Archive: December 2020

Two Options Explored for 27th Street Railroad Crossing in Billings

24 December 2020
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A public hearing  recently  gathered public input on proposals to deal with traffic conflicts at the railroad crossing on 27th Street. The Montana Department of Transportation, working with several consultants including HDR and DOWL engineering firms, is doing a feasibility study to identify the most viable of short term and long term solutions.

Short term solutions involve making improvements to the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) which can give drivers advance information about what is happening at the railroad crossing.

  • 27th Street Railroad Crossing
    27th Street railroad Crossing
  • 27th Street Railroad Crossing
    27th Street railroad Crossing

Long term involves building one of two possible grade separations on 27th Street as it crosses the railroad tracks. One option is to build a two-lane overpass over the railroad tracks and above S. 27th Street and the other is to build a two-lane tunnel as part of 27th Street that would go under the railroad tracks. The idea of both options is to maintain connectivity to downtown, said Tim Erickson with HDR.  “We are avoiding impacts as much as possible,” said Erickson, “So far there are no impacts on existing buildings on 27th Street.”

Both projects would each take about two years to build, however, while the overpass could keep streets open most of the time, the underpass would require closing streets in the project area most of the time.

Building an overpass would cost between $35 million and $40 million, about half the cost of a tunnel at $80 million. Funding would come from the federal funds the state receives annually for priority projects on its Five Year Plan. So far, the 27th Street Project is not on that priority list.

The preferred alternative will be announced in 2020-21 and a preliminary design would be available later in the summer.

The Holidays and Alzheimer’s During COVID-19

22 December 2020
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The holidays should be filled with sharing, laughter and memories. But in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic adds a layer of stress, disappointment, sadness, and a heightened risk for spreading the virus, especially for older adults who tend to have underlying health conditions. 

For the families of the 22,000 Montanans living with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to realize that a person living with Alzheimer’s may feel a special sense of loss during the holidays because of the changes he or she has experienced. And for their 51,000 family caregivers, there will be the added challenge of maintaining traditions while providing care and adhering to safety precautions.

To help ensure safe and enjoyable holiday gatherings, the Alzheimer’s Association offers the following tips for safely engaging with family and friends during the holidays.  

 Continue holiday traditions by dropping off favorite baked goods or a care package in a way that avoids close contact.

 Schedule your own “holiday parade” and ask family members and friends to drive by the older adult’s home with homemade signs or other festive decorations.  

Plan an outdoor visit with hot chocolate and blankets. 

Go outside for a walk in the neighborhood.

 Create and send holiday cards.

Take extra precautions for in-person gatherings

If you choose to include older adults in an in-person holiday gathering, weigh the risks to their health. Even when precautions are taken, close contact with anyone outside of your household increases the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Adjust expectations

The stress of caregiving responsibilities layered with holiday traditions can take a toll. The current COVID-19 crisis is creating challenges that can feel overwhelming for many families impacted by dementia. It’s more important than ever to take care of your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Arrange for a group discussion via telephone, video call or email for family and friends to discuss holiday celebrations in advance. Make sure that everyone understands your caregiving situation, the safety precautions you’re taking and has realistic expectations about what you can and cannot do.

A conversation in advance is also a great time to let others know about any changes they might see in the person living with dementia. 

— Give yourself permission to do only what you can reasonably and safely manage. This likely means much smaller and more casual gatherings, if at all. No one should expect you to maintain every holiday tradition or event.

Consider celebrating earlier in the day so you can work around the evening confusion (sundowning) if it sometimes affects the person living with Alzheimer’s.

Connect through technology

Use video call software like Zoom or Skype to gather virtually. Since it can be difficult to have conversations with larger groups over video, adding some structure to the call can help. Play a trivia game, sing carols or share pictures from past gatherings.

Use video to capture and digitally send special moments, such as children opening gifts.

Plan a video call to cook or bake a special recipe together.

— Record and send a “video holiday card” that includes personalized messages.

—Schedule a time to watch a favorite holiday movie together from separate homes. Text or video chat while you watch.

If your loved one struggles with technology, ask a primary caregiver — or staff in an assisted living community — if they can help.

—Cross talk or simultaneous conversations can be challenging for people living with dementia, so consider this when planning.

Familiarize others with the situation

The holidays are full of emotions, so it can help to let friends and family members know what to expect. If the person is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, relatives and friends might not notice any changes. But the person living with dementia may have trouble following conversation or tend to repeat himself or herself. 

