Courtesy Photo | Civilian contractors wait their turn July 11, to be processed by North Dakota National...... read more read more
By Master Sgt. Marvin Baker
Joint Force Headquarters
MINOT, N.D. - With hundreds of contractors and employees literally pouring into Minot following a record flood on the Souris River in June, the North Dakota National Guard was entrusted with organizing and facilitating licensing credentials.
A team of six North Dakota Soldiers from Task Force Minot, led by 1st Lt. Dawn Holm, of Hallock, Minn., is working together to keep the processing moving in an efficient manner.
The remainder of the team includes Sgt 1st Class Elroy Gronhovd, of Crary, N.D.; Sgt. Grendaliz Nieves-Hernandez, of Devils Lake, N.D.; Sgt. Leah Stoner, of Fargo, N.D.; Spc. Michael Werner, of Grand Forks, N.D.; and Pfc. Eric Heldt, of Menahga, Minn. Lt. Col. Michael Holly, of Bismarck, N.D., was tasked with setting up the “one-stop shop,” and Capt. John Peyerl, of Reiles Acres, N.D., oversees the day-to-day operation.
The “one-stop shop” was created by North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to ensure that unscrupulous contractors don’t take advantage of vulnerable homeowners in the wake of the worst natural disaster in Minot’s history.
Processing through the “one-stop shop” includes all contractors and their employees who are in Minot to assist with disaster clean up. Whether plumbers, carpenters, electricians or debris removal teams are local or from out of town, they must register with Holm’s team. Once that is done, they will be licensed to do business in Minot and Ward County.
Monday was the first day the “one-stop shop” was in business and, according to Holm, at least 120 contractors and employees processed. The same held true Tuesday, however, the second day saw a greater balance of employees than business owners.
Holm said the shop is expected to be in business about a month.
“We’re strictly assisting the city and state in certifying the approval,” Holm said. “This is everyone involved in the disaster clean up.”
Holm explained how the process works. The first step is traffic control outside, near the front entrance to North Dakota Job Service at 3416 North Broadway.
“We’re dividing people into job seekers and contractors who are here with their employees,” Holm said. “Once they’re in the building, the Guard is managing the check-in table. We’re verifying their ID cards and reviewing their background applications. Then, they go to several stations we’re not involved with but we have the final stop in processing their ID cards.”
Because contractors who have worked locally for years are still required to register, Holm said she has already seen many of them process. But she has also noted contractors and employees from Florida, Missouri, Kansas, Nevada, Tennessee, Ohio and Montana on the first day.
“And there’s more on the way,” she said. “Several took stacks of applications. These people are eager to get started. One unemployed man got hired right in the parking lot on Monday.”
Holm said the “one-stop shop” opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. Her crew isn’t directly involved with North Dakota Job Service, but they are using rooms in the Job Service building, and she said Job Service staff has been very helpful in getting things up and running.
“It’s very interesting, these people are seeking employment and they have good attitudes,” Holm said. “Some of this is time consuming, but they have been patient.”
Nieves-Hernandez and Heldt see a similar situation as they are on the front line meeting their customers.
“I’m the good guy, I’m the charmer out here,” Heldt said. “We are basically filtering and organizing the chaos. There is high demand with this.”
Nieves-Hernandez said most of the people coming to the site have received media reports about the situation in Minot in general, as well as about the “one-stop shop.”
“A lot of these people are from out of state who specialize in disasters like Katrina and Joplin,” Nieves-Hernandez said. “These people know what they’re doing.”
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2011 14:24 |
| Story ID: | 73658 |
| Location: | MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 166 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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