Category: City Election 2019

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Editors note – last month we asked each of the six candidates running for the Great Falls city commission to submit answers to three specific questions. We will be publishing the answers from the candidates who responded, in the order we received the responses, exactly as submitted and without editorial comment, starting today.

 

Rick Tryon

What do you consider to be the most important issue for Great Falls right now and if elected how would you respond to it. Please be as specific as possible by describing why you consider the issue to be the most important and the action you feel is necessary to address it?

According to the US Census Bureau interim report released in February of this year, in an 8-year span between 2010 and 2018:

• Gallatin County (Bozeman/Belgrade) population increased 22,363 = 25% growth.
• Flathead County (Kalispell) population increased 11,179 = 12.3% growth.
• Missoula County population increased 9495 = 8.7% growth.
• Lewis & Clark County (Helena) population increased 5305 = 8.4% growth.
• Yellowstone County (Billings) population increased 12,155 = 8.2% growth.
• Silver Bow County (Butte) population increased 784 = 2.3% growth.
• Cascade County (Great Falls) population increased 320 = 0.4% growth.

If we don’t change this trend we will not have the tax base or resources necessary to adequately fund quality public education, public safety, or infrastructure going forward, because those costs will continue to rise while we continue to struggle to remain stagnant – and we won’t be able to maintain and grow the modern workforce necessary to attract and retain business.

Like it or not, ready or not, we are competing with other state and regional cities for resources, taxpayers, and the growth necessary to prosper in the 21st-century.

One of our top priorities must be to create a local environment conducive to better jobs and more opportunities for ALL of our citizens – starting with a streamlined development process, an unmistakable ‘open for business’ attitude and a new culture within our city of ‘How can we help you?’, rather than ‘You can’t do that here!’

Do you or any of your immediate family members, business partners, employer, or employees hold any positions, professional or volunteer, recent past or present, that would constitute a conflict of interest, or appearance thereof, for you while conducting city business as a commissioner? If so how would you deal with the potential conflict?

I’ve been a community volunteer for many years and for different organizations and causes, including the following:

• Founder of the Local Artists and Musicians Project, for which I received the Bread Winner Award from Wheat Montana for volunteerism raising resources for the Great Falls Community Food Bank.
• Received the RSVP Presidential Silver Award for volunteering locally in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
• Volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program.
• Volunteer reader for Great Falls Clinic’s Reach Out & Read program.
• Board member and Chair of the Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts advisory board.
• First and several time volunteer performer for the Four Seasons Sports Foundation fundraisers.
• 2016 and 2017 winner of the Mighty Mo Charity Sing Off, raising the most money for the local Casa-Can and Make-A-Wish Foundation, Downtown Great Falls Association Christmas Tree Fund and the Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation Bumble Bee Fund.

However, I’m not currently involved in those or any other organizations with business before the city commission.

I’m not a candidate because I have a personal pet project I want to work on, an organization or “special” part of town I want to “help”, or an agenda to accomplish for friends or family.

I’m running so that the average citizens in Great Falls who’ve been left out of the conversation for too long have a clear voice and a sharp pair of ears on our city commission. No special attention or treatment for anyone. Period.

I don’t foresee any conflicts of interest arising if I were to serve as a commissioner. But if a conflict were to come up I would deal with it by strictly adhering to the Title 2, Chapter 21 Code of Ethics requirements, going above and beyond in full disclosure before the matter is vetted, and by recusal from the issue if necessary.

Do you consider the current relationship between the city commission and the citizens of Great Falls to reflect an adequate level of mutual trust, respect and engagement and how would you improve that relationship?

No, the level of trust is not what it should be. The lack of transparency and the conflicts of interest in our city commission have done great damage to the public trust. The remedy is to elect city commissioners who will unfailingly adhere to the Title 2, Chapter 21 Code of Ethics requirements in the city code.

Rick Tryon
www.tryon4commission.com

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Earlier this week E-City Beat sent the following email to all six of the Great Falls city commission candidates.

Greetings candidates,

Thank you to those who submitted candidate profiles last month. E-City Beat would like to give each of the candidates another opportunity to let the community know a few details about your positions on three specific issues.