Family can help with communication by being patient, not interrupting or correcting, and giving the person time to finish his or her thoughts. If the person is in the middle or late stages of Alzheimer’s, there may be significant changes in cognitive abilities since the last conversation. These changes can be hard to accept. Make sure friends and family understand that changes in behavior and memory are caused by the disease and not the person.

Involve the person living with dementia

Involve the person in safe, manageable holiday preparation activities that he or she enjoys:

Ask him or her to help you prepare food, wrap packages, help decorate or set the table.

— When making holiday plans, consider what will be most comfortable and enjoyable for the person living with dementia, while keeping safety in mind. Maintain the person’s normal routine as much as possible, so that holiday preparations don’t become disruptive or confusing. 

— Focus on the things that bring happiness and let go of activities that seem overwhelming, stressful or too risky. Taking on too many tasks can wear on both of you.

— Build on traditions and memories and experiment with new, physically distanced traditions that might be less stressful or a better fit with your caregiving responsibilities, such as watching seasonal movies.

Adapt gift giving

Opening gifts over a video call like Zoom or Skype or even over a phone call can still feel very personal.   

—Provide people with suggestions for useful and enjoyable gifts for the person, such as an identification bracelet or membership in a wandering response service. Or, suggest comfortable, easy-to-remove clothing, favorite music, photo albums of family and friends, or favorite treats.

–Advise people not to give gifts such as potentially dangerous tools or instruments, utensils, etc.

—Depending on his or her abilities and preferences, involve the person in gift giving.

—If friends or family members ask you what you’d like for a gift, you may want to suggest a gift certificate or something that will help make things easier, like house cleaning; lawn, handyman or laundry services; food delivery etc.

Ask for support

Alzheimer’s Association Helpline is staffed 24/7 by trained professionals. Call the Helpline at 800-272-3900.

Plans Underway for the first Chase Branch in Montana

22 December 2020
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Located at Milton Road and Main Street in Billings, the first local Chase branch is set to open its doors in the second quarter of 2021. Current plans call for opening approximately three Chase branches in Montana.

“We look forward to establishing our roots in Montana and helping the people of this state make the most of their money,” said Claudius Duncan, head of Chase branches in Montana. “Our bank has enjoyed serving credit card and corporate customers in Montana for many years. And now we are bringing the power of our branches. It’s a game changer.”

Branches serve as a hub for all of Chase businesses, including helping customers in opening savings and checking accounts, buying homes, or planning for retirement.

“The opening of our new branch represents Chase’s commitment to serving the community of Billings. Chase has vast experience in helping consumers and businesses with their financial needs and our branch is proud to announce plans to join the community. Bringing branches to the area gives customers expanded access to our products, digital tools, and tailored in-branch experiences, like financial advice, from short-term savings to retirement,” said Duncan.

New Construction in US

22 December 2020
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New residential construction rose 4.9% to 1,530,000 units at the annual rate in October, the strongest pace since February. The data were buoyed by continued strength in the single-family segment, which increased to 1,179,000 units, the best reading since April 2007. Americans have responded to historically low mortgage rates, which hit another record low last.. Other data also reflected strength and optimism in the housing market, including the following:

o Housing permits were flat at 1,545,000 units in October, remaining the strongest pace since March 2007 and pointing to solid growth over the coming months.

o For their part, builders also feel more upbeat in their expectations for single-family sales over the next six months, with sentiment reaching another all-time high in November.

MSU Students Transform Newspaper

22 December 2020
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Montana State University Billings is next in line to transform their student newspaper into a podcast. For the first time in the history of the newspaper, students and listeners alike will be able to experience The Retort from anywhere connected to the internet.

A few clicks away, listeners will be able to stream every episode of The Retort: Hive Podcast via Spotify and Apple Podcast. New episodes will be released every other Thursday featuring widely diverse topics relating to MSUB, students, and current news. Currently, four episodes have been released this fall.

This year, senior Olivia Ruesch is taking over as The Retort’s editor-in-chief. Ruesch comments on how transitioning from a traditional newspaper to a podcast has been.

“Taking on the project of transitioning a traditional newspaper into a podcast has been very challenging, yet exciting every step of the way. With the help of Yellowstone Public Radio, we have been building the foundations for this platform to be successful in the future years here at MSUB,” says Ruesch. “Building a professional recording studio by hand, learning how to work all the equipment, and editing the content to produce an interesting and informative podcast are all challenges our team is working on to make sure our listeners have the best experience possible and engage with the community.”

