_______________________________________________________________________ We couldn’t help but notice two related local topics this week: Tracy Houck announced her intention to run for reelection to the Great Falls city commission. The City of Great Falls is proposing doubling downtown parking meter fees. We find it rather ironic, and quite amusing, that Houck is using the slogan “A Leader…
_______________________________________________________________________ If we really want to change the ‘negative narrative’ about Great Falls then we need to address the actual reasons for that narrative. There’s no better place to start than the ethics and conflicts of interest problems that have plagued the Great Falls city commission for a long time. Let’s do a quick review…
_______________________________________________________________________ In an article I wrote last week called ‘Mr. Narrative Comes To Great Falls’ I discussed the bogus notion that a ‘negative narrative’ is the reason that Great Falls continues to struggle to remain stagnant. In that piece I referenced the local Future of the Falls young professionals group and their upcoming event, BaseCamp….
Heads up, Great Falls. There’s a new guy in town named Mr. Narrative. Here is an actual comment on the BaseCamp Great Falls Facebook page from city Commissioner Mary Moe: “A group of young professionals in Great Falls is tired of the negative narrative about this community and is determined to turn it around.” So,…
_______________________________________________________________________ There’s really no other way to say it – Great Falls city commissioner Owen Robinson should not be voting on any issue regarding a proposed City of Great Falls partnership with the Maclean Cameron Animal Adoption Center. But he did anyway. Robinson’s actions as a city commissioner stink to high heaven and anyone who…
_______________________________________________________________________ In a previous article, “A Development Process Advisory Board For Great Falls Makes Sense”, I explored some of the ways a DPARB could be beneficial for growth and development in Great Falls, as it has been in Billings. Today I want to look at what I consider to be the most important thing our…
Today someone sent these pictures to me with the following note: “Interesting pictures of the City parking their tractor/trailer on M&D’s vacant lot while they are performing asphalt patching on an adjacent street. The same lot that they ran M&D off of for parking the same type of trucks there.” The ‘M&D’ referred to here…
________________________________________________________________________ Last year, we had the City of Great Falls’ Department of Housing and Urban Development/Community Development Block Grant funding conflict of interest debacle. Before that, we had the Electric City Power fiasco. I think you get my drift. It’s important to be ever vigilant about the workings of our government, a government by…
________________________________________________________________________ Today someone directed my attention to a KRTV Facebook post and news story about the next “Future of the Falls Forum”. Here’s how the KRTV story describes the Forum events: “The next “Future Of The Falls” forum will be on Monday, December 3rd, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Civic Center….
________________________________________________________________________ It appears our Great Falls City Commissioner Houck has become the self-appointed arbiter of civility, political responsibility and justice. We’re in trouble now. Houck lectured Senator Daines on Facebook. She opines that he doesn’t speak on behalf of the majority of Montanans and that he certainly doesn’t represent the views and wishes of…