[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6562684,"mediaKeyId","3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5","parentId",3251251,"title","Committee urges council to pursue childcare supports and state RWIP funds amid workforce concerns","audioSeconds",1258,"startMs",4001000,"endMs",5259000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5&start=4001&end=5259","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5/thumbnail_4001000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562684/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Committee-urges-council-to-pursue-childcare-supports-and-state-RWIP-funds-amid-workforce-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562684-17a169ac1ac6caf0ceebd52ce4661ae9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197772&Signature=Mv0oe-rCZfImKtAlgElrMNei1OcQ2VczufBbgPPD-suumx~migKrNsC2HoRXohsdVTRp2MBYWNXJyNCjNdpE38IN6NbBlLyfyLht9CDhh7UFt40MGF4yG9nf-AN-mZ7MMYd7bCvWtDes2rkaE3cuiU6bYLLzrC-qdiPXqFmSLV9Ao~4fZCKPLvC3P2vPrDnkycYPXihDwybPE7Gg-oOIFGQd4C3S0FG94jXs4FDAW0mzdAPnR5y-qiXaYZvE7ukMT6VGuj1uqAXQK8FIPiCEXPAPSgJagWBYLBj-EchsWjhweBKp1xl1ss4kJxMkziDAlvKJWeKLYVFTd4RLEyipSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Minot, ND","date","2025-05-09T17:56:28Z","article","The Economic Development Plan Review Committee on May 9 voted to advance recommendations to City Council aimed at addressing childcare shortages tied to workforce constraints, asking staff and partners to pursue state Regional Workforce Improvement Program (RWIP) funding and to explore whether local grants could complement state funding.

Committee member Tyler moved to forward the item; the motion was seconded and the committee approved it. The motion specifically directed staff to note that other communities are using RWIP and similar state programs for larger childcare facilities and to consider local grant options to expand capacity.

Mark, representing local economic development outreach, told the committee that businesses and childcare providers in the Minot area secured roughly $1,750,000 in state-funded childcare support over the last three years. He said about half of that total was in the form of loans or low-interest financing, and the remainder included grant funding. Mark listed local providers that had used that funding or been involved in the effort: The Learning Tree, Midwest Montessori, Little Bee's Daycare, Star City Learning Center, Kiddie Corral 2 and Heart of America Medical Center.

Staff and committee members discussed what RWIP dollars typically pay for: Mark and staff said the state program has been used primarily to expand physical capacity (building or renovating space) rather than for wages; wage supports are handled differently. Committee members agreed that navigating the overlapping state and local programs is time consuming for small operators and that additional local matching grants — if funded from an existing economic development or small-business bucket — could help providers access state dollars and add slots.

Committee members also flagged regulatory and market challenges: some suggested reviewing state licensing requirements or other administrative barriers that raise costs or slow openings; others noted that childcare is a low‑margin business and that many center operators need assistance with capital and staffing to expand.

The committee approved the recommendation to send the childcare and workforce language to council; members said funding for any local grant program would need to be identified among existing city economic development buckets.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Economic Development Plan Review Committee 5/9/25 at 1:00 p.m.","oneSentenceSummary","The committee voted to forward recommendations to City Council encouraging use of state RWIP grants and exploration of local matching grants to expand childcare capacity, citing childcare shortages as a key workforce constraint and reporting nearly $1.75 million in state childcare funding used by area providers in recent years.","taxTitle","Minot, Ward County, North Dakota","taxId",55035,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562689,"Committee recommends City Council dissolve Community Development Advisory Board; staff calls change a cleanup item",484,2855000,3339000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5&start=2855&end=3339","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5/thumbnail_2855000.jpg","/articles/6562689/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Committee-recommends-City-Council-dissolve-Community-Development-Advisory-Board-staff-calls-change-a-cleanup-item","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562689-e5e39cac3f4e72de8117d2d97259fe34/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197772&Signature=JIxmM9nV6~xR2TOUPkLg~3Bla367n1dWKYxvxkWB8d2-59qaRIwsfmHiKLbRP-tEQ99xJMwbKbOkdEk31Yu1cdh33hluLURjbQ60jFo1RH2qzrZjuaoq0d58Q6JRhKdlrFCihWx8sY8TJqO1yvusS-cjTmNHQmBs~N~ns1nTDDidmQuiMqUvlrkxU7CkrB0cRel7WIZ4oWfhnONhPAjDKGoxX3RtShStlx59DfsA9Id0m-LJRsoLRKIlL-U0zdoSokSS2jYWoy8-9bwtYifNGsWlZPCIMvh3igeiyV80j7nY3LHz~T51VRGNKGmOHzTKGA0VSGaTnbPztnnTwJziKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Economic Development Plan Review Committee voted May 9 to recommend that the City Council dissolve the Community Development Advisory Board and remove related ordinance language (Chapter 2, Article V, Division 2).

