Election Information

This is a general election year when folks can run for positions on the City Commission, Neighborhood Councils, and Municipal Judge.

Open positions on the City Commission are mayor, and two commissioner seats currently held by Mary Jolley and Bill Bronson. All Neighborhood Council positions are open.

For more information click here.

If you are interested in running for an office, you must complete a Declaration For Nomination and Oath of Candidacy form.

Neighborhood Councils - Week of April 11, 2011

Three councils are meeting this week:

NC#7

When: Monday, April 11 at 7:00pm

Where: Civic Center, Gibson Room

Agenda:
Info. about the school levy from KEYS (Kids Education Yes), and from Citizens Against Higher Taxes

School board candidates, Mary Moe and David Schuler

NC#1

When: Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00pm

Where: Meadow Lark School library

Agenda:
Info. about the school levy from KEYS (Kids Education Yes), and from Citizens Against Higher Taxes
School board candidates, Mary Moe and David Schuler

Update on the residential sound insulation project near the airport

NC#9
When:  Thursday, April 14 at 7:00pm
Where: Great Falls High School, South Campus, room 105

Agenda:
Info. about the school levy from KEYS (Kids Education Yes), and from Citizens Against Higher Taxes
School board candidates, Mary Moe and David Schuler
Plans for the MApril cleanup project

NC#2
When: Wednesday, April 13 - CANCELED (not enough members for a quorum)

Urban Chickens

The City Commission will be deciding tonight whether or not to allow chickens in the city.

While I don't have any intentions of raising them, I would much prefer having a few chickens living next door to me than a barking, obnoxious dog.

This is an issue that a few malcontents have blown completely out of proportion. According to an article in Monday's Tribune, other cities in Montana have had few chicken complaints:

Helena - out of 2,510 animal complaints in 2010, 7 involved chickens; chickens running at large; roosters crowing (roosters would not be allowed in Great Falls); other animals trying to break into coops.

Bozeman - 1 chicken complaint last year; chicken got loose and was struck by a vehicle. Owner was warned for having an unrestrained chicken.

Whitefish - No formal complaints since their ordinance went into effect in 2009.

Missoula - 23 calls about chickens in 2010. They included; two calls about abandoned chickens; three calls about injured chickens; two calls about compliance; one call about neglect, and 13 calls reporting stray chickens. Their animal control director does not view chickens as a very big problem. 

It's kind of interesting that the vast majority of these calls are not unique to having chickens. What's the difference between a crowing rooster and an incessant, barking dog, or stray chickens vs. stray dogs and cats?

City Commission Work Session

When: Tuesday, April 5 at 5:45pm

Where:  Gibson Room, Civic Center

Agenda:

1. 2012 Revenue Forecast – Melissa Kinzler
2. 5-Year Financial Trends – Melissa Kinzler

Neighborhood Councils - Week of April 4, 2011

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#6

When: Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Where: Sunnyside School music room

Agenda:

Info. from the Kids Education Yes group and Concerned Citizens

School board candidate, Mary Moe Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

NC#3
When: Thursday, April 7 at 7:00pm

Where: Riverview School library

Agenda:
Info. on the Great Bear Industrial Park

Info. from the Kids Education Yes group and Concerned Citizens

Info. on the North Middle School food pantry

School board candidate, Mary Moe

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

Neighborhood Councils - Week of March 21, 2011

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#5
When: Monday, March 21 at 7:00pm
Where: GF Clinic Specialty Center, conference room

Agenda:
Kids Education Yes group, speaking about a possible school levy
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#4
When: Thursday, March 24 at 7:00pm
Where: Heritage Baptist Church, 900 52nd Street North

Agenda:
Kids Education Yes group, speaking about a possible school levy
Mary Moe, school board candidate
American Red Cross, presentation on disaster readiness
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

CITY SUES SME

On Wednesday, March 16, the city sued SME for the return of its security deposit (792,411), and is also asking Judge Kenneth Neill to rule whether or not the city's various contracts and obligations can be voided.

For more details, check this article in the Tribune and this story at KRTV.

ECP Power Board, Special Meeting Today

When: Today, March 15 at 9:00am

Where: Missouri Room, Civic Center

Agenda:
Special meeting with SME, discussing how the city can exit from Southern.

If anyone attended this meeting, and would like to comment, please do so.

(Here is a very brief Tribune update of that meeting).

City Commission Work Session, Mar. 15, 2011

When: Tonight, March 15 at 5:30pm
Where: Gibson Room, Civic Center

Agenda:
1.Animal Shelter Presentations – Jennifer Reichelt [ Agenda Report ]
2.Community Development Block Grant Funding Recommendations – Community Development Council

Neighborhood Councils - Week of March 14, 2011

Only one council met this week:

NC#7
When: Monday, March 14 at 7:00pm
Where: Civic Center, Gibson Room

Agenda:
Interenet Safety Presentation - Officer Jesse Slaughter
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

ECP March Meeting Is Canceled

In order to give staff more time to discuss the voluntary rate increases with B1 and B2 customers, the ECP meeting scheduled for today, March 7, has been canceled.

On Tuesday, March 1, the city sent SME a letter stating that the city wants "to be relieved of any and all obligation that exist with Southern".

For six months, the city has been requesting documents from SME relevant to allowing the city to make decisions regarding ECP. SME has not been forthcoming, citing confidentiality and proprietary information.

Citizens have been bemoaning this lack of transparency since the inception of ECP, more than 5 years ago.

How much more in tax payer dollars will it take to resolve this impasse?

Neighborhood Councils - Week of March 7, 2011

Three councils are meeting this week:

NC#1
When: Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00pm
Where: Meadowlark School Library

Agenda:
Introduction from Deputy Planning and Community Director, Wendy Thomas
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns
January 2011 minutes

NC#2
When: Wednesday, March 9 at 7:00pm
Where: West Elementary School cafeteria

Agenda:
Info. on Montana Dept. of Transportation speed study on 3rd Street Southwest
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

No link to 2011 minutes

NC#9
When: Thursday, March 10 at 7:00pm
Where: Great Falls High, South Campus

Agenda:
Info. on possible school mill levy from the Kids Education Yes group
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns
January 2011 minutes

Neighborhood Councils - Week of February 28, 2011

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#6

When: Wednesday, March 2 at 7:00pm

Where: Sunnyside School music room

Agenda:

Great Falls gangs presentation

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

NC#3

When: Thursday, March 3 at 7:00pm

Where: Riverview School library

Agenda:

Possible solutions for problems at Montana Avenue NW and 22nd Avenue NW

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

March 1, 2011 Work Session

When: Tuesday, March 1 at 5:45pm
Where: Gibson Room

Agenda:
Independent Counsel Review 41QJ Water Rights – Steve Brown (agenda report)

City Recycling Containers Are Removed

REMOVAL OF RECYCLING CONTAINERS

The City of Great Falls has removed all of the recycling containers at the Albertson’s located at 1414 3rd St. N.W. as of February 15, 2011. Starting February 18, 2011, you will be able to access recycling bins at the City Convenience Center located at 1100 15th St. N. (The containers at the Albertson's at 10th Avenue South have also been removed).

The winter hours of operations are Friday and Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 P.M. and Sunday, Noon to 5:00 P.M. The summer hours are Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Sunday, Noon to 5:00 P.M. The summer hours will go into effect April 1, 2011.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our customers. The City is consolidating the collection area to only one location due to rising costs, and also cleanliness concerns related to the remote sites.

If you have any questions pertaining to the recycling containers, please call 771-1401 or 454-2279.

Increased Traffic Enforcement

From: The City of Great Falls Emergency Management

This is a courtesy notice. Please be cautious drivers wherever you go. We want you to reach your destination safely!

GF Police will be heavily enforcing traffic laws at 15 St & 10 Ave So for the next 2 weeks in order to reduce crashes. This location has been identified as an area which has a high frequency of crashes.

Special ECP Board Meeting

When: Monday, Feb. 28 at 5:30pm
Where: Civic Center, Gibson Room

Agenda:
Jim Williams, Basin Creek Power Services will present his findings regarding rates.

Joint City-County Commission Meeting

When: Monday, Feb. 28 at 8:00am

Where: Cascade County Commission Chambers

Agenda:

Meet with local legislators

Neighborhood Councils - Week of February 21, 2011

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#5
When: Monday, Feb. 21 at 7:00pm
Where: Great Falls Clinic Specialty Center, Conference Room

Agenda:
Info. on a proposed Beehive Home
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#4
When: Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6:30pm
Where: Heritage Baptist Church, 900 52nd Street North

Agenda:
Election of officers
Gang presentation by the Great Falls Police Dept.
4727 2nd Avenue North property update
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

Neighborhood Councils - Week of February 7, 2011

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#2

When: Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7:00pm

Where: West Elementary School cafeteria

Agenda:
Info. on a new office building adjacent to Staybridge Suites

A disaster planning presentation from the American Red Cross

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

NC#9

When: Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:00pm

Where: Great Falls High School, South Campus, room #105

Agenda:

Election of officers

Visit from Mayor Mike Winters

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns