Wibaux, MT

by Ginny Archdale

One of the highest priorities identified in the Horizons program survey was creating jobs and economic development in Wibaux. This also came up in study circles and leadership training segments. People were very positive about the idea of developing wind energy.

Wibaux County, the Eastern Plains RC & D, the Wibaux County Conservation District, and landowner Kory Scammon have partnered up to monitor wind data on a site southwest of Wibaux. This is the first step in determining whether a site is suitable for wind energy. Mike Carlson of the RC & D made arrangements for the county to borrow an 85-foot tower from a landowner in Jordan. The county paid for modifications to the tower and the county road crew helped Carlson put it up on a site that Scammon provided. Carlson also loaned the county an anemometer and data logger to put on the tower. Carlson has since retired, so the conservation district is now pulling the computer chip from the data logger periodically and sending it in to a state agency that then provides a report.

Data from the first three months was so positive that a wind development company put up its own 200 foot monitoring tower a half mile south of the first one.

Since August of 2007, the average wind speed at the site has been just over 17 miles per hour, and efficiency (how often wind would be adequate to produce energy) is above the 40 percent companies want to see. Overall, Carlson has described the site as rating about 6 ½ on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 being the best.

However, most companies want to see at least a year, and maybe two years, worth of data before developing a site.

by Ginny Archdale

The bathrooms in Wibaux’s city park are so icky little kids run across the street to the neighbor’s houses to use the potty rather than use the city ones.

City Council asked R & R Construction to draw up plans and submit a quote to build two new handicapped bathrooms in unused space within the existing park building. Last week, the council agreed to accept those plans and R & R’s quote. The Wibaux County Commissioners also have agreed to share part of the cost of the project.

R & R plans to begin work on the new bathrooms later this summer.

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 Ginny Archdale

Sometimes it’s easy to be discouraged about the run-down buildings and yards that aren’t being mowed around town. You know – the glass is half empty attitude.

But then I look around and am amazed at all the hard work and pride that goes into the majority of properties in town. We have some very pretty yards. Right now, most lawns are green and freshly mowed. Wild plum trees, chokecherry trees, apple trees, current bushes, tulips and lilacs are starting to bloom. It’s really pretty out.

The black-headed grosbeaks that nest in my yard each summer just returned. Those pretty red-headed house finches are singing away from the tree tops, and robins follow me around the garden looking for worms. We have terrific bird habitat in Wibaux.
The glass really is more than half full.

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.

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 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.

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

That’s what I hear anyway. There a new clinic. The old Helvik store is being turned into a micro brewry. People are looking for housing and can’t find any. Families are trying to move in. The school has an almost stable enrollment. Everywhere one looks projects are in the inception phase. There’s talk of wind power, of a community builidng, of a sewer project.

In the middle of all this, one Horizon’s Study Circle group is taking a few dollars from the Horizon’s project and is offering grants to local citizens who might need a little help in getting a project on their property completed. With about $2000 to grant, the group, which calls itself Wibaux CAN has created an application form that is available at the city office.

Got a property that needs some paint? A project that will make that place have more curb appeal? Check out the Wibaux CAN grants.