Tiny ND town bans oil workers' 'man camps'

Good for them!!

It's a small construction company,so all construction workers are now called oilfield workers???Ok I drove Thu a lot of oilfield workers yesterday all the way from williston to minot.They were working on the roads and highways!!building houses and apartments,putting up power poles etc,etc...

 

murdock1978 Said:
It's a small construction company,so all construction workers are now called oilfield workers???Ok I drove Thu a lot of oilfield workers yesterday all the way from williston to minot.They were working on the roads and highways!!building houses and apartments,putting up power poles etc,etc...

They use oil to build roads and tar/tar paper roofs, DUH!!  (grin)

It's too bad some of the bad apples have given the rest a bad name.  I'm wondering how the business owners of this town feel about the ban?  I'm sure they hate the added stress of counting money.

This is quite the statement to make.

"It's not that we don't want people moving into our community — we do," she said. "We just don't want to be inundated with oil workers."

How about "We just don't want to be inundated with Air force people"?

Sounds a bit discriminatory to me.

obivously they have some experiance with this problem

Like most, I don't like the concept of discriminatory behavior.  However, there is something to be said about preserving your peaceful way of life.

Let the people here who cry foul be the first to offer housing to all the extra people coming to ND.  Preferably in a place that has the amenities and law enforcement already in place that can handle the increased demand. 

Too bad oil companies didn't hire women only. Nobody would object to that.

What a load of crap altogether. Apartments? Steakhouse? I realize these are far-fetched dreams. Realistically, that building will sit, empty, until it crumbles on its own weight.

The city should have to buy that building that back.

It really is sad that people are that small minded that they are afraid to have people move to town.  As like most small towns in ND it has lost people but then when there is a chance to gain some population back,  they say no.  What a bunch of bs.  With thinking like that it wont be long and Almont will be gone from the map. 

I don't think transient workers staying at a man camp really qualifies as having people "move into town". 

Refurbishing the older, but salvageable, homes into modern accommodations and relocating your family to Almont is a hell of a lot different than having a man camp across the street with people who have no inclination to setup residence.

I doubt the people of Almont or anywhere else would be opposed to families relocating and becoming part of the community, that is not what's been disallowed.

Wow I thought only in the south the town elders get together to say who can live in thier town,most of the elders wear white robes to the meetings.

I know of 10 guys from here that work in the oil fields and will be bring thier families to ND just as soon os houseing is avalible.  Several already have. Most of these guys look at man camps as temp. housing.  

obviously this construction company decided they didn't need to seek a use permit or zoning change or something that would have allowed it.  I'm interested to hear their side of it. 

Mauser,

You must be reading a different news article than I.

I have neither seen nor heard of ANY community up here prohibiting people from moving into their community. 

The paper calls it a man camp,but it just one building!!This is a man camp  Have talk to many diff oilfield workers in the last 3 years,they live in there trucks or motor homes or pay high rent.They are from all over the US.Alot them are married with familes.Some are just waiting and working here till  times  gets better in their state.But alot of them would love to buy or rent a house so they could move there familes here!!Some are just getting back on there feet,saving money and roughing it out,till they get ahead and can move their familys here.Of coarse there are the ones that dont give a shit about ND,just want to get the check and go home on their days off!!

Allen Said:
Mauser,

You must be reading a different news article than I.

I have neither seen nor heard of ANY community up here prohibiting people from moving into their community. 

This is from the article skoal posted.Banning the man camp is keeping a certain type of worker or person from living  in thier town.
..................................................................................................................................................................



Concerned that a Colorado company appeared to be turning an old school building in the tiny town of Almont into dormitory-style housing for oil workers, city officials called a rare special meeting and banned such so-called man camps

murdock1978 Said:
The paper calls it a man camp,but it just one building!!This is a man camp  Have talk to many diff oilfield workers in the last 3 years,they live in there trucks or motor homes or pay high rent.They are from all over the US.Alot them are married with familes.Some are just waiting and working here till  times  gets better in their state.But alot of them would love to buy or rent a house so they could move there familes here!!Some are just getting back on there feet,saving money and roughing it out,till they get ahead and can move their familys here.Of coarse there are the ones that dont give a shit about ND,just want to get the check and go home on their days off!!

Dam good post,there will be FAMILIES moveing to the smaller ND towns when houseing is avaiable.  

FargoCatMan Said:
It's too bad some of the bad apples have given the rest a bad name. 

As tired of the "boom" as I am, I'm also realistic enough to realize that this thing isn't going away any time soon.  Things are changing in the small community I live in too.  If I don't like it and want to live with it, there's only one choice for me and my family... move.  I am not the type to want to tell my neighbors what they can or cannot do with their property.

It will be interesting to see how these moratoriums play out in Western North Dakota.  The "boom" is moving forward and these people need housing.  If the locals cannot provide it, then other people - including oil companies - will have to provide it.  How do they do that if local governments are telling them that they cannot?  Could this end up being a stare down between oil companies and local governments?  Who will blink first?  Will the oil companies threaten to pack up and head out at the expense of the North Dakota economy?

These are interesting times in North Dakota.  We were not prepared at all for the influx of people, jobs, housing, etc.  How will the legislature react to these issues in the future.  So many unanswered questions...

-Justin

dakota1977 Said:
As tired of the "boom" as I am, I'm also realistic enough to realize that this thing isn't going away any time soon.  Things are changing in the small community I live in too.  If I don't like it and want to live with it, there's only one choice for me and my family... move.  I am not the type to want to tell my neighbors what they can or cannot do with their property.

It will be interesting to see how these moratoriums play out in Western North Dakota.  The "boom" is moving forward and these people need housing.  If the locals cannot provide it, then other people - including oil companies - will have to provide it.  How do they do that if local governments are telling them that they cannot?  Could this end up being a stare down between oil companies and local governments?  Who will blink first?  Will the oil companies threaten to pack up and head out at the expense of the North Dakota economy?

These are interesting times in North Dakota.  We were not prepared at all for the influx of people, jobs, housing, etc.  How will the legislature react to these issues in the future.  So many unanswered questions...

-Justin

actually the oil companies could be helping themselves more.  with their money they could be putting up permanent housing complexes at a frenzied pace.  but they don't want the liability once the drilling is over and the numbers of employees move drop substantially. 

which brings up another question that's  been lingering in my mind.  Maybe Allen could answer this.  what's involved in starting your own town?  let's say a group of people get fed up with the city councils in all these oil towns and decided to start their own city.  what hurdles would have to be overcome to do this.