Because Stark County continues to experience a housing crunch as part of an ongoing oil boom, temporary workers will most likely hit the sack in office buildings and shops, said Jay Elkin, Stark County commissioner. Earlier this month, commissioners gave NuVision Project Manager Tim Howard permission to build living quarters above a north Dickinson shop, owned by Leam Drilling. Elkin thinks more employers might imitate the business by letting workers sleep in businesses. "I don't know that I really care for any of it from an emergency perspective, but the fact of the matter is, we're going to have to allow for some of this to happen in order to allow for (employers) to conduct business as usual," Elkin said. While Elkin is concerned about emergency personnel being able to locate temporary workers, he said letting employees sleep in the workplace is better than placing them in RVs scattered around the county. "I'd like to keep those work people at the place of business, if that's what it takes," he said. "It's about safety, more than anything." Stark County State's Attorney Tom Henning thinks temporarily housing workers in businesses would be helpful to emergency personnel and safer than utilizing campers. "That building has an address," Henning said. "When you talk about having to go to a site to respond to an emergency, at least you know that you're going to that site." As he prepares to begin building living space for Leam Drilling, Howard said there are other benefits to housing workers at a place of work. He added that employers might be better for employers to let employees sleep on-site, "instead of parking them in a motel room." Howard also said placing temporary living arrangements in offices and shops would be an ideal setup for oil workers waiting to move on to new rigs. While letting employees live at a place of business might make life easier for emergency personnel and employers, the future of the method depends on pending zoning changes, said Diane Brines, Stark County zoning director. She added that implementing on-site housing will not be as common as Elkin thinks, mostly because "stricter" zoning codes will emerge within the next two months.
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Company gets nod to build drilling fluids plant near Belfield
Stark County Zoning commissioners gave a Texas-based company the green light to build a drilling fluids plant near Belfield on Thursday, but not before covering multiple bases.
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Challenges Western Hotels Face
The oil boom has brought more people, more traffic, and more challenges to western North Dakota cities. But despite rumors one industry is saying we are open for business.
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There are pros and cons to the oil growth in North Dakota, but certainly more pros. That`s the message the Convention and Visitors Bureau is trying to send. The bureau held a CVB Conference in Bismarck, and today`s topic was oil impacts.
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| Belfield mineral rights owners air grievances for non-producing oil wells
Mineral rights owners for land about two miles northeast of Belfield are upset at an oil company sitting on potentially drillable oil. They demanded at a meeting held Wednesday at the North Dakota Geological Survey in Bismarck that the state Industrial Commission take action.
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Report: Regional air quality receives 'A' grade
Of the eight counties in the state monitored for air quality, the American Lung Association gave three counties in the region an 'A,' according to a report released Wednesday
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Camping Restrictions Placed in Western ND
According to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, there will be some new rules regarding camping in some wildlife management areas in western North Dakota and along Lake Sakakawea.
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Oil Patch Crime
Western North Dakota is often referred to as the Wild West, but law enforcement wants to make sure things don`t get too out of hand. The Attorney General is working with with locals to prevent organized crime.
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