Other student staff members include Marketing Manager Reilly Vetos from Missoula, Montana, Writer Jordan Lahi of Zuni, New Mexico, Writer Courtney Teneyck of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Writer Eric Young of Billings, Montana. The Retort is a student-led and operated organization with the main objective of reporting on all school related news that the student population will find interesting and informative. It is important to be current on school events and The Retort strives to publish the best quality of content for readers and listeners to enjoy.

The goal of The Retort is to eventually become more than a podcast. With equipment meant to last, the hope is that students will be able to use the resources and equipment provided by The Retort for additional endeavors. The Retort is located in the Student Union Building on the university campus.

Montana Highlights December 15, 2020

22 December 2020
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Blue Dog RV has opened on US Hwy 2 in Kalispell. The Kalispell store is the 16th Blue Dog dealership in the Western U.S. and the first in Montana. The new Blue Dog RV store will offer travel trailers, fifth-wheels, toy haulers and motor homes, along with parts and accessories. The store will carry several brands, including Forest River, Keystone and Thor.

There has been a 29% increase in the number of property-related documents processed by the Missoula County Clerk and Recorder’s Office this year. This increase means 803 more documents processed per employee in the Clerk and Recorders office.  The Clerk and Recorder’s office has updated  their website and processes to accelerate their work.

Brandy Kincheloe has joined the Montana Primary Care Association as workforce development coordinator. The workforce development coordinator provides training to Montana’s Community Health Centers and Urban Indian Centers.

Montana will be represented in the inaugural Small Business Majority’s Holiday Gift Guide by Sarah Calhoun’s business Red Ants Pants of White Sulphur Springs. Small Business Majority is a national organization that seeks to empower entrepreneurs. It’s holiday gift guide highlights small businesses from across the country in an effort to encourage shoppers to support local entrepreneurs.

Parkland Corporation has agreed to purchase Story Distributing Company of Bozeman which operates Casey’s Corner gas stations and convenience stores. The company now operates in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and North Dakota, with 12 convenience stores and about 175 employees. Parkland Corporation is the largest independent supplier of fuel and petroleum products in Canada and the Caribbean.

Candace Carr Strauss, Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky CEO has announced her resignation from the organizations. She has accepted the position of president and CEO of the Sedona, Arizona, Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky organizations will conduct a national search for CEO candidates.

Walton Homestead Medical Clinic has received approval from the city’s of Bozemans planning department. The new building will be on a lot at the corner of West Oak Street and North 15th Avenue.  The two-story, 9,300-square-foot clinic will have 16 exam rooms.

Miles Community College has been gifted with $25,000 from Northwest Farm Credit Services  to help fund the newly established meat processing program. The gift is part of the stewardship commitment to improve the lives of their customers and communities. The meat processing program is a one-year certificate degree offered at the college. It is comprised of both general and industry specific courses, available both online and on-campus, and includes several paid internships at local processing plants.

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources has released oil and gas production figures for September 2020. The state hit a record for gas capture percentage at 93%, but gas production was far below the record levels it hit in November 2019. Here are the numbers: 36,649,997 barrels or 1,221,667 barrels/day — September 2020 oil production; $31.59 — Average price of a barrel of North Dakota oil in September 2020; 84,409,981 MCF or 2,813,666 MCF/day — September 2020 gas production; 78,479,791 MCF or 2,615,993 MCF/day — September 2020 gas captured; 93% — gas capture percentage; 88% — state mandated gas capture goal for September. The goal went up to 91% Nov. 1); 15,377 — Number of producing wells in September 2020; 51 — Number of drilling permits issued in September 2020; 43 — Number of completed wells in September 2020, up from 19 in August; 11 — Average drilling rig count in September 2020; 80% — Decrease in drilling rig activity between January and September 2020.

White Raven Winery has opened their tasting room in Columbia Heights, near the junction of Hwy 2 and 206. The winery is owned by Columbia Falls natives Dan and Rebecca Murphy. White Raven turns out 12 different wines, four of which are Montana made.  The grapes used in White Raven’s Montana wines Marquette, Frontenac and L’Acadie Blanc are all cold-hardy varietals originally grown in cold mid-western states.

The Gallatin County Resource Advisory Council approved fee hikes at 14 rental cabins, three campgrounds and the Rendezvous Ski Trails. 23 other increases have been proposed across for 15 other campgrounds, 14 cabins and lookouts. The rental rates for popular cabins close to Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park would jump from $30 a night to $65. Rendezvous Ski Trails would see a family pass rise from $75 for a family to $190. One cabin in the Taylor Fork area, which has yet to be added to the rental program, is set to cost $75 a night.

