BISMARCK–Job Service North Dakota is warning residents to beware of fraudulent phone calls that claim to be from a bank issuing unemployment insurance debit cards.

The telephone-based nationwide fraud scheme is being made by automated phone dialers (robo-calls), and unemployment insurance claimants and those who have never received unemployment insurance benefits have received calls, Job Service said in a news release.

Customers are asked for their unemployment insurance debit card number, the associated PIN and the last four digits of the individual’s Social Security number, Job Service said. 

Unemployment Insurance Director Darren Brostrom said Job Service has been in contact with its unemployment insurance debit card issuer, U.S. Bank, and they are investigating the situation.

“Neither Job Service North Dakota nor U.S. Bank ever ask for any debit card information in emails, text messages or phone calls unless the cardholder initiates the call,” he said in a statement.

Individuals who may have received a call asking for unemployment insurance debit card information should contact Job Service North Dakota at 701-328-4995 to report the incident. Any individual who has replied to a request for information relating to their unemployment insurance debit card information should also contact U.S. Bank at the number on the back of their unemployment insurance debit card, the news release said.

BISMARCK—Three North Dakota Democrats plan to seek re-election to the state Legislature this fall.

House Minority Leader Jerry Kelsh of Fullerton, Rep. Bill Amerman of Forman and Sen. Jim Dotzenrod of Wyndmere said they want to continue their work with the state’s issues.

“We need to continually monitor that everybody gets their fair share of the infrastructure dollars,” Kelsh said. “I think we just need to make sure that rural North Dakota gets its fair share of the dollars that are being spent for education, roads, anything.”

Kelsh served in the state Senate from 1984 to 2002 and was elected to the House in 2008.

Dotzenrod said he wants to continue working on state tax policy as a member of the Senate’s Finance and Taxation Committee.

“I’m interested in property taxes, and I think that we can make some improvements in our system based on what’s happening to the economic fortunes of our state,” he said.

Dotzenrod served in the state Senate from 1978-94 and was re-elected in 2008.

Amerman said the state faces “extraordinary issues” because of its prosperity. He also wants to be involved in health and human services discussions if the federal government makes big funding cuts to reduce its deficit.

“I just like to be part of what’s coming up to try to, in whatever small way I can, make sure that every citizen in the state should enjoy or prosper to some degree during these times when the state is enjoying what it has,” he said.

Amerman is a member of the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee and the Industry, Business and Labor Committee. He has served in the state House since 2003.

The men represent District 26, which includes Sargent County and parts of Dickey, Ransom and Richland counties.

BISMARCK–Gov. Jack Dalrymple is traveling to North Dakota cities today to highlight a 20-year development plan to build on the success of the state’s strategic plan and advance North Dakota’s opportunities into the future.

At the same time, Senate Minority Leader Ryan Taylor of Towner–who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor–sent out his own message about the state’s future to the media.

Here are their messages:

News release from the governor’s office:

Gov. Jack Dalrymple, along with the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, today launched 2020 & Beyond, a 20-year development plan that will build on the success of the state’s current strategic plan and advance North Dakota’s opportunities well into the future. The new initiative was outlined at news conferences in Minot and Fargo. Dalrymple was joined by Andy Peterson, president and CEO of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce and the co-chairs of the 2020 & Beyond steering committee, Kathy Neset with Neset Consulting and Bill Marcil, Jr. with Forum Communications. 

2020 & Beyond will set the stage for an ongoing development discussion in North Dakota, building on established and proven goals and strategies as outlined in the North Dakota Economic Development 2010-2020 Strategic Plan. The initiative will advance the state’s emphasis on job creation and building a positive business climate, while focusing on enhancing North Dakota’s quality of life and the livability of its communities. 

“For the past decade, North Dakota has been aggressive in its economic development efforts and those efforts have resulted in unprecedented opportunities for our citizens,” Dalrymple said. “Now that we have achieved our goals for job creation and established a proven business climate, it is time for us to build on our progress and expand our vision for economic development. Today is the time to capitalize on the opportunities that have emerged as a result of our state’s impressive economic growth.” 

To expand North Dakota’s vision for the future, Dalrymple and the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to lead the statewide development initiative. A steering committee and an advisory board, comprised of proven business leaders representing the state’s eight regions, will guide the process and develop a plan to address major themes. The steering committee will provide a report to the governor and the North Dakota Legislature in the fall of 2012 outlining its recommendations for furthering North Dakota’s growth and enrichment. The report is expected to result in several legislative initiatives. 

 “2020 & Beyond will build on North Dakota’s economic growth and success by focusing on the value of people, unique quality of place and the state’s diverse opportunities,” Peterson said. “The initiative will take North Dakota to the next level of economic prosperity, with an emphasis on enhancing our quality of life and making our communities an obvious choice for those interested in diversified opportunities.” 

Dalrymple focused on three keys to the future that will serve as the focal point for the development plan: people, places and opportunities. According to Dalrymple, “an integral component of our economic strategy is to ensure our people have the knowledge and skills to achieve their full potential, while preparing a workforce qualified and ready to take on the careers of tomorrow.” 

He emphasized the importance of creating places that are not only conducive to business development and growth, but also offer a variety of social, cultural, technological and recreational opportunities to enrich the livability of the state’s communities for citizens of all ages. He added that because of North Dakota’s diverse economy, there are a wide variety of industries and businesses that can offer expanding career choices and opportunities for all North Dakotans. 

“Whatever individuals have an interest in pursuing, there will be an opportunity for them here in North Dakota,” Dalrymple said. “We need to build upon the diversity of our job opportunities so that our people continue to have career choices well into the future.” 

Beginning next month, meetings will be held in eight communities across the state to gather input on the opportunities and challenges to be addressed in the development plan. Meetings will be held in Williston, Devils Lake, Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, Grand Forks, Jamestown and Dickinson. More information on dates and locations will be provided.

———————–

An opinion piece submitted by Taylor to the media:

North Dakotans are strong people, not often prone to uttering discouraging words, but one can tell when that strength is tested.

Last week, as a member of the interim energy development committee, I heard phrases like ‘we are in crisis,’ ‘we need help,’ ‘our quality of life is gone,’ and ‘I am heartbroken’ from sincere, reasonable leaders of Mountrail, Williams, McKenzie and Dunn Counties – where oil drilling and development has been fast and furious.

These folks are not anti-oil. They know firsthand what development has done for our economy, but they are not blind to the challenges of living in the Wild West that has been created. The support the state has provided is appreciated, but it’s been too little and too late.

So how did we get to this point? How best can we, as leaders, begin to remedy the ailments of overheated growth in oil country?

First, we need leadership that understands it isn’t all roses in the west and is willing to address these problems head-on.  If the problems require a special session of the legislature in order to adjust course, provide critical funding, or find solutions that get us ahead of the next crisis, we must do it.

When our residents have real, justifiable needs, from public safety to public roads and school space, we need leaders who will address them quickly and creatively. We can’t simply take direction from those who profit from rapid exploration. We must also hear the voices of those who pay the price.

The governor we elect next November must be proactive, not just reactive, and use all the tools we have in order to heal western North Dakota, to bring sensible, sustainable development of this resource, and to make sure these communities and their residents’ quality of life are still intact once the oil has been harvested.

We wandered into this oil boom without proper state planning, but it’s not too late to recover and put in place a long-term plan that brings some common sense back into the equation.  The “Lasting Harvest” outline I proposed as state senator could be used as a blueprint for such a collaborative effort.

All of North Dakota – from our families and our schools to our road, water and flood needs – can benefit from this boom if it’s done correctly. But if we fail, and these changes are allowed to break the spirit of the people of western North Dakota, our state will never be the same.

TIOGA, N.D. – Volunteer firefighters getting burned out and either quitting or not responding to emergency calls is a growing concern for some Oil Patch fire departments.

The growing population and traffic in oil counties is increasing the number of emergency calls to fire departments, most of which are staffed with volunteers, said Renee Loh, executive director of the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association.

Some volunteers are quitting because they can’t continue to take time off from work to respond to more calls, she said. Many fire departments also don’t have adequate equipment to work with during emergencies, Loh said.

“It’s critical. It is critical,” she said. “This is not anybody crying wolf. This is the reality of North Dakota right now.”

To help ease the burden on fire departments and other emergency agencies, the state Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office is accepting applications for grants to help with training, equipment and facility needs.

The grant money for oil- and gas-producing counties comes from state taxes paid by the oil industry.

State officials have not determined how much money they will award during the funding round in March, but it is expected to be at least $5 million. Loh said that won’t be enough.

“I think they will be overwhelmed by the amount of requests that will come forth,” she said.

Spread thin

As of Wednesday, nearly $10 million in grant requests were turned into the Energy Infrastructure and Impact Office. Of that, nearly $4.5 million were from fire departments. There’s still more than a week until the deadline, and impact office Director Lance Gaebe expects to get most of the applications to consider the day they’re due.

The focus of this grant round is to bolster volunteer emergency services, he said.

“The requests that come from volunteer fire departments and ambulances who have seen increased activity will be given strongest consideration,” he said.

State officials will have a better idea in February of how much money will be awarded, Gaebe said.

Tioga Rural Fire Chief Jim McGinnity is among those submitting a grant request. He needs money to upgrade the department’s rescue vehicle.

The number of fire runs rose from 33 in 2009 to 76 in 2011, McGinnity said. Twelve of the 2009 calls were motor vehicle accidents. That number jumped to 42 in 2011, he said.

The influx of calls is burning out the volunteer staff, and some aren’t responding, he said. Trying to get to scenes quickly with the increased traffic in the area is also a problem, he said.

