Candidate Responses: Wendy McKamey (R) House District 19

ECB Staff on September 7, 2018

 

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters, last month we sent questionnaires to all local legislative candidates in the upcoming general election informing them that we would publish their responses without editorial comment.

Here are the four questions we asked:

  1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
  2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
  3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
  4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Democrat Lynelle Melton and Republican Wendy McKamey are the candidates in House District 19.  Melton did not respond to our request.

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The top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next five years are the budget and funding. The battered budget our current governor has left us will be a huge challenge. Using tax dollars is necessary in the operation of the state, but it is not a blank check. Our number one priority next session will be state spending.

As co-owner and operator of a business in production agriculture for over 40 years, I have the skills and experience to evaluate finances with the goal to sustain and prosper, build reserves and establish practices for the long haul. It is important you know I bring no agenda other than helping you, our citizens be safe and able to prosper when I consider any legislation.

It is from a sense of duty to serve to my community, my state and my country I seek to continue working for you and this great State of Montana in the People’s House of Representatives.

Working for the good of my constituents as well as all Montana is my goal. No one ideology has a corner on the market of good ideas. It is important to listen and evaluate every proposal presented.

The work of continuing what we have accomplished in both securing our voting franchise and making the process as secure, efficient, transparent and accessible as possible will be one area I will be working on with the House as a whole. My constituents and my colleagues in the House know I respect them and I care about what they have to say. It is my pledge to continue to do so.

We all normally resist stepping out of our comfort zone. At times we avoid the risk of taking the unknown path over the familiar one. The pace of Great Falls growth is slower than some other cities for probably several reasons and I have possibly hit upon one. It is perhaps the biggest, too as I have heard in conversation how people “don’t want Great Falls to change.”

To say change is inevitable is stating the obvious, but I am of the mind-set we either affect change or it affects us. It is better to be pro-active, plan and implement a change than to have to deal with it on a random basis.

As a Legislator, I will support processes and policies that foster growth and do not present stumbling blocks to either citizenry or entities as they seek to progress and grow.

As a Legislator, I will support processes and policies that foster growth and do not present stumbling blocks to either citizenry or entities as they seek to progress and grow.

No one wants to pay more tax. Consequently, before we have a discussion of “should or shouldn’t have a sales tax?”, we need to closely examine where we can bring tax relief. In the 2017 session a bill eliminating all property tax for a 2% state-wide sales tax excluding necessities and providing a five-week tax holiday was proposed and failed. We will give thorough consideration to each and every idea. To unilaterally be for or against any proposition at this point is premature as the bill language has not been written and we need to read the proposal to try to understand the consequences for ourselves and for future generations. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.

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Candidate Responses: Diane Heikkila (R) And Mary Swenson (D) – Cascade County Treasurer & Superintendent Of Schools

ECB Staff on September 5, 2018

 

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters we have sent questionnaires to all local candidates in the upcoming general election and will be publishing their responses starting today.

First up are the candidates for Cascade County Treasurer & Superintendent Of Schools. Here are the three questions we asked each of them:

  1. Why are you the best candidate for the position you’re running for?
  2. Please identify three specific goals you want to achieve if you are elected and how those outcomes will benefit Cascade County citizens.
  3. What is the biggest challenge facing Cascade County generally and the biggest challenge facing the specific department you are seeking to lead and how will you address that challenge?

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Diane Heikkila (R)

I have been working in the Cascade County Treasurers office as a clerk for three years. I listen to the customers’ needs and wants daily and would like to help make any changes necessary to the department to make it easier to perform the variety of transactions that we provide daily.

Prior to working in the Treasurers office, I worked eight years in retail, two years supervisory, six years with the City of Great Falls Finance Department and Municipal Court. I completed a one year business course through Great Falls Vo-Tech and have completed many business training seminars/workshops. I owned and operated a home daycare while my children were young and substitute taught K-12.

