Sincerely, City Hall

Dear Minot:

As you read this, the North Dakota Legislative session has reached its halfway point.

This past week, legislators in both houses were able to hold hearings on a record number of bills. Their commitment and hard work has been fun to witness and take part in. I have to give credit to all of our Minot neighbors, City of Minot team members, and City Council members who have stepped up to let their voices be heard. The respectful testimony and individual insight has helped legislators from across the state make well-informed decisions to move our state forward.

Looking at the second half of the session, there are a couple of items that top my list of interest:

• SB2020 relates to our Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection project, notably providing a steady stream of funding to get flood protection completed in significantly less time, which would save taxpayers and the state upwards of $50 million in construction costs and interest payments. The Senate approved $74.5 million for flood protection, and approximately $47.8 million for the Northwest Area Water Supply project. The bill will now be considered by the House.
• Another project on our radar is in conjunction with the Minot Area Chamber EDC and Minot Air Force Base. Preparations are under way to get ready for a $3.2 billion construction project coming to our backyard, as the missile system at Minot Air Force Base will be replaced in the coming years. As City leaders, we have worked with Chamber EDC and Task Force 21 along with teams in Fargo and Grand Forks to help pull this bill across the finish line.  

There are many other bills and resolutions that the team from Minot is closely watching as the Legislature hits the halfway point. We can help these bills be successful by openly communicating our needs in a respectful manner that helps get our message across to our state lawmakers.  

This is my first legislative session as your mayor. I’m extremely proud to be in Bismarck talking to legislators from across the state, as well as leaders from numerous government agencies about what is happening in our community. It's been an education to be part of this important process, which just goes to show you that there are opportunities to learn new things every day.

I have confidence that all of our hard work will pay off with some wonderful announcements at the end of the session. I want to thank all of the legislators, especially the ones from the Minot area, who have been working through hundreds of bills as they strive to guide our state forward.

I also want to thank our residents, many of whom have provided testimony on behalf of or against bills of great importance to our community and our state. Thanks to City of Minot staff members for your tireless work in researching issues and providing me and our legislators with facts and figures that help explain the City’s positions on key issues.

There has been a lot of work done by both houses of the North Dakota Legislature, but there is much work remaining. As elected leaders, it’s our job to continue to tell Minot’s story in Bismarck and across the state. I’m looking forward to the second half of the Legislature.

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.