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Good Monday morning, everybody. I sat through a substantive presentation last week by the city’s Public Works Department so you didn’t have to (though I personally enjoy such things). The meeting set the stage for proposed utility rate increases that will get a public hearing in December. Read below and get in the know.
But first… heads up, Great Falls
The onset of winter weather will determine how far workers will get on Central Avenue stormwater upgrades. Great Falls Public Works Director Chris Gaub said last week that work on the Third Street intersection is nearly finished, and crews will begin work on Central near Fourth Street. By mid-November, crews will determine whether the weather allows work to continue into the Fourth Street intersection this year.
City eyes priority projects ahead of projected growth
The Great Falls Public Works Department is seeking a 5% increase to water, storm and sewer utility rates for 2027. The increase for the average residential property amounts to $3.89 total per month, according to the city.
For reference, the average monthly residential water, sewer and storm bills are $28.09, $36.52 and $13.45, respectively, according to the city.
The proposal, which comes after a 27% rate increase last year, is meant to “not lose ground” against inflation and infrastructure improvement projects, officials said.
“Like many businesses, the cost is the cost,” Public Works Director Chris Gaub told city commissioners Oct. 20. “We’re always behind. And whatever costs come to us, we have to pass on, unfortunately.”
Department officials said during a city commission work session last week that the increases will support some priority projects, including water main replacements, sewer system lining and critical upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant.
Public Works is also proposing a $40 administrative fee for users with three months of unpaid bills.
The utility rate increases will add about $2.2 million total to the water, sewer and storm funds. The water, sewer and storm funds are budgeted to raise $21.1 million, $15.7 million and $6.4 million, respectively, through user fees for the 2027 budget. The combined utility rates put Great Falls at about the middle of the field across Montana, according to the department’s presentation — higher than Bozeman, Belgrade, Whitefish and Kalispell but lower than Billings, Missoula and Butte.
Over the next five years, the Public Works department is considering $150 million in proposed infrastructure improvements — $38.7 million of which is deemed high priority. Calob Marquis, water division manager, said at the city commission meeting that those priority projects have been put off but will become more important as the city grows and demand on utility systems increases. Some water service pumps, for example, are a century old.
Increases to user rates support work on these projects, but the city will likely take on debt to complete them.
“Out of $150 million we have on the [capital improvement plan] over the next five years, these are projects that will most likely require debt service or be deferred into fiscal years past 2031,” Marquis said of the priority list.
Material and labor costs have increased significantly in some cases. Commissioners were alarmed by a chart showing the cost of replacing water mains jumping from $235 per foot to $659 per foot over five years. The same chart showed that the city is replacing less water main footage than it used to.
City Engineer Jesse Patton said it’s a mix of factors contributing to increases like this.
“It’s an increase in the cost to do the work and an increase in the material,” Patton said. “An increase in the cost to get it here.”
City commissioners set a public hearing on the utility rate increase for Dec. 1.
Eye on Local Government 🏛️
The Great Falls City Commission ratified a new labor agreement with the firefighters’ union Oct. 20. The bargaining group of 64 sworn employees will receive 6% salary raises in each of the two years of the contract.
The labor contract brings the average firefighter’s annual pay from $87,903 to $93,175. As part of the contract, the union agreed that employees would pay 20% of medical insurance costs, a change that other bargaining groups have agreed to. It was previously 15%.
In addition, firefighters will be allowed to live within 60 minutes of the nearest Great Falls fire station. The limit was previously 30 minutes. The rule helps ensure backup coverage if all on-duty assets are out on calls.
Great Falls Police Chief Jeremy Virts told city commissioners that the residency-radius requirement is becoming less common among fire departments and is often a topic that comes up at recruitment events.
City Commissioner Joe McKenney suggested sending the labor contract back for renegotiation only on the residency radius, citing concerns about public safety. After City Attorney David Dennis said this could open the entire contract to renegotiation, McKenney joined the other commissioners in approving the contract, which passed unanimously.
The contract period is July 2025 through June 2027.
More on Local Government 🏛️
Cascade County Elections Administrator Terry Thompson is encouraging absentee voters to return their ballots as soon as possible to avoid a flood of ballots on Election Day, Nov. 3.
The downtown elections office, at 325 2nd Ave. N., is holding extended hours through Oct. 30. Those hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ballot drop-off boxes are available at that building as well.
As of Oct. 22, the elections department reported 10,216 returned and accepted ballots, 86 rejected ballots and 691 deemed undeliverable. Anyone who hasn’t received their absentee ballot in the mail can request a new ballot at the elections office.
Poll voting in Great Falls will be at Exhibition Hall at the Montana ExpoPark on Nov. 3.
Great Falls in Brief ⏱️
The World Ballet Company will bring a performance of Swan Lake to the Mansfield Theater Nov. 3. The production will be backed by a live orchestra as part of an 80-show tour. Tickets and information are here.
An anonymous couple, known only as “Santa Cause,” donated 900 non-perishable food items to the Great Falls Public Library as part of its fine forgiveness program. A library representative said in a press release that this has been the most successful year of the program, which wiped out $4,500 in library fines. The food benefits the Great Falls Community Food Bank.
Ironman triathlon competitions are coming to Great Falls over the next three summers. The competition features a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a full marathon in a single day. The Montana triathlon is a qualifying event for the Ironman World Championship. The first event is scheduled for Aug. 15.
From the MTFP Newsroom 📰
Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter is on the ballot unopposed and is likely to enter his third term. Recently, I sat down with the sheriff at his office on Gore Hill to talk about his jail, immigration enforcement and school resource officer programming. Read the full interview here.
Great Falls gun store owner Tommy VanHoose was supposed to be sentenced in his tax fraud case Oct. 8. He didn’t show up for the hearing, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. There is a lot to this case, and you can read all about it here.
