Dear Minot

Dear Minot:

The budget process at the City of Minot is a long process that involves countless City employees and elected officials. We’ve come to a critical point in the process, and we need your help.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Monday’s City Council meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in City Council chambers. If you want to share your opinion with Council members, you can do it at that meeting or by contacting us through email or a phone call. Our contact information can be found here: https://www.minotnd.gov/252/City-Council.

If you can’t make it to Monday’s meeting, council meetings are also streamed live on the City’s Facebook page, on the City’s YouTube channel, and on local cable television channel 19. The proposed 2024 budget can be found on the City website: https://www.minotnd.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/648.

We want your input. Our system of government works best when residents are engaged and active with their elected leaders. I support and encourage respectful, thoughtful, solution-based engagement. We’re all aware that there are Minot residents who disagree with the construction of the 2024 proposed budget. It’s impossible to create a yearly budget that makes every resident in Minot happy, yet that is the job we are tasked with as elected leaders.

I thank the residents who have been engaged with us so far in the 2024 budget process. Your input has been valuable, and we look forward to hearing from more of you on Monday. I encourage you to make your thoughts known by attending Monday’s Council meeting, or by providing us with your feedback through an email, text message, or a face-to-face visit.

But I also caution residents with this reminder: As a City council, we must balance the needs of the organization and of the community, while still keeping our eyes on the future of our city. Residents often provide feedback on budget items that make us rethink our process and our decisions, but there are also times that we have to accept and respect our philosophical differences. It’s OK to have a healthy, reasonable discussion about the budget, and in the end still have areas of disagreement. We must build a budget that is best for all of Minot.

As an organization, the City of Minot is not immune to what is happening around our country. As many residents and business owners struggle to adapt to the rising costs of doing business and maintaining a household budget, the City must also find creative ways to do more with less. Our staff members and department heads take their responsibilities seriously, and we routinely task them with providing budget requests that are necessities, not luxuries.

City staff members and Council members have worked together again this year to craft a budget that is manageable, responsible, and forward-thinking. It’s never an easy process. We’d love to put more money in our infrastructure and road repair budgets, for instance, but we simply can’t afford to do that. Those needs aren’t going away any time soon, but there’s only so much we can dedicate to road projects in a given year. Projects of all types, large and small purchases, and hiring of additional employees are often delayed simply because of funding. The 2024 budget is no exception.

These are the decisions we face every year as elected officials. We know before we release the preliminary budget every year that the document won’t please everyone in Minot. But we’re confident we’ve created a budget that provides the necessities to maintain essential City services while also keeping a watchful eye on the road ahead of us. Is it perfect? No. But it represents our collective best effort to encourage the continued growth of our community, and to ensure that our residents continue to receive the best services possible under the real-life constraints of a municipal budget.

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:

As our vibrant community anticipates the upcoming Labor Day holiday, we find ourselves reflecting on the tireless dedication and unwavering commitment of the thousands of employees who make our city thrive, whether they work in private sector jobs or in positions with a public entity, including the employees of the City of Minot.

This occasion marks a well-deserved day of rest for most of our employees, although we know our firefighters, police officers, Central Dispatch workers, and water treatment plant staff will be at work on Monday despite it being a holiday. Still others in the street department and water and sewer department, to name a few, will be on call during the holiday, ready to respond if they’re needed.

Labor Day offers us the perfect opportunity to express our gratitude to the individuals who are the backbone of our city’s growth and prosperity. An organization like the City of Minot does not successfully operate without employees who display a passion for public service and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Labor Day stands as testament to the achievements of the American workforce, and within the framework of our community, our City employees stand at the forefront of this spirit. Day in and day out (and often in the early hours of the morning and in the darkness of night), these remarkable individuals exemplify dedication that goes beyond mere duty. From the diligent hands that maintain our infrastructure to the compassionate hearts that ensure our community’s well-being, our City employees consistently go above and beyond to create a better quality of life for all our residents.

