City Attorney issues legal opinion on Fufeng petitions

The City Attorney for Grand Forks recommends the Petition seeking a vote on the proposed Fufeng project be ruled insufficient for several reasons.

In a memo date April 5th Dan Gaustad says the conclusion is based on the fact that petitioners are seeking two or more distinct unrelated questions…the administrative action may not be referred…and insufficient petition requirements.

Opponents of the corn milling plant dropped off boxes of petitions at City Hall on March 23rd. They claim to have collected over 53-hundred signatures – more than the 3,617 needed to place the issue of the ballot.

The City Auditor has not made a formal ruling on the petitions….but a decision is expected this week. Gaustad says if they are deemed insufficient petitioners would have seven days to make corrections.

Gaustad says while it will be understandably disappointing to petition backers if ruled insufficient the City Council must strictly adhere to provisions which grants the concession of a referendum. He writes to hold otherwise would shift away from the ideals of representative government.