The spring equinox, or official first day of spring, is Friday. It usually brings with it birds returning home after a winter spent in warmer southern climates.

Earlier this month, though, tropical birds started showing up at various Borderland businesses, seemingly unaware they had arrived too early.

The birds are actually pink flamingo lawn ornaments, and are part of a marketing campaign from Border State Bank to promote Minnesota FoodShare month, the largest food drive in the state. During the month of March, every donation to food shelves will be matched by Minnesota FoodShare’s March Campaign.

Libby Johnson, marketing associate at the local Border State Bank, said the idea came from the company’s marketing director in Roseau, where the youth hockey program does it annually to raise money.

The bank started the campaign on March 1, and the rules state the flock has 48 hours to fly to the next business after they’ve landed, Johnson said. Once a business has been “flocked,” it has those 48 hours to make a donation to the Falls Hunger Coalition. Since the beginning of the month, the birds have landed at seven businesses after starting at the bank.

Johnson said the public’s reaction to the program has been “really positive,” and participating businesses have seen it as a way to have a “friendly rivalry” with other business owners they know.

The birds went from Border State Bank to Hardee’s, then to Dr. Gary Potter’s chiropractic office. After getting an adjustment from the doctor, they flew south to Einarson’s Flying Service, then stopped into the Coffee Landing Cafe for a quick caffeine fix.

The birds then took some fitness classes at Evolve U Fitness, after which they got their toes painted at Northern Exposure Hair & Nails, and then it was on to TruStar Federal Credit Union. As of Monday afternoon, the birds had yet to set off for their next location.

Hardee’s

Dave Peterson at Hardee’s said Dave Hebig from Border State Bank reached out to him, told him about the program, and asked if he’d be interested in being the first business to be “flocked.”

“We’re happy to do it,” Peterson said. “Anything that supports the FHC is a positive thing, and it was kind of neat to see the flamingos.”

Peterson said he sent the birds on their way to Potter’s office because he “knew him well” and choosing someone he knew would be a way to keep the promotion going.

Dr. Gary Potter

Potter said when he saw the flamingos in front of his office, he “figured something was up.” After calling the bank, they told him it was a fundraiser for the food shelf, “so I was all for that.”

He sent the flamingos onto his “good friend” Thor Einarson, Potter said, because “that’s what friends do.”

Einarson’s

Flying Service

Thor Einarson said he received a strange call from someone on his staff who told him “you’re not going to believe this, but there’s a bunch of flamingos here.”

Einarson investigated by calling Hebig at Border State Bank, and found out more about the program.

“It’s a great privilege to participate,” Einarson said. “Some days I find myself complaining about the little things, and then I realize there’s people without food out there.”

Einarson said he sent the birds on to the cafe because the owners, Tim and Steph Heinle, “would enjoy it and like to contribute.”

Coffee Landing Cafe

Steph Heinle said waking up, getting to the cafe and seeing a flock of pink flamingos out front reminded her of past mornings when she woke up and was unsure about what she was seeing.

“It’s been a long time since I woke up and didn’t know how something happened,” Heinle said with a laugh. “But then I called the bank and they told me what I was supposed to do.”

The decision to send the birds to get a workout was easy, Heinle said, because of Evolve U’s owners, Ashley Hall and Erin Shikowsky, and their civic-mindedness.

“They’re always doing great things for the community, and they’d be perfect victims,” Heinle said.

Evolve U Fitness

Erin Shikowsky said she “kind of had a heads-up” the birds were coming, and the eye-catching flock has “people asking questions, and helping the word get out.”

Shikowsky said she sent the birds to the salon because “I was trying to think of a place downtown where they’d be seen.”

Northern Exposure

Hair & Nails

Owner Kris Lemieux said she knew what the flamingos were for when she saw them, and was “glad they were here and we could help out.”

Lemieux said she sent the birds to the bank because it’s a locally-owned business she hasn’t seen them in front of yet, and she has friends who work there.

TruStar Federal

Credit Union

Dale Johnson, CEO and president of TruStar, said he knew the birds were coming because of a call from Hebig at Border State Bank.

“While we are competitors, I thought it was a great idea to benefit the food shelf,” Johnson said.

As of Monday morning, Johnson said he didn’t have any ideas yet on where the birds would go next.

“But we’re stuck with them for 48 hours, so I’m sure we’ll come up with some ideas,” Johnson said.

For now, locals can catch a glimpse of the birds as they move through the area during the month raising money for a good cause.

The International Falls City Council Monday heard about an “open book” meeting concerning valuation of properties in the city.

City Administrator Ken Anderson told the council the notice of the May 6 meeting by the Koochiching County Assessor’s Office has raised an issue that ought to be considered by the city’s Charter Commission.

Anderson said state law requires two councilors to attend training to serve as a city Board of Equalization. The city has not complied with that law since Koochiching County began handling the city’s valuation and serving as the local board, he said.

