03/04/2024
East Helena will receive $50 million as part of federal infrastructure spending dedicated to cleaning up more than 100 superfund sites across the nation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The city will receive $40 million from the $1 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and another $10 million from an existing settlement to clean up land contaminated by the former ASARCO smelter.
“The city is excited that all the federal agencies involved in the cleanup are furthering and continuing their interest in making East Helena a safe place for people to live, work and play,” East Helena Mayor Kelly Harris told Montana Free Press.
The decontamination of the land with these funds will begin this summer with the prioritizing of cleanup sites. EPA’s goal is to have the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in East Helena by the end of March to facilitate the contractor bidding procedures, according to the EPA remedial project managers for the site, Bridget Williams and Jess Smith.
Cleanup locations will include properties frequented by children, in addition to residential homes, schools, daycares, parks and churches, Williams said. The agency plans to have a contractor hired to start the work in early 2025.
“The community members are welcome to reach out to us with any questions or concerns,” Williams said. “We are looking for any input that they might have, whether it’s on the prioritization or how we clean up the properties. We’re always looking for people.”
The EPA will host an open house at the city hall, 306 E. Main St., on Monday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Public Notice
The Helena Public Schools superintendent last week shared some informational pamphlets that he hopes will help voters understand the proposed six school levies that the board of trustees voted to put on a spring ballot last month.
The district will ask voters to pass the safety and security, technology and general fund levies for both K-8 elementary and high schools that are aimed at alleviating school budget strains.
Superintendent Rex Weltz, along with other school officials, gave details on where the funds would be spent if the levies pass during a Hometown Helena meeting this past Thursday, Feb. 29.
The levies, Weltz said, would lessen the district’s $3 million budget gap and alleviate the need to cut positions and potentially close schools.
If voters pass the levies, owners of homes valued at $100,000 would pay a tax increase of about $111 a year. Homes valued at $300,000 would have an increase of about $332 a year, and the owner of a $600,000 home would pay an additional $664 a year.
The district plans to distribute more information to the public in the near future, after the precise language of the levies has been finalized, according to Karen Ogden, the school’s communications officer.
The next board of trustees meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12.
5 Things to Know in Helena
Teacher union update: The Helena Education Association and the Helena school district have agreed on a tentative teacher’s contract after months of negotiations. After a meeting on Feb. 28, the union and the district agreed to a 1.5% pay increase for teachers this school year and next, according to Jane Shaw, the association’s president. In addition, the two sides agreed that if the proposed school levies pass, teachers’ pay would increase by 3% in the second year of the contract. The union membership will need to vote in favor of the deal, but Shaw said she hopes to have the contract in front of the board of trustees sometime in March.
How the Helena?!: Looking for a way to support the downtown area? Ten Mile Creek Brewery, located at 48 N. Last Chance Gulch, will host its first community group meeting. The group, named How the Helena?!, will first meet on Tuesday, March 5, at 5:45 p.m.
Parking discussions continue: Following last month’s Business Improvement District’s discussion on downtown parking, city manager Tim Burton said during this past Monday’s commission meeting that the city and BID will continue to seek solutions on how to address parking permit prices, locations of parking lots and meters and other concerns. Burton said his goal for the meetings is to be able to eventually present policy changes to the commission.
Misinformation education session: The League of Women Voters of the Helena Area and the Lewis and Clark Library will host a session to educate the public on how to identify online misinformation. “How to Navigate Misinformation Online with Sam Wineburg,” is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, at the library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, and requires registration. The event won’t be recorded, but a Zoom option is available. To sign up, visit the library’s website.
Helena’s unsheltered doc: A local film produced by Jeanie Warden includes interviews with some of the city’s homeless population and the nonprofit organizations that work with them. The film, “Why Should I Care: Helena’s Shelterless,” will be shown on Thursday, March 7, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 512 Logan St., at 7 p.m., and is free to the public.