The Cascade County Treasurers department provides services for motor vehicle, property tax and schools. Each section has multiple needs that need to be addressed. Right now I believe the main focus needed would be more training for the clerks. I also believe we need to have separate lines for single and multiple transactions. I believe the customers should be able to come in to pay property taxes and renewals in a separate line from the new vehicle purchases that require more time to process. I also believe that the break and lunch times need to be addressed and separated out to leave more clerks at the counter, with other office staff filling in during these times. All this would mean better efficiency within the office.

Right now we have eight service windows. One of these windows is specific for the handicapped. I would like to see two more windows along with the handicapped window used for single transactions and questions. When there are no customers meeting the criteria, then these windows will accept new vehicle purchase title work. The other five windows would be for the new vehicle purchase title work and would take single transactions if no title work is needed. My main objective would be balance of time and great customer service.

Next I would like to see updates to the Cascade County Treasury Department website. I believe a person should be able to access our website to see what is necessary to bring to our office to help ease the registration or property tax process. I also believe once the customer is waiting in line, we should have better information available on reader boards, so they know the basics of what is needed before reaching the counter.

While working in this department I have watched the equipment consistently fail. One of the biggest challenges would be working with the State of Montana to get this equipment updated. Motor Vehicle is run by the State of Montana. We are Cascade County employees. I would like to see better communication between the State and the County. I would like to see a printer to every two computers if possible to help avoid errors and missed signatures on credit card receipts and forms. I would like to see the phone system updated to help avoid missed calls.

I have many ideas on how to improve the efficiency of this department and am asking the voters to please elect me as your next Cascade County Treasurer.

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Mary Swenson (D)

When most citizens think of the Cascade County Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools, they think of motor vehicle registration and property tax payments, but it is so much more than that. Not only is this office responsible for doing banking for the county but also for the rural school districts, Great Falls Transit, volunteer fire districts, water districts, Greenfield Irrigation, Sheriff’s Office, Clerk of Courts, and even more. The Treasurer’s Office oversees and reconciles approximately thirty six bank accounts, is responsible for reporting and distributing funds to the City of Great Falls, Township of Belt, Township of Cascade, and the State of Montana, while reporting to the Office of Public Instruction and Cascade County Commissioners. The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for making investments and then distributing interest from those investments.

The Treasurer’s Office has to ensure the accounting system is balanced to the property tax system and motor vehicle system. The Superintendent of Schools is tasked with registration of all teachers as well as home schooled students throughout the county. They are instrumental in organizing transportation for students in all school districts.

During my employment as the Revenue Accounts Manager for the Treasurer’s Office, I have performed all of these tasks. I worked closely with county and school auditors. I was instrumental in getting the bank reconciliation portion of the accounting software up and running for the county. I also was aware of, and pointed out, that the function of this portion of the program was only to reconcile the bank to the accounting system. I reviewed the set-up of the property tax system and made modifications to ensure cohesion with the accounting system. I reviewed our organization of the school districts accounts and restructured them to ensure accuracy between our records and theirs. I reorganized the Treasurer’s Accounting Office so it was easier to access information. I participated in the request for proposal (RFP) to find a new bank as well as implementing the conversion. I have an accounting and a business administration degree, am certified in governmental accounting, and have worked collectively for Cascade County for over fifteen years.

My first goal is to raise moral and provide training to all staff members, including cross training to help cover other areas. This would decrease wait time for citizens and help with staff retention. This office has a history of high staff turn-over and by increasing training with new staff, I think this can change. Training staff adequately will improve moral by empowering employees to have the tools they need to assist citizens. Staff who are well trained and feel valuable are happier, which would help improve the customer service aspect of the department.

My second goal would be to improve response times. Right now phone calls, emails, and mail, go unanswered for long periods of time if they are answered at all. This office should be able to respond to citizens or any other entity right away, even if it is to let them know that we are researching the issue.

