Invest in loop? JSDC Board to decide on railroad loop
November 15, 2011 at 12:55 am in The Jamestown Sun
Whether to invest almost half of its funds into a railroad loop to serve Spiritwood Station, Dakota Spirit AgEnergy and prospective tenants is a $3.75 million question to be answered by the Jamestown/Stutsman County Development Corp. Board in a special meeting Wednesday.
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If it was a “complete upside, win-win situation”, private investors would be knocking down the door.
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Looks like Jamestown is once again going to throw more tax money at something and hope they get economic development.
It’s actually laughable how Jamestown can only get anything built if they use tax money. Apparently the rest of the real world investors figured out what the government can’t: There is no money to be made in Jamestown.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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because certainly places like Fargo never have to give money to businesses to build or expand there.
Oh wait, did you know there’s a Fargo/Cass County development corp, similar to the Jamestown / Stutsman county development corp? The Fargo Cass County one has handed out over $17 million this year, to 10 different companies, with the promise of creating 88 jobs. what???? I thought, according to Fred, that only Jamestown has to use tax money to attract businesses. I guess even allmighty Fargo does the same thing.
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Jamestown will never be like Fargo or most other major cities in ND. Given the population drop that keeps plaguing Jamestown the handwriting is on the wall.
Jamestown used to be the 5th largest city in ND. It’s now 9th. Considering the population boom taking place in the west, I wouldn’t be surprised if places like Watford City, Tioga, and Stanley soon push Jamestown out of the top 10.
Remember, West Fargo went from 2,500 to 25,000 in the same time period where Jamestown experienced zero growth.
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right fred, cause I would want to take up residence in an oil boom community where rent for a 2 bedroom exceeds 2000 a month!!!! So what with the numbers, Jamestown has been holding its own for as long as I have been alive, it is not growing but it also is not losing that many residents either. Other major cities???? you speak like ND is a metropolis, a major city in my mind is Minneapolis, or larger. Why don’t you compare fargo to minneapolis, hmmmmmmm… Jamestown can’t be compared with fargo for many reasons, and fargo can’t be compared to jamestown for many, they are two completely different types, just like fargo and minneapolis are much different. So fred enough already with your hatred for Jamestown we all understand how much you despise it. I would like to come on here and read about a topic without having to read about how much you think jamestown sucks. Peace out Fred.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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OK, let’s compare Fargo to Minneapolis.
1980 to 2010 population growth.
Minneapolis 3.1% gain
Fargo 71.9% gain
Jamestown -5.6% loss
As to the rental rates in the western part of the state. Rates on housing is always indicative of the money available in an area. People making a good wage will spend more for housing.
If you are making over $100,000 a year, $2,000 a month is reasonable. Low rates in Jamestown indicates that people earn far less and that’s nothing to be proud of.
The fact that people continue to move out west shows they are following the jobs, just like they do when they move to Fargo.
One reason I come to this site is it’s OWNED by a Fargo conglomerate. Any other questions?
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Where do I even start with YOUR reasoning:
Of course fargo’s population growth will be more, it was extremely less populated to begin with, so if you do the math a smaller populations growth percent will be much larger than a city that is much larger to begin with. If your so proud of fargo why don’t you give the actual population growth, and not a percent. I would actually like to see that number instead. So over the past 30 years Jamestown hasn’t even lost 1000 people, thats not too bad.
Yes if you make 100,000 per month 2000 isnt bad however what do all the people that work at fast food restaurants, grocery stores, banks, walmart, gas stations, etc………. do for housing in the western part of the state, your turn to do some research on how bad the living conditions have become out west for those people that have jobs related to the oil. Imagine trying to find housing on the wages the above people make.
Estimated median household income in Fargo is 39,000 in Jamestown it is 32,000. January 2011 cost of living index in Fargo was at 101.0
January 2011 cost of living index in Jamestown was at 80
The US average is 100.
So yes in Fargo you can make more money but cost of living is lower in Jamestown.
Do you have any questions?
