Council asks mayor to draft letter for sentencing in Larson (Myers) case

The Minot City Council passed a motion on July 6 asking the mayor, with input from the city attorney, to draft a letter for the council’s review that could be submitted to the federal court in the criminal case against former Project B executive director Liz Larson (also referred to in the meeting as Liz Myers).

City Attorney reported he had contacted the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case and confirmed sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. He said the U.S. Attorney’s recommended plea seeks recovery of approximately $61,000 in demonstrable personal expenditures. "That's the amount that they can show that she spent on herself," the city attorney said; he also noted that the U.S. Attorney welcomed written victim impact statements and provided contact information for the victim witness coordinator.

Several council members expressed frustration with the broader local fiscal impact tied to the nonprofit and the project: council discussion referenced about $1.6 million the city had used to finish a construction contract and ensure the project’s completion, and members questioned whether criminal restitution addresses the full fiscal exposure. Alderman Padraigula moved that the mayor write a strong letter requesting a more severe sentence given the alleged misuse of funds and the community impacts; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call.

The council agreed, per the city attorney’s recommendation, that a draft letter would be brought back to the council for review and final approval before being sent to the court. The city attorney also offered to help members with submitting victim impact statements and to provide contact details for the federal victim witness coordinator.