If you’re interested in having your answers to these question published by E-City Beat, unedited and without editorial comment, please respond in MS Word format by Tuesday, October 1^st. Please keep your response to 600 words or less.

Thank you and good luck.

Philip Faccenda
Editor/Publisher E-City Beat

1. What do you consider to be the most important issue for Great Falls right now and if elected how would you respond to it. Please be as specific as possible by describing why you consider the issue to be the most important and the action you feel is necessary to address it?
2. Do you or any of your immediate family members, business partners, employer, or employees hold any positions, professional or volunteer, recent past or present, that would constitute a conflict of interest, or appearance thereof, for you while conducting city business as a commissioner? If so how would you deal with the potential conflict?
3. Do you consider the current relationship between the city commission and the citizens of Great Falls to reflect an adequate level of mutual trust, respect and engagement and how would you improve that relationship?

Last month we requested candidate profiles from each of the candidates and published the four that returned submissions. Jasmine Taylor and Tracy Houck didn’t respond.

We hope all of the candidates will answer the three questions asked here so that our readers and the public at large can become more fully informed voters in this November’s municipal election.

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Editors note – last month we asked each of the six candidates running for the Great Falls city commission to submit a profile for publication (exactly as submitted and without editorial comment) including the reasons they are running and what they want to accomplish if elected.

Kim Rodriguez, Terry Thompson, and Rick Tryon responded with submissions. Bruce Pollington responded after the August 21st deadline. However since Pollington only missed the deadline by one day we will publish his profile as well.

Tracy Houck, Jasmine Taylor, did not respond.

Bruce Pollington

I moved to Great Falls in 1969 after receiving my bachelor’s degree from Montana State University. Since then I have worked in broadcast television, commercial video production, commercial photography, healthcare and at non-profit organizations. Although I occasionally served as a community volunteer for most of my time here, I began to increase my volunteer commitments as I got older. By 2019, I was heavily involved as a member (and President) of River’s Edge Trail Foundation Board of Directors. In addition, I was a member (and Chair) of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for the EPA Superfund project in Black Eagle and the former copper smelter site. Last Fall, I was elected as the sole Member at Large of Missouri-Madison River Fund Board of Directors: a foundation that awards access, recreation and maintenance grants along the river corridor from Fort Benton to the headwaters of the Missouri.

I decided to run for Great Falls City Commissioner soon after I learned that Bill Bronson had chosen not to run for re-election. I have known Bill and his wife, Carol, for several years and was sad to hear that he was ending his service as Commissioner. I always appreciated his well considered and thoughtfully presented comments and perspectives. While I previously had not considered running for the Commission, the prospect struck me as an opportunity to utilize my experience working with various City Departments and the City Commission to help make our community a better place to live, work and play.

Soon after I decided to run for City Commission, I opted to resign as a member of River’s Edge Trial Foundation and as a member of the EPA TAG to avoid conflict of interest concerns that might arise from those memberships. Conversely, I have chosen to remain a member of the Missouri-Madison River Fund Board based on assurances from our City Attorney’s Office and from the River Fund group that my continued service on that board poses no conflict of interest concerns while serving as a City Commissioner.

I am well aware that this opportunity also brings a great deal of responsibility. City Commissioners are first and foremost charged with ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our citizens. To that end, the Commission must continue to work toward addressing chronic staffing shortfalls as well as equipment upgrade and maintenance needs in both the City Police Department and Fire Department. In addition, the Commission is charged with ensuring that City Government functions properly and meets the needs of our community, that it raises and spends our tax dollars conservatively and efficiently, that it encourages healthy growth and support for tourism and our business community, and that it protects and maintains publicly owned assets.

City assets are not static. If they are not properly protected, maintained, improved or replaced as needed, they will decline.  For example, long term deferred maintenance forced permanent closure of the Natatorium. Without extensive repair and maintenance work, our Civic Center is headed for the same fate. That is a fate we cannot afford. Yes, repairing it will be unavoidably expensive. However, continuing to postpone essential repairs while damage continues to accumulate and accelerate will prove to be considerably more expensive.