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I don’t believe the cost of living in Jamestown is less than Fargo. In fact, I believe it’s much higher. I’ve lived in Fargo and found it to be cheaper than Jamestown. Real estate taxes are higher in Jamestown. Housing prices in Jamestown aren’t any less than Fargo. Gas prices are higher in Jamestown. There’s less competition for everything in Jamestown plus you have to drive to Fargo or Bismarck to do any real shopping.
People that say the cost of living is Jamestown is low obviously haven’t lived anywhere else.
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Take a look at the national statistics there buffalo, unless the national gov’t is lying to all of us! Why would they post false stats? Housing prices are cheaper than in fargo, median house value in fargo is 147,000 and in jamestown is 105,000. Median gross rent in fargo is is 600, and in jamestown it is 500, that works out to be 1,200 difference per year. Yes gas is cheaper in fargo but you also have to drive alot further to get anywhere in fargo, it takes me 5 minutes to get across town in jamestown, fargo commute is much longer. As far as competition for shopping, you are mostly correct, however internet pricing is competitive, and I dno’t need anything right NOW, i am willing to wait if it saves me some money. If I do need to go to fargo for something I make it worth my while and wait until I can make a list and pick up everything I need, on average I go to fargo shopping 3 times a year. I have lived in other cities bill and find that Jamestown offers everything that I NEED, yes fargo may have some things I WANT, but that is not reason enough to move to the almighty fargo.
Bill I believe in stats and facts not hunches!!
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OK JW, you want figures.
1980-2010
Minneapolis UP 11,672
Fargo………. UP 44,166
Jamestown DOWN 853
Let’s look a little deeper. 1960-2010
Minneapolis DOWN-100,294
Fargo……………….UP 58,887
I’m glad you wanted to compare. Aren’t you? Now some other ND cities. 1980-2010
Williston ……..UP 1587
Dickinson ……UP 1813
Mandan ……..UP 2818
Minot …………UP 8,045
West Fargo UP 15,731 Increased more than Jamestown’s total population.
No matter how you look at it, Fargo and West Fargo are growing, as is virtually every other city in the top 10, except for Jamestown.
Now, on to your comment about the cost of living. No way do I believe it costs more to live in Fargo. All consumer products are way cheaper in Fargo and the wagon train from Jamestown every day proves people come to Fargo for bargains.
The only thing that may be slightly higher in Fargo is housing, and that only applies if you don’t already have your house paid for. Even if it costs more to buy, you will still get that money back when you sell. Good luck trying to get much of price someday in Jamestown. More people are moving out than moving in.
So you think losing amost 1000 people is OK? Well, if it makes you happy, then alright. I’d say you are going to even happier when the next census comes out.
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Wow, Fred. From those statistics, people from Minneapolis must have even flocked to Fargo. However, as you so love to say about people from Jamestown is that they will drive from where they live to get what they NEED. So comparing Minneapolis, which is pretty much turned into a business hub where the workers have moved to the suburbs, lets compare apples to apples for even just 2000-2010 census.
According to the US Census statistics for Metropolitan Statistical Areas:
Fargo MSA 2000 – 174,367
Fargo MSA 2010 – 208,777
Difference +34,410
Minneapolis/St. Paul MSA 2000 – 2,968,806
Minneapolis/St. Paul MSA 2010 – 3,317,308
Difference +348,502
In just those 10 years, Minneapolis/St. Paul saw a 10 fold increase over Fargo/Moorhead MSA. Looks a little different in that light doesn’t it?
Again, I am not saying Fargo’s growth is bad. I’m just saying, you can skew your facts how ever you want.
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Farley, let’s look at your numbers. In those 10 years, Fargo-Moorhead MSA had a 16.5% increase, Mpls-St. Paul had a 10.5% increase.
Considering that almost all the growth occurred in Fargo and West Fargo, with Moorhead just coming along for the ride, that makes that 16.5% look even more impressive. Sorry, but your Jamestown spin isn’t going to work.
This thread will drop off at midnight tonight, just so you know. I wish the Powers To Be would leave the more active threads up longer.
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