Compiled by LAUREN DONOVAN, Bismarck Tribune

Crosby, like other small North Dakota towns, has to watch out for the curmudgeons in its midst.

The curmudgeons are naysayers who hunker down in a crisis, rather than take any risk.

Jack Schultz, author of Boomtown USA, made a circuit through the state last week, extolling his philosophy on how small towns can create big success.

Schultz detailed his 71/2 keys to success theory and then met over lunch with 35 public leaders.

His talk came at the right time, as Crosby struggles with the aftermath of the failure of Bushel 42, a pasta cooperative that failed last year and left a lot of hard feelings.

Schultz likened the process to riding a teeter-totter. The crash of Bushel 42 was like hitting the bottom of the teeter-totter ride, with no belief it'll rise back up.

He said that's when curmudgeons - a type of caveman personality - can flourish, pointing to the failure of a big project for the next 50 years.

Some projects will work, some won't, Schultz said.

"Just because you've had failure in the past doesn't mean you can't be successful," he told Crosby. "The only time you're beaten is when you give up."

He said truth police are the best weapons against curmudgeons.

They are positive people who attend public meetings to support new projects and balance negative messages.

- The Journal

Marina comment

A full-page legal notice in the McLean County Independent at Garrison is a sure sign that the new marina is one step nearer reality.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking public comment on a permit application by North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department under the Clean Water Act, because construction of the marina will involve building a temporary cofferdam and other earthwork near and on the water.

The comment period on the application runs through April 18 and is one of the final hurdles before construction can begin.

The application has two options: one, to dredge the marina out to 1,790 feet elevation; or second, to dredge to 1,780 feet elevation.

More than 1 million cubic feet of earth will be moved around.

The proposed new marina will encompass about six acres on the west side of Fort Stevenson State Park.

It'll be in at least 30-feet deeper water than the marina it will replace. The existing marina has been out of operation about half the time since the 80's because of low lake levels.

The new marina will cost about $5 million.

Park superintendent Dick Messerly said work started this week on extending and widening the ramp at the new marina location.

The ramp should be open by mid-May and make Lake Sakakawea accessible down to 1,795 feet elevation. The lake is at 1,808 feet elevation now and predicted to drop another 10 feet this season.

Anyone who wants to comment on the Clean Water Act application can contact the corps' regulatory office in Bismarck.

- McLean County Independent

Fueled by mess

A sizeable fuel spill and resulting fire was cause for excitement and concern in McClusky April 2.

The fuel set up is located right along Highway 200 close to town.

The incident started when a fuel tank collapsed on its stand, spilling about 14,000 gallons of diesel.

The weight of the collapse also ruptured a service line to a nearby unleaded gasoline tank and about 5,000 gallons of gas also flowed on the ground.

Responders quickly brought machinery to the scene to plug culverts and prevent the fuel and the resulting fire from spreading further into town.

McClusky Co-op Elevator-Cenex assistant manager Kendon Faul organized the effort. He credited locals for quickly moving to help.

The fire department responded to contain the hot smoky black fire and the local sheriff's department shut down the highway.

Earthmovers, a certified hazardous materials handler, moved in to suction up the fuel overnight and the State Health Department was also on hand.

Work to cleanup the contaminated soil started April 5 and could take until Friday.

The fuel also spilled into a slough and a containment buffer was brought in.

A number of agencies were contacted, including North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the Public Service Commission and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Elevator manager Brian Larson said the co-op will be able to handle its normal spring fuel deliveries with some temporary storage facilities.

- McClusky Gazette