01.14.11

Hoeven to Hold Community Roundtables in North Dakota

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. John Hoeven will hold roundtable discussions with state, local and federal officials in North Dakota communities on Monday, January 17 and Tuesday, January 18, 2011. Meetings will be held on Monday in Fargo on flood preparations and in Grand Forks on base retention. Rep. Rick Berg will join him at the Monday meetings. A Tuesday meeting in Bismarck will address North Dakota’s opposition to an Army Corps of Engineers plan to charge residents and businesses for Missouri River water. Following is a schedule of the planned events:

Flood Preparation Roundtable Meeting

Where: Fargo City Hall, Commission Room, 200 3rd St. N., Fargo

When: 9:30 a.m.

Agenda: Meeting to focus on Flood Preparation for spring 2011

Participants: Congressman Rick Berg; Fargo City Mayor Dennis Walaker; West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern; Oxbow Mayor Jim Nyhof; Cass County Commissioners Darrell Vanyo and Scott Wagner; County Administrator Bonnie Johnson and County Engineer, Keith Berndt; Fargo City Commissioner Tim Mahoney; City Administrator Pat Zavoral and Engineer Mark Bittner; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Flood Engineer Tim Bertschi; Sen. Kent Conrad’s Office, Scott Stofferahn.

Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC)/Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Transition Roundtable

Where: The Chamber, 202 3rd Street North, Grand Forks

When: 1 p.m.

Agenda: Briefing and strategy session to advance the current and possible future missions of the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and discussion of collaborative efforts through BRIC and other entities to support these missions.

Participants: Congressman Rick Berg; Grand Forks Mayor Michael Brown; Wing Commander Col. Don Shaffer, Grand Forks Air Force Base; John Marshall; Director of the UND Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence Al Palmer; City Administrator Rick Duquette; County Commission John Schmisek; BRIC member Bill Lee; Center for Innovation Director Bruce Gjovig; Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce President Barry Wilfahrt; BRIC Coordinator Sheila Bruhn; John Priddy, Customs and Border Protection; Sen. Kent Conrad’s Office, Shelly Klein.

Missouri River Water Access

Where: County Building – 221 N 5th Street, Tom Baker Room, Bismarck

When: Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Agenda: Opposition to Army Corps of Engineers’ plan to charge for water access.

Participants: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander, Omaha District, Col. Robert Ruch; Watford City Mayor Brent Sanford; New Town Mayor Dan Uran; Parshall Mayor Richard Bolkan; Garrison Mayor Shannon Jeffers; Williston Mayor Ward Koeser; Bismarck Mayor John Warford; Williams County Commissioner Daniel Kalil; Mountrail County Commissioner David Hynek; McKenzie County Commissioner Roger Chinn; McLean County Commissioner Julie Hudson; Dunn County Commissioner Daryl Dukart; Mercer County Commissioner Lyle Latimer; Three Affiliated TribesTribal Chairman Tex Hall; McKenzie County Jobs Development Authority Director Gene Veeder; North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association, Eric Volk; North Dakota Irrigation Association Executive Director Mike Dwyer; Chairman, Missouri River Joint Water Board Ken Royse; State Water Commissioner Todd Sando.