Wibaux, MT

<
You can do a tour around Wibaux and look at all the statues, most done by Mr. Burman made out of welded pipe and recycled items. Those are the most recent additions to Wibaux. Pierre Wibaux is the oldest statue in town overlooking the town. A popular statue is the angel in Angel Park across from the nursing home. Angel Park has really improved as trees have grown and half of the bowtie sidewalk loop is complete. The nursing home residents appreciate the beautiful view out their front windows. What does this have to do with poverty? 1. It’s recycling materials that others would call junk. 2. It’s a positive investment in our community that makes people proud. 3. Wibaux has a statue trail for people to follow - that’s tourism for this town proud of its heritage. 4. It’s structural change that will continue.

by Ginny Archdale

Horizons funds are providing the stimulus for development of a Wibaux housing plan.
The Wibaux Horizons steering committee offered the Town of Wibaux $3500 from its coaching funds to hire outside expertise to conduct a structural inventory of Wibaux housing and analyze market conditions. These are the major components of a housing plan, which is the first step in seeking grants to fix up existing housing, remove blight, or build new low-income units.

With that offer on the table, the Town of Wibaux advertised for Requests for Proposals from community development consultants. At its May 14 meeting, the Town Council opened one proposal, from Single Tree Consulting of Bridger, Montana. Julie Jones of Single Tree proposes to develop a Wibaux housing plan at a cost of $5000. If the plan then leads to CDBG and HOME grant applications, additional funds will be needed to write and manage the grants.

The Town Council took Single Tree’s proposal under advisement, in order to check it over carefully, but it looks like the town will be moving forward with a housing plan. The Wibaux City-County Planning Board has agreed to contribute $1000 toward the plan, and the Town of Wibaux would contribute $500.

By Renae Rasmussen -Today I got my blood drawn at the Wibaux Clinic. No, not the Wibaux Clinic that’s been in operation on main street for years, the old, run down, Wibaux Clinic with the floor that had borken boards, but the new Wibaux Clinic. This clinic is just east of the nursing home.

It has three exam rooms with sinks, running water, exam tables, an office for the doctor(s), a nurses station where they can take blood, perhaps even do some labwork. (That’s where I got my blood drawn).

Know what’s great? In the not too distant future, it will be open five days a week! Five!

Kudoos must go to the community who has wanted better medical service, the Horizon’s Study Circles who kept the idea in the forefront, but most of all to the county comissioners who took the leap and decided that if Wibaux was to have better health care, Wibaux needed to have control of the health care.

I’m not letting my husband go out of town to get blood drawn again.

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.

With its access to the interstate, close location to Medora, ND, an old west town just 30 miles away, and a rich colorful history featuring Pierre Wibaux, the community’s namesake, Wibaux has the potential to capitalize on tourism. It’s well known for good restaurants, good football teams and good people.

A priority of those involved with Horizons was taking care of eyesore abandoned buildings, for safety and well as community appearance. Needed is adequate housing for all ages, including one-level homes that would allow seniors to remain in the friendly compassionate Wibaux community.
2. Peggy Iba Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

86 people (15%) filled out the survey in addition to the 20 written comments/ suggestions on how to improve Wibaux if you had $10,000 during Wibaux Appreciation Days Dec. 1 and the 35 who attended the visioning Dec. 3.

It was inspiring to read the surveys. 89% said Wibaux helps one another and it’s a real home. Wibaux’s top strengths or assets: places to eat, school. churches, helpful folks, western heritage.
People reported they would improve abandon building, youth drinking/drugs, housing, clean up, increase population, more jobs.
Top three things to improve quality of life from a checlist:
Liveable wage jobs 75%
Youth activities 60%
Improve the economy 44%

48% of surveyed said they were willing or very willing to help!

Top issues of the 8 listed that came out of Study Circles:
1. Expand business/ job opportunities
2. Housing
3. Increase Wibaux’s population
4. Medical care
5. Community Beautification