Author: Press Room

High School Grads Go Directly to Work

20 June 2023
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From National Assoc. of Manufacturers’

As job growth has risen in industries that don’t require college degrees, high school graduates are increasingly going directly into the workforce, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“The college enrollment rate for recent U.S. high school graduates, ages 16 to 24, has declined to 62% last year from 66.2% in 2019.”

—At the same time, the unemployment rate for teenage workers fell to a 70-year low of 9.2% last month.

High school graduates are turning toward jobs that offer competitive wages, particularly in industries like manufacturing, without requiring a pricy degree beforehand.

—For example, machinists earn $23.32 an hour, above the national median wage of $22.26 an hour.

—“If you can get [a job] without a B.A. and with decent wage growth, why go get a B.A.?” as ZipRecruiter Chief Economist Julia Pollak put it.

Meanwhile, more young people are pursuing other forms of job training.

—“The number of apprentices has increased by more than 50%.”

—The changing economy has led to wider acceptance of forgoing college, as employers’ interest in hiring high school graduates has grown, according to Steve Boden, a supervisor at Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools.

—The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, has been training students so they can enter rewarding career paths that do not require degrees.

Construction Industry Expects Leaner Months Ahead

20 June 2023
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By