Mike Sartwell, president and CEO of Preferred Restaurant Group, Inc., has opened the first Slim Chickens, a southern inspired chicken franchise, in Montana. With 43 years of restaurant and franchising experience and a Slim Chickens location in North Dakota, Sartwell opened at 1450 Prospect Avenue in Helena.

The Montana BioScience Alliance has chosen Marshall Bloom, M.D., as its 2020 Hall of Fame honoree. Dr. Bloom is the Associate Director for Science Management at Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton. He also is Chief of the Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section. Rocky Mountain Laboratories is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Among other accomplishments, Dr. Bloom oversaw the development of NIH’s first biosafety level-four research facility, which was constructed on the RML campus. Since the facility opened in 2008, the program’s scientists have helped develop an Ebola virus vaccine and are making crucial contributions to COVID-19 treatment and vaccine developments.

The KLJ Solutions Holding Co. Board of Directors announced the appointment of interim Chief Executive Officer  Barry Schuchard, effective January 1 The appointment follows the resignation of KLJ Engineering LLC CEO, Dean Anagnost. Schuchard has been with the company since 1983 and served in multiple project-related and leadership roles over the years, including Chief Production Officer for a number of years and most recently as the company’s Chief Value Officer. Anagnost began his career with KLJ in 1991 where he was responsible for the formation of the company’s Telecommunications practice, which remains a key component of KLJ’s business portfolio.

The Montana Department of Transportation recently issued new load postings for the Spring Creek Bridge, two miles northwest of Greycliff in Sweet Grass County. The postings are part of a multi-year effort to update load ratings and postings on Montana bridges as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA mandate is in response to changes in the trucking industry over the last decade. Truck manufacturers are building specialized hauling vehicles, which are capable of legally carrying heavier loads than typical vehicles have in the past. SHVs are single-unit, short-wheelbase, multiple-axle trucks commonly used in the construction, waste management, bulk cargo and commodities hauling industries. Often times one or more axles can be raised or lowered as needed to comply with statutory weight limitations.  To comply with the mandate, MDT is currently updating load ratings for 4,500 public bridges across the state, including approximately 2,500 owned and maintained by MDT. This effort is expected to take about four years to complete.  

The first and only Cat Café has been opened in Bozeman at The Market at Ferguson Farm. The Cat Show Cat Café is a lounge where people can work and adopt cats. Cat Show owner Josh Marks partnered with Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter to create a place where visitors can work, meet, and relax. People who want to visit the Cat Show can pay a single day fee or going a monthly subscription.

The Gallatin Gateway School board passed a bond issue of $7 million to build a new school building or to remodel the existing structure. Gallatin Gateway is expecting to have at least 50 news students from the new subdivision development that is being built in the neighborhood. The new renovations will start in May 2021.

Blue Dog RV has opened on US Hwy 2 in Kalispell. The Kalispell store is the 16th Blue Dog dealership in the Western U.S. and the first in Montana. The new Blue Dog RV store will offer travel trailers, fifth-wheels, toy haulers and motor homes, along with parts and accessories. The store will carry several brands, including Forest River, Keystone and Thor.

There has been a 29% increase in the number of property-related documents processed by the Missoula County Clerk and Recorder’s Office this year. This increase means 803 more documents processed per employee in the Clerk and Recorders office.  The Clerk and Recorder’s office has updated  their website and processes to accelerate their work.

Brandy Kincheloe has joined the Montana Primary Care Association as workforce development coordinator. The workforce development coordinator provides training to Montana’s Community Health Centers and Urban Indian Centers.

Montana will be represented in the inaugural Small Business Majority’s Holiday Gift Guide by Sarah Calhoun’s business Red Ants Pants of White Sulphur Springs. Small Business Majority is a national organization that seeks to empower entrepreneurs. It’s holiday gift guide highlights small businesses from across the country in an effort to encourage shoppers to support local entrepreneurs.

Parkland Corporation has agreed to purchase Story Distributing Company of Bozeman which operates Casey’s Corner gas stations and convenience stores. The company now operates in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and North Dakota, with 12 convenience stores and about 175 employees. Parkland Corporation is the largest independent supplier of fuel and petroleum products in Canada and the Caribbean.

Candace Carr Strauss, Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky CEO has announced her resignation from the organizations. She has accepted the position of president and CEO of the Sedona, Arizona, Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky organizations will conduct a national search for CEO candidates.