I believe that fifty years of work experience in this community combined with almost that many years volunteering on community improvement projects such as River’s Edge Trail and EPA TAG has helped prepare me for service as a City Commissioner. I am looking forward to representing and serving the people of Great Falls as their Commissioner.

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Editors note – last month we asked each of the six candidates running for the Great Falls city commission to submit a profile for publication (exactly as submitted and without editorial comment) including the reasons they are running and what they want to accomplish if elected.

Kim Rodriguez, Terry Thompson, and Rick Tryon responded with submissions. Bruce Pollington responded after the August 21st deadline. However since Pollington only missed the deadline by one day we will publish his profile as well.

Tracy Houck, Jasmine Taylor, did not respond. 

 

Rick Tryon

Great Falls is my hometown. I was raised here. Phyllis and I were married here 36 years ago and we raised our own two daughters and started helping to raise our grand-kids right here. My 87 year old mom still lives here.

I love Great Falls and I love the people that live here and make this community special.

But something is wrong and we all know it. We’re not living up to our potential and we know it. We need change, for a greater Great Falls.

I remember when Great Falls was the envy of Montana’s cities – a bustling, thriving community with plenty of opportunity for everyone. It seems we’ve lost our way. I know we can’t, and shouldn’t, return to the ‘glory days’ of 50 years ago, but we can fix what’s wrong while celebrating what’s right in our Great Falls.

Here are the three concerns I hear repeatedly from local folks and a general outline of what we can do to start addressing these issues:

• Jobs and Opportunity – through a streamlined development process and an unmistakable “open for business” attitude.
• Safe Kids and Neighborhoods – as a candidate for Great Falls city commission I am calling for 4-6 new GFPD sworn police officers and tougher law enforcement and justice system policies.
• Transparency and Honesty – zero tolerance for conflicted, dishonest, self serving public officials and an end to backroom deals for special interests.

I urge you to take a look at the nine specific action steps I’ve put forward to start tackling these areas of concern. You can find those ideas and a lot more on my website at www.tryon4commission.com.

I’m not running for city commission because I have a personal pet project I want to work on, an organization I want to “help”, or an agenda to accomplish for my professional/personal pals or family members.

I’m not running to please or to be popular with anyone or any group, or to represent some “special” neighborhood or part of town. Great Falls belongs to ALL of us, not just a few who have money and influence.

I’m running so that the average citizens in Great Falls who’ve been left out of the conversation for too long have a clear voice and a sharp pair of eyes and ears on our city commission.

I’m running because I believe we have to bring a sense of urgency to making sure our town is growing and prospering so that we have a population and tax base that can continue to support our legacy of quality public education, public safety and infrastructure, and the amenities that make for a great community.

I’m running because I believe we can turn our weaknesses into strengths and become the most family-friendly, safest community in Montana with better jobs and opportunities for all, and that we can build a reputation for having the most honest, transparent and responsive city government in the Northwest.

Let’s build some glory days together. Sound good?

Rick Tryon
ricktryon@msn.com
www.tryon4commission.com

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Editors note – last month we asked each of the six candidates running for the Great Falls city commission to submit a profile for publication (exactly as submitted and without editorial comment) including the reasons they are running and what they want to accomplish if elected.

Kim Rodriguez, Terry Thompson, and Rick Tryon responded with submissions. Bruce Pollington responded after the August 21st deadline. However since Pollington only missed the deadline by one day we will publish his profile as well.

Tracy Houck, Jasmine Taylor, did not respond. 

 

Terry Thompson

My story begins growing up on a cattle ranch in Central Montana where my work ethic was instilled in me. A week after I graduated high school, I moved to Great Falls to attend Dahl’s Beauty College. While attending school, I met my first husband who had recently enlisted in the Navy. After earning my cosmetology license, we called San Diego home for 10 years and welcomed two children while we were there, Bryce and Kirsten. In 1994, I returned as a single mother to Great Falls where my children were educated in the Great Falls Public School system and I worked in the wireless cell phone industry as a Business Operations Analyst for 11 years.

