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The Town of Glasgow is centrally located in rural Northeast Montana. Positioned only a few miles from Fort Peck Dam, Glasgow is only a few hours’ drive from Canada, North Dakota, and Havre making it a major stop along US highway 2. 

Agriculture plays a major role in Glasgow’s economy. The main products harvested in the area are wheat, alfalfa, barley, and beef cattle. Along with agriculture, Glasgow has many large businesses contributing to the economy, including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, and the Glasgow School District. The high school has a very strong athletic program as well as academic program. Several of Glasgow athletic teams have made it to the state level in the past few years.

Because of its central location, Glasgow offers many recreational opportunities. Fishing, swimming, and boating on the Missouri River and Fort Peck Lake are available along with hunting and trap shooting. An annual PRCA rodeo and fair, walleye and ice fishing tournaments on nearby Fort Peck Lake, and fun-run bring visitors and entertainment to Glasgow as well. Seventeen miles away, Fort Peck also has the Fort Peck Summer Theater, which offers three to four different plays throughout the summer months.

For further information, see the City of Glasgow Website

Along with its prime location, Glasgow offers many business attractions:

• Available Workforce
• Telecommunications
• Tax Advantages
• Organized Economic Development Efforts
• Real Estate
• Accessibility
• Municipal Services and Facilities

Glasgow’s high school, which has a graduation rate of 82.8%, has an enrollment of 228 students, and kindergarten through eighth grade has a student enrollment of 557. 

Glasgow is centered between Fort Peck Community College in Poplar, Williston State College in Williston, and Montana State University-Northern in Havre. Fort Peck Community College has on average 307 full-time students and 134 part-time students, Williston State College has on average a full-time enrollment of 505 students and part-time enrollment of 406 students, and MSU-Northern has on average 992 full time students and part-time enrollment of 264 students.

Along with these two schools Glasgow and several nearby towns have Interactive Video Studios, which offer degrees and classes from surrounding universities and colleges, including: University of Great Falls, Rocky Mountain College, Montana State University-Northern, and Dawson Community College. Most of these colleges will offer training and classes suited to meet an employer’s needs. 

The job service and local high school also offer public programs such as welfare to work, school to work, on the job training, and pre-employment skills training.

2000 Census	City/Town	County	50 Mile Radius
General Population:	3,253	7,675	8,400
Employee Population:	1,604	4,116	3,878
Unemployed Population:	73	151	207
Unemployment Percent:	2000	4.1%
	2001	3.5%
	2002	3.4%
	2003	3.5%

The following information about age and race distribution, income, and educational attainment is just for the Town of Glasgow. However, most of the area’s workforce commutes an average of 50 miles to work, which is only about a 45-minute drive. Therefore, to get an accurate measure of the available workforce the statistics for the 50-mile radius should be used. 
 

Age Distribution	Race Distribution
Under 20 years: 853	Caucasian: 93.9%	Asian: 0.4%
20-29 years: 283	American Indian: 3.5%	Black/African American: 0.1%
30-39 years: 386	Two or more races: 1.8%	Other: 0.3%
40-54 years: 694
55-64 years: 332	Income
65 years and over: 705	Number of Households: 1,400
Median Age: 42.1	Median Household Income: $30,491
Number of Grades Completed	Number of Families: 842
By Adult Population in 2000	Median Family Income: $42,847
Less than 12 Years: 18.5%	Number of Non-Families: 558
12 Years: 37.1%	Median Non-Family Income: $16,286
Some College, No Degree: 21.1%	Per Capita Income: $16,246
2 Year College: 6.3%
4 Year College: 10.8%
Post Graduate: 6.2%

	% of Total Employed	Average Annual Wage
Executive and Professional:	29.6%	$52,230
Sales and Office:	28.2%	$24,540
Service Personnel:	23.2%	$17,610
Trade and Labor:	19.1%	$29,337

The average annual salary for Valley County is $25,536. 

In Glasgow, the major employers are Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad with 200 employees, Glasgow School District with 187 employees, Albertson’s with 27 employees, City of Glasgow with 61 employees, Cottonwood Inn with 66 employees, Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital with 210 employees, Hi-Line Ford with 30 employees, Hi-Line Homes with 31 employees, Milk River, Inc. with 74 employees, and Valley View Home with 132 employees. 

The nearest call center is 185 miles away in Ray, North Dakota. The call center has approximately 100 employees, and the starting wage is $7.50 per hour with a generous fringe benefit plan.

Labor Legislation:

Montana labor laws follow the federal laws with some exceptions where they have enacted guidelines to protect the employer or employee more than the federal laws do. Although employment at will is presumed by statute, Montana has enacted a comprehensive Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act making Montana not really a true employment at will state. 

In most cases, state law prohibits public and private sector employers from conducting random blood and urine tests on employees and applicants, except when: the business involves a hazardous occupation; the primary responsibility is security, safety, or one of confidence and trust; the job involves intrastate commercial transportation; or an employee is subject to driver qualification requirements. Montana has no restrictions on applicant testing, but the employer must be able to show a given selection test is appropriately and adequately related to the requirements of the job. 

Montana law adheres to federal law, which under the Electronic Communication Privacy Act bars electronic monitoring, unless one participant in a conversation consents to intercepting or taping it. A disclaimer statement that the call may be monitored for quality control must be stated clearly and before the conversation is begun. The Montana Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act sets guidelines an employer must follow to discharge an employee. The Montana Wage and Hour Laws states that an employer should immediately notify the employees, affected employee organizations, affected local governments, and newspaper of general circulation in the county that a plant is closing. 

Montana also has enacted the Montana Safety Culture Act, which provides guidelines for safety in the workplace. A training wage is permitted for employees under 20 years of age. They may be paid $4.25 per hour during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment; certain restrictions do apply. 

In Montana, striking workers are not entitled to unemployment insurance, and mental stress is not permitted in worker’s compensation claims. As with all laws and legislation, there are exceptions where the laws may or may not apply, so each case must be considered individually. 

Nemont Telephone Cooperative, which is locally owned and operated in Scobey, is the principal supplier of telephone, internet, and cellular service for Northeast Montana. Nemont is a major local and long distance telephone carrier and provides unlimited local dial-up internet access and ADSL. Nemont's wireless network is a reliable and extensive cellular and PCS network in Montana and northwest North Dakota. Wireless phones can be used throughout the US and Canada. Nemont Telephone Cooperative is fully equipped for every business’s needs. Please call Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. at 1-800-636-6680 for further information or special requirements.
 

The State of Montana does not use sales tax to generate revenue. Montana also does not tax water use, electric power, sewer, natural gas, heating oil fuel, local telephone calls, long distance telephone calls, toll-free telephone calls, membership sales, or direct mail lists. However, Montana does have a state wage tax based upon one’s income at a graduated rate of 2-11 percent. Montana does not have a commercial rent tax, but the Town of Glasgow as well as the State of Montana collect a property tax. The property tax amount is based on the market value of the property times the taxable value set by legislation times the mill-levy amount set by school officials and city council. 

The average weekly unemployment insurance rate for the State of Montana for May of 2000 was $187.20. The average worker’s compensation premium rate for Montana is a minimum of $245 per year. The rate is based on salary, type of business, type and number of employees, and gross earnings of the company. Premiums are figured by taking a varying rate from 50 cents per 100 employees to $81.55 per 100 employees times the gross earnings of the company. The primary insurance carriers for Northeast Montana are Blue Cross Blue Shield, Montana Medical Benefits, John Alden, Intermountain Administrators, EBMS, and independent insurance carriers. Because insurance rates and premiums vary so much with different types of businesses, number of employees, and kinds of coverage, each carrier must be called for quotes. Managed care is not yet available in this area, but it should be offered soon. 

Many incentives are available in the State of Montana for new businesses. State funded pre-employment training is available for new and expanding industries. This service is either free or partially free to companies depending on the business. Through the Department of Commerce up to $5,000 per employee with a total of $400,000 per company in aid is available for training in a new business. The company must go through a competitive process in order to receive this aid. Montana offers no state income tax credits for new capital investment or new jobs created. However, industrial revenue bond financing is available. 

Another incentive available for businesses in Montana is property tax abatement for land, buildings, non-production machinery and equipment, standard computer software, specialized computer software, and office furniture and equipment. The company may be taxed at a lower rate that is increased incrementally each year until the full rate is paid. In order to receive these incentives, the business must fulfill the requirements laid out by the State of Montana. 

Special incentives are also available for designated industries as well as larger companies. Larger companies can obtain special financing assistance if qualifications are met. 

Grants are also available for new and expanding industries. However, certain requirements must be met in order to receive grant money. The employer must pay a starting wage of $7.15 per hour plus benefits. The maximum amount available per project is $5,000 per job up to $400,000 per business.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit program offers employers a credit against their tax liability for hiring individuals from nine target groups who have traditionally had difficulty obtaining and holding jobs. Employers must apply for and receive certification from their state employment security agency that their new hire is a long-term welfare recipient or a member of one of the WOTC target groups. 

The cost of living index for the State of Montana is 101.8. However, Glasgow would be much lower than this average. For instance the average cost of a single-family house in Glasgow ranges from about $50,000 to $60,000. 

Businesses as well as buildings and property are available in Glasgow. Northeast Marketing is looking to sell their business. For more information on Northeast Marketing one can call Dan Williamson at (406) 228-2344, or Randy or Wanda Swenson at Bekk's Realty at (701) 570-0642.

The Soma-Dis Deli is a sandwich and gift shop for sale. Contact Beth Bondy at (406) 526-3574 or Deb at Missouri River Realty, (406) 654-2273 for further information.

Also for sale in Glasgow is the Corscadden building located just outside of the city limits. The list price is $75,000 and the total square footage of the building is 7,260, including an office with 2,080 square feet and a shop with 5,180 square feet. For more information contact Doug Allie at (406) 228-9356.

Since listings are constantly changing, please contact a local real estate agent for up-to-date information:

Glasgow currently offers no airline service.  Big Sky Airlines, which had daily flights to Billings, went bankrupt and ceased operations on March 8, 2008.  Great Lakes Aviation is working on leasing 10 planes and is expected to start flying in late June or early July.  The airline is dependent upon funding from Essential Air Services, a federal program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the U.S. were served by certified air carriers before deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service.

The airport, at an elevation of 2762 feet above sea level, is located within a mile of town at N48-12.7; W106-36.9 with radio contact at 122.8. The airport has two lighted asphalt runways available and both are 6,000 feet long. 

Forty-nine miles to the West, Wolf Point’s airport is also serviced daily by Great Lakes Aviation with connecting flights to Billings, beginning in late June or early July 2008. One hundred forty-five miles to the East, the Sloulin Field International Airport of Williston offers flights to Denver via Great Lakes Aviation. Rental cars are available in Glasgow, Wolf Point, and Williston. 

Amtrak also services Glasgow daily from the East and West. The closest interstate, I-94, is 150 miles East in Glendive. The major North Dakota and Montana highway, US highway 2, runs right through Glasgow, bringing many visitors through town.

Canadian markets are very accessible from Glasgow. The Port of Opheim, 61 miles North of Glasgow, is only 175 miles from Regina, which offers commercial air service, major shopping, museums, concerts, and an impressive science center. 

Glasgow’s average annual high temperature is 54.2° F, and the average annual low temperature is 30.8° F. It can get quite cold in the winter with January’s average temperature being 10.39° F, and an annual average snowfall of 29.2 inches. However, the school only has to close it doors about one day a year due weather, if even that. July’s average temperature is 70.49° F. The average rainfall is 10.99 inches per year, and the average annual wind speed is about seven miles per hour. The growing season in the area is about 120 days, from May to September. With Glasgow’s extreme weather one can enjoy a hot summer as well as a white Christmas. 

Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital employs 210 people, including six doctors, 43 registered nurses, and three LPN’s. Valley View Nursing Home employs 132 people including 6 registered nurses and 6 LPN’s. The hospital has 49 beds available, while the nursing home has 96 available beds. Another healthcare facility in Glasgow is the Glasgow Clinic, which is connected to the hospital. The clinic employs two medical doctors, an OBGYN, an internalist, two nurse practitioners, three residents, and 7 registered nurses and LPN’s. The Town of Glasgow also has its own ambulance service. 

Local suppliers provide Glasgow with many of its basic utilities. Montana Power Company supplies the Town of Glasgow with its electrical power, while Valley Electric Cooperative provides the rural areas outside of the city limits with their electricity. Montana Power has a base cost for a medium commercial user of $6.29 plus energy charges of .031 cents per kilowatt-hour. Whereas, Valley Electric has a base cost of $22.00 plus energy charges of 7.2 cents per kilowatt-hour and 6.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, thereafter. Valley Electric’s customers have on average 6.87 hours without power per year including planned outages. The natural gas for heating in Glasgow is supplied by Montana Dakota Utilities. 

The City of Glasgow obtains it water for the town from the nearby Missouri River and two standby wells. The City has a maximum daily capacity of 3 million gallons per day with a peak load of 2 million gallons per day and a storage capacity of 2.3 million gallons. Glasgow uses an aerated lagoon for its sewage treatment. The lagoon has a capacity of 750,000 gallons with a current load of 450,000 gallons. 

Glasgow also has a volunteer fire department, ambulance service, sheriff, public library, museum, chamber of commerce, and highway department. 

The town businesses include a weekly newspaper, nine motels with a total of 304 rooms, RV park, eight restaurants, four gas stations, two car dealerships (Ford and Chevy), hardware store, lumberyard, pharmacy, seven insurance agents, and four banks.

As well as several businesses and seventeen churches, Glasgow also offers many recreational facilities including: a senior citizen center, public pool, nine public parks, a nine-hole golf course, fitness center, two tennis courts, and five baseball diamonds.