“One voice. One mission. One Minot.”

That will be the focus of our third annual State of the City on Feb. 6, which will again be held at the Arvel Graving Theatre at Minot’s Magic City Campus. Beginning at 4:45 p.m. with a traveling City Hall that includes department heads and other City employees, the event includes a speech and presentation by me and a social hour.

It’s an important opportunity for community members to discuss City ideas and projects up close and personal with department heads and the members of the City Council. It’s also a chance to voice your input on our community’s vision during one of the most important times in our City’s history, as we push ahead with major infrastructure projects that will protect our community and its residents for decades to come. We hope you’ll join us on Feb. 6.

One exciting aspect of this year’s State of the City is an opportunity for community members to provide us with their artistic vision of Minot – literally, by participating in the “Minot Through Your Eyes” contest.

The guidelines for the photo/video contest are simple: Submit original photos, videos, or works of art that show “Minot Through Your Eyes.” You can submit your entries at https://www.minotnd.org/667/Mayors-Community-Challenge or through Instragram using #myminot or #oneminot. The winners will be announced and shown as part of my speech during the State of the City event.

We expect the submissions to illustrate the diverse views of our community. That’s exactly the point of the “Minot Through Your Eyes” contest. It’s your perception or view of our community, and no one can take that away from you. Ask everyone in Minot to visually describe Minot, and you’ll get thousands of different opinions and views.

Perhaps it’s a photo of a landmark of our city, like the Theodore Roosevelt statue, a particularly photogenic old building in our historic downtown, or the Dome at Minot State University. It could be one of our rambunctious animal friends at Roosevelt Park Zoo, or children playing in your neighborhood. Or, a scenic view of Minot, maybe along the banks of the Souris River.

Or, maybe it’s a video taken during one of the major events our community hosts every year, like the Norsk Hostfest or the North Dakota State Fair. It could be video of a dramatic sunset or sunrise, or watching the wonder of a young child as you drive through the iconic Christmas in the Park light display put on every year in Oak Park.

Then again, maybe it’s a watercolor painting in a local park, or a pencil drawing of the old walking bridge that leads to the Eastwood Park section of town.

The point is, it’s your view of Minot we’re interested in. The subject matter might be important only to you, or to your family, but that’s what makes this contest unique. “Minot Through Your Eyes” can truly mean something different to every resident of our community, and we’re looking forward to the beauty and history of our city, captured by you.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to not only showcase your artistic talent, but to highlight aspects of Minot that not everyone sees on a regular basis.

We look forward to seeing “Minot Through Your Eyes,” and we look forward to seeing you Feb. 6 at the State of the City.

Sincerely, City Hall

You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.