Trending
Culture, energy and recycling will be among topics on the agenda when Minot Mayor Shaun Sipma and City Manager Tom Barry represent the city in Norway this month.
The two will be joining a Minot State University choir on the Norway trip from May 13 to 25. Høstfest- Heritage Foundation is funding the $15,000 cost of the trip for Barry and Sipma.
Strengthening the Sister City relationship with Skien, Norway, will be a focus of the trip, Sipma said.
"That was a big point made - that the City of Minot really has not, over the last couple of years, held up its end of the Sister Cities agreement so, of course, we wanted to make sure we connect with the leadership in Skien and incorporate some of our goals in terms of resilience and economy, and learn what Norway has been doing with their waste energy and recycling and how they handle some of their municipal challenges," he said.
Sipma said he and Barry will be meeting with the mayors and other leaders in Skien, Notodden, Tokke and Telemark counties. They have meetings scheduled with Skien's city manager, many of the city's 50 council members and its Sister City liaisons. They will be discussing gathering place ideas with Skien's cultural consultant, and looking at other areas where Norway might provide insights into resilience strategies, Sipma said.
Sipma and Barry will be traveling to Oslo to meet with members of Parliament and to tour a waste energy facility outside of Oslo. They plan to connect with businesses with which Minot Area Development Corp. has established contacts. Sipma said they hope to discuss oil development and other energy issues affecting the Norwegian economy as well as look at recycling efforts in Norway that might work in Minot.
Neither Sipma nor Barry will be bringing family members. Rather, Sipma said, he will be missing family and work commitments to travel, but he anticipates the trip will be educational as well as beneficial in strengthening heritage ties.
Sipma and Barry will represent Minot in a Skien parade on Norwegian Independence Day May 17.