My third goal is to inform the citizens of Cascade County that they can pay their property taxes or motor vehicle renewals online or by mail. This offers alternatives to standing in line and waiting. There is also a drop box at the office for payments.

One of the biggest challenges facing Cascade County is making sure it has the finances to cover its expenses. The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for receiving the funding for the county as well as banking and investing. This office has to properly record funds to the correct department or fiduciary as well as track investments and earned interest. The Treasurer’s Office also has a responsibility to answer to the citizens of Cascade County. This includes issues like wait times to get license plates, pay property taxes, or get answers to questions. My goals are to try to find solutions to these issues and make the office more efficient by improving the skills and morale of staff.

The combination of my education and experience qualifies me to take on these responsibilities. I am dedicated to meeting requirements, improving services, solving problems, and achieving goals within approved budgets.

Together we can do this.

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Computers, Homework, The Internet, And The Great Falls Public School District

ECB Staff on September 4, 2018

 
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Editors note: The folks at CTR Computers sent this information to us and we thought it would be helpful and informative for local parents of GFPS students.

 

BY CTR COMPUTERS

Here at CTR Computers, where we service, clean , repair and sell quality refurbished systems, I would like to address an issue that has come to my attention on more than one occasion.

I have had parents come and tell me they are looking for a computer so that their student can send their homework in via the Internet. I say, okay, we can help. I show them what we have. At that time, or beforehand, they say that the school told them they have to have a Windows 10 system to work with their system.

After scratching my head and giving them the deer in the headlight look, I tell them they do not need Windows 10. I explain that the Internet is the Internet, and that IE (Internet Explorer), Firefox and Google Chrome all work in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10.

After scratching my head and giving them the deer in the headlight look, I tell them they do not need Windows 10. I explain that the Internet is the Internet, and that IE (Internet Explorer), Firefox and Google Chrome all work in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10.

I further let them know that whatever email platform they send their work from, it goes to the address given (sender to recipient.) The recipient can then retrieve the message from their email system on whatever Windows they are using.

Knowing that Microsoft has and probably still partners with schools for various reasons, such as student versions of MS Office (Word), the possibility of a financial assistance to them could be in the mix, in return for saying a certain program or system is needed to work with them. Also, may I mention there are free alternatives to Word?

So don’t be taken in or made to believe you need, or must have Windows 10. Windows 10 has been problematic to this day, even though it is 3 years old.

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Questions For Local Candidates

ECB Staff on August 30, 2018

 

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As part of E-City Beat’s continuing effort to help our readers make informed decisions as voters we have sent questionnaires to all local candidates and will publish their responses starting the week after Labor Day.

Here’s the list of local state legislative candidates on the ballot this November and the four questions we asked:

  1. What do you see as the top two issues facing Montana and Cascade County in the next 5 years and why are you the best candidate for the district you’re running in to tackle those issues?
  2. Identify at least one issue you see as an opportunity to work across party lines on and describe how you will do that to accomplish what’s best for your constituents.
  3. Why is Cascade County/Great Falls so far behind other Montana cities and counties in growth and economic development and what do you plan to do about it as a legislator?
  4. Do you think we need some form of a sales tax or other solution in Montana to help offset property taxes and why or why not?

Senate District 11 – Tom Jacobson (D) vs. Adam Rosendale (R)

Senate District 12 – Carlie Boland (D) vs. Steven Galloway (R)

Senate District 13 – Brian Hoven (R) vs. Bob Moretti (D) vs. Kevin Leatherbarrow (L)

House District 19 – Wendy McKamey (R) vs. Lynelle Melton (D)

House District 20 – Fred Anderson (R) vs. Keaton Sunchild (D)

House District 21 – Ed Buttrey (R) vs. Leesha Ford (D)

House District 22 – Lola Galloway (R) vs. Laura Dever (D)

House District 23 – Brad Hamlett (D) vs. Will Smith (R)

House District 24 – Barbara Bessette (D) vs. Mike McNamara (R)

House District 25 – Jeremy Trebas (R) vs. Jasmine Krotkov (D)

House District 26 – Casey Schreiner (D) vs. Michael Cooper (R)

Stay tuned for their responses.

