Minot (N.D.) Air Force Base seems postured to survive the latest base closure round. This has been at least the fourth base closure round in the last 15 years.
Minot has a population of around 37,000 and is the county seat of Ward County which has a population of around 58,000. Minot Air Force Base is the largest employer in the state of North Dakota. Minot Air Force Base represents around 30 percent of the Minot area economy. It rivals agriculture as Minot's economic base. The closure of Minot Air Force Base could be around the equivalent of erasing Thief River Falls from northwestern Minnesota. People would notice.
The lure of an affordable rural lifestyle has attracted many persons from the base to remain in Minot after their tour of duty. When I was a commercial landlord in Minot, two of our tenants were dentists and one was a periodontist, all of whom had been officers at the base. The best lawyer partner I ever had was the son of an Air Force officer. He was honest, organized, smart and a real nice guy. None of them had any trouble paying their rent.
Friday the 13th of May, was a day of great relief for Minot. Instead of being trashed, Minot can now move forward without dark clouds of doom hanging over its head. The multiple base closure threats over the years have retarded Minot's potential growth. Some local investors get the jitters and invest elsewhere. It has been difficult for our local school board to plan for infrastructural improvements, not knowing whether the community will lose a significant student and tax base. Cash without optimism is like water without a glass.
Minot has been a good supporter of the military. Four threats of being jilted in 15 years is enough. Knowing the Air Force will remain here for the long haul will be very liberating. Minot has been very good to the Air Force and the Air Force has been very good to Minot. Minot is glad to be a survivor. Now it is time to get beyond merely surviving and to grow.
ADVERTISEMENT
The world is not a safer place. The dream of a peace dividend was just that. The nuclear threat is alive and well and there is no shortage in the world of people who hate America.
In Minot, we are very grateful for the American dream. Minot is also grateful the latest base closure round has not turned that dream into a nightmare. We still wave old glory down at the courthouse, but the white lightening called base closure rounds aren't the biggest thrills of all.
Maxson is a Minot, N.D., attorney, former state legislator and current Democratic National Committeeman for North Dakota. E-mail maxsonlaw@minot.com