Walton Homestead Medical Clinic has received approval from the city’s of Bozemans planning department. The new building will be on a lot at the corner of West Oak Street and North 15th Avenue.  The two-story, 9,300-square-foot clinic will have 16 exam rooms.

Miles Community College has been gifted with $25,000 from Northwest Farm Credit Services  to help fund the newly established meat processing program. The gift is part of the stewardship commitment to improve the lives of their customers and communities. The meat processing program is a one-year certificate degree offered at the college. It is comprised of both general and industry specific courses, available both online and on-campus, and includes several paid internships at local processing plants.

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources has released oil and gas production figures for September 2020. The state hit a record for gas capture percentage at 93%, but gas production was far below the record levels it hit in November 2019. Here are the numbers: 36,649,997 barrels or 1,221,667 barrels/day — September 2020 oil production; $31.59 — Average price of a barrel of North Dakota oil in September 2020; 84,409,981 MCF or 2,813,666 MCF/day — September 2020 gas production; 78,479,791 MCF or 2,615,993 MCF/day — September 2020 gas captured; 93% — gas capture percentage; 88% — state mandated gas capture goal for September. The goal went up to 91% Nov. 1); 15,377 — Number of producing wells in September 2020; 51 — Number of drilling permits issued in September 2020; 43 — Number of completed wells in September 2020, up from 19 in August; 11 — Average drilling rig count in September 2020; 80% — Decrease in drilling rig activity between January and September 2020.

White Raven Winery has opened their tasting room in Columbia Heights, near the junction of Hwy 2 and 206. The winery is owned by Columbia Falls natives Dan and Rebecca Murphy. White Raven turns out 12 different wines, four of which are Montana made.  The grapes used in White Raven’s Montana wines Marquette, Frontenac and L’Acadie Blanc are all cold-hardy varietals originally grown in cold mid-western states.

The Gallatin County Resource Advisory Council approved fee hikes at 14 rental cabins, three campgrounds and the Rendezvous Ski Trails. 23 other increases have been proposed across for 15 other campgrounds, 14 cabins and lookouts. The rental rates for popular cabins close to Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park would jump from $30 a night to $65. Rendezvous Ski Trails would see a family pass rise from $75 for a family to $190. One cabin in the Taylor Fork area, which has yet to be added to the rental program, is set to cost $75 a night.

Mike Sartwell, president and CEO of Preferred Restaurant Group, Inc., has opened the first Slim Chickens, a southern inspired chicken franchise, in Montana. With 43 years of restaurant and franchising experience and a Slim Chickens location in North Dakota, Sartwell opened at 1450 Prospect Avenue in Helena.

The Montana BioScience Alliance has chosen Marshall Bloom, M.D., as its 2020 Hall of Fame honoree. Dr. Bloom is the Associate Director for Science Management at Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton. He also is Chief of the Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section. Rocky Mountain Laboratories is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Among other accomplishments, Dr. Bloom oversaw the development of NIH’s first biosafety level-four research facility, which was constructed on the RML campus. Since the facility opened in 2008, the program’s scientists have helped develop an Ebola virus vaccine and are making crucial contributions to COVID-19 treatment and vaccine developments.

The KLJ Solutions Holding Co. Board of Directors announced the appointment of interim Chief Executive Officer  Barry Schuchard, effective January 1 The appointment follows the resignation of KLJ Engineering LLC CEO, Dean Anagnost. Schuchard has been with the company since 1983 and served in multiple project-related and leadership roles over the years, including Chief Production Officer for a number of years and most recently as the company’s Chief Value Officer. Anagnost began his career with KLJ in 1991 where he was responsible for the formation of the company’s Telecommunications practice, which remains a key component of KLJ’s business portfolio.

The Montana Department of Transportation recently issued new load postings for the Spring Creek Bridge, two miles northwest of Greycliff in Sweet Grass County. The postings are part of a multi-year effort to update load ratings and postings on Montana bridges as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA mandate is in response to changes in the trucking industry over the last decade. Truck manufacturers are building specialized hauling vehicles, which are capable of legally carrying heavier loads than typical vehicles have in the past. SHVs are single-unit, short-wheelbase, multiple-axle trucks commonly used in the construction, waste management, bulk cargo and commodities hauling industries. Often times one or more axles can be raised or lowered as needed to comply with statutory weight limitations.  To comply with the mandate, MDT is currently updating load ratings for 4,500 public bridges across the state, including approximately 2,500 owned and maintained by MDT. This effort is expected to take about four years to complete.  