Anderson asked the council at its next meeting to ask the Charter Commission to remove the provision calling for a city board from the charter and allow the Koochiching County assessor and county board to serve in that capacity in the future.

Meanwhile, the open book meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon May 6, at the county assessor’s office at the courthouse “is an opportunity for taxpayers to discuss their property assessments,” the notice said.

The meeting allows for informal appeals of valuations of properties in the city and is required to qualify for an appointment with the county Board of Appeal and Equalization, meetings of which are scheduled to begin June 16. Valuation notices will be mailed to taxpayers within the next six to eight weeks, according to the notice.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue states in a handbook for board of appeal and equalization training, “the purpose of the board of appeal and equalization is to provide a fair and objective forum for property owners to appeal their valuation or classification. The local board often serves as the first formal step in the appeals process for taxpayers. One of the most important duties placed by law upon the governing body of a township, city, or county is to serve as the board of appeal and equalization. Effective actions taken by the board may potentially make a direct contribution to attaining assessment equality.”

In other business, the council approved a proclamation for March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day.

Peter Graham Post Auxiliary No. 2948 Treasurer Linda Chezick said all veterans would be honored that day and the recognition includes a free breakfast to all veterans hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in International Falls.

The council heard the city is seeking City Beach camp hosts from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and two members of the North Koochiching Area Sanitation District will review an agreement involving $10,000 and the pet holding facility on its property and work with city officials to resolve the issue.

Summer vacation has yet to arrive, but the Falls School Board Monday approved two motions outlining how the 2015-16 school year will look.

The board approved a motion to continue the practice of “early release” Wednesdays for the upcoming school year, which was first initiated for the current school year.

The program allows teachers and support staff to have time to meet each week to go over a wide variety of topics, Superintendent Kevin Grover said. Board member Toni Korpi said the program schedule should stay consistent from year to year.

“We've talked to a lot of people that are benefiting from it,” Korpi said. “I don't know if you'll be able to see the benefits educationally for a while.”

Grover said even if the district's Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment test scores improved, it would be hard to point to the early release program as the catalyst, because countless variables contribute to test score performance.

Falls Elementary Principal Melissa Tate said her teachers and staff have been able to use the extra time to look at surveys and other data, and to review areas where performance can be improved.

“I agree with continuing with the way they are,” Tate said. “I like that it's ongoing, rather than have a day where it's all crammed into a couple hours.”

Falls High School Principal Tim Everson said his teachers and staff have used the time to have grade-level and department-level meetings. They've also been able to review Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, or PBIS, discipline data.

“We want to try to isolate what are the areas where we're having difficulties,” Everson said. “We want to brainstorm as teachers to kind of go to the next level, with how we are going to deal with that discipline in that area.”

Both principals said with MCA testing coming up, they've used the added meeting time to come up with rewards for the students who increase their test scores. The early release program has been able to get everyone on the same page, Everson said.

“It gives us the unique ability to do that, where we have people, and we're able to totally be together,” Everson said. “I would like to see it continue.”

In the same motion, the board approved the 2015-16 school calendar. Board member Gordy Dault brought up the state mandate requiring school start the school year after Labor Day, which he said he opposes.

“Educationally, I think it's just a bad thing for students to have to start that late,” Dault said. “And now that calendar says we'd then have to go into June.”

Students are ready to return to school well before Labor Day, Dault said, and the later start date will have an impact in 2015-16 for different activities, specifically the football season.

“You get into June after a long winter, and I think the productivity is just way down,” Dault said.

The mandate comes from the state Legislature, Dault said, and is heavily influenced by the tourism lobby. He said he's spoken to Borderland's lawmakers about the issue, but there needs to be a larger, statewide discussion about the issue.

“With one breath, our Legislature's saying 'School districts and governments need more control,'” Dault said. “In the same breath, they're saying 'But you can't start then.'”

Grover said he's had similar conversations with lawmakers in the past, and there has been talk about the issue, but he doubts whether anything will happen.

“If it did change, and we were given an option, I would recommend bringing it back to the board,” Grover said.

Highlights of the 2015-16 school calendar include:

• Sept. 8 - First day of classes
• Nov. 26-27 - Thanksgiving break
• Dec. 22 - Last day of classes before winter break
• Jan. 4 - Classes resume
• March 25-28 - Spring break
• June 2 - Last day of classes

Also Monday, the board:

• Adopted a resolution directing the administration to post and recommend a candidate for maintenance/transportation director.
• Received a draft copy of the 2015-16 facility plan for adoption in April.
• Accepted the resignation due to retirement of Janet Underdahl as an educational support professional.
• Approved the hire of Heather Swanson as a part-time educational support professional.
• Accepted the resignation of Kristine Morgan as a part-time educational support professional.
• Approved the hire of Kristine Morgan as a full-time educational support professional.