Commissioners in Pembina and Walsh counties recently awarded funds to cities for community betterment projects as part of the ½ Mill “Self-Help” Program. The self-help program is administered by the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) on behalf of the counties. The main objective is to promote development within communities of Pembina and Walsh counties. There are three program criteria:

• ½ Mill requests cannot exceed one-half of the total project cost, nor can the request exceed $1,500.
• The county funds must be matched 1:1. Funds will be released on a reimbursement basis with supporting documentation.
• A copy of a resolution or minutes of the meeting when the applicant authorized the project must be included with the application. The city must include in its minutes that it plans to apply for self-help funds for a specific project.

• Bathgate: Street maintenance, mowing and snow removal
• Cavalier: Pocket Park, Main Street lighting, city beautification
• Crystal: Sidewalk replacement project
• Drayton: Sidewalk replacement project
• Mountain: Sidewalk replacement project
• Pembina: City park improvements
• Thomas: Sidewalk replacement project

• Adams: Costs to relocate fill material
• Edinburg: Repair pavement from frost boils
• Fairdale: Maintenance and mowing of the city park
• Fordville: Costs associated with city skating rink
• Forest River: Gravel for street repair
• Grafton: Costs to purchase statue for Veteran’s Memorial Park at Heritage Village
• Hoople: Costs to drill new city well
• Lankin: Street improvement equipment lease and maintenance
• Minto: Tree trimming and cleanup
• Park River: Replace doors at city hall
• Pisek: Street sign replacement project

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The impactful people, projects and ideas that make this region strong will again be celebrated at the fourth annual Ideas to Actions Summit, an event hosted by the Red River Regional Council (RRRC). The event is set for November 15, 2018 at the Minto Community Center. “We are excited to continue with the Ideas to Actions Summit take a bit of time to recognize people, ideas and projects moving communities forward throughout the region,” said Dawn Keeley, Executive Director of the RRRC. The RRRC is seeking nominations for the 2018 North Star, Catalyst and Collaboration Awards. The North Star Award will go to an idea that illuminates opportunities or creates a guiding light for progress within a community; the Catalyst Award will recognize an individual who acts as a kickstarter for an idea or a project; and the Collaboration Award will recognize a successful project that involve teamwork and create a notable impact. The purpose of the Ideas to Actions Summit is to create excitement about the potential of the region’s communities, and to recognize the excellent work of the region’s leaders and communities. The agenda includes a networking social, a keynote presentation, and the awards presentation. All events will be held at the Minto Community Center and are free and open to the public. More information about the award criteria and how to complete a nomination form can be accessed several ways - at the RRRC’s website at www.redriverrc.com; the RRRC’s Facebook page; by calling the RRRC office at 701.352.3550 to request a form be mailed to you; or by emailing cheryl@redriverrc.com . The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2018. All nominees will be recognized at the Summit. The RRRC is one of eight regional planning councils in North Dakota established in 1973 to enhance the ability of local governments to jointly plan, address issues, and seize opportunities that transcend individual boundaries.  The RRRC serves Region IV which includes Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina, and Walsh Counties.  More information can be found at www.redriverrc.com. Ideas to Actions Summit Awards Nomination Form 2018 - FILLABLE WORD

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CDBG Awards The Red River Regional Council Board of Directors allocated its $202,711 in 2018 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to three projects in Region IV at its meeting August 17, 2018. The projects include:

• $57,500 to the City of Minto for a housing rehabilitation project. The project will assist qualifying low and moderate-income homeowners with health and safety issues in their homes at no cost to the homeowner. Common repairs including roofing, windows, doors, plumbing, heating and electrical, and other safety and accessibility items. It is anticipated up to 12 homes will be rehabilitated and the work will begin in 2019.
• $99,500 to the City of Walhalla on behalf of the Walla Theater project. The city will be the applicant for this grant which will address accessibility in the theater. The CDBG funds will be used to construct two ADA accessible restrooms, add ADA compliant doors and automatic openers at the entrances, and construct the ramp and stage at the front of the theater. It is the goal of the Gorge Arts and Heritage Council, which has been working on this project for 10 years, to give the area a community center and gathering space. The theater will be utilized by the school and public and will be able to host talent shows, youth rallies, senior citizen entertainment, high school plays, holiday programs, recitals and of course, movies.
• $45,711 to the City of Grafton on behalf of the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council’s energy efficiency project at the facility in Grafton. Tri-Valley Opportunity Council supports a Migrant Head Start program at the facility in Grafton. The program serves children of migrant families from age 6 weeks to 5 years old. There are potentially 109 children enrolled for the 2018 season which is May to November. The project will consist of replacing 24 wood windows and heat exchanger for the building. New controls will be installed to more efficiently control the mechanical systems in the building.

Outgoing board member Mayor Ken Briese, Cavalier, recognized for his service by Chris Lipsh, President, and Dawn Keeley, Executive Director

Dawn Keeley, Executive Director, recognized for 20 years of service by President Chris Lipsh and Past President, Dan Stenvolds

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The pre-application deadline for Region IV's (Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties) Community Development Block Grant is June 28, 2018. Anyone interested in applying for a potential project is strongly advised to contact CDBG Program Manager Stacie Sevigny as soon as possible. The Red River Regional Council will have $202,711 available for distribution to projects in Region IV in 2018. WHAT IS CDBG? The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was established by Congress in 1974 and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The North Dakota Department of Commerce – Division of Community Services administers the CDBG program for the state with funding recommendations developed by the eight regional councils. The Red River Regional Council (RRRC) makes recommendations for Region IV, which includes Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties. As defined by HUD, the primary purpose of CDBG is “the development of viable communities, by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.” DEFINING LOW & MODERATE INCOME Low and moderate income (LMI) households are those that are up to 80% of the median household income based on household size. Data is derived from the 2010 U.S. Census and differentiates by household size and is defined as all persons living in a single household. Income of anyone age 18 or older is included in the total. To see what the current income limits are when defining LMI households, please review this chart: income limits. MEETING A NATIONAL OBJECTIVE In order to be eligible for CDBG funds, a project or activity must meet at least one of the national objectives:

1. Activities benefiting low and moderate-income persons:

• The benefits are available to all the residents in a particular area, where at least 51% of the residents are LMI.
• Where the assistance is to a public improvement that provides benefits to all the residents of an area that is limited to paying special assessments levied against residential properties owned and occupied by LMI persons.
• Any cities or counties having 51% or more of households meeting these criteria meet the definition of an LMI community. Please review the  LMI stat chart  for a complete list of Region IV communities and LMI percentages.
• In a community with 51% or more LMI residents, CDBG funds can be used for construction costs on public facilities projects. If the community is under 51% LMI, CDBG funds can only be used to pay the special assessments of the LMI provided the total LMI assessments do not exceed available CDBG funds.

• An activity which benefits a limited clientele, at least 51% of whom are LMI.
• Project directed to removal of material and architectural barriers (ADA accessibility) in publicly owned and privately owned non-residential buildings and facilities.

• An activity carried out for the primary purpose of providing or improving permanent residential structures which will be occupied by LMI households.

• Create permanent jobs were at least 51% of which involve the employment of LMI persons.
• For job retention, the city or county must document the job would be lost without CDBG assistance and the job is known to be held by a LMI person; and/or the job can reasonably be expected to turn over within the following 2 years and will be filled by, or steps will be taken to ensure it is available to, an LMI person.

• Resulting area must remain perpetual greenspace or if new construction the end result must meet a national objective.

• Public infrastructure projects including: lagoon improvements, sanitary sewer lift station, reconstruction of street lights, replacement of fire hydrants, citywide street paving, etc.
• Housing rehabilitation, conversion, construction
• Removal of architectural barriers (handicap accessibility)
• Economic development: Part of the North Dakota Community Development Loan Fund (CDLF), which targets both primary and retail sector businesses and job creation/retention for LMI. Used for new business gap financing, business purchase, equipment, working capital and infrastructure. Recent economic development projects funded in our region include: extension of water and sewer infrastructure to support the construction of a new business; and business purchase as well as heating, cooling and roofing updates in the building.

