GF City Auditor rejects Fufeng petitions

Despite having a legal number of signatures, the Grand Forks Auditor’s office has deemed the petition on the Fufeng project to be insufficient.

Maureen Storstad sent a letter to the committee behind the petition today (Fri), saying she rejected the documents, which attempted to put the issue of the proposed corn milling plant to a vote.

Storstad said she based her decision on a recommendation by City Attorney Dan Gaustad.

In a memo earlier this week, Gaustad noted that the petition was seeking two or more distinct unrelated questions… and that the administrative action may not be referred. He also said there were insufficient petition requirements.

Storstad also mentioned other issues, such as duplicate or illegible signatures… incomplete addresses…and signatures from people outside the city limits.

Opponents of the Fufeng project submitted more than 53-hundred signatures…or about 1,700 than were required.

Technically, the petition committee has seven days to make corrections.