Dickinson Mayor, Dennis Johnson, speaks at Community Field Day

Community Field Day Successes!

We held Community Field Day on October 20, 2009 at Dickinson State University Campus. The day consisted of 4 panels—leadership, resources for development, entrepreneurship, and youth. These topics opened doors for communicating and networking on issues that relate to sustaining strategies for communities. To kick off our day, we had Mayor Dennis Johnson share his insight into strengthening communities. We were able to track him down later for a copy of his speech:

COMMUNITY FIELD DAY WELCOME

October 20, 2009

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Dickinson and Community Field Day. The staff of the Strom Center has put together an exciting and informative program for your benefit. Today we should hear about ideas and strategies that can lead to more prosperous communities.

This morning I would like to share with you three paradigms that influence my actions and policies as Mayor as we try to create a more prosperous and dynamic Dickinson community.

• Economic development happens where people want to live.
  • Quality of place paradigm.
• Economic development for rural communities is largely dependent upon local entrepreneurs.
• Leadership matters.

Communities compete with other communities for people based upon quality of place factors.

• Highly skilled people
  • Hospital Administrator said the impact on the hospital by a good
    general surgeon was $3 million per year.
  • Need to recruit Skilled energy workers and professionals
  • Recruit Skilled Diesel mechanics (Butler Machinery)
• People who have the ability to create their own jobs and jobs for others.

Highly skilled people and people who have the ability to create their own jobs and jobs for others can choose to live anywhere. As community leaders you want those people to want to live in your community and choose your community. Remember, economic development happens where people want to live.

Dickinson has concentrated on improving its quality of place. Some of our city’s major efforts to enhance quality of place are;

• West River Community Center
  • Northern Great Plains in door recreation makes sense. We can’t
    change the weather.
• Public Library renovation and addition
• Public golf course irrigation system
• Dickinson State University Building Projects (attract and retain
  quality students)
  • Student Union renovation and addition
  • Murphy Hall, science classroom renovation and addition
  • Future Library addition and renovation
• Badland’s Activity Center

Dickinson State University draws young people to our community. Many of them stay in the community. They are the highly skilled people and entrepreneurs of the future. Dickinson State is competing with other institutions for students and faculty. Dickinson State along with the community needs to be viewed as having a high quality of place.

Tell Marathon story (Spring 2006 at the time the 4th largest U.S. oil & gas company)

• Leased 200,000 acres and planning to drill 300 wells
• Establish an office in Williston, Minot, or Dickinson
• 40 to 50 employees plus contractors
• Chose Dickinson because this is where their people would want to live. (Quality of Place)

Entrepreneurship is essential to developing and growing small rural economies.

• Very difficult for rural communities to compete with larger urban communities in business recruitment. Small rural communities don’t have the economic development financial resources that larger communities have.
• In rural communities business recruitment isn’t going to create the quantity of quality jobs needed to have a dynamic and prosperous community. Local entrepreneurs are the best opportunity for job creation.
• Rural communities have to focus on attracting, retaining, developing, and improving their entrepreneurs. Communities compete for people who can create their own jobs and jobs for others. People with that talent can choose to live anywhere. It is essential that entrepreneurs want to live in your community and choose to live in your community.
• Stark County Development and area businesses are supporting the Strom Center because we want to foster an environment that continues to develop and encourage entrepreneurs.
• Entrepreneurs not only create jobs but they are a source of community leadership and charitable giving.
  • Private Funding for WRRC, BAC, and Library came largely from local entrepreneurs and businesses.Entrepreneurs generally have good leadership skills. It is important to fill community leadership positions with individuals who have the appropriate leadership skills because leadership matters.

Leadership matters.

• Vision: articulate what your community will become.
  • Be the 5th largest city and the best city in North Dakota.
• Inspiration: ability to inspire people to buy into the vision.
• Energy: the capacity to work hard to achieve the vision.
• Character: credibility so people will follow.
• Key community leadership positions (require quality leaders)
  • Community elected positions
  • DSU President
  • Hospital CEO
  • Superintendent of Public Schools
  • City Administrator
  • Director of Parks & Recreation

My advice for creating dynamic and prosperous rural communities is focus on;

• Quality of place
• Entrepreneurship
• Leadership

Again, welcome to Dickinson and Community Field Day. I hope you have a great conference. Enjoy the day.

To read about Mayor Johnson’s background, go the City of Dickinson WEBSITE!

We appreciate his input and time, this added to the success of Community Field Day! Watch for future information about the panels from Community Field Day!