Roseau Times-Region - Serving Roseau County for over 100 Years - The Official Roseau County Newspaper

In 2013 our County accounting firm; Hoffman, Phillipp and Knutson, along with County Auditor Marty Monsrud advised the county board they had to start spending ditch tax money. In 2014 the same request was made by the accounting firm and County auditor, “start spending ditch tax money”. Again nothing happen. No ditching bids for the second year after being told by the accounting firm...They are paid to keep Roseau County in good standing with the State Auditor, Rebecca Otto

In January 2015 I got a copy of the ditch tax monies collected from our County auditor. I called the state auditors investigation dept. and spoke with Jeff Reed and Mark Kerr, explaining what was happening at Roseau Company. They gave me their email address and I forwarded it.

At the 2015 March Countyboard meeting the accounting firm representative was there with a more persuasive tone in her voice. The County board was told you even collect one dollar of ditch tax money and you will be in big trouble. Even the clan Phillipe, Swanson and Miller listened.

At the 2015 April County board meeting County Engineer Brian Ketring had one hundred and thirty-one miles of ditch cleaning to let out on bids. That’s from Roseau to Grand Forks.

At the 2017 July County meeting the State Auditor Rebecca Otto, was in the process of re-auditing Roseau County along with Hoffman, Phillipp and Knutson seven other counties….The cost was 74K for each County…. This re-auditing was only because of our know it all commissioners that refused to take advice from their employed accountant…. And again the cost for their pigheadedness falls back on the taxpayer.

The moral to this story, we had commissioners that are out of their pay scale and league.

Jim Jenson