I Guess What's Good For The Goose...

isn't good for the gander.

City Manager Calls For Audit

According to this story by KRTV, city manager Greg Doyon has asked for an audit of ECP.

This should be good news, but I'm not optimistic, yet. He didn't say who would be conducting it.

An audit of this fund needs an independent review, not the same kind of dog and pony show we went through with the documents.

If this is going to be an inside job, then Mr. Doyon is definitely right when he says the critics won't be silenced.

House Fails To Pass Bailout

The US House of Representatives failed to pass the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street by a vote of 228-205.

Neighborhood Councils - Week of Sept. 29, 2008

Two councils are meeting this week:

NC#6

When: Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 7:00pm

Where: Sunnyside School music room

Agenda:

Great Falls Pre Release Board - possible sex offender program at Pre Release

Committee reports

Neighborhood concerns

NC#3

When: Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7:00pm

Where: Westgate Mall conference room

Agenda:

Great Falls Pre Release Board - possible sex offender program at Pre Release
Committee reports
Neighborhood concerns

NC#7, NC#8 and NC#9 are each looking for an additional member. You must be a registered voter and live in that council's neighborhood. If you are interested, contact the Neighborhood Council coordinator, Patty Cadwell, at 455-8496.

How Much Did The City Know And When?

In today's Tribune, we find an article informing us that a Texas utility is going to sue the federal government's suspension of loans to coal-fired power plants. If you remember, in February SME found out that RUS (Rural Utilities Service) said no to anymore new loans for coal plants.

In March, the vice-president of the SME board, John Prinkle said, "I think we have a very solid project and we're on very solid ground."

In today's story, Mr. Prinkle is quoted as saying, "it cost us (SME) millions and millions of dollars because of that delay".

I have a few questions:

1. How much of the city's money went down the tubes over this loss?

2. Did SME report this "millions and millions dollars of loss" to its members, which includes the city? If so, when did they divulge it?

3. And if this loss was reported, did the executive director of ECP, Coleen Balzarini, report it to the ECP board? Oops, that's right. She wouldn't have, because I'm sure SME classified this as being confidential information. And we certainly have learned who controls the flow of information.

It comes as no surprise that Gregori's rhetoric continues. In today's article, he says "that SME is close to securing financing for the first phase of Highwood Generating Station and we continue to make good progress on total project financing".

Of course, he wouldn't say who is dumb enough to back such a loss cause. That's confidential, don't ya know.

US Supreme Court Blog

If you're interested in the goings on of the United States Supreme Court, visit their blog. The archives for this site go back to February 2005.

South Arterial Meeting Tonight

Tonight is the final public meeting on the corridor alignment. I am not able to attend, but if any of you do and want to share your thoughts, please feel free to leave your comments here.

When: 7:00pm tonight
Where: Missouri room at the Civic Center

Quick facts about the Arterial (taken from the GF Tribune):

The South Arterial is expected to feature:

* A four-lane road with limited access, including turn lanes at key intersections. East of 13th Street South, the road might narrow to two lanes.

* At-grade intersections at Fox Farm Road, Upper River Road, 13th Street South, and 26th Street South.

* Use of Gibson Flats Road alignment east of 13th Street South.

* A new Interstate 15 interchange south of the airport exit on its west end.

* A connection to 57th Street South on the east end.

* A phased implementation, with an initial segment from Fox Farm Road to 13th Street South that is estimated to cost more than $80 million in 2017.

Celebrate The New Downtown Grocery!

Friends;

Isn't it great having a grocery store in our neighborhood again? Please join Neighborhood Council 7 and Neighborhood Council 8 in welcoming Everday IGA to our downtown at a rally in their parking lot on Saturday, October 4 at 2 p.m. We will be cooking hot dogs -- provided by Rich Chadwick and Everyday IGA -- in the parking lot. I look forward to seeing you there!

Yours,

Aaron

Crime Prevention Day Reminder

This is a free event, but you must have a ticket to attend. Seating is limited.

The Logs Are Here

Remember when we were told ..."the City will create a log of all the documents it believes are subject to claims of trade secret, privilege and/or confidentiality, including a description of each document..."

Well. the logs are now available and ready for public viewing:

According to CCE, MEIC is going to challenge the process and the holding of these retained materials from the public.

Fall Is In The Air

Autumn is my most favorite time of the year. I'm not a hot weather person so I really enjoy the coolness and colors of the season. I just wish the fall phenomen would last longer.

To Autumn
by: John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,

Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

Steady thy laden head across a brook;

Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,

Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,

And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

Among the river sallows, borne aloft

Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft

The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;

And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Neighborhood Councils - Week of Sept. 22, 2008

NC#4 is the only council meeting this week:

When: Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6:30pm

Where: Heritage Baptist Church, 900 52nd Street North (west of the Siebel Soccer Park)

Agenda:

Great Falls Gang Presentation by the GF Police Dept.

Annexation of 10th Avenue North

Committee Reports

Problem Properties

Neighborhood Concerns

The chair of Council 4, Sandra Guynn, extends a special invitation to everyone to hear the presentation about gangs in Great Falls. The program will be the first item of business.

Parking Meter Rates

I didn't attend the City Commission's work session meeting on Tuesday night, but one of the agenda items pertained to increasing the downtown parking fees. A public hearing on this issue is scheduled for October 6.

According to this article in the Tribune, the city will still lose money ($19,500) even if the fees are increased. Here are the numbers:

Meter rates:
Currently - .25/hour (since 1981)
Proposed increase - .50/hour

Fiscal impact: An additional $168,000 which would go into the city parking program

Parking fines:
Currently: $3.00 (since 1987)
Proposed increase: $5.00

Fiscal impact: An additional $40,300 which would go into the city's general fund to help cover core costs, such as police, fire and public works.

A big concern is the effect this could have on downtown.

What do think? Will increasing the fees be a detriment to downtown? Share your ideas/thoughts and vote in my very unofficial poll.

Go Grocery Shopping Downtown!

This just in from Aaron; he's already been grocery shopping!

Friends;

I just bought a bag of groceries at Everyday IGA (7th street and 1st Ave. North). The store is clean and well stocked, and everyone there is friendly. Please go show your support and shop there today!

Yours,

Aaron

ECP Board Review?

After Commissioner Bronson recommended the new members at last night's meeting, Commissioner Jolley suggested that the Commission disband the ECP board.

She said that according to one current member of the board and at least one city staffer, the board was initially established to help the city in its endeavors to fund its 25% share of the coal plant. She indicated that the board has never discussed what is best for Great Falls and is sorry the city ever got involved with [Tim] Gregori.

She reminded everyone that the ECP board is advisory only and that it is up to the Commission to set electric rates.

While the other commissioners didn't go so far as to agree with disbandment, they did say there should be a review of the board's structure, sometime in the future, with input from the current as well as just seated members.

Maybe progress is at hand?

ECP Board Appointments

At last night's City Commission meeting, Commissioner Bronson recommended that Lee Ebeling (engineer) and John Gilbert (accountant) be appointed to fill the vacancies left by the resignations of Randy Gray and Donna Willey. The vote was 4-0 in favor. (Commissioner Beecher was absent).

What I found interesting was that of the three recommendations given by the ECP board, only one was considered by the commission, that of John Gilbert.

Am I being too optimistic to think that maybe this means the Commission is starting to break out of the "rubber stamp" mode they have been in for years?

Constitution Day

On this day in 1787, 42 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution.

No matter how much we argue about the details of its meaning today, in the opinion of many, the Constitution signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787 represents the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise ever written. In just four hand-written pages, the Constitution gives us no less than the owners' manual to the greatest form of government the world has ever known.

To learn more about the Constitution and Bill of Rights, visit here.

City Wildlife Issues

NC#7 had a discussion at their September meeting pertaining to wildlife in their area, especially raccoons.

Thanks to Aaron Weissman, chair of NC#7 for sharing this information:

Friends;

Please find attached a memorandum from our City Manager and from FWP regarding nuisance animals in the city limits. The position of the city and FWP is clear; neither will assist Great Falls residents in dealing with small nuisance animals, both predatory and non-predatory. However, FWP will assist in removing large predatory animals such as lion and bear.

Sincerely,
Aaron

City Commission Work Session, Sept. 16, 2008

When: Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 5:30pm

Where: Gibson Room, Civic Center

Agenda:

Proposed parking rate increases, presented by Mike Rattray

Dog Park update, presented by Marty Basta

Neighborhood Councils, Week of Sept. 15, 2008

NC#5, which usually meets the third Monday of the month (tonight), has cancelled their September meeting, but two other council meetings are scheduled:

Council of Councils Meeting

This is a meeting comprised of delegates from each of the Neighborhood Councils, the mayor and one city commissioner.

When: Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7:00pm

Where: Commission chambers at the Civic Center

Agenda:

See here.

NC#8

When: Thursday, Sept. 18 at 6:30pm

Where: Women's Annex of the Pre Release Center, 1019 15th Street North

Agenda:

Committee Reports

Reports and information regarding the proposed zone change at 38th Street and River Drive North. (This item is scheduled for a public hearing at the City Commission meeting on 9/16).