The Williston Wire: Watford City's Post Office Is Expanding; Eastern Montana's Bakken Could Grow By 39% Over The Next 20 Years

In addition to the stories below, posted in The Williston Wire, The Dickinson Press had a story medical facility expansion in western North Dakota:

Sanford is constructing a $30 million “super clinic” in Dickinson. The clinic is expected to open in February, ahead of schedule, and will replace Sanford’s current clinic, which Lambrecht said is outdated and too small.

[In Watford City, a] site for the new facilities [for a new hospital] was recently selected, and Petersen said a groundbreaking is expected next spring. The project cost is estimated at $55 million, and the organization is seeking $40 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and $15 million from the Bank of North Dakota.

The Williston Wire

 
North Dakota's oil patch is busting at the seams. The tipping point for the Williston mayor has been reached. The solution: the North Dakota governor has started meeting with city and county officials affected by the oil industry. We are seven years into the boom. Approximately $2.5 billion worth of crude oil is being produced each month in four or five western counties. I guess the meetings are a start.

Apparently the state has an interim Energy Development and Transmission Committee. The committee recently selected the engineering firm Kadrmas Lee & Jackson to look at the state's energy industry to see where "it is heading and its impact on the state." The name sounded familiar; I see a lot of "Kadrmas" wells. It turns out KLJ is headquartered in Bismarck, or so it appears. I could be wrong on that.

Williston's Planning and Zoning Commission approved a request for a proposed 535-acre commercial and residential development on one 535-acre parcel north of the city.

The "pediatric clinic" celebrated its grand opening in Williston. It is located at Mercy Medical Center. The rise in births, driven by the dramatic shft in demographics, led Mercy to lure new pediatricians to the area, according to The Williston Herald.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr John McNulty has returned to Williston; he has worked the past 15 years in Idaho. Some years ago it was said that the entire state of Idaho had moved to the Williston area to work in the oil patch.

More than 90 homeless students have attended classes in Williston Public School District #1 so far this year. I guess that would be one "impact on the state" that KLJ could look into.

Understatement of the week: "Williston Basin has 'huge potential' -- Kodiak executive. Sounds like this is someone KLJ should interview.

According to a KXLF story, eastern Montana's Bakken could grow 39% in 20 years. I'm impressed with the "preciseness" of 39% - not 40%, not 38%, but 39% over the next 20years.

The US Post Office in Watford City will be expanding.