Dear Minot

Dear Minot:

March is shaping up to be a busy month at the City of Minot, as we’re hosting four neighborhood meetings in a variety of locations in our community.

We’ve already held the first meeting, where we discussed code enforcement issues related to nuisance properties. That meeting was held at Fire Station 4 and focused on the challenges of rectifying problem properties and the associated costs of cleaning up problem properties.

There are three more neighborhood meetings scheduled this month, including one tonight:

• Thursday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. at Recycling Transfer Station (4450 37^th Ave SW). Topic: Recycling and landfill use.
• March 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Parker Center (21 1^st Ave SE). Topic: Snow plan and downtown.
• March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Minot Public Library (516 2^nd Ave SW). Topic: Public Safety, Police Department’s future building plans.

We’re hosting these meetings to provide more opportunities for members of the public to interact with City department heads and other officials. It’s an opportunity to bring us your questions and concerns without having to stand up in front of City Council.

We’re focusing on specific topics at these meetings, based on responses to a community survey we took in 2023. Another survey will be conducted this year, but for now we’re utilizing the data we collected from 2023.

Nuisance properties, recycling and the landfill, our snow plan operations, and the future of our police department were all listed as areas of priority in the 2023 survey, and that’s why the first meetings are focused on those issues. These issues are important to our community, and they’re important to the staff at the City of Minot.

Tonight, we’ll focus on our curbside recycling program and other things that are happening at our landfill in southwest Minot. Recycling has been up and running for nearly two years, and our residents who take part in the program are doing a good job sorting their recyclable materials. There is always room for improvement, of course, and Recycling Coordinator Christina Wolf will lead the discussion tonight, including continuing to educate the public on what’s acceptable in our recycling stream and what isn’t accepted.

The next meetings will focus on two other popular topics: snow removal and the future of our police department. These are important issues, and there are always important decisions to be made during budget time, which will begin very soon.

We’ve made improvements to our snow plan recently, and the meeting on March 25 at the Parker Center in downtown Minot will be a great opportunity to hear more about those changes and express any concerns you have moving forward.

What is the future of our current Police Department building? We know there is work to do to make the building more user-friendly and efficient, but would it be more economical to build new or renovate the current facility? Again, there are some big decisions to be made in the near future by the City Council, and we want to gather as much community input as possible before making those decisions.

I encourage you to be engaged citizens and join us at these meetings. We’re holding them for the benefit of our residents, and to provide updated information to those who attend. We want input from the residents of Minot, and these are opportunities to engage in face-to-face discussions on issues you have identified as being important.

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.

Dear Minot:

The North Dakota Legislative session has reached crossover.

During the past weeks, legislators in the House and Senate have read, discussed, and voted on a record number of bills, passing the 1,000 mark for the first time in 15 years. Now, the bills will cross over to the other chamber, and work will continue. The Legislature has 80 days to complete its work, unless a special session is called by the governor.

Certainly, there are a number of bills that city officials from not only Minot but other communities in North Dakota have been watching since the session opened in January.

One set of bills has dominated the conversation so far, and that is the competing bills related to property taxes, including House Bill 1575, House Bill 1168, Senate Bill 2363, and House Bill 1176, which is Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s proposal. All of the bills include varying degrees of property tax reform, and include some form of cap on property tax levy increases by local taxing districts. In Minot, that includes the City of Minot, Ward County, Minot Public Schools, and the Minot Park District. Communities, including Minot, are watching these bills closely to see what the potential impacts will be on upcoming budget cycles.

There are bills related to funding for major water and infrastructure projects in the state, including the Northwest Area Water Supply project and the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Plan. These are crucial to Minot’s future, and our continued efforts to complete the two largest infrastructure projects in our community’s history in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Oh, and there’s also House Bill 1334, which would recognize rhubarb as the official state vegetable of North Dakota. It passed the House, and now heads to the Senate.

As an elected official, I have submitted testimony a number of times on behalf of our community’s best interests, and I have certainly not been alone. City Manager Harold Stewart and a long list of City of Minot department heads have either submitted testimony or appeared in person to provide information and answer questions from senators and representatives alike. Their efforts and dedication to the overall well-being of the City of Minot and the community as a whole have been greatly appreciated.

I know there have also been a number of Minot residents who have let their voices be heard at the Legislature, and that’s how the system is supposed to work. Our form of state government works best when the residents of our state are actively engaged in the work our lawmakers are doing.

There is much more work to be done by our elected lawmakers in Bismarck, by City officials, and by the residents of North Dakota. I encourage you to be involved in what’s happening in Bismarck. You can find so much information about the Legislature at ndlegis.gov, including descriptions of bills, video of committee work and testimony on the House and Senate floors, and perhaps most importantly, contact information for every legislator.

There has been a lot of work done by both houses of the North Dakota Legislature, but there is even more remaining. As elected leaders and community members, it’s our job to continue to tell Minot’s story in Bismarck and across the state.

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.

Dear Minot:

I consider myself lucky to be born and raised in Minot. This is my home, and I’m beyond proud to say that.

There are often times that, as a community, we must face significant challenges. It is during those moments that I am often the most proud to be a resident of Minot.

Our Police Department has suffered through great tragedies in the past couple of years, with the loss of three officers to suicide. Each incident serves as a stark reminder that the work done every day by first responders is dangerous, physically challenging, and emotionally draining. These professions can often have a profoundly negative impact on the mental health of some first responders; unfortunately, Minot is not immune to this nation-wide issue.

A couple weeks ago, I issued a challenge to the residents of Minot. I asked them to display blue lights on their homes and on their businesses until the end of February in support of the men and women of the Minot Police Department.

When our officers turn down a neighborhood street, I want them to see blue lights. When they patrol our downtown business district, I want them to see blue lights. When they drive down our main streets and roadways, I want them to see blue lights. The purpose of the challenge was to let everyone in the Police Department that we support them.

As I expected, our community has responded. Our community has sent a loud and clear message to the men and women of the Minot Police Department: We have your back.

I’m out and about a lot, and I get the opportunity to drive through the quadrants of Minot on a fairly regular basis. What I’ve seen in the past few weeks is nothing short of amazing.

The number of homes and businesses that are proudly displaying blue lights in support of our PD is truly humbling. If you drive downtown after dark, there are blue lights on multiple buildings. When I drive around Minot, the blue lights are visible everywhere I go. I’ve been told that some stores in Minot have run out of blue light bulbs.

The response has been exactly what I expected from Minot. We have always been a community that supports its first responders, whether it’s law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers, paramedics, or public works crews. The work they all do is simply different than what most of us do every day. It’s cliché, but it’s worth repeating because it’s true: First responders are the ones always heading toward an accident, a fire, or other emergency. They accept that responsibility as part of their job, and they live their lives accordingly. When duty calls, they respond, no matter the time of day or night.

My blue light request was simply a way for our residents to express their support for the members of the Minot Police Department. We probably all know someone who works at the PD, or we know someone who retired after a career in law enforcement. They’re our family members. They’re our neighbors. They’re our friends.

As mayor, I want to say thank you to everyone who has joined the blue light challenge. You have helped accomplish exactly what I had in mind: To let everyone at the Minot Police Department know that they are on our minds, and that we support them as they navigate through trying times.

February isn’t even a week old yet; there is still time to join the blue light challenge. If you haven’t done it yet, I challenge you to make your home or business one of the blue beacons of support for our men and women of law enforcement. 

Minot is a wonderful community, full of thoughtful, respectful, and community minded residents. Don’t just take my word for it – take a moment to notice the blue lights when you’re driving around Minot. That’s all the proof you should need.

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.