Committee member Tyler moved to advance language recommending dissolution and to elevate that bullet into the committee’s primary recommendations; the motion was seconded and the committee approved forwarding the recommendation to council.

Staff and committee members said the advisory board had not been active for several years after sales-tax reallocation removed community facilities funds from the ordinance (staff recalled the change in February 2019). Staff described the motion as a ‘‘cleanup’’ that removes an inactive committee from city code unless the council elects to restore or re‑fund the program.

Discussion also touched on whether the city should reestablish a community facilities funding bucket in the future; staff and the park district noted there remains interest, but that flood-control funding commitments and other capital priorities make new dedicated city funding unlikely in the near term. Staff explained that current sales-tax allocations include dedicated shares for flood control and NAS (North American project referenced) obligations, which limit the capacity to reallocate funds in the short term.

The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for ordinance cleanup or further deliberation.","Members of the Economic Development Plan Review Committee voted to recommend the City Council dissolve Chapter 2, Article V, Division 2 (Community Development Advisory Board), citing that the fund and board have not been active since sales tax reallocations and that the ordinance is a remnant.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562694,"Minot committee recommends prioritizing TIF for blight and public improvements, urges caution on bonding",1340,1507000,2847000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5&start=1507&end=2847","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5/thumbnail_1507000.jpg","/articles/6562694/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Minot-committee-recommends-prioritizing-TIF-for-blight-and-public-improvements-urges-caution-on-bonding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562694-dd8013695960bf41e2c4468a1ada71c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197772&Signature=ScRTfX3i0hZ-bf~R3gJ-FVnyjYfXYj5ylGOGaa16LM2Zh1FlbYLa~yepy5o~1JajjOND~oNiWtShELdL5EtqecUl8D3rH2sfEU99rwNo~sS63lSVKIngrhktyR463mAvorOYeCUULzH9-h9BvxahsFseeuFXOsXtQbAr~qRCxswcC5rzQ4K-rITAVcYJlJdyLJEoyEXd2xywJvKFxB1F9rAl8V9~-zSRhrGBHmQFIVtQDofx~tn-87CgbtLF1NFRqm4pvtTH1WVJdR7wdwipoZ-kyNIvCXvYLiSAzDIXLQxoARuNYggBa2tqesnjfghhiZHHMe9rQTzWwP5i--JMZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Economic Development Plan Review Committee voted May 9 to recommend that City Council prioritize tax-increment financing (TIF) for blighted properties and only consider new development TIF agreements when proposals provide a clear public benefit, such as public improvements or amenities.

The motion, offered by a committee member and seconded, asked that blight remediation be the primary use of TIF and that new development be considered only when the applicant provides demonstrable public benefit to the city. The committee passed the recommendation by majority vote.

Discussion focused on the legal framework, risk and precedent. Harold and staff reminded the committee that the city’s authority to use TIF is granted by state law but that the council has discretion over whether and how the tool is used. Harold recommended attaching TIFs for new development to public improvements that benefit the general public — for example, intersection work, extensions of water/sewer, or publicly accessible parking garages — rather than using TIF to increase a developer’s private profit margin.

Finance staff and committee members urged caution about bonding public dollars to development projects. Staff noted the city’s experience: some past projects used TIF to reimburse developers for public infrastructure (for example, water, sewer and paving in the Blue on Broadway project), while other projects required removal of hazardous materials and had additional risks. Committee members and staff said the city should prefer reimbursement agreements (where developers deliver improvements and are later reimbursed from incremental taxes) over the city assuming construction-bonding risk whenever possible.

Committee members used past local examples to illustrate both benefits and risks: Trinity Hospital (where required intersection improvements benefit the public), the Blue on Broadway infrastructure work, the M Building and the Tracks Building were all raised in discussing how TIF has been used locally. Several members said the M Building example had mixed outcomes and that projects that shift most project risk to taxpayers require particularly close vetting.

