New Town, ND

After hard work by many community participants New Town has completed a program sponsored by Northwest Area Foundation to enhance leadership, community and reduce poverty. After being chosen to participate in the program, it started with the Study Circles which discussed poverty, it’s many causes and visions for their town.   After that they conducted the Leadership Plenty training for volunteer community leaders.  Then……..they involved over 200 persons of all income levels, ages, and ethnic backgrounds to develop a comprehensive vision for New Town.   The NDSU Group Decision Center assisted as did the State Horizens program with compiling the serveys.   Then the Horizens participants helped chose goals and strategies.   Cheyanne Erickson, Ft Berthold Extension Agent typed up the final decisions.   All the stages had rigorous time and participation deadlines,  but now the $10,000.00 is on the way and we can use it towards meeting our visions.   Our vision is on our blog site if you with to read it.

Last week community leaders had a chance to hear from USDA Community Development, ND Dept of Transportation, ND Dept of Commerce-community planning, and ND Housing and Finance.   The agencies were interesting and helpful, warned us of the time it takes to go through red tape and encouraged us to work together to access the many programs available.  

Ask any adult from here and they will tell you of the fun of summer rodeos and the dances that went with them.    The Horizens Board , the City and the Blue Buttes Saddle Club have a chance to clean-up and fix-up the neglected area to make it safe and insurable .   If the Saddle Club will help the City with the insurance bill, the Horizens group can help with materials and labor.This is a chance to make a place where local families who have horses can use them in family and neighborly activities.    It can be used for activities like bicycle rodeos, and other youth activities that work best out of doors.     If you get a chance, support us, better yet join us.

This year’s traditional clean-up set precedents.   A record number of different groups planned the effort including the North Segment Community (a Tribal Subdivision), the New Town Chamber, the City, the NT High School, the alternative school. and the Blue Buttes Saddle Club.   Some of the plans are still in the works, but hopes are high.   North Segment had their usual trash pick-up with kids getting bracelets for the State Fair and other prizes, community groups and NS worked together to clean-up designated areas.   The schools were covering graffiti and some classes were on line to make signs.The Saddle club is working with Horizens and the city to pay insurance so it can becovered by the city’s insurance and the Horizens group can sponsor a work day to refurbish it and make it safe again.  The best news about spring clean-up is that folks are working with new groups to get the job done.