The first and only Cat Café has been opened in Bozeman at The Market at Ferguson Farm. The Cat Show Cat Café is a lounge where people can work and adopt cats. Cat Show owner Josh Marks partnered with Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter to create a place where visitors can work, meet, and relax. People who want to visit the Cat Show can pay a single day fee or going a monthly subscription.

The Gallatin Gateway School board passed a bond issue of $7 million to build a new school building or to remodel the existing structure. Gallatin Gateway is expecting to have at least 50 news students from the new subdivision development that is being built in the neighborhood. The new renovations will start in May 2021.

MDU Upbeat about Fourth Quarter Business

22 December 2020
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We have been incredibly pleased with our operating results throughout the year as demand remains strong for the essential services that we provide across our businesses. On the strength of our performance through November, along with our estimates for December, we felt it was important to update our investors,” said David L. Goodin, president and CEO of MDU Resources. “We experienced more favorable construction weather in the fourth quarter than is typical for our northern states, providing our operations with a longer construction season. We also realized stronger operating cost containment at our regulated energy delivery companies. These factors have enhanced our results during the fourth quarter.

“Looking toward 2021, we expect the momentum we’ve built throughout 2020 to continue as our construction backlog remains strong even while we have worked later in the season, with $1.24 billion of work for construction services and $564 million for construction materials as of Nov. 30. We also will complete in 2021 our largest natural gas pipeline construction project to date, and we will begin preparing to construct in 2022 an 88-megawatt simple-cycle electric generation peaking unit in North Dakota.”

Letter to the Editor – Ellis

22 December 2020
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County Water District of the Billings Heights

I was appointed by the Yellowstone County Commissioners to serve on the Billings Heights Water District and attended my first monthly meeting in September 2020. Members of the public have a right to participate too.  The basis for access to public participation in Montana is the Montana Constitution Article II, Section 8 Right to Participate. State Law MCA 7-13.22.32 which states that the purpose of this board is to oversee the management of the County Water District of Billings Heights. As required by the MT constitution, statutes and case law, the Heights Water Board is required to follow MT Open Meeting law. 

Open Meeting law establishes that agendas and supporting material on which the board may make a decision be available to the public 48 hours in advance of the meeting. A single page of the 12 page agenda is available on the website.

MCA 2-3-203. States “All meetings of public or governmental bodies, boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies of the state, … supported in whole or in part by public funds or expending public funds, … must be open to the public”.  On Wednesday, December 9th, Wynn Pippin who is President of the County Water Board sent an email stating …” we state on our web page that due to the pandemic unless it is for business a person cannot be at the meeting.”  The explanation provided verbally at the meeting was that the public could provide comments in writing that would be read and included with the minutes.  The absurdity of making public comments about items when there is no information defies credulity.  Three members of the water district came to observe the meeting; Duke Nieskens, the director, locked the front door and refused them entrance.

In the November meeting, staff were given Christmas bonuses of $100 each and health insurance rates were confirmed.  At the December meeting, staff were given the refund from the Worker’s Compensation fund to share.  The assistant director passed out 2 pages of salary information, the Board President made a motion to increase salaries for all staff 2.5% which was not seconded.  Roger Ostermiller made a motion to give all staff a 4% raise which was seconded and approved by 5 of the 7 board members.  The salaries for staff were made without consideration for the total increases given for health insurance, bonuses and increase, without preparing an annual budget and explaining to the governing body the impact.  The board had no information at the meeting about cost of living, what the salaries would be for each staff member with the increase, what the total impact would be for the budget.  The comment made was, “our staff are not union” and it does not matter how our increases compare to other employees in Yellowstone County because we have a lean work force.   For reference, social security recipients will see an increase of 1.3% in 2021. 

The Heights Water Board of Billings Heights meets on the second Wednesday of each month, 1540 Popelka Dr, Billings, MT 59105,6:00 pm at their office.  With the exception of myself, no board or staff member wears a mask; the board sits shoulder to shoulder at a table. 

The board is elected by state law.   Three positions are open February 1, 2021. Filing opened up for three seats on December 10th and closes on February 8th. If more than 3 people file, an election will be held on May 4th. Board members are paid $150 per meeting if they attend; $100 if they do not attend.  These are the rules:https:// sosmt.gov/… /2021- Special- Purpose- District… You may download a Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy here: https://www.co.yellowstone.mt.gov/elections/information/DeclarationForNomination.pdf

If you have questions, you may want to email the Board of Directors CWDBHBoard@ gmail.com or myself pamellis50  @gmail.com   I would be happy to speak with you.