• A city or county must be the applicant. The city or county must adopt a Resolution of Sponsorship, which must be included with the pre-application.
• If the estimated project cost is $25,000 or more, the applicant must procure a licensed architect or engineer, including drawings or plans and preliminary engineering/architectural report. The RRRC can assist the applicant with bidding, etc., but the expertise of an architect/engineer is extremely helpful, especially when drafting bid specifications.
• The applicant share is the engineering/architect fees and grant administration which is 10% of CDBG award for public facilities and economic development projects; 15% for housing rehabilitation and public facility special assessment projects.
• An environmental review must be conducted for all projects prior to submission of the grant to the state. The process can take up to 60 days if the project is not in the floodplain. The review for projects in the floodplain can take 90 days or longer.
• All applicants must conduct at least one public hearing and community needs assessment prior to submitting a grant to the state. At least one public notice regarding the intention to apply for CDBG will need to be published in the municipality’s official newspaper.
• CDBG requires contractors working on a project to pay Davis Bacon wage rates which can increase the overall cost of a project. Contractors must pay employees weekly and submit weekly payroll reports to verify wage rate compliance.
• If a contractor is awarded more than $100,000 on a project or the applicant receives more than $200,000, Section 3 requirements will apply. Section 3 requires specific steps be taken so that low and very low-income residents and Section 3 business concerns have an opportunity to benefit from the project.
• Applicants that have not completed a Section 504 Self Evaluation Transition Plan (an evaluation of city/county owned facilities for accessibility) will be required to complete one prior to completion of the project. Communities that have a transition plan will be required to make any necessary updates. The plan requires local governments to evaluate their programs, activities, buildings and services to ensure they are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

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Walsh and Pembina counties are currently seeking cities interested in funding assistance for community betterment projects. Both Pembina and Walsh counties are accepting applications for projects as part of their Self-Help Programs. There are many ways communities can use these county funds for betterment projects. Examples of projects cities used the funds toward include: maintenance and mowing at a city park; baseball diamond repairs; sidewalk and street repairs; Senior Center programs; and building repair. The main objective is to promote development within communities of Pembina and Walsh counties. The Red River Regional Council manages the program on behalf of the counties. There are four program criteria:

1.   Requests cannot exceed one-half of the total project cost, nor can the request exceed $1,500.
2.   The county funds must be matched 1:1. Funds will be released on a reimbursement basis with supporting documentation.
3.   A copy of a resolution or minutes of the meeting when the applicant authorized the project must be included with the application. The city must include in its minutes that it plans to apply for self-help funds for a specific project.
4.   Any change in scope of the awarded project or if a City would like to use funds for a different project than awarded, the change must first be approved by the County.

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In partnership with the City of Minto and the Walsh County Job Development Authority, the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) is currently seeking interested homeowners for a potential housing rehabilitation project for owner-occupied homes within the city limits of Minto. Applications are being accepted until March 30, 2018 to meet grant funding deadlines. The program assists low income residents with health and safety issues in their homes at no cost to the homeowner. Common repairs include roofing, windows, doors, plumbing, heating, electrical, and other safety or accessibility items. Federal funding sources also require lead paint, floodplain, and historic preservation issues be addressed. When complete, all homes must meet Section 8 Housing Quality and Safety standards. The RRRC is currently seeking interested homeowners to apply for the potential project in Minto. Similar projects were recently completed in Cavalier and Grafton. The RRRC is currently working with the City of Park River on a housing rehabilitation project in that city. Determining the potential number of applicants will assist in developing a possible funding package for the potential project which will include several federal grant funding resources. If grant applications are successful, any potential applicants will need to provide updated income documentation at that time, likely in the summer or fall of 2018. The project would likely start fall of 2018 or early 2019. Eligiblity In order to be eligible for this program, homes must:

• Be located within the city limits of Minto
• Be single-family
• Be owner-occupied (no rentals)
• Mobile homes are not eligible
• Homeowners must not have outstanding debt/taxes with the City of Minto
• The cost to rehabilitate a home must be conducive to its true and full value

• A copy of 2017 property tax statement to prove ownership.
• A copy of the current homeowner’s insurance statement.
• A copy of 2017 income tax statement. Please provide 2016 income tax statement if 2017 is not yet available.
• The most recent two months of personal bank statements (personal and checking).
• A copy of 2018 social security benefits statement, if applicable.
• If employed, copies of pay stubs for the past three months.

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Commissioners in Pembina and Walsh counties recently awarded funds to cities for community betterment projects as part of the ½ Mill “Self-Help” Program. The self-help program is administered by the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) on behalf of the counties. The main objective is to promote development within communities of Pembina and Walsh counties. There are three program criteria:

• ½ Mill requests cannot exceed one-half of the total project cost, nor can the request exceed $1,500.
• The county funds must be matched 1:1. Funds will be released on a reimbursement basis with supporting documentation.
• A copy of a resolution or minutes of the meeting when the applicant authorized the project must be included with the application. The city must include in its minutes that it plans to apply for self-help funds for a specific project.

• Bathgate: Graveling and blading on city streets
• Cavalier: Automatic door opener on City Administration Building
• Crystal: Replace sidewalks to comply with ADA requirements
• Drayton: Street repair project
• Mountain: Sidewalk replacement project
• Neche: Graveling city streets
• Pembina: Concrete at ice arena to make usable for all seasons
• Thomas: Continued city beautification project, with concentration on city buildings
• Walhalla: Jetting of sewer lines

• Adams: Tin roof on park picnic shelter
• Edinburg: Repair pavement from frost boils
• Fairdale: Maintenance and mowing of the city park
• Fordville: Updates at Sluke Baseball Field
• Forest River: New electrical panel at lift station
• Grafton: Repair exit door of main theatre building at Heritage Village
• Hoople: Replacement of sidewalks
• Lankin: Renovation of former café into community space
• Minto: Continuation of tree clean-up costs from 2016 summer storms
• Park River: Replace fixtures in City Hall Auditorium restrooms
• Pisek: Continued sidewalk repair on Lovcik Avenue

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For the past year, a group of approximately 15 regional leaders have been meeting to relaunch the Rendezvous Region Tourism Council which was first initiated 25 years ago.  Initially started as a partnership between the cities of Langdon, Walhalla, Cavalier and Pembina, the group has grown to include Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh Counties.  At their meeting last Thursday at Frost Fire near Walhalla, the council adopted its new logo and is in the process of developing a marketing campaign to spread the awareness of the many recreational and cultural amenities in northeast North Dakota. The council’s mission is to build a cohesive tourism brand through education, marketing and amenity enhancement.  The new logo emulates an attractive destination and was designed to reflect the varied landscape of prairie, rolling hills, and the Pembina Gorge.  The logo tagline references a variety of outdoor recreation amenities, rich cultural and prehistoric history, and the serene nature. The group is currently developing a membership model to build annual revenue to invest in marketing of the area.  In 2017, the council had a six-page regional feature in the Fargo-based High Plains Reader, developed a Facebook page, and has secured a full-page ad in the 2018 ND Travel Guide which reaches more than 300,000 people.  The Cavalier County Lodging Tax Committee committed $1,250 towards the 2018 ND Travel Guide based on participation from Walsh and Pembina Counties.  The Pembina County JDA became a founding member of the revived tourism council with its $10,000 contribution at their meeting on November 8, 2017.  Tourism is a priority economic development strategy. On Prairie Software, a Walhalla based software development company, is also launching the “Find ND” smart phone application that people can use to plan their trip to the Rendezvous Region and learn more about the area.  The group is also exploring additional uses of technology to provide education availability at all times.  According to Nathan Smith, On Prairie Software President, “Technology gives visitors an immediate personalized guide to the region and allows us to be proactive in showing what the region has to offer.” Tourism is the state’s third largest industry, behind energy and agriculture.  According to a North Dakota State University study, tourism generated more than $25 million in 2015 within the Rendezvous Region.  In 2015, jobs in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food service comprised 509 jobs in this region. “Tourism development is really about destination development and being high quality of place that draws both visitors and enhances the quality of life for residents,” said Dawn Keeley, a member of the group.  “Our heightened emphasis on destination development is aimed to assist in stopping a 70-year trend of population decline and filling the jobs openings that we have.” A recent Pew Research Foundation study revealed 51% of people prefer living in small towns and rural areas with the primary reason being safety and security, affordable housing, and relaxed life style. The peak population level in the Rendezvous Region was in 1940 with 50,341 people with the 2016 population estimated at 21,800.  Since 1990, these three counties have lost 25% of their population or 7,342 people.  This population loss equates to the current populations of the cities of Grafton, Cavalier, and Langdon combined. There are more than 1.2 million people within a two-hour drive of the Rendezvous Region.  Northeast North Dakota is the only part of the state with that significant population density to draw from for visitors which can equate to more business revenue for area hotels, campgrounds, restaurants and main street businesses. The region has an array of existing niche businesses within the region that provide interesting experiential shopping, activities such as painting, arts and crafts, design, as well as a variety of coffeeshops, bakeries, artisans, restaurants and recreation amenities.  There are numerous available buildings throughout the Rendezvous Region that could be filled with additional niche businesses to create more vibrancy on main streets. “Promoting the Rendezvous Region as a whole has a great impact on all of the communities within it.  Collectively, we have so much more to offer when we work together instead of standing alone,” said Rachel Morrison, Executive Director, Cavalier Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. Barb Mehlhoff, Langdon Chamber of Commerce, shared, “Langdon is proud to be the Western Gateway to the Rendezvous Region.  We are looking forward to the positive effects that marketing of the Rendezvous Region will bring to Langdon and all the communities in the three counties.  Marketing of this little treasure of northeast North Dakota is important for our communities to continue to grow and prosper by increasing tourism in the future.” Current members of the tourism council include:  Barb Mehlhoff, Langdon Chamber of  Commerce; Rachel Morrison, Cavalier Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism; Julie Campbell, Walsh County JDA; Kathy Stremick, Pembina County JDA; Mike Duerre, ND Parks and Recreation; Bill Dahl, Grafton Parks and Recreation; Marlys Boll, Ox Cart Trails Historical Society, Drayton; Nathan Smith, On Prairie Software, Walhalla; Zelda Hartje, Pembina County Historical Museum; Kristi Wilfahrt, Pembina Gorge Foundation; Kari Helgoe, NDSU Extension, Pembina County; Dennis Sevigny, Grafton Chamber of Commerce; Cheryl Osowski, RRRC/Walsh/Pembina Historic Preservation Commissions; Maggie Suda, RRRC/Pembina County JDA; and Dawn Keeley, RRRC/Pembina County JDA. More information can be found on the council’s Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/rendezvousregion/

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Nelson County, on behalf of Nelson County Health System, has been awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for an elevator project at the critical access hospital located in McVille, ND. Bids are currently being solicited for contractors to complete the work. Bids are due no later than 4:00 PM on Thursday, December 28, 2017. A complete bid package is available here: BID PACKAGE - ALL DOCUMENTS. (Please note: The file is large and make take a few minutes to download.) Anyone with questions on bid package documents can contact Stacie Sevigny at 701-352-3550 or Stacie@redriverrc.com. Please be advised there are two bid worksheets to be completed. For on-site inspection or questions relating to specific bid items, please contact Steve Forde at Nelson County Health System at 701-322-4328, ext. 227.

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