3 Questions For
Allan R. Scott is the music director and conductor of the Helena Symphony, a position he has held for the past 21 seasons. On Saturday, Feb. 25, the symphony held a concert featuring Israeli-American Amit Peled as the guest cellist. Before sitting down to play an encore, Peled gave a speech to the audience about the Israel-Hamas war.
Scott spoke with Montana Free Press about the cellist’s speech and what the symphony’s role is when used as a platform on social issues. His comments have been edited for length and clarity.
MTFP: Can you describe from your own perspective what happened during Peled’s speech?
Scott: Amit went out like any soloist would, and he sat down on a stool in front, and sometimes soloists will say something.
They’ll say, “I dedicate this to such and such,” or they’ll say something about the piece, or they’ll play something very, very different than what they played earlier. You know, it just depends. When a soloist comes out, that’s their time.
The orchestra was on stage still, but this was his time to play. So he decided to put things in perspective of Helenans. It was admittedly graphic and provocative. He said, “Imagine that in Helena, Montana, six months ago, you’re brutally attacked, women are raped, people are beheaded, people are captive, held in tunnels, and 1,200 of your people are murdered, slaughtered, innocent people.”
It was very provocative and he was quite aggressive in the way he said it. Whether I agree with it or not is irrelevant. The majority of the people, they sat there, they applauded after his little talk and then he played the Israeli national anthem, which is quite beautiful. And then he got a standing ovation and he walked off stage. But obviously, there were a few people who were pretty angry, and I’m not saying they’re wrong. What I’m saying is, many people have contacted us and said, “You know, why would you allow this to happen?” The point is that I don’t suppress artistic expression. This was his time.
MTFP: Is there a worry that the symphony may become a political platform?
Scott: I mean, it is already in many ways, but I don’t want to say that we’re a political platform. What I’m saying is that we’re here to exchange. We’re here to make music, but I want to be clear, and I used to say this before the pandemic: We’re not here to just entertain you. If you’re here to be entertained, go to the circus. We exist for this very crisis. I said to my board, “We exist. Music making is not just here to be light and fluffy all the time. It’s here for us when we’re in crisis; it’s here to make us think.”
I don’t wanna say that we’re here to be a political platform. We’re here to make sure that this is part and parcel with our entire lives, and our lives are messy. Sometimes we are here to be escapist and entertainment to give us relief from the stress of the day.
But sometimes we’re also here to help heal from the emotional wounds that we have. We’re also here to get us to think about difficult subjects. That’s what the arts are. And so, it’s not just about entertainment. I would say that that’s not why we go to the arts. Some people do, but that’s not why we exist. We exist to better the community. We exist to bridge divisions. We exist to make sure that we are a healing force and a welcoming and a safe place. But a place that’s also made to get us to think, or ponder, or reflect, or feel.
MTFP: Has there been any pushback or concerns raised internally by the symphony about how this issue and others were shared?
Scott: No. When it came time to promote the importance of vaccines, or welcome Big Sky Pride, or play the Ukrainian national anthem, or speak out about senseless murders throughout the world, that’s all part of what is in line with our mission and our core values. We have core values of openness and inclusivity. We have core values that are in line with me speaking out. My director of communications doesn’t say to me, “Don’t say anything about this.” You know, my board doesn’t say that. They don’t say we have to tiptoe around things. They don’t say to methat we should be afraid to engage with our community.
Might Be Fun
The Myrna Loy, at 15 N. Ewing St., will show two films from March 1 through March 7. “Drive Away Dolls” will be shown in the auditorium at 7 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, and in the screening room on Thursday.
The second film, “Molli and Max in the Future,” will be shown at 7:15 p.m. in the screening room from Monday through Wednesday. Tickets are $5.50 for children, $7 for students and $8 for adults.
Helena History
“Helena This Week” is reported and written By JoVonne Wagner. Send your Helena news and tips to [email protected].