Wibaux, MT

CAN. Community Action Now. But in the case of WibauxCAN, it’s also Community Action Nextyear. WibauxCan’s grants are a success. Less than a month after announcing the grants recipients one project-painting a house-is completely finished and more are in the process. The finished project even came in under budget, so the unused money will be regranted during next year’s grant cycle. Yes, that’s right. Next year. The demand was so high that WibauxCAN will offer the opportunity for applications again next year. Community Action Now and Nextyear. Sometimes the sprucing up of a community just takes some tangible investment in people.

From a waitress wondering where she can find a lot to move in a trailer to a minister trying to find housing for his family, housing is so tight in Wibaux, it squeaks!

The abandoned Milton used to house several bachelors as well as the owner’s family but has been vacant 5 years as the owner is in the Vet’s Home and standards for housing has changed.

Things are happening as of late June- a rental has been renovated down to the studs to add insulation and rewiring to make a home available for rent. Two new homes will be added to Wibaux Co.; one bringing in a lady from Astoria, OR who can no longer afford the taxes as land prices have risen there. The Lost in Time Ranch is adding a dorm for the teachers of this non-profit organization working with inner city kids to expose them to astronomy, paleontology, geology and wildlife during the summer months.

It was an empowering and humbling experience. Several people from the WibauxCAN Committee (Community Action Now), met to review the subcommitee’s grant award suggestions. Over $16,000 of requests for just $2000 worth of grant money. The committee had obviously hit upon a need.

The grants were for property beautification: clean-up and fix-up. Making Wibaux an attractive place to live, one that speaks of the pride that residents have in their town was one of of the most important goals expressed by the people involved in the Study Circles.

WibauxCAN, in reaction to the Study Circle’s #1 subject, community beautification, conducted the grant funding cycle.

The single round of grants were for a total of $2000. But because of the overwhelming number of applications for money, the committee elected to nearly double the money available.

Empowering: we could help; help the individuals and help the community. Humbling. there wasn’t enough money–even with doubling the available funds. Choices would have to be made.

Winners? The community. Those funded. And those not funded. Their needs were defined, the cost estimated. They were ready for what WibauxCAN hopes will be round two.

The annually held clean up day in Wibaux, May 3 produced some amazing results this year.

One yard on main street has a very manicured look thanks to the hard work of several senior citizens who take pride in the overall appearance of our community. They were willing to give of their time and resources to trim branches, rake leaves and haul away several loads of debris. Their work is appreciated and the results are fantastic.

Jean Zinda

The town of Wibaux’s population was listed as 567 in the 2000 census. It’s gone nothing but down since then. Genny Archdale, town clerk said there were 119 deaths last year and only about a third of that in births. “The sad part is I was at almost every one of those funerals,” she lamented. The population is aging with the population over 65 at 26.8% according to the 2000 census compared to 12.4% nationally. The county poverty level is 15.3% and $16,162 per capita income. 113 of the 243 households had an income under $25,000 in 2000.

NOTE: To correct an earlier posting error in this entry, regarding Wibaux’s population, the Montana Department of Commerce’s Census and Economic Information Center has a good web site with lots of information on state and local population estimates. It is http://ceic/mt.gov/Demog/estimate/pop/County/CO-EST2007-04-30.xls. According to that website, Wibaux County lost 170 people between April 1, 2000 and July 1, 2007. It had 118 deaths and 47 births for a net natural increase of minus 71, and a net migration loss of 96. I would suppose that most of the net migration loss is due to high school seniors graduating and leaving home.

82 houses or 25% of the housing were vacant, mostly uninhabitable or undesirable by the families they hope would settle here and populate the schools. Wibaux is a great place to raise a family with schools and churches and friendly folks and a great football tradition listed as strengths, but without housing, or lots with infrastructure, it’s near impossible to draw in families. They hope to use Horizons funds to hire experienced help to apply for housing grants.