School enrollments continue to increase

School enrollments throughout McKenzie County have continued to climb. In fact, McKenzie County School District #1 reports 20% growth over last year's enrollment. The kindergarten class has 191 students enrolled, but with 253 McKenzie County resident births in 2017, those numbers are expected to continue to climb in the upcoming years. Plans are in the works for a new elementary school building. See more in this KX News story.
Welcoming newcomers

Nearly 600 people stopped by the Rough Rider Center for the first ever Welcome to Watford Celebration. The celebration included over 60 booths from local organizations, bouncy houses, food and kid activities. The Getting Involved in your community document was released at the event that shows many different ways for community involvement.
Taxable sales & purchases up 46%

Information released from the ND Tax Department show taxable sales and purchases for McKenzie County grew 46% for 2018Q2 compared to the same quarter in 2017.

Oil production in McKenzie County for July 2018 was over 14 million barrels which is about 1.7 million barrels more than what was produced in July 2017.

See other data like that in the updated Economy at a Glance.
Hospital invests in new technology

McKenzie County Healthcare Systems, which opened its new facility earlier this summer, is the first hospital in the region to invest in Tru-D SmartUVC to help keep patients and staff safe from germs and hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

Tru-D is a UVC disinfection robot that is deployed after the environmental services staff cleans a room using traditional protocols. Operated from a remote control outside the room, Tru-D administers a single, lethal dose of UVC energy from one, central placement in the room, killing up to 99.9% of germs and pathogens that can be left behind. See more in this press release.
Alexander moves to 4 day a week schooling

After studying the issue and weighing the pros and cons, Alexander Public School has moved to classes being held 4 days a week instead of 5 starting this fall. For more information visit the The Cutting Ed Episode 26 podcast.
Watford Market recognized by Governor Burgum

At the ND League of Cities conference last week, Watford City received a Vibrancy Award from North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for the Watford Market. Watford Market brings together vendors of homemade and homegrown items, live music from the Long X Arts Foundation, grilled burgers from the Watford City Lions Club and demonstrations from various local organizations. In 2018, the market attracted about 270 attendees each week for the six weeks it ran in the summer.
Local banks on Prairie Business Magazine 's 50 Best Places to Work list

First International Bank & Trust headquartered in Watford City and Cornerstone Bank with a location in Watford City both made Prairie Business Magazine's 50 Best Places to Work list. The list was determined by combing over 1,300 nominations from employees and included factors such as employer’s benefits, workplace culture and employee morale.
Williston airport construction on track

A nearly quarter billion dollar airport is being built about 60 minutes from Watford City. Once completed, the airport will be able to accommodate larger airplanes, which is expected to increase the number and size of flights offered. It is projected to be in operation by October 2019.
NDRA State Finals Rodeo returns

Watford City will once again be the site for the North Dakota Rodeo Association (NDRA) State Finals Rodeo. It will be on the evenings of September 28-29, with a dance following each night.
MBI Energy Services: largest McKenzie County employer

Job Service North Dakota has released
its list of the 25 largest employers in McKenzie County for 2017 and MBI Energy Services is at the top of the list. Rounding out the top five include McKenzie County, McKenzie County School District, Nuverra Environmental Solutions, and Delta Constructors LLC. Find the full list of 25 employers by selecting "McKenzie County" from the list here.
Growth in higher education

Educational partners in the McKenzie County Skills Initiative continue to see growth:

  • Williston State College--Student enrollment is up 2.4% and at an all-time high. Students who graduate from high school in McKenzie County and select surrounding counties are eligible for a full scholarship that covers tuition and room. They are looking to have an English Language Learner and General Education Diploma coursework available at Watford City's Rough Rider Center this fall.

  • University of Mary--The University had to institute its first-ever wait-list for its campus this year due to enrollment growth. Further, 11 students are enrolled in the Fall accounting course that is taking place at the Rough Rider Center.
FUSION conference

For the second year in a row, Bowman will be hostin g the FUSION Conference on October 3-4. The conference incorporates elements of personal and professional development into a day and a half event for community members, leadership, professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs. One of the keynote speakers announced is Steve Scheel, President and CEO of Scheels sporting goods stores. Visit the conference website for agenda and registration information.
Women in leadership expo

The fifth annual Women in Leadership Expo will be held October 4 in Williston, ND. Each year, the organizers of this event recruit women who are role models and thought leaders on issues relevant to experiences and concerns of women in the workforce. Stephanie Goetz, an award-winning news anchor, executive speaker coach, philanthropist, mental health advocate, accomplished speaker, and professional trainer will be presenting this year. The Emmy-nominated broadcaster anchored and reported at NBC, CBS and ABC affiliates for nearly 10 years. She will be speaking on Unleashing Your Inner Grit & Resilience and How Your Executive Presence Affects Your Influence.
Check out the upcoming events listed on our community calendar .
View past issues of the monthly update here.