Stanley Economy Leveling Off - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Stanley Economy Leveling Off

When the oil industry started booming a few years ago, one of the first places to feel the impact was Stanley.

As the Mountrail County seat, the town was a hot spot for oil industry researchers looking for land to lease for oil wells.

And when the actual drilling took off, wells sprang up all around Stanley.

That forced the town to quickly add to its infrastructure as thousands of new residents showed up in the region.

But how about today? - With the number of active oil rigs having dropped off its all time high?

Stanley Mayor Mike Hynek-nick says he feels much more comfortable with where his city stands today than he did a year or two ago.

(Mike Hynek, Stanley Mayor) "I think what we're seeing now is that all the leases in Mountrail County are basically tied up so there's no real race to drill holes to tie up leases and it has had a leveling-off effect. I don't know what the attribute that to other than, it's not a bad thing really. We've got a better handle on things although there are still companies that are looking for housing and some of it is not completed yet in town, but things have eased up a little bit."

Hynek says it seems that there are now enough homes and apartments available in town to handle the present population.

But he says there is still a tremendous demand for commercial space - especially along Highway Two.

Hynek has been Stanley's mayor for more than six years.