CUSTOMER ENHANCEMENTS

CITIZENS FIRST

Marking achievements for our public: 2019 was a robust year for our City staff. As every year, we focused on improving the quality of service for the public we serve. This section outlines some of those projects.

Calls for service

The public relied a great deal on our services throughout 2019, most notably our Public Safety services. Responding to the needs of residents is an important aspect and responsibilities of a successful municipal government.

Minot Police Department Minot Fire Department Minot Water Department | 41,426 calls-for-service | 3,626 calls-for-service | 7,987 Calls-for-service

Through Dec. 11, the Minot Police Department was on pace to respond to 41,426 calls-for-service in 2019. The 41,426 CFS would be an increase of 308 calls from 2018 or three quarters of one percent increase from the 2018 total of 41,113 CFS. The Minot Fire Department responded to 3,626 calls for service in 2019, including 2,604 emergency medical service calls and 1,022 fire calls. The Water Department responded to 7,987 calls for service through October of 2019, addressing the needs of residents, contractors, and plumbers.

EXPANDING COMMUNICATION The City increased its public information output through several operational changes in 2019. The Public Information Office spearheaded development of a community engagement strategy designed to assist department heads and other City employees in successfully interacting with members of the community.

The City enhanced its communication methods in several ways, including Council Chambers upgrades and ADA accessibility, live streaming all meetings, creating a City YouTube channel, and pushing expanded content through public access channels, a bimonthly mayoral newspaper column, and proactive social media campaigns.

Starting in August 2019, the City doubled the number of electronic City Newsletter issues it produces; the newsletter is now published twice a month. That change has improved the readership and subscriptions of the City of Minot newsletter.

IT’S FOR THE KIDS

The Minot Public Library Board eliminated fines for children with overdue materials. As of December, there has been no substantial negative repercussions of this change. IN FACT, THE LIBRARY HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN CARD HOLDERS SINCE THE CHANGE WAS ANNOUNCED.

WETTING THE WHISTLE The City continued to improve the community’s water supply system in 2019 with several major projects.

The City of Minot met all guidelines under the EPA’s Safe Water Drinking Act with no violations, ensuring the health and safety of residents, visitors, and surrounding communities who depend on quality drinking water.

The 1.5 million gallon water tower on North Hill was completed, replacing a deteriorating 500,000 gallon tank, increasing capacity to provide fewer pressure fluctuations, and creating more reserve for times of peak demands.

MAKING BETTER ROUTES The Engineering Department completed a Safe Routes to School project around Washington Elementary School to increase pedestrian safety and promote walking to school, at a cost of $223,000. Promoting walkability and safety around schools is a continued priority for the City.

The City’s transit buses received an upgraded RouteMatch Automatic Voice Announcement System. The new digital system cost the City $4,760 and keeps Minot in compliance with federal rules regarding passenger announcements.

INSURANCE DISCOUNTS

The completed 2 million gallon Sundre booster pump station and reservoir pumping facility delivers water from the Sundre well field to the Minot Water Treatment Plant, providing an alternate route to help clear the way for construction of vital flood control projects and replacing an aging and fragile transmission line.

The City maintained its Class 8 designation through the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System, which provides the community with a 10 percent discount on flood insurance premiums.

IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Several construction projects were completed in 2019 or are under way.

Work continues on a $26 million expansion of the Minot Water Treatment plant that will boost the plant’s production to meet growing City demands and requirements for the Northwest Area Water Supply project. The new facility is expected to be operational in 2020.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation project to four-lane the U.S. Highway 83 bypass continued in 2019. The project created four-lanes on the 83 Bypass between Fourth Avenue Northwest and north Broadway, and included construction of an additional bridge over Fourth Avenue Northwest. The $15.9 million project was funded completely by state oil impact funds. The final work will be wrapped up in 2020.

A maintenance project on Broadway battled wet weather in 2019, which delayed some aspects of the project that replaced deteriorating concrete panels. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The Minot Public Library continues to play a key role in the educational and social development of our community.

ENHANCING LIBRARY ACTIVITIES In 2019, the Minot Public Library staff located, inventoried, cataloged and organized more than 60 donated games. Anyone with a library card can now check out board games, continuing to fulfill the Library’s vision of being responsive to the diverse needs of the community.

The Friends of the Minot Public Library donated $8,000 to fund a variety of marketing avenues to better inform the community of the Library’s services.

The Minot Public Library staff attended more than 20 events to promote library services, and launched the “Book Bike,” which was donated by Val’s Cyclery with help from the Friends of the Minot Public Library and allows people to take free books and learn about library programs.

MPL also started placing “pop-up library boxes” around town that contain free books with information about the Library.

Teen Librarian Pam Carswell worked to bring adaptive gaming to Minot, and Children’s Librarian Paulette Nelson brought together a Community Literacy Committee. DEVELOPING EASIER PROCESSES Staff in the Planning Department implemented new procedures for Development Review Team (DRT) meetings, including providing written minutes to customers and recording all meetings for record-keeping purposes. This helps staff provide accurate information to our customers and helps our customers submit successful applications on development projects.

The City of Minot’s assessors’ office created an online environment on the Minot City Assessor’s website to help those applying for various exemptions or property tax credits. This streamlines the process for property owners and eliminates the filing, sorting, and stamping of forms received in the office.

The landfill staff installed permanent signs at various locations along the landfill roadway, creating a much more professional appearance and directing customers to proper disposal areas. Landfill staff used salvaged posts, and the City’s traffic department made the signs. DUSTING OFF THE LANDFILL

A project to reduce dust on the landfill road was completed at a cost of $16,800. Two applications of magnesium and calcium chloride were done on more than a mile of road. During peak times, more than 225 trucks travel this road every day. The project enhanced safety for customers and landfill employees, and also freed up a landfill employee who previously was assigned to spray water on the road to help reduce dust

OUT & ABOUT

Multiple City departments participated in community engagement opportunities, including Minot’s first ever Public Works Day in May. This was an opportunity to show the community what Public Works is all about. One lucky student even won a trip to school in the classiest rig, our sanitation truck.

Staff also participated in a Touch-a-Truck event at Roosevelt Elementary School. These events allow the public the opportunity to see equipment up closet and gather information from City personnel.

PUBLIC WORKS DAY: Public Works opened its doors in May for an open house. Families had a chance to jump in the cab of their favorite truck and kids signed their name on a snow plow.