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Dickinson to the oil boom
A job with a minimum pay of eighteen dollars an hour has increased the population of Dickinson, North Dakota. A city that consists of two high schools and a University is now most known as an oil field market; with it new opportunities of jobs bringing people from all over the United State. The population then is increasing, the city is growing, the hospital assistance has a larger number of patients, the housing construction has increase, more of police officers are needed, and more of fire workers are needed. Is Dickinson ready for the changes? What the changes had done to it? Is there more of oil to explore or will it has an end soon? |
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Eye on Energy
The Bakken is hot in western North Dakota -- but what about as you get on the outskirts of the oil play?
It is believed there is oil there...but why hasn't the growth been moving faster in that direction?
And actually...is that a good thing?
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To Frack or Not To Frack: N. Dakota's Dilemma
The oil rush in North Dakota has it all. Billions of dollars. Thousands of jobs. "Grapes of Wrath"-like journeys from all across America as people leave desperate situations, hoping for a fresh start. Big business shoe-horning itself into small-town America.
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Health Care in Oil Country
We know that the oil boom has brought many more people to our state, and with them come many more needs. Accessible health care is crucial to any community, but that can be difficult when the population seems to grow overnight.
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What's it worth? In Dickinson, more than you think as the average price to purchase a house continues to climb
The average sale price of houses in Dickinson has risen more than $40,000 since 2009, making it the second-highest average in North Dakota, according to a report from Bismarck-based engineering company Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson Inc.
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Help us: Stark County job openings increasing
A recent Job Service report indicating astonishing growth in Stark County's job market could leave area business owners shaking in their boots.
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Combined police, fire facility possible in Dickinson
Dickinson police and fire departments could end up under the same roof, housed in a public safety building, officials said Tuesday during a meeting at the Strom Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The idea was discussed at the meeting attended by local and state representatives, which was part of a series of meetings to better understand the region's oil impacts, coordinate local and state responses, and to provide updates on state efforts to help meet the region's needs. Mayor Dennis Johnson said a joint-purpose building would solve space constraints at the existing police department and fire stations. City officials have already begun planning to build a new fire station. "We do need another fire station on the north side," he said. "There is some discussion in Dickinson right now that maybe the fire station should become a public safety building for Dickinson." The Dickinson Police Department, Stark County Sheriff's Office and other entities share space at the Law Enforcement Center. They and the fire department have hired staff to keep up with oil-related activity in the area, officials said. "We're in the process of hiring five new police officers and a dispatcher," City Administrator Shawn Kessel said. "We've not been fully-staffed in our dispatch department for over two years. It's really difficult to maintain employees." After the meeting, Kessel and Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said the sheriff's office would likely use the space vacated by the police department. Kessel also said a new facility would be on the north side of town due to fire department needs, but that a location hasn't been determined. The size and price tag of the building have not been set either, he added. Dickinson Police Capt. Joe Cianni said depending on where it is, DPD may have substations throughout the city. "We want to have the most convenient location for the general public," Cianni said. During the meeting, Kessel said traffic management and the hiring of officers has become more difficult. "So you're always looking for technology or ways to manage that traffic that doesn't require such a labor-intensive effort," he said. "One of those, that may be somewhat controversial, is red light cameras. In today's world, in North Dakota, they're illegal because the ticket has to go to the driver, as opposed to the car owner." Cameras may be helpful if they could be used, Kessel said. "I'm not saying we would use it, but we may," he added. Many other oil impacts, such as population and infrastructure, were discussed at the meeting. Johnson said rules are in place in Dickinson, but worries about waste water from man camps outside city limits. "I'm not so sure that waste is being properly disposed of," he said. David Glatt, chief of the environmental health section of the North Dakota Department of Health, said man camps have been a challenge for them. "The waste water is supposed to be taken care of by licensed septic tank haulers and they have specific regulations on how they're supposed to deal with that," Glatt said. However, the rules may be reevaluated so there are better records of where it goes, he said. "Currently the vast majority of the waste is being handled by small cities," Glatt said.
Source: The Dickinson Press |
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Dickinson breaks permit records again
Housing is getting more expensive to construct in Dickinson. For the second year in a row the record for building permit values has been broken with the city issuing more than $144.3 million, officials said Monday. An oil boom in western North Dakota has increased construction activity in Dickinson. Building permit values almost doubled the $83 million issued in 2010, which was also a record-setting year, Dickinson City Planner Ed Courton said. While the city issued permits for roughly the same number of buildings, buildings have gotten more expensive, Courton said. For example, the city issued 41 commercial structures in the last two years, but the value this year was just shy of $71 million, more than three times the amount in 2010 - which was more than $22.6 million. "The projects are bigger than what they were in the past," Courton said. "Instead of your standard, smaller industrial and commercial projects now they are a lot larger. Now they are significantly bigger, so the cost is representative of that." Single-family and multi-family structures have also become more complex and expensive, Courton said. Despite having record numbers, Dickinson fell into fourth place for permit values. Williston took the No. 1 spot by issuing almost $358 million total permit values, more than three times the 2010 record of $106.1 million, said Kelly Aberle, Williston office manager and plans examiner. Minot was in second and Fargo in third. Aberle said she doesn't expect building to stop. "As far as I know they are not going away," she said. "It's been a busy, busy year and it hasn't slowed down at all." Permitting numbers were significantly down in December with seven single-family structures approved, but that doesn't mean Courton's office and building has slowed down. "We had a transition in our administrative staff, so permits weren't necessarily issued," he said, which slowed down the office and permit authorization. There is a concern with resources as far as staffing for the city and construction companies to meet the housing demand, Dickinson City Administrator Shawn Kessel said. Businesses may find it difficult to not only find staff but a place for them to live. "It is something we are warning to the outside developers," he said. "We are trying to meet the need that is out there." The oil boom has brought many people to Williston, Dickinson and surrounding areas and with it many growing pains, Aberle said. She added that it won't last forever, and when it slows down the cities can hopefully catch up to the increased demand. "Hopefully, once the housing gets established and ... we can put more people into living units, it will taper off to be where we don't have people sleeping in the Walmart parking lot." The city is looking to add a regional planner to work with Stark County. Another building inspector position has also been added, Kessel said. Growth could increase by 10 percent or more next year, giving Dickinson another chance to break records again, Courton said. "With the mild winter we have had thus far people are still able to continue on with construction," he said. "The interest in development activity is just as much, if not more than last year.
Source: The Dickinson Press |
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