WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) - The longtime leader of the western North Dakota oil patch hub of Williston is coming to the end of a two-decade run at the city’s helm.
Mayor Ward Koeser, 64, isn’t seeking re-election this June, after serving as mayor since 1994.
“My dream was that we would become the best little city in America,” Koeser told the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/1aWeSm3 ). “We are a lot closer to that now than a lot of people believe.”
The oil boom has brought a lot of stress to the city but it also has created opportunity, Koeser said - Williston boasts a younger and more diverse population, a high per capita income and an unemployment rate of less than 1 percent.
“We will become a premier city in the state,” he said.
Koeser, who runs a communications business, decided in 2010 that he would step down but several members of city government persuaded him to stay. He said he won’t change his mind this time.
“It’s time for someone young, with new energy to come on scene,” he said.
In his final six months, Koeser plans to continue working on major projects such as the renovation of the downtown business district, the building of a truck bypass around the city and finding a shelter solution for the homeless. Then he plans to take a summer cruise in Alaska with his wife, Joetta.
___
Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.