BISMARCK - The president of the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce says legislators should work with schools to help businesses find workers.

Dave MacIver told the Legislative Council's interim Economic Development Committee on Wednesday that an available work force is one of the major challenges facing North Dakota businesses.

"You know that that's happening in the Fargos and the Bismarcks because of the unemployment rates that we're seeing in those communities at 1.6, 1.8 percent," MacIver said.

"The thing that we're finding though, is that it really doesn't make any difference whether or not you go to a Fargo or a Bismarck, or whether you go to a Langdon or a Cavalier or to a Crosby," he said. "Everyone is facing the same challenges with finding an available work force."

Clearly, North Dakota's economy is humming and much of the thanks has to go to John Hoeven and his business-minded handling of state affairs. Just the other day I saw a sign here in Minot advertising $9/hour, entry-level positions at a fast food restaurant. That's one heck of a lot of money by ND wage standards for a job like that.

With unemployment so low and demand for workers so high outmigration, a serious problem that the state has faced, should begin to reverse itself. In recent years the number of young North Dakotans leaving the state to seek their fortunes has slowed to nearly a standstill. If the demand for good workers remains in the state we might actually see some population growth soon.

Obviously the state needs to do what it can to fill labor demands, but this is a good position for North Dakota to be in right now.