The past few years have posed unprecedented challenges, with the global pandemic putting a strain on every aspect of our lives, both at home and at work. Through it all, the employees of the City of Minot have risen to the occasion, displaying resilience and adaptability that has been nothing short of remarkable. Essential services continued unabated before, during, and after the pandemic, ensuring that our community continued to function smoothly in the face of adversity. Their commitment to the well-being of our community has been a shining example of dedication during snow storms, freezing weather, and when temperatures soared well into the 90s.

Every individual within the City of Minot workforce plays an integral role in our collective success. From the police officers and firefighters who ensure our safety to the public servants who maintain our roads and provide a safe, abundant supply of water, each contributes to the harmonious symphony that is Minot. Their dedication often goes unnoticed, but as we approach this Labor Day holiday, it is only fitting that we shine a spotlight on their contributions and extend our heartfelt appreciation for all they do.

In celebration of Labor Day, I encourage every resident of Minot to take a moment to reflect on the efforts of our City employees. Let us recognize the sweat, the toil, and the commitment that goes into making our city the vibrant and welcoming place it is today. As we gather with friends and family, let us remember those who work diligently to ensure that our city thrives.

To the employees of the City of Minot, your dedication does not go unnoticed, and I extend my deepest gratitude for all that you do. Have a happy and safe Labor Day.

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:

Minot has long been known as a community with an amazing arts culture, and for good reason. Our arts community continues to thrive and expand with the help of a host of volunteers and amazing support from its patrons.

Our city is full of organizations that have vibrant histories full of programming and entertainment that have helped make Minot a more well-rounded and diverse community. These organizations belong to Minot, and they help make our city unique compared to other cities our size around the nation.

The Western Plains Opera Company is preparing to present Carmen on Sept. 8-9 at 7 p.m. in the magnificent Ann Nicole Nelson Hall on the campus of Minot State University. The WPO began in 1976, and has continued to entertain and educate the Minot region about opera.

Their mission statement speaks for itself: Western Plains Opera Company’s mission as an organization is to blend the best of professional, community, and Minot State University resources to produce outstanding opera in the north central plains and to foster in local youths the love of good singing and good singing practices.

If you’re looking for information or tickets, you can find it here: 701-660-0566 or wpopera.org.

The Minot Symphony is another long-serving institution in our community, and is currently preparing to start its 98^th season with It’s All About That Bass on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.

Much like the opera, the symphony operates in conjunction with Minot State University. Their mission: The Minot Symphony, a university and community orchestra, aims to enrich lives by providing opportunities for musicians and inspiration to patrons through education and the performance of diverse orchestral repertoire.

For tickets or more information:  701-858-4228 or minotsymphony.org

The Minot Area Council of the Arts, founded in 1973, provides an abundance of services and events year round, including the popular Sundays in the Parks and Thursdays Downtown during the summer months. MACA is a constant advocate for everything related to the arts, and provides support and resources for area artists and organizations in Minot and the surrounding area. You can find more about the events in our area at minotarts.org.

I know school just started, and the precious time many parents have nowadays will be consumed by events pertaining to their children and respective schools. But if you’ve never attended a Minot Symphony concert or a performance of the Western Plains Opera, I urge you to take advantage of the world-class talent we have right here in our community. Or if you have some free time, volunteer with MACA – they will no doubt welcome your assistance as they work through the next season of providing our community with a wide array of arts-related programming and services.

All of these organizations, and many, many more, are uniquely Minot, and they are part of what makes our city such a magical place to live, work, and play. Our arts community is growing and expanding to meet the demands of its patrons. As residents of Minot, we can play a major role by supporting the various programs and events put on by all of our arts organizations, large and small.

Please join me in the audience at these amazing events right here in our city. We’re privileged to be home to such great organizations that have worked to educate and entertain their guests for decades. Indeed, our arts community is alive and well.

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.