2nd Question: Recycling Fee

Here is my response to the second question posed by the Tribune:

City government may soon consider a $1.50 monthly charge on city households to support recycling, which has been a money-losing venture for the city. Would you favor such a fee, and why or why not?

At this time, I do not favor the city continuing its involvement in recycling. First and foremost, cities have a responsibility to provide core services in a fiscally prudent manner. Providing recycling services is not a core service of the city. It has been reported from the Public Works Department that even by adding this proposed fee, recycling will continue to lose money. It is not fiscally responsible to continue to provide a secondary service that doesn't break even.

This is a service that should be left to the private sector. Why this city has such a penchant to stick its nose into private business is beyond me.

What Do I Think About ECP

As I posted over at Cataract City, the Tribune has started to publish the Commission Candidates responses to several questions they asked. Today, they published the answers to the following question pertaining to ECP:

Do you think the city should shut down its utility arm, Electric City Power, or should the city try to make its venture more profitable? The city stood to lose an estimated $4.75 million if it suddenly liquidated its electrical energy business earlier this year.

My response:

I believe ECP should be shut down for a number of reasons. Citizens were never given the opportunity to vote as to whether they wanted their government to get involved in public power in the first place. The city has already lost more than $4 million on this venture, and according to ordinance #2925, this entity was to be self-sustaining from day one. Citizens continue to be barred from information pertaining to this entity and cannot get straightforward answers to their financial questions and concerns. This foray into public power has not been a benefit to the city or its citizens and has already cost us millions of dollars.

Contrary to what the incumbents say, this entity has already lost several million dollars and will not benefit city residents. (As a result of legislative action, ECP cannot sell power to the residents). The "blended rate" scenario mentioned by mayoral candidate Commissioner Bronson is the subject of a lawsuit (page 9). Information pertaining to the "blended rate" has also been kept from the public by this lawsuit. (Commissioner Jolley, who is the only commissioner to have actually viewed the documents in the secret box, has indicated that there are documents in the box pertaining to the "blended rate").

Want A Yard Sign?

If you would like a yard sign, please e-mail me at siguynn@yahoo.com.

Thanks very much!

Neighborhood Councils

We're getting down to the wire and as I reported at Cataract City, only 14 of the needed 45 candidates have filed for Neighborhood Council.

The deadline to file is August 20.

I have been a member of NC#4 for 3 years and I am in my second year as the chair of this council. It has been a very good experience for me. I have learned more about city/county government and how it works than if I had not gotten involved.

As the chair, I am responsible for setting the agenda and have made an effort to bring in speakers who educate the public about what our government or community is doing. I have received several compliments from citizens who tell me they enjoy coming to Council 4 meetings because they always learn something. That's always been my goal.

If elected your mayor, I will definitely ask for more input from our councils. According to the City Charter, councils are supposed to be involved in several aspects of our local government, including finance. Currently, councils are not invited to participate in the budgetary process. No meetings are ever scheduled with councils to discuss the budget. Oh sure. We can show up at the normally scheduled budget meetings, but how many council members and citizens can just drop what they are doing during the day to attend a budget meeting? More of an effort needs to be made to include the public, before the public hearing.

Please consider joining your council. For more information, contact Patty Cadwell at 455-8496 or pcadwell@greatfallsmt.net.

July 4th Parade With Pictures

Thanks to everyone who helped in any way with my OTAG float! As far as I know, I was the only mayoral candidate to have a campaign float.

According to the Tribune, about 20,000 folks turned out so it was very good exposure.

What Do You Think?

Since I regularly attend City Commission meetings and have been for the last three years, I have seen first hand what happens when folks disagree with what the city suggests.

They are ignored. Even if folks just question what is being proposed, they are more often than not treated like the enemy. There is no excuse for this.

I am not running because I think I have all the answers to our problems. Absolutely, I do not. In fact, nobody does, but I do believe that by working together, we can find the right solutions to what ails us. I don't have an agenda other than to open up our government and let the sun shine in!

As I mentioned here, I think the most important issue to face our city has been our relationship with SME. Maybe you agree, maybe not.

Now is your chance to tell me what you think.

Maybe only one issue I've listed below is of concern to you or maybe all of them. If you have several, try to list them in order of importance to you. It would be very helpful if you would also tell me why you feel the way you do.

Even if I mentioned something you are not familiar with, tell me that too.

Some of the issues:

* City not practicing OTAG (Open, Transparent, Accountable Government)

* City's involvement with SME

* City's decision to go with public power (ECP)

* City's proposed 2010 budget

* City/County relationship

* Water rights

* Public safety levy

* Animal shelter

* Malmstrom AFB

* Downtown revitalization/parking meters

* Economic development; industrial parks

* Parks, Recreation (golf, swimming pools)

* Other

(Please read this, if you wish to comment).

Relationship With SME

In my opinion, the greatest issue to divide our city in quite a long time has been the city's involvement with SME.

Regardless of where you stand on the coal plant/gasification plant and ECP, every citizen should be very concerned that we were never allowed a vote on issues that have cost our city millions of dollars. And it's not over.

I'm not in favor of public and private entities going into business together. The rules for each are different. Private businesses (like mine) do not have to divulge their business dealings to the public, but government does. And it is not supposed to be an option as our city has so very well demonstrated.

(Please read this, if you wish to comment).