Minot named 2018 City of the Year by N.D. League of Cities
The North Dakota League of Cities has selected Minot as its 2018 City of the Year. The award was announced at the NDLC’s Annual Conference this past weekend in Grand Forks.
The City of the Year honor was established in 1984 to recognize North Dakota cities for the quality, number, and progressiveness of activities undertaken in the community. This is the first time Minot has won the award.
“It truly is an honor to receive this recognition from the North Dakota League of Cities,” said Minot Mayor Shaun Sipma. “We certainly thank them for this award and for recognizing some of our major past achievements, but we also know our great city has much work ahead as we continue to move forward in creating a more resilient community.”
Several critical accomplishments were key to Minot earning the recognition, according to NDLC Executive Director Blake Crosby, who presented the award. Those projects include:
Completion of the three-year, $29 million downtown Minot infrastructure project that helped create a revitalized downtown that is prepared for future development
Ongoing work on the Northwest Area Water Supply project, which establishes Minot as a source of reliable drinking water for other cities in the region
The ongoing Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection project that will ultimately help protect the entire basin from future flooding
Completed work to protect the Minot Water Treatment Plant from future flooding
“Minot has been doing so many great things for years, and it’s really an honor that the NDLC has recognized us as a major municipal leader,” said City Manager Tom Barry. “Bringing focus to our accomplishments has been one of my major goals since I started with the City less than two years ago. Expect more in the coming years.”
“Minot exemplifies the North Dakota spirit we are all so proud of,” Crosby said. “When something bad happens, we don’t wallow in self-pity. We get up, dust ourselves off, check for scrapes and bruises, and get to work. The Magic City is alive and well.”