Good morning.
In this issue, more prescribed burns are in the works, Helena Public Schools is hosting the last groundbreaking for its new bond-funded schools and LEGOs will invade the fairgrounds this weekend.
The city is also changing what it charges the public for record requests. Read more about that below.
But first, a weather preview ☀️
This week, the Helena area is warming back up with a Monday high in the low 80s, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Olivia Zomba. Highs will stay in the upper 70s for Tuesday and Wednesday, with lows hovering in the mid-40s.
The Helena City Commission has preliminarily approved updating the fees the city charges for public information requests.
The resolution, introduced earlier in September, will implement a $25-per-hour fee and a $5 filing fee, with the first hour free. This change would bring the city into compliance with a law passed by the state Legislature.
“In some ways, the fee structure that is now outlined in statute makes for a much cleaner and easier process,” Clerk of the Commission Dannai Clayborn said during a city meeting when the issue was first brought up. “However, it does limit the amount that a municipality can charge per hour in order to fulfill those requests.”
Previously, the city allowed staff to charge the filing fee if the request took longer than 30 minutes, in addition to fees for staff time spent addressing the request. For example, if a salaried staffer earning $30 an hour took two hours to fulfill a request, the city could potentially charge $60, Clayborn said. That per-hour fee would be limited to $25 if the commission gives its final approval.
“Our previous resolution allowed the recouping of the cost of that individual staff person’s salary for the time spent fulfilling the request,” Clayborn said. “Anything that took more than 30 minutes was the initiator for charging fees for any requests; now, that first hour is free.”
Clayborn added that the volume of public information requests varies depending on what is going on in Helena. She added that requests typically come from contractors.
“They can be quite time-consuming because, unfortunately, the city of Helena was not always in a digital realm,” Clayborn said. “Compiling records that exist in boxes and binders and filing cabinets in various parts of the city offices can sometimes be quite expensive for the staff that has to work to fulfill those.”
And Clayborn is not alone in her concerns; she told the commission that other clerks and municipalities across Montana have raised issues with the legislation.
The commission unanimously approved the resolution Monday. A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5
Photo Op 📸
A few weeks ago, the Helena Valley was bombarded with smoke from a series of prescribed burns. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Facebook page shared some images from the burns near the southern Elkhorn Mountains.
Additional controlled burns are expected for Monday, Oct. 5, of about 150 acres south of Highway 12 near the Continental Divide, according to a national forest social media post.
Public Notice 🧐
October city listening session
ℹ️October’s community listening session, hosted by the city of Helena, will center around connecting with city leaders. Think of it as a meet-and-greet with the commission, mayor and other department directors and an opportunity to discuss city issues and events with your elected officials.
🗓️ Thursday, Oct. 22.
⏰ 5 p.m.
📍 Muni’s Sports Grille, 2201 N. Benton Ave.
Kessler Groundbreaking
ℹ️The Helena School District will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Kessler Elementary, part of a multi-million dollar school bond that voters approved last year.
🗓️ Wednesday, Oct. 7
⏰ 5:30 p.m.
📍 South end of Kessler’s campus
Helena Happenings 🗓️
Lectures & learning: The Helena Area Community Foundation is hosting three opportunities for the community to learn about estate, will and trust planning Wednesday, Oct. 7. The free workshops at the Opportunity Bank Conference Center will be led by Montana State University professor Marsha Goetting. The first workshop, focused on intestacy laws, is from noon to 1:30 p.m. The second worksho
