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 Poplar is home of Fort Peck Community College and most of the Fort Peck Tribal organizations. US highway 2, a major highway of Montana and North Dakota, is the main street through Poplar. In Poplar one can enjoy many aspects of American Indian culture, including the Assiniboine and Sioux Culture Center and Museum and several powwows featuring judged dancing ceremonies. Poplar also has an annual rodeo. Along with American Indian culture, Poplar also offers fishing, swimming, and boating on the Poplar River, Missouri River, and Fort Peck Lake; hunting and trap shooting are also available. 

Agriculture as well as the tribal organizations plays a large role in the economy of Poplar. The main agricultural products for the area are wheat, barley, alfalfa, and beef cattle. The Poplar Public Schools are also very important to the community. The high school cross-country team has been state champions for the past several years. 

Poplar is favorably located near North Dakota and Canada offers many recreational opportunities as well as business opportunities including:

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

Poplar’s high school, which has a graduation rate of about 41.3%, has an enrollment of 253 students, and kindergarten through eighth grade has a student enrollment of 691. 

Poplar is home to Fort Peck Community College and is located only 76 miles from Williston State College in Williston, both two-year schools. Fort Peck Community College has on average 307 full-time students and 134 part-time students, while Williston State College has a full-time enrollment of 505 students and part-time enrollment of 406 students. 

Along with these two schools Poplar 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.

The following information about age and race distribution, income, and educational attainment is just for the Town of Poplar. 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: 308	Caucasian: 32.2%	Black/African American: 0.1%
20-29 years: 105	American Indian: 63.7%	Asian: 0.8%
30-39 years: 137	Two or more races: 3.1%	Other: 0.2%
40-54 years: 187
55-64 years: 70
65 years and over: 104	Income
Median Age: 32.8	Number of Households: 333
Number of Grades Completed	Median Household Income: $24,896
By Adult Population in 2000	Number of Families: 214
Less than 12 Years: 23.8%	Median Family Income: $29,688
12 Years: 28.4%	Number of Non-Families: 119
Some College, No Degree: 25.7%	Median Non-Family Income: $12,086
2 Year College: 6.3%	Per Capita Income: $10,579
4 Year College: 12.5%
Post Graduate: 3.3%

The average annual wage for Roosevelt County is $25,392. 

In Poplar the major employers are Verne E Gibbs Indian Health Clinic with 106 employees, Northeast Montana Health Services with 93 employees, A & S Tribal Industries with 31 employees, Fort Peck Community College with 62 employees, and Fort Peck Housing Authority with 70 employees. The nearest call center is 113 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 that will protect the employer or employee more than what 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 this 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 employees, affected employee organizations, affected local governments, and newspaper of general circulation in the county that a plant is closing. 

Montana 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 apply. However, 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 Poplar 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 coming 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. 

Because Poplar is located in an enterprise zone, some extra incentives are available. As with most incentives, in order to qualify a business must apply for and acquire approval for aid. The available incentives for enterprise communities are grants and tax benefits that vary with each business. The federal government will also waive burdensome regulations if certain requirements 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 US Small Business Administration has designated all of Roosevelt County as a HUBZone, which is a "historically underutilized business zone." Certified HUBZone companies are eligible for a 10 percent advantage in bidding for federal contracts. HUBZone businesses are expected to fill federal contracts at an increasing rate each year. Also, small businesses located in HUBZone areas can qualify for higher government guaranties on surety bonds for construction and service contract bids. Companies can register as a HUBZone company electronically or manually by calling 1-800-776-9144 extension 2 or visiting http://www.sba.gov. The certification is then approved on the federal level in Washington D.C.

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. Most of Roosevelt County is located in an "Enterprise Community" which is one of the nine groups that qualify for WOTC. 

Because Poplar is located on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation special tax credits are available. For a business with American Indian employees, the employers are eligible for a tax credit of 20% of the employee’s wage with a cap at $6,000 per employee. Property on reservations also are eligible for accelerated write-offs and shorter depreciation periods: three years becomes two, five years becomes three, and seven years becomes four. 

The cost of living index for the State of Montana in 1997 was 101.8. However, Poplar would be much lower than Montana’s average. For instance, the average cost of a single-family home in Poplar ranges from $20,000 to $60,000. 

1. Poplar has seventeen available vacant lots starting at a price of $3,000.

2. The drug store is for sale; no price has been set, but the owner is asking for offers.

3. Two large vacant buildings are also for sale, and the price is negotiable.

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

Poplar’s airport, which is primarily for private use, has an elevation of 2000 feet above sea level. The airport is located at N48-07.0; W105-11.3 with radio contact at 122.8. The lighted asphalt runway is 3000 feet long and 65 feet wide.

The Wolf Point airport, located 20 miles west of Poplar, will be serviced daily by Great Lakes Aviation with connecting flights to Billings, in early June or late July 2008. Wolf Point is also serviced daily by Amtrak from the East and West. Rental cars are available from local car dealers in Wolf Point. 

The Sloulin Field International Airport of Williston, located 76 miles East of Poplar, is serviced by Great Lakes Aviation with connecting flights to Denver. The nearest interstate highway is I-94 in Glendive, which is 114 miles from Poplar. 

Canadian markets are very accessible from Poplar. A 24-hour port of entry into Saskatchewan, Canada, is located only 96 miles Northeast of Poplar. The Port of Raymond is only 97 miles from Regina, which offers commercial air service, major shopping, museums, concerts, and an impressive science center. 

Poplar’s average annual high temperature is 55.7° F, and the average annual low temperature is 28.6° F. It can get quite cold in the winter with January’s average temperature being 9.61° F, and an annual average snowfall of 27.0 inches. However, the school never has to close it doors due weather. July’s average temperature is 71.57° F. The average rainfall is 13.26 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 Poplar’s extreme weather one can enjoy a hot summer as well as a white Christmas. 

Poplar has two healthcare providers, Northeast Montana Health Services and the Verne Gibbs Indian Health Clinic. Northeast Montana Health Services has three doctors on staff, as well as 14 registered nurses, 34 certified nurse’s assistants, one nurse practitioner, and four LPN’s. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Health Clinic employs eight doctors, one physician’s assistant, 14 registered nurses, one nurse mid-wife, three dentists, and two optometrists. Northeast Montana Health Services has 16 available beds, while the Indian Health Clinic is just an outpatient facility. 

Local suppliers provide Poplar with many of its basic utilities. Montana-Dakota Utilities supplies the Town of Poplar with its electrical power. MDU has a base cost for a medium commercial user of $9.57 plus energy charges of 4.618 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first 2000 kilowatt-hours and 4.093 cents per kilowatt-hour thereafter. The demand charge for the first ten kilowatts is free, and over ten kilowatts is $6.85 per kilowatt. MDU has an average of .274 outages per year, with an average time without power of 27.49 minutes. The natural gas for heating in Poplar is also supplied by Montana Dakota Utilities.

The City of Poplar obtains it water for town from three wells, and stores the water in two tanks. The first tank has a capacity of 250,000 gallons, while the second tank can hold as much as 500,000 gallons. The City of Poplar has a sewage treatment plant for sanitation in the city.

Poplar also has a volunteer fire department, sheriff, public library, chamber of commerce, museum, and ambulance service. The town businesses include a weekly newspaper, one motel with 13 rooms, three auto repair shops, five restaurants, four gas stations, one bank, two insurance agents, a car dealership, and an RV park. As well as several businesses and seven churches, Poplar also offers many recreational facilities including: a public pool, two public parks, two tennis courts, four baseball diamonds, a senior citizen center, and fitness center.