His brother, Dan McGinnity, is ambulance squad leader and said they often have to do their own traffic control because law enforcement is spread too thin.

“That can be really stressful for us, too, knowing that we’ve got to strategically try to park equipment to protect ourselves,” Dan McGinnity said.

Five years ago, people driving down the road would stop and many would offer to help when they saw the volunteer crews at work, he said.

“Now, you’re an inconvenience if you stop them,” he said. “We’ve had some friendly gestures waved at us at times … and we’re volunteers.”

Retention challenges

In Belfield, Fire Chief Kevin Hushka said the volunteer department has been lucky the number of calls hasn’t spiked. However, the lack of volunteers in town during the work day is a concern, with only a handful of people able to quickly respond in an emergency.

“At night, everybody is pretty much back in town, so then it’s not too much of a problem,” he said. “During the day, it can sure be a scary situation.”

New people moving to the area want to join the department, but the problem is they don’t always stay in the area after the department goes to the expense of getting them gear, Hushka said. Therefore, the department is more careful about new recruits.

“It’s not that we don’t want them,” he said. “It’s the expense of outfitting them and then they’re gone in a month or two.”

The job market is also an issue for career departments. Like other industries, western North Dakota fire departments are competing against oil field wages, said Minot Fire Chief CJ Craven, who is also president of the North Dakota Fire Chief’s Association.

The turnover rate of Minot firefighters has increased in the past three years, with six resigning in 2011, he said. The department is at full staff now, but about one-third of the firefighters have less than four years of experience, he said.

“We definitely can’t withstand the loss of employees at the rate we had in 2011 on into the future without loss of service,” Craven said. “It’s impossible.”

Travel concerns

Man camps that house oil field workers are another worry for firefighters because of concerns about whether they’re up to code and their locations, said Loh of the state firefighter’s group.

“They’re out in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “A lot of the fire departments are having difficulty finding them.”

Travel time is also a concern for Dickinson’s fire department, which uses full-time staff and volunteers. Dickinson Fire Chief Bob Sivak said volunteers need to battle traffic to get to the fire station and then face traffic again trying to get to a scene.

The growth of the city and the increased distance of new structures from the fire station is also an issue, he said. Therefore, the department is looking at adding another station, as well as more full-time staff to bolster the primarily volunteer department, Sivak said.

He said the 20 percent increase in fire responses from 2010 to 2011 is taking time away from another role of the department: fire inspections. The work is prioritized to ensure health care, educational and other target inspections are done, but the rest are “behind the eight ball,” he said.

More help needed

More money is needed to increase and retain firefighters, Loh said.

Demand is up for rural fire departments to perform more technical services, such as extrication, structural collapse and hazardous material response, she said. Yet many volunteers don’t feel safe or secure due to the need for proper training and equipment to do the job, she said.

“If we lose one person to a line of duty death, that’s one too many people that we’ve lost,” Loh said. “That’s why training is paramount for the safety of them and for the other team members on their fire department.”

The state association is organizing new classes, such as an oil field emergency class, she said. The association also continues to seek grant funding and to work on recruitment.

If firefighters are going to do the job they’re expected to do, Loh said the state has to recognize there needs to be more funding.

“The risks and dangers that North Dakota rural firefighters face on a daily basis are greater than ever before,” Loh said.

BISMARCK—State agencies are working on a list of recommendations following their 14-city tour of western North Dakota oil cities this month.

The public meetings provided greater understanding of the challenges in the oil cities, as well as more communication with the public about how the state is already working to help, Commerce Commissioner Al Anderson said Friday.

The next step is to document the issues and begin assigning action items, Anderson said.

“We’re trying to come up with what are the next key steps to truly make a difference and help folks,” he said.

The tour stretched from Williston to Bottineau and made its way south to conclude in New England and Bowman. Transportation and housing were common issues brought up during the meetings, Anderson said. In cities further away from the intense activity, rural water supply was a big issue, he said.

Anderson was pleased with the meeting participation and the conversations about possible solutions. The agencies will put together a report from the tour and see what changes can be made going forward, he said.

For 2011-13, the state appropriated $1.2 billion to rebuild and repair roads in oil country, as well as to support housing development, enhance emergency medical services and address other impacts.

The state continues to facilitate the development of low-income housing in the oil counties, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said in a news release this week.

“We remain fully engaged with community partners to continue making more affordable housing available in our oil and gas counties,” Dalrymple said in a statement. “We must do all we can so that people can stay in their communities even in the face of this tremendous housing demand.”

In Williston, more than 2,000 new housing units are in various stages of development, including 305 single family homes, 113 manufactured homes and 1,017 apartment units, the release said.

In Dickinson, more than 2,300 new housing units are under development, including 700 single family homes, 200 duplexes and 270 apartment units. These housing units include hotels and extended-stay facilities.

To address North Dakota’s current and future housing needs, the state Housing Finance Agency has commissioned a comprehensive study expected to be complete this summer, the governor’s office said.