In 2010, I remarried. Ken and I have a blended family of six children and have been blessed with fifteen grandchildren. The majority of our family live, work, and play in Great Falls. Tragically, my son Bryce passed away at the age of 27 in 2015 but his memory carries on in each of his two children he raised before his passing.

Since 2007, I have been the CEO of the Great Falls Association of REALTORS® serving in many leadership roles on a state and national level. I co-founded the Development Process Task Force, originally a coalition with the Home Builders Association of Great Falls and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Its purpose is to assist the development industry to resolve issues with the planning and public works departments of both the City of Great Falls and Cascade County. I have been proactive in addressing development issues by facilitating meetings, addressing both city and county staff at public hearings and/or speaking directly with the mayor and commissioners. I have testified before legislative committees and the Board of Realty Regulation. I’ve served the community of Great Falls by being elected to two terms on Neighborhood Council 3, acting as the chairwoman of the Council in my second term. I am running for City Commission to lend my leadership skills and knowledge to be a champion for new and fresh ideas. I want to help our city develop economically in order to provide its citizens with a great quality of life.

One of the top challenges our city faces currently is the notion that Great Falls is not development friendly. The wish list for retail and restaurants is as long as the list of

developers having difficulties building in the city. Permit numbers identify the primary building taking place in the county, directly decreasing the tax base needed to bring such services to the city. The culture of the planning and public works departments must change to one that declares that our city is open for business and we are willing to work with key stakeholders in growing our community – developers, investors, and homebuilders. I believe I have what it takes to turn around the negative connotations that Great Falls has. I am a new voice for a new future!

My priority list includes: effective advocacy between the city, county and state legislators; creating a positive attitude and direction; increasing transparency and accountability by city commissioners and staff; and earning the trust and respect of our citizens;

I would love to hear your ideas, concerns and answer any questions. Visit my website at www.voteterrythompson.com for my complete bio, priority list and more.

I would be honored to have your vote on November 5!

Terry Thompson
Thompson for City Commission
PO Box 165
Great Falls, MT 59403
www.voteterrythompson.com

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Editors note – last month we asked each of the six candidates running for the Great Falls city commission to submit a profile for publication (exactly as submitted and without editorial comment) including the reasons they are running and what they want to accomplish if elected.

Kim Rodriguez, Terry Thompson, and Rick Tryon responded with submissions.

Tracy Houck, Jasmine Taylor, and Bruce Pollington did not respond. We will publish the profiles in the order we received them. First up is Kim Rodriguez.

Kim Rodriquez

I was born and raised in Great Falls, I have owned and operated a small business teaching CPR and First Aid for 25 plus years. I am married with one son who serves in the Navy as a Marine Corpsman. My decision to run for Great Falls City Commission is due to the frustration of watching politics become about the politicians and their wants, not about the citizens who voted them in. I would like the public of Great Falls involved in the decisions being made that affect us personally.

Our city is in dire need of increasing Law Enforcement and Fire Department personnel to increase the level of safety that we deserve. Public Safety needs to be a high priority. I would like to see Great Falls education system benefit our children, growth in new businesses and more access to indoor and outdoor recreation within city limits to include the Missouri River which the public has very little access to. I am not a politician, but someone who wants a positive change, less taxes, safe neighborhoods and a city government with high moral standards.

Great Falls has a crisis within our city. It’s the homeless! I volunteer for a soup kitchen and I see the faces of those who have nothing. To get to see them as human beings! We have the Rescue Mission and a few churches that do what they can on limited funds. But it’s not enough. I listened to the Budget being passed and watched as the City Commissioners voted on raising taxes on 5-6 issues in a row. But not one Police Officer was budgeted for and yet our city is growing! Our Fire Department is need of equipment and also personnel and did not get what was a minimal request. I saw firsthand how Great Falls Public Safety is NOT a priority.

I am completely against anything being done behind closed doors! As Citizens we really don’t have a voice, our needs are not an interest to those in power of passing the yearly budget! If Great Falls will vote two City Commissioners in that will stand up for what is right and put Citizens first in the upcoming November Election, and in 2 years vote two more in. Then we can make a change, a difference! I will be the voice for those that don’t have one. As a Christian I will stand up for what is honest and right. Even if I am the only one!

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