McHenry County Community Snapshot

McHenry County has a rich and fertile history. That history is
reflected in the “pin and truss” bridges that still stand as
testimony to the hard work, ingenuity and perseverance of
McHenry County residents. Just as these bridges from the
previous century addressed geographical challenges for county
residents, we are now addressing challenges related to
developing our economy and maintaining our quality of life. The
strategies and initiatives chosen in this strategic community and
economic development address those challenges, as well as
opportunities, while considering our traditions, local culture and
the nearby development of oil resources. We have determined
our course to build economic bridges for our future.
Not only are we geographically in the heart of North Dakota, we
are the heart of North Dakota. We represent all that is good and
wholesome in rural, agriculturally based communities across
America. We are building social and cultural bridges in our
communities. We believe in each other and we believe quality of
life is the foundation of small communities. We are warm and
welcoming to new residents. In fact, many communities have
welcoming committees that greet and begin to include new
residents in the life of the community. The “pins” that hold our
bridges together are evident in the colloquial language we use
daily that defines us as the honest, hard-working, practical
neighbors we are. Idioms commonly used during our planning
sessions were: “You get what you put into it.” “Let’s do this right!”
“We want to do more than just exist.” “We’re doing this for the
kids!”
In our quality-of-life discussions, the primary concern was the
potential threat that growth could bring to the sense of trust in
our communities we and our neighbors now enjoy. We watch out
for our neighbors and they watch out for us. We are concerned
for the residents of Deering who have been in a decade-long
battle for quality water. Neighbors are more than just the person
a decade-long battle for quality water. Neighbors are more than
just the person who lives close by. Neighbors are a part of our
extended families and are the fabric of our communities.
Because of our commitment to our neighbors and communities,
we are building generational bridges that address child care,
public safety, housing, infrastructure and our sense of
connectedness.
To describe McHenry County residents in one word, we’d have
to use “resilient.” From 1920 to 2010, we have watched our
small rural communities slowly decline in population. But over
the last two years, we have seen a slight increase with our
official census count at 5,505. We are eager to create
opportunities for our youth to return and find good jobs. We
recognize the oil industry will bring opportunities to McHenry
County and we plan to capitalize on those opportunities. As
Steering Committee member Stan Martin stated, “Oil will bring
its problems but it will bring solutions as well.” We are building
economic bridges that will provide opportunities for future
residents “to put down roots” and thrive in our communities.
Most of all, we are building bridges into the future--a future as
solid, yet as flexible as the pin and truss bridges that defined the
roads that have served us during the last century.
Selected Strategies
Score
Value-added Agriculture
73
Business Retention and Expansion
68
Local/Regional Tourism
65
Infrastructure Development
56
Pass-through Visitor Services
50
Quality-of-life Initiatives
Child Care
Community Connectedness - Anamoose
Community Connectedness - Granville
Housing
Public Safety
Roads/Transportation
The "Community Thumbprint" presents the 25 strategies in terms of their potential for successful
implementation by McHenry County.
Plan Week
Plan Director
September 24-25, 2012
Bonnie Helm
Steering Committee
Alyse Heer, County JDA Board Member - McHenry County
Bill Goodwin, County Commissioner - McHenry County
Bonnie Helm, JDA Director - McHenry County
Callie Johnson, Extension Agent, NDSU - McHC Extension Office
J. D. Larson, Commissioner - Velva City
Jerry L. Anderson, Mayor - City of Granville
Joan Anderson, Zoning and EDC Board Member
Ken Fox, Mayor - City of Velva
LaVonne Cameron, Mayor - City of Deering
Lucille Loftesnes, JDA Board Member - McHenry County
Nancy A. Mueller, City Auditor - Granville
Raquel Dugan-Dibble, Extension Agent, NDSU - McHC Extension
Shirley Vormestrand, City Auditor - Upham
Stan Martin, City Auditor - Anamoose City
© 2013 Building Communities, Inc.
Prepared for Vision West North Dakota