In this issue of HTW, the city is looking at several options for its public transit system, including a potential bus route, but it would cost the city some (many) pennies. You can read more about that below.
Additionally, a local police officer discusses mental health protections for our emergency workers, the city is closing for Indigenous Peoples’ Day and a local chess tournament is next weekend.
But first, a weather preview ☀️
This week, we’re starting off cooler than normal, with a high in the 40s on Monday, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Brusda. Tuesday and Wednesday will be slightly warmer, with highs in the mid- to high 50s. Overnight temperatures will be below freezing, hovering between 25 and 30 degrees.
How should public transit in Helena change?
Earlier this month, the city of Helena announced a plan outlining alternatives for its public transit system, including the potential addition of an “ambitious” fixed-route bus service.
To establish a bus system with schedules and designated stops, the city would need about $1 million annually to cover the costs, though that figure could be higher, according to a draft transit plan.
The proposal is just one part of the city’s larger long-range transportation plan, conducted by the Greater Helena Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO is made up of representatives from the city of Helena, the city of East Helena, Lewis and Clark County and the Montana Department of Transportation.
The bus option was just one of five alternatives laid out in the plan, along with each option’s cost estimate and pros and cons. Of the five, the fixed-route scenario is the most expensive.
The first option is to enhance the current curbside pickup system, or demand-response system, in which residents pay a fee and schedule the pickup date and time. According to the plan, improvements would include offering services on weekends and expanding operations in East Helena and the valley area to all day, rather than the current morning and afternoon availability. The total cost is estimated to be between $140,000 to $160,000 annually.
The second alternative calls for the city to offer a limited bus service with fixed east-west routes in addition to the current demand-response system. This option would cost between $370,000 to $500,000. The third alternative is similar to the second, but would improve the demand-response services for riders who can’t access fixed-route stops, such as older adults and residents with limited mobility. This option is estimated to cost between $500,000 to $800,000.
The last alternative focuses on changing current transit fee pricing rather than expanding the transit system, either by reducing fares or by offering free services. Helena’s demand-response system, Capital Transit, currently offers a fare of $3 per ride; this option would drop the price to $2 or $1, decreasing revenue by about $55,000. According to the plan, if services were free, the burden would fall on the city to secure another funding source to offset revenue losses.
Public transit has been a hot topic regularly raised by the public, especially by members of the disabled community. Earlier this year, while the city discussed its budget for the new fiscal year, the transportation staff told the commission that Capital Transit had a significant deficit of about $200,000 and that the city needed to start looking for a way to sustain the program.
Some members of the public wanted greater availability of as-needed pickups, while others advocated for a dedicated, reliable route system.
According to the survey results published in the plan, of the 151 responses, 65% of transit users said that the availability and frequency of scheduled services are most important to them.
Enhancing the current demand services system option would be the most feasible to pursue in the short term, the plan said, as the city works to secure sustainable transit funding.
The city is accepting public comment on all the options until Nov. 1.
Eye on Helena 👁️
Check out this photo that I took a year ago on Oct. 6. Isn’t it pretty? If I remember correctly, I snapped it through the window on the second level of the City-County Building after leaving a meeting.
Wanna share a picture with our HTW readers? Send them to me (please) at [email protected]!
Public Notice 🧐
City closure
ℹ️ Helena city offices will be closed in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Garbage collection will also be affected. Residents should place trash cans out on Tuesday, Oct. 13, for pickup. Bill Roberts Golf Course and Muni’s Restaurant will remain open.
🗓️ Monday, Oct. 12
⏰ All day
📍 City administrative offices, Civic Center, municipal court and transfer station
Smelter clean-up open house
ℹ️ The Environmental Protection Agency and Montana Environmental Trust Group will hold an open house this week for the East Helena community regarding the progress of the cleanup efforts of the former smelter site.
🗓️ Tuesday, Oct. 13
⏰ 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
📍 METG office, East Helena City Hall, 306 E. Main St., Room 202
🔗 Visit the METG website to learn more about the smelter site and remediation work.
HCC connectivity open house
ℹ️ The Helena Citizens’ Council will host an open house this week to present the results of the public comments the group collected during the summer regarding transportation, walkability, biking, recreation and safe routes to school.
🗓️ Wednesday, Oct. 14
⏰ 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
📍 Lewis & Clark Library
Helena Happenings 🗓️
Arts & Culture: Renowned pianist Sheng Cai and oboist Beverly Wang will take the stage at the Myrna Loy Thursday, Oct. 15. The concert begins at 7:30, and tickets are $20. Visit the Myrna’s website for more details and to buy tickets.
Games & Stuff: You think you’re good at chess? Here is a chance to prove it. Saturday, Oct. 17, the Helena Chess Club is hosting a Fall Colors Rapid Chess Tournament from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rocky Mountain Development Council. Registration is $15 for adults and $10 for youth; prize money will depend on the number of entrants. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Outdoors: The annual long-distance race, Just for the Helena of It, returns Sunday, Oct. 18, featuring 5K, 10K and half-marathon races. The event is organized by the Treasure State Runners, and all proceeds from registration fees will go to local non-profits, The Friendship Center and Girls Thrive. Visit the program’s website to learn more and to sign up.
Glad You Asked 🙋🏻
A HTW reader submitted a question asking how police officers deal with their mental health. I reached out to the Helena Police Department and learned that law enforcement and other first responders actually have a few resources available for when the job gets too heavy.
The city of Helena offers its first responders an employee assistance program (EAP) that provides 24/7 support services up to six times per year at no cost to officers, according to HPD Lieutenant Joshua Ray.
Ray told me that police are compensated for their time when using EAP services and that services are not just for mental health but also for other areas of assistance.
“It could be mental health, it could be anxiety, it could be family issues, substance abuse, financial problems and anything else really,” Ray said. “Just somebody to talk to and work through some of that stuff.”
Additionally, Ray said the HPD has a process to help officers who may need more immediate support, especially after dealing with a traumatic event during a shift.
Peer-support officers are available to connect with after responding to major incidents, Ray said. Another form of immediate support is a critical incident stress debrief, offered through both the HPD and the Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office.
The debrief, usually including a licensed therapist and the first responders who were involved in a critical incident, is scheduled within a week of the incident.
“ It is not a time to talk about what they should have done or could have done better or anything like that,” Ray said. “It’s just basically to talk about the incident and how it affected them and how they’re feeling about it.”
Ray added that there’s a stigma around seeking mental health in law enforcement but that those misconceptions are breaking down.
“ We deal with a lot of trying to help people who are in crisis, a lot of people who are dealing with some mental health issues,” Ray said. “And a lot of times, officers and firefighters and first responders, they forget about themselves. So that’s where a lot of this push is coming from, and I think it’s working out very well for a lot of people.”
Do you have a question about Helena? Feel free to submit them here, and I’ll work on answering them in future issues.
