Public Power Communities: Lakota, North Dakota

Nestled between Devils Lake to its west and Grand Forks to its east, Lakota, North Dakota was founded in 1883 amid a wave of settlement in the territory, chartered a full six years before North Dakota was formally admitted as a state in 1896. The nearby railroad, constructed the same year Lakota was founded, continued to bring new residents to the area for years to come.

Lakota Municipal Utilities was formed in 1930 after taking over service from a private company. While other smaller communities throughout the Dakotas have depopulated since, Lakota has remained a thriving, tight-knit community.

Amie Vasichek, Lakota’s city auditor, was raised near Lankin, North Dakota before moving to Lakota, and has spent 16 years working for the utility. Vasichek describes her team as deeply invested in supporting Lakota’s ongoing development. “The city council and the board … encourage us to be volunteers, be part of the clubs and the boards, and just working to make an impact for our town.”

While Vasichek noted that Lakota lacks a stoplight, its small-town character is rich in local resources and gathering places thanks to its committed residents. This has included the creation of Lakota Market Village, a community-managed space that allows residents to host pop-up shops and fundraisers. The town also has a golf course and an outdoor recreation center that helps foster an ongoing sense of community.

In addition to recreation, Lakota has worked to build the kind of support needed to raise families and encourage new residents to move to the area. One of the first projects Vasichek worked on with the utility was creating a town childcare center next to the school in a time when many in-home daycares had closed, leaving a void for working parents. In the years since, many in the community — including Vasichek’s own children — have volunteered to maintain the childcare’s grounds during the summer months.

Vasichek emphasized that the work of the utility is designed to forge the best possible future for Lakota. This encompasses increasing reliability, which includes recently receiving a North Dakota Transmission Authority grant to underground its electrical lines. The affordable rates and exceptional service Lakota Municipal Power provides have served as an incentive for new residents to move to the area and for those who moved away from the town to return. As Vasichek, who received a 2025 APPA Larry Hobart Seven Hats Award for her management of the utility, noted, “For people who come back here or move here, it really helps that our rates are lower, and we have reliable power.”

The city has also supported workforce development through providing scholarships for Lakota residents who go on to higher education and bring their knowledge and training back to the city.

“We’re trying to make sure people know that it’s fun to go and spread your wings, but we’re always here if you want to come back,” said Vasichek.

Vasichek finds her time at Lakota Municipal Utilities fulfilling in large part because she sees its work as inseparable from building the kind of community that first drew her to the town. “At the end of the day, the greatest reward about my job is being part of something bigger than just my job,” she said. “Doing things that help build a stronger, more resilient town and connect our community brings real pride.”