Pam Ellis

2000 Outlook Drive

Billings, MT

Help Wanted: A New Breed of Republicans

22 December 2020
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By Roger Koopman

The answer to politics is not more politics.  It’s not making eloquent excuses for comprising fundamental principles.  Freedom is what it is.  It doesn’t change, it doesn’t mutate, and it doesn’t hybridize with tyranny.  Breed one with the other, and the offspring is a two-headed carnivore with an insatiable appetite.  Feed it morsels of our liberties and it will only grow larger and demand more, until it’s swallowed up our Constitution for dinner.

In these times of pragmatic politics and pandering politicians, Republican lawmakers wear the moniker “conservative” like a cheap tin badge won at a carnival game. But they soon forget that freedom is not a game.  It is a fight to the finish. Because with so many of our elected officials, politics triumphs over claimed principles, and compromise triumphs over claimed courage, the fight for liberty is becoming a lost cause.

The gradual usurpations are no longer gradual, and we quickly blame the Democrats for that.  But we stand at the brink of tyranny not because Democrats act like Democrats, but because so many Republicans do also.  As candidates, they roar with the rhetoric of freedom, but cower like kittens when called upon to defend it. In Montana and nationally, Republicans have increasingly marched to the drum of pragmatism over principle.  They act as though freedom is a quaint relic, no longer worth fighting for.  They have lost their will and lost their way.

Republicans have also lost their memory.  To honor their oath of office, all lawmakers must serve with a memory.  A memory of the Constitution.  A memory of what America was, and was eternally meant to be.  Democrats’ memory extends as far as the last entitlement, and their vision no farther than the next one.  Their philosophy is a rejection of the very essence of historical America, an assault on the very things that make us distinct as a nation. The bricks and mortar of a free society.  The sweat and the spirit of a free people.

But Republicans have no excuse.  Our platforms and public pronouncements lay claim to the memory.  To the things of liberty.  Less government.  Lower taxes.  Free markets.   Personal sovereignty.  Individual responsibility.  Freedom of choice.  Government – at all levels – staying out of our pockets and out of our lives.  These are the words people want to hear, and the reasons they send Republicans to Helena and Washington.  Why then does government continue to grow when the Republicans are in charge?

What happens to these Republican office holders after they have raised their hands and sworn to uphold the Constitution?   Could the voters be sending off to fight for freedom, people who really don’t believe in the ideas that got them elected?  After serving two terms in the Montana House of Representatives and two terms on the Public Service Commission, I was no closer to answering that question than ever.  Democrats hold fast to their Old World philosophy.  They believe there is a government solution for everything, and they work daily to bring that about.  They are remarkably consistent, and rarely does a single Democrat break ranks with their party’s big government philosophy.  Voting records don’t lie. 

So why can Democrats stand firm on the things that people don’t want, while Republicans cannot stand firm on the things that people do want?  Is the GOP so lacking in the courage of their convictions, or are they simply lacking in conviction?  Certainly, the constant pressure to be a “team player”, bury your personal beliefs and to “go with the flow” leads many legislators to vote for all kinds of interventionist schemes they say they don’t believe in.  The “flow” is always toward more spending and bigger government because the Democrats – anchored in their ideology and reinforced by the special interests – set the agenda, even while in the numerical minority.  But it is also obvious that many Republicans running for office are only fashionably conservative. Their conservatism is at best a preference, not a conviction. Because they have done precious little reading on conservative ideas and free market economics, they are grounded in quicksand.  The media and the culture have shaped their thinking more than they realize.  Peel away the onion skin of party label, and their voting records quickly betray them.

Taxpayer Advisory Bulletin (TAB), compiled by Montana Conservatives for the 2007 through 2013 legislative sessions, using over 100 recorded votes, demonstrated that while Democrat legislators as a group, have an average conservative rating of under 10% (all fall in the “liberal” category), Republican legislators are spread across the entire spectrum, with an average conservative rating in the low 40s.  Approximately 25% of Republicans scoring firmly in the liberal Democrat camp.

This situation not only corrupts the two-party system (leaving voters in many districts with no real choice), but it guarantees that every session of the legislature will move Montana toward bigger and bigger government.  Indeed, this government growth has continued unabated for many decades, even with Republican governors and Republican legislatures.  The formula for our gradual destruction remains the same: all Democrats + moderate and liberal Republicans = the defeat of the conservative philosophy that most Montanans support.  Big Government rules the legislative process every session, and hundreds of government-expanding bills get passed – always with Republican support.  They could pass no other way.