Coming up we’ll list the candidates for Cascade County offices and the questions we asked them.

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Tammy Lacey’s Retirement: Good News Or Bad News?

ECB Staff on August 27, 2018

 

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Now that Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent Tammy Lacey has announced her retirement at the end of this school year we’d like to make a couple of observations and ask a couple of questions.

The success of our local public school system should be judged by the quality of educational outcomes for students, not how enthusiastic administrators are, how many community events they attend, how many school levies/bonds they “get passed” or how many raises and benefits they get for district employees.

The success of our local public school system should be judged by the quality of educational outcomes for students, not how enthusiastic administrators are, how many community events they attend, how many school levies/bonds they “get passed” or how many raises and benefits they get for district employees.

So in the coming months we will be focusing on measuring and evaluating the actual results GFPS administrators and our elected school board have achieved “for the kids”. Good intentions, big smiles and outgoing personalities are nice qualities but they don’t mean much if we are seeing poor test scores, declining enrollment, fewer learning opportunities for students and declining graduation rates.

We’ll be paying extra close attention to the GFPS school board and focusing on what they do and how they do it. What is the school boards mission? Is it to be a rubber stamp for the education union and the administration, or should they be more representative of the taxpayers?

It seems that Lacey, other district employees, and the school board have been living in a bubble of back-patters and sycophants so long that they’ve become out of touch and tone deaf to the taxpayers. How else does one explain comments from the superintendent like these recent ones from Lacey:

“Part of the reason why (the average income in Great Falls) is low is a lack of the will of so many people in our community…”

“Sorry Great Falls…the gap just got wider. By the way, Billings and Butte, the other AA districts, didn’t run levies. That makes us the only losers.”

Finally, in light of Superintendent Lacey’s retirement announcement we have a poll question:

[poll id=”14″]

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Opinion: CSKT Water Compact

ECB Staff on August 21, 2018

 

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Editors note: E-City Beat does not take a position on the CSKT Water Compact. We are posting this editorial in our ongoing mission to help our readers stay informed on state and local issues. We welcome any editorial submissions presenting the opposing side of this editorial.

Legislative Committee Urges Federal Approval of CSKT Water Compact
by Sen. Pat Connell and Rep. Zachary Brown

Rep. Zachary Brown

The uncertainty and expense that would be prevented by implementing the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (“CSKT”) Water Compact is one of the many reasons the Water Policy Interim Committee recently decided to encourage Secretary of the Interior Zinke and the members of our Congressional Delegation to act on the negotiated agreement.

Most do their best to avoid situations where the outcome is unknown—and rightfully so. Uncertainty, regardless of what type, can have potentially catastrophic impacts for both governmental entities as well as individuals, which is why it’s critical that the CSKT Water Compact is ratified.

The Compact, which is a contractual legal agreement between the State of Montana, the federal government, and the CSKT, settles the legal claims of the tribes by defining their federally reserved water rights. By defining these rights through the compacting process, rather than through litigation, decades of costly, unnecessary, and time consuming legal battles are avoided.

Avoiding this expense not only saves individuals, taxpayers, and the State of Montana millions of dollars, but it provides much needed certainty for water right holders.

Avoiding this expense not only saves individuals, taxpayers, and the State of Montana millions of dollars, but it provides much needed certainty for water right holders.

Without the Compact, uncertainty and litigation will abound.

Sen. Pat Connell

If the Compact is not ratified, the CSKT are obligated by state law to move forward with their legal claims to define their federally reserved rights in the Montana Water Court. The CSKT claims, numbering in the thousands and covering approximately 2/3 of Montana, are considered valid unless proven otherwise.  Action on these claims will force existing water users to defend their water rights in court.

However, because most tribal water rights carry a priority date of 1855 or “time immemorial”—both of which pre-date many, if not all, of the existing rights held by Montana’s farmers, ranchers, and irrigators—it will be nearly impossible for an existing water right holder to successfully defend their right. With the Compact, there would be no need for litigation in the first place and Montana water users could avoid these costly court battles altogether. This is why ratifying the Compact is crucial.Immediate action must be taken to move this agreement forward and provide legal certainty for the thousands of farmers, ranchers, landowners, and water users who have been left wondering whether they will have water for their crops or cattle. The decades of costly and unnecessary litigation are avoidable, but only if the Compact is ratified.

The Compact calls for federal ratification within four years of state ratification.  Since state ratification occurred in 2015, that date is quickly approaching in 2019.  That is why we call on Congress to prioritize this critically important matter for the state of Montana and provide our water users, farmers, ranchers, cities, towns and tribes with the certainty and finality they need to plan and invest in the future.

We hope that our outreach to Secretary Zinke and the members of our Congressional Delegation helps spur collaboration and communication between their respective offices on what needs to be done to move this vital agreement forward.

Sen. Pat Connell represents Senate District 43 and serves as the Chairman of the Montana State Legislature’s Water Policy Interim Committee. Rep. Zachary Brown represents House District 63 and serves as the Vice Chairman of the Water Policy Interim Committee.

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Local 4-H Enrollment Opens Online September 15

ECB Staff on August 9, 2018

 

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E-City Beat is pleased to share the following as a public service to local readers.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jerrica Seilstad August 9, 2018 MSU Extension Agent, Cascade County 406-454-6980 Jerrica.seilstad@montana.edu

CASCADE COUNTY 4-H ENROLLMENT OPENS ONLINE SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 www.mt.4honline.com

Cascade County, MT—Enrollment for the 2018-2019 4-H year opens online on September 15, 2018. Youth across Cascade County between the ages of 5-18 years old interested in learning more about their passions, are encouraged to join. Contact Jerrica Seilstad at MSU Extension, Cascade County at 454-6980 or email at Jerrica.seilstad@montana.edu to learn more about the program and enrollment.

In 4-H, if you can dream it, you can do it! It is and always has been a place for every youth no matter what background they come from or what interests they have. Members may reside in town, the suburbs, or in rural areas and take a range of projects from aerospace science, interior design, woodworking, forestry and more! 4-H offers more than 200 different projects and learning experiences that actively engage youth while having fun.

Through 4-H, research shows that youth enrolled in 4-H are four times more likely to give back to their communities, two times more likely to make healthier choices, and five times more likely to graduate from college.

Start your learning adventure this Fall! Volunteers are needed and appreciated. Contact our office for more details.

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Sponsored by Great Falls Right to Life

Does Size Matter? Great Falls Trump Rally Video Shows Long Lines

ECB Staff on July 11, 2018

 

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An E-City Beat reader sent us this video which was posted on Facebook last week after President Trumps visit to Great Falls. It shows the very long lines waiting to get in to the Four Seasons venue for the Presidents speech.

This confirms that the interest in and support for the Trump rally was yuuuuuuuuge in the Electric City.

Thanks again for coming to our town, Mr. President!

https://www.facebook.com/chad.culp.7731/videos/265264200912729/

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Former GF Tribune Reporter Thinks Trump Supporters Are Inbred?

ECB Staff on July 9, 2018

 

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Local readers continue to send us screenshots and reactions to Presidents Trumps recent visit to Great Falls. Some of the comments are positive and in support of the President while others are downright vile and vicious in their hatefulness. Here’s an example of both from the Tribunes own Facebook page:

 

What we find interesting here is that former and longtime Tribune “reporter” Peter Johnson associates himself with and “Likes” Jen Lynns ignorant and hateful suggestion that our fellow Great Falls citizens who attended the Trump rally are inbred. Really?

It is troubling, though not surprising, that Mr. Johnson is so cavalier in his willingness to identify with and display such open hatred and disdain for his friends and neighbors, folks who at one time trusted him to be an objective news reporter.

“It is troubling, though not surprising, that Mr. Johnson is so cavalier in his willingness to identify with and display such open hatred and disdain for his friends and neighbors, folks who at one time trusted him to be an objective news reporter.”

We don’t take issue with people who criticize and call to account elected officials at any level, in fact we highly encourage it and actively participate in it. But unfortunately the recent trend is to excoriate, demean, attack and insult regular local Great Falls citizens who voice any level of support for Trump or any other official in his administration.

We’ll conclude with these gems from our own E-City Beat Facebook page (you can read the whole thread here). Just look at the arrogance, hatred, and disdain dripping from local anti-Trump “resistance” member Christopher Horners repulsive comments.

“Tammy Evans, Trump does collect stupid trash like you though…Another White Trash Falls Trump acolyte…Jon still works at Albertsons, and is in the underachievers party of Trump, lol, lmao You look like his mom, are you his mom defending your fat, stupid son.”

“I need someone to fetch me my groceries and do the shit work. I’m just glad it’s you and not me. Didn’t I see you in your pickup with that huge confederate flag driving down the street. Do you know how embarrassing it is to tell people I actually live in this ghetto town?”

Is this what we’ve come to, Great Falls?

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Commissioner Mary Moe’s Embarrassing And Outrageous Comments

ECB Staff on July 6, 2018

 

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We’ve received several emails and screenshots of some local reaction to President Trumps visit to Great Falls on Thursday.

This first one is particularly relevant because it is Great Falls City Commissioner Mary Moe’s post about some Montana Catholic priests who attended the rally.

Uhmmm, just out of curiosity, how would Mary Moe know that “Jesus wept” because some Montana priests were attending a rally and supporting the President of the United States? Does Moe have some secret connection to the Savior that lets her know when and why He’s weeping? What unmitigated arrogance on her part.

“Uhmmm, just out of curiosity, how would Mary Moe know that ‘Jesus wept’ Because some Montana priests were attending a rally and supporting the President of the United States? Does Moe have some secret connection to the Savior that lets her know when and why he’s weeping? What unmitigated arrogance on her part.”

We also have to wonder what current city commissioner Moe means when she says “…they used to beat boys for back when America was great.” Does Moe have some evidence or knowledge that these priests at the rally are guilty of beating boys in the past? If not then this kind of specific accusation is libelous and may, probably should, result in legal action against Moe. She is a public figure and an elected official accusing these citizens of potential crimes.

Looking further at some of the comments on Commissioner Moe’s post, we also found the following from local Cascade County Democratic Central Committee Chairman, ex con, convicted felon and former cocaine dealer Bill Strizich to be interesting:

“Bill Strizich – Just who are those bozos of the cloth. They should be censored by the Church. It may well be time for the Church to pay taxes.

Bill Strizich – I’m guessing the Pope may not find this image at all amusing. Perhaps these preists (sic) need a reality check with the home office in Rome.”

“Bozo’s of the cloth”?

Just who in the world does Strizich, a disgraced former U.S. Marshall, think he is? It appears that he just can’t wait to find motes in others eyes while the beam in his own goes completely unnoticed by him.

“Just who in the world does Strizich, a disgraced former U.S. Marshall, think he is? It appears that he just can’t wait to find motes in others eyes while the beam in his own goes completely unnoticed by him.”

We believe this is very, very serious. At the very least it is bullying at it’s worse. Moe’s comments are disturbing because she is practicing a form of religious persecution and engaging in a public witch hunt against people of religious convictions who may not agree with her political ideology and who associate with politicians she detests.

Her position as a Great Falls city commissioner is well known and her public comments here are totally inappropriate and uncalled for. She owes the priests and the people of Great Falls and Montana an apology and possibly a resignation from the city commission for her outrageous allegations.

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