In case you missed it, the City Commission was recently asked by City Manager Greg Doyon about how to proceed with City Commission meetings in light of a recent spike in local Covid-19 cases. In an informal consensus vote commissioners decided 4-1 to move the upcoming September 7 City Commission work session and regular meeting…
The Great Falls Crime Task Force has been meeting on a bi-weekly basis since the first week in June and so far the meetings have been mostly informational presentations giving members, and the public, a solid foundational understanding of the scope and issues involved related to local crime and the local criminal justice system. The…
At last night’s Great Falls city commission meeting we unanimously voted to adopt the proposed fiscal year 2022 City of Great Falls budget. This graph depicting the government entities to which our local property tax dollars go is interesting and informative: The 27.1% share of total local property taxes is only one of the City’s…
Are all those booms, pops and ka-bams we heard over the weekend as Great Falls celebrated Independence Day 2021 the sound of freedom – or the sound of irresponsibility? Here’s something I posted on my personal Facebook page last Wednesday: “Let’s be careful and kind out there, Great Falls. Hot and dry conditions here means…
I’ve been asked by several Great Falls citizens why the City’s 2013 Growth Policy advocates support for the Big Sky Country National Heritage Area, Inc. Simple answer: it doesn’t. There is absolutely nothing in the 2013 Growth Policy that states support for the Big Sky Country National Heritage Area, Inc. (here is the reference, you…
At last Tuesday’s Great Falls City Commission meeting we approved the following local folks as appointees to the newly formed Great Falls Crime Task Force: Mary Lynne Billy – Indian Family Health Clinic Shawna Jarvey – transition consultant, Benefis Health Nichole Griffith – Victim Witness Program Sandra Guynn – chair of Neighborhood Council of Councils…
At our Tuesday April 6 regular meeting the Great Falls City Commission unanimously passed Resolution 10395 establishing the Great Falls Crime Task Force. As I’ve spoken to many groups and individuals in the weeks since the concept was first raised at the commission goal setting session earlier this year I have found that there’s overwhelming…
The responsibility of government isn’t to solve all of our problems but rather to ensure our safety in the free exercise of our individual God-given, natural rights. Now think about that in light of our local crime problem. The primary job of Great Falls law-enforcement and our local criminal justice system is to protect and…
This is a special time of year for me and my family. Presidents Day holds so much meaning and so many great memories for me even now as an adult. When I was a kid, every year my brothers and I, with barely contained excitement and anticipation, would count down the days until that magical,…
Here are a few Great Falls City Commission updates and answers to questions and comments I’ve received from folks recently. COVID-19 City County Health Officer Trisha Gardiner provided an update at Tuesday’s city commission meeting and there’s some good news: the numbers in Cascade County are heading in the right direction over the past week…