The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council with language that encourages prioritizing TIF for blight remediation, tying TIF support for new construction to public improvements, favoring developer-funded improvements with reimbursement rather than city bonding, and reserving bonding for exceptionally high-threshold cases.","The committee voted to recommend prioritizing tax-increment financing for blight remediation and to allow limited use for new development tied to public improvements, while emphasizing that bonding taxpayer risk should be a high threshold.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562698,"Minot committee backs moving downtown façade grant changes to council; asks for funding review and possible sunset",1130,360000,1490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5&start=360&end=1490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3251251-6809f670c4b921142b146109d080dcd5/thumbnail_360000.jpg","/articles/6562698/Minot/Ward-County/North-Dakota/Minot-committee-backs-moving-downtown-façade-grant-changes-to-council-asks-for-funding-review-and-possible-sunset","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562698-19ad109aed055c2517787578b5d68d14/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197772&Signature=C7gK15oPgrTcyMD6KF6EchFvkqUtQk~FIRiMgsnm3eQF2xTgTKHPkBO10ZAIW7kh4wGP-xCdB~MUlfL3j5ltDRS9LEsmiONUnGLCUMMAD8qiYwIpsWw7dKzuCGxsoEbSYPepe74RiG8aItGDiKU0kU4rC2z3rFKr3cZupt7KeVZke13OfDDbnxmXlBSoqxYU35FAn0ssGWifJViUuNsNc27Rz5XNsb22346mI9Fz2f~Gp5MgAU0bXJ-mjAQiFiaxREoOey85EZQg1KyRL8TX50k4MfYvLo92NzE~45xPa~nYmrZDTR0E3MIxF5VjzvJjlT1As~fEge6ZRKfbM4FDfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Economic Development Plan Review Committee on May 9 voted to advance proposed revisions to Minot’s façade improvement program to the City Council, including language changes to funding splits and a recommendation that the council consider a future sunset date for the program.

Committee members debated whether the city should preserve the program at its current funding level, or reduce the city cost-share so funds could be redirected to other priorities such as workforce or single-family housing development. Committee member Tyler moved to modify the program recommendations, including striking an item that would apply the program to additional areas of town and ‘‘change the structure of the program by changing the city applicant percentage or reducing the amount offered per application,’’ and the motion was seconded and passed.

The motion asked staff to move the façade item from the committee’s “other notes” section into the primary recommendations to council and accepted language adjustments Tyler proposed, including explicit consideration of a sunset date.

Brian, speaking for the Renaissance Zone Review Board, described current program parameters: ‘‘The facade improvement program is eligible to any property located in the Central Business District, which is pretty much Downtown Minot. Frontage building is eligible for up to $100,000 in funding. A double frontage building or a building that's wider than 55 feet is eligible for up to $180,000 in funding. There's also a 75, 20 5 percent split that's in there as well.’’ He said the city reimburses no more than 75% of eligible expenses up to the cap, and that the review board is considering lowering the cap or increasing the local match.

Committee members noted the program’s successes downtown but said it is well funded compared with typical façade programs and suggested several possible adjustments — for example, changing the local match to 65/35 or lowering the per-project cap — so the city could stretch limited economic development dollars across a broader set of priorities. Committee members also urged staff and the Renaissance Zone Review Board to consider whether program eligibility should remain limited to the Central Business District or be adapted for other commercial corridors.

Clarifying details provided during the meeting: staff reported nine completed façade projects, three currently under construction and five additional properties working with architects and expected to apply in the near term. Committee members and staff repeatedly described the program as a hybrid façade/historic-preservation restoration program rather than a small-scale awning or storefront program.

The committee’s motion passed and will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration as part of the committee’s recommended economic development package.","The Economic Development Plan Review Committee voted May 9 to advance revisions to Minot’s façade improvement program to the City Council, backing staff and Renaissance Zone Review Board work to lower caps or increase local matches while asking the council to consider moving the item into primary recommendations and to consider a sunset date.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee urges council to pursue childcare supports and state RWIP funds amid workforce concerns

Committee recommends City Council dissolve Community Development Advisory Board; staff calls change a cleanup item

Minot committee recommends prioritizing TIF for blight and public improvements, urges caution on bonding

Minot committee backs moving downtown façade grant changes to council; asks for funding review and possible sunset