The media then applauds the “bi-partisan spirit” of the legislature in wanting to “get things done.”   Never mind that what they are getting done is robbing our family incomes and burying our liberties in massive new government programs, bureaucracies and controls.  The media never seems to notice that the only “bi-partisanship” that occurs is when Republicans cross over to support liberal legislation.  There is no example of Democrats crossing the aisle to support conservative measures that would reduce the size and power of government.  All bi-partisanship is a one-way street.

So what is the solution, for those of us who still believe freedom is worth fighting for?  Answer:  stop hiring cowards and moral relativists to do a patriot’s job.   Stop electing skillful, smooth-talking politicians who, as C.S. Lewis once put it, are “men without chests.”  If we want to put true champions of freedom to work in our legislature and federal congress, then we must judge them not so much by the intellect, as by the heart.  What do we find there?  Do we find true courage, pure faith and virtue-born conviction?  Do we find rock-solid integrity and uncompromising moral character?  Do we find that same steely-eyed warrior spirit that existed at the founding of our nation?  If we settle for less, we get exactly what we deserve.  For too long, we have settled for less.

We need men whose hearts beat to the rhythm of liberty.  Men like these:

“God, give me men!  A time like these demands

Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill;

Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;

Men who possess opinions and a will;

Men who have honor; men who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a demagogue and damn

His treacherous flatteries without winking!

Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog

In public duty and in private thinking.”

—  Josiah Gilbert Holland

Construction Begins on Bypass Bridge over Yellowstone River

22 December 2020
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Construction of the bridge across the Yellowstone River, as part of the Billings Bypass, has begun. Workers and heavy equipment are coming and going across a temporary work bridge, as they install the pilings that will support what will be a bridge large enough to eventually accommodate a 4-lane road and a ten-foot mixed use path, which will be part of a system to connect the Heights and Johnson Lane in Lockwood.

“They are driving the bridge pilings in the winter when the river is the lowest,” explained Lisa Olmsted, the Public Involvement Manager for DOWL, the engineering firm on the project. The work will continue throughout the winter. With the pilings in place, “they will be ready to hit the ground running in the spring,” said Olmsted, explaining that the contractor, Wadsworth Brothers Construction, plan to predominantly complete the bridge project in 2021. Though the roadway will be built as two-lane, the  bridge is being built with four lanes to accommodate future growth.

The Yellowstone River Bridge project segment is the second portion of the six-phase project and is anticipated to cost $30.1 million. The construction of Five Mile Road, the first phase, was completed this past summer. The third phase, construction of the Johnson Lane Interchange will begin in 2021, which will be of a diverging diamond interchange design, the first of its kind in Montana, though they’ve been well-received in other states.

Building a new bridge across the Yellowstone River is a rather rare event. It’s been about a hundred years since a new bridge was built across the Yellowstone, although there have been quite a few bridges rebuilt, according to Rod Nelson, Montana Department of Transportation Billings District Administrator.

According to Nelson, during the time in which he served as construction project manager for the district, (1990 to 2003), “We replaced four different bridges over the Yellowstone.  One at Pompeys Pillar, one south of Laurel, one at Reed Point, and the east bridge in Billings.  All of these bridges were previously old steel truss bridges that were originally built around the turn of the century (late 1800s to early 1900s).”

The I-90 bridges that cross the Yellowstone River near Lockwood are the next bridges scheduled to be rebuilt, with a tentative construction date of next year, said Nelson.

Construction of the Bypass bridge is being done in close coordination with Yellowstone River Parks Association (YRPA) which manages John H. Dover Memorial Park, through which the Bypass must be constructed. Olmsted said that the Bypass will build a tunnel to access between the north and south sides of Dover Park and access from the mixed use path on the bridge to the park trail system which will open up access to the park. She said that YRPA officials are excited about the potential that the project holds for the future of Dover Park.

The other phases of the Bypass include two sections between the bridge and the Johnson Lane Interchange which will include an overpass of Coulson Road and the railroad tracks, and the last phase will be the construction of a two-lane road that will parallel Mary Street, connecting the bridge to Main Street in the Heights. The Bypass is expected to be completed by 2025, but the schedule is dependent throughout the process on funding availability and construction schedules.

Despite the project name this is not a bypass, reminds Olmsted. The new street will be an urban arterial similar to Rimrock Road. The new roadway will have a different name .

A webcam showing progress on the bridge and additional project information are available on the website: https:// www.mdt.mt.gov/ pubinvolve/billingsbypass.