A couple of interesting items were dropped off on my desk this week and I figured this column was as good a place as any to share them with you.

Job Service North Dakota provided its area profile for the Bismarck and Mandan communities.

While the mighty Missouri may divide the two communities, they resemble each other in many ways, but there are some interesting differences.

Of the total housing units available, Bismarck saw an occupancy rate of 95.7 percent (24,217) while Mandan was at 95.5 percent (6,985).

The median household income in Bismarck is $39,422, while in Mandan it's $38,182. Per-capita income is $20,789 in Bismarck and $17,509 in Mandan. The proportion of individuals below the poverty level is 8.4 percent in Bismarck and 10 percent in Mandan.

Of residents age 16 and older, 68.1 percent in Bismarck are employed while 68.6 percent in Mandan are. The average commute for a Bismarck worker is 13.9 minutes, while Mandan workers spend 18 minutes commuting. No, there weren't any numbers for how many in Mandan commute to Bismarck to work.

In Bismarck, 36.2 percent of workers are found in the category of management, professional and related. Mandan finds 28.4 percent in this category. More of Mandan's workers are in the construction, extraction and maintenance category, 12.3 percent as compared to Bismarck's 7.8 percent, and Mandan also has a higher percent of production, transportation and material moving workers, 11.9 percent compared to Bismarck's 9.6 percent.

Workers in Beulah-Hazen make the most in average wages, with an annual paycheck of $42,746. That's followed by Fargo-West Fargo's average of $32,678 and Bismarck-Mandan's $31,095. The statewide average wage is $28,987.

The largest employers in the Bismarck-Mandan area are: 1) Medcenter One, 2) St. Alexius Medical Center, 3) Bismarck Public School District, 4) Nondisclosable, 5) city of Bismarck, 6) Mandan Public School District, 7) Aetna Life Insurance, 8) Montana-Dakota Utilities, 9) N.D. Department of Corrections, 10) N.D.Department of Transportation.

New Burleigh Web site

Burleigh County has been updating its Web site over the past couple of months, and auditor-treasurer Kevin Glatt is announcing it is now operational.

"The new Web site includes a new property information search and online property tax payment system with access to over 34,000 parcels of real property in Burleigh County, including special assessment information. Property tax payments can now be made utilizing credit cards," Glatt's press release said.

The new Web site was developed by a local firm, iNet Technologies, at a cost of $14,000. Glatt noted that the county was paying $10,000 annually for the old Web site.

"It's new and improved," Glatt said. "It's a lot easier to navigate. Many more departments are participating. The old site had used up its usefulness. The new site is much more appealing, user friendly and there is so much more information which is easier to find. The old site wasn't ADA (American Disability Act) compliant and the new one is."

Burleigh's first Web site was implemented by the auditor's office at an initial cost of about $1,800.

The new Web site is www.co.burleigh.nd.us.

Meeting anomaly

This might not be as interesting to you as it is to me, but both the Burleigh County Commission and city of Bismarck hold their regular meetings next week.

Burleigh meets the first Monday of each month while Bismarck meets the second Tuesday. The only way they hold a regular meeting the same week is if the first of a month falls on Tuesday.

The Burleigh County Commission is starting at 4:45 p.m. Monday, opening at the Burleigh County Park Board. Following adjournment of the park board, the commission meeting will begin.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com)