Monday, April 26, 2010

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Earth Day

Earth Day is Thursday, April 22, but will be celebrated on Saturday, April 24, from 10:00am-3:00pm at the Civic Center Convention Center. See here for more details.

$2,640.58 Loss/Day

According to the Fiscal Services department, ECP is currently losing $2,640.58/day. This means that the taxpayers are subsidizing this entity to the tune of nearly $80,000/month; $1 million/year.

Mayor Winters was frustrated at last night's City Commission meeting when members of the public kept talking about this very serious problem. He mentioned twice that the city is going to get out of its relationship with SME so can't understand why folks won't cut the Commission some slack and give them time to work it out.

Other than for Commissioners Jolley and Burow who are no longer voting in favor of payments going to SME, the others don't seem to have much concern about this bleeding.

What am I not understanding here?

H/T: J.T.

City Attorney's Opinion

Our new city attorney, James Santoro, issued an opinion to the City Commission with regard to open meeting laws and SME.

According to this document, SME meetings should be open to the public. Of course, Tim Gregori thinks otherwise; unfortunately, the Tribune thought it more important that his picture and quote grace the front page of the Montana Section of Tuesday's (4/20) paper.

The Tribune should think it more important that we finally have a city attorney who is more concerned about the rights of the city and its citizens than with SME.

Many thanks to Mr. Santoro for defending those rights.

Neighborhood Councils - Week of April 19, 2010

Two councils meet this week:

NC#5
When: Monday, April 19 at 7:00pm
Where: GF Clinic Specialty Center's conference room

Agenda:
Upcoming school mill levy request
Sheriff candidates Bob Edwards and Glen Stinar
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#4
When: Thursday, April 22 at 6:30pm
Where: Heritage Baptist Church, 900 52nd Street North

Agenda:
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns
Update from Sheriff David Castle
Sheriff candidate Glen Stinar
Leigislative candidates Jean Price and Erik Bakly

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

No Recommendation

Unfortunately, the Great Falls Planning and Zoning Commission did not reach a recommendation for the City Commission regarding the proposed medical marijuana ordinance.

Options were:
1. Totally prohibit medical marijuana from being grown and dispensed in the city;
2. Extend the 90-day moratorium on the businesses for up to a year;
3. Pass an ordinance that would limit where medical marijuana businesses could operate in the city.

This issue will once again go before the City Commission on May 4.

Neighborhood Councils - Week of April 12, 2010

Four councils meet this week:

NC#7
When: Monday, April 12 at 7:00pm
Where: NeighborWorks, 509 1st Avenue South

Agenda:
Sheriff candidates Dave Castle, Glen Stinar and Bob Edwards
Strutt Your Mutt event
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#1
When: Tuesday, April 13 at 7:00pm
Where: Meadow Lark School

Agenda:
Sheriff candidates Stinar and Edwards
Update on the Residential Sound Insulation Project
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#2
When: Wednesday, April 14 at 7:00pm
Where: West Elementary School cafeteria

Agenda:
Update on the West Great Falls flood control levee
Update on the Residential Sound Insulation Project
Community composting
Speeding areas
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#8
When: Thursday, April 15 at 6:00pm
Where: Great Falls Prerelease Center, Women's annex

Agenda:
Sheriff candidate Bob Edwards
Upcoming school mill levy
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

Council #s 1 and 9 are also looking for residents to fill an upcoming vacancy and an open seat. Interested registered voters living withing the boundaries of each council may attend the meetings or contact Patty Cadwell at 455-8496 or pcadwell@greatfallsmt.net

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

City Work Session

When: Tonight, April 6 at 5:30pm
Where: Gibson Room, Civic Center

Agenda:
  1. DBG/HOME Program Overview and 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan – Chris Imhoff and Melanie Lattin
  2. Animal Foundation Update – John Gilbert
  3. Public Safety Update – Cascade County Sheriff’s Office

Neighborhood Councils - Week of April 5, 2010

Two Neighborhood Councils are meeting this week:

NC#6
When: Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00pm
Where: Sunnyside School music room

Agenda:
A NeighborWorks development
Upcoming school mill levy
Cascade County Sheriff candidate Glen Stinar
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#9
When: Thursday, April 8 at 7:00pm
Where: GF High School, South campus, room #106

Agenda:
MApril clean-up planning
"Kick Butts" program
Upcoming school mill levy
Cascade County Sheriff David Castle
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns