointment of Teresa Risovi should be void. It is their contention that Chairman Straley and Commissioner Greger knowingly violated the law, intentionally depriving the public of any input or comments... thereby "getting their way" without questions or objections from the community.

Please Attend the Foster County, ND Commissioners Meeting - April 1, 2014 - 8:30 AM

Numerous topics will be discussed at the next Foster County Commissioners meeting.  One of the biggest and new questions is... why did the newly appointed Auditor, Teresa Risovi, fire Sarah Aberle who has for about a year worked successfully and efficiently as Assistant Auditor and then Auditor?  If Risovi truly had the good of the county in mind, shouldn't she want a successful, experienced person as her assistant?  Instead, she waited till the end of the working day on Friday, told Aberle that she had decided to hire someone else (a person without any Auditor's experience), and basically handed Aberle her walking papers.

Other rather controversial issues to be discussed are: 

How Teresa Risovi's salary was calculated

The recall petition for Les Greger

Gussiaas resignation letter

Resignation of Kathleen Murray as Assistant State's Attorney

Public records and meeting notice requirements 

We need to shine a light on what's going on with our county government... both negative and positive aspects.  DakTel is helping do this by televising the Foster county Commissioners meetings at different times during the following weeks of the meetings.  All those who wish to witness your government at work firsthand... how it spends/wastes your dollars... should attend and let Chairman Straley know that every time he and the commissioners act people will be watching.  The more people who attend the meeting, the better!

Porridge & Petitions in Carrington, ND

 

PORRIDGE & PETITIONS: Just had soup at the Putnam House, and it was yummy! A big thanks to the ladies who organize this event every year for the Putnam House... and also to the great soup makers who contribute to the event every year. I met lots of friendly people there today. When I asked them to sign a petition to expand the number of Foster County commissioners to five, most of them were happy to comply. I got the same reaction elsewhere in town while I was shopping. People are definitely ready for a change and can see the benefit of having five commissioners instead of three. Thanks to Vern Anderson, there are quite a few petitions going around town, so if you would like to sign one, I'm sure you can find someone who has one to sign. If not, contact Vern at 652-3405 - or myself (Judy Keller) at 650-0103.

 

Thoughts about the Foster County Commissioners Meeting (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)

THOUGHTS about the Foster County Commissioners Meeting(Tuesday, March 4, 2014) :

After watching the entire Foster County Commissioners meeting on Daktel (Tuesday, March 4, 2014) I can see how people can get different ideas about how it was handled.

As well as watching the meeting on DakTel, I've talked to several people who attended the meeting and I've read all of your comments on my Facebook site.

After reviewing everything, it seems that one part of the meeting went extremely well and was very informative, that being John Murphy's presentation about our Foster County taxes. According to his statistics, Foster County is sitting on a 4-million dollar surplus; yet our citizens continue to be taxed excessively to the tune of four hundred thousand dollars a year.

The commissioners did not dispute this fact, but Chairman Straley seemed dismissive of Mr. Murphy's suggested solutions to this problem and Murphy's demand that there be a remedy to this overcharging of the taxpayer. Indeed, Mr. Murphy's grasp of the fiscal status of our county shows why he served successfully as a commissioner for several decades. It would behoove us to listen to his suggestions and the suggestions of other experienced people.

 According to most people, the obvious negative aspect of last night's meeting, was the impatient attitude and continued rudeness exhibited by Chairman Straley. Many of you have commented on the fact that he ran the meeting like a tyrant with no patience for anyone with an opinion different from his own. His blustering, yelling and accusations remind me of someone who feels out of control, is in over his head in a situation, and who thinks that being loud and commanding will impress people.

That kind of behavior just doesn't work with knowledgeble, more experienced adults. As you will have noticed, most of the serious adults who wanted to speak finally left in frustration... some accompanied by Sheriff Tufte (who was standing nearby, off-camera during most of the meeting).

 Lastly, I think we have too many pressing issues in the county to be controlled by ANY inexperienced, immature person. Chairman Straley, or any chairman or commissioner, needs to listen to the ideas of the people, and we, as citizens, need to become more involved in helping them administer to the needs of our county.

 Hopefully, more of us will start attending the commissioners' meetings or watching them on DakTel. Also, I'm going to suggest that the meetings be held in the evening when more people will be able to attend. Perhaps that will help.

 (I especially want to thank everyone who has tuned in to CarringtonNews.com for the last few days, all of you who "liked" my Facebook page, and those of you who took the time to express your opinions. ~Judy Keller)

Foster County Commissioners Meetings

As a result of Chairman Straley's abrasive actions at the March 4th Foster County Board meeting, many citizens are making sure that they are on the agenda for the March 18th meeting. Please keep in mind that the commissioners' meeting is on Tuesday, March 18th at 8:30am. If you would like to be on the agenda, please call ASAP and have your name put on the list. It will be interesting to see how Straley acts when he is confronted with a room full of concerned citizens who insist on being heard.

 Here are a few quotes from Leasa Lura's article in the Foster County Independent's March 10, 2014 issue (regarding the March 4th meeting):

 "... Straley said he [Gussiaas] could not speak at the meeting because he was not on the agenda."

 "Straley told Gussiaas to be quiet or he would be thrown out of the meeting."

 "...resident Ted Keller said he [Keller] has the right to speak because he is on the agenda."

 [Keller] "You couldn't have appointed a worse person for auditor because she is a witness for the prosecution against Jimmy, and he cannot have any contact with her. Why didn't you get any input from the people?

 "When others in the room tried to speak, Straley silenced them all and told the audience, '"There will be no arguing at my meetings."

 [Joel Rindy] "Your meeting? I thought this was our meeting."

 "Gussiaas again tried to speak, but Straley would not let him. Gussiaas then said, '"This is a public meeting, and I have the right to speak. I am on two different county boards, planning and zoning and soils committee, and I resign from both boards if I cannot speak at these public meetings.'"

 "County resident Josh Dreher tried to speak at the meeting, but was silenced by Straley who said, '"I am not recognizing you.'"

 "Joel Rindy asked if he could speak to the board, but Straley said no."

 "Murphy said Straley should allow Rindy to speak."

 "Straley pointed out to Murphy that in the Open Meetings Law, a board does not have to allow anyone to speak unless they are on the agenda."

 "Murphy agreed with Straley, but said that in the past people have always been allowed to speak."

 (Note: You can see the full article in the Foster County Independent's online edition by subscribing to their site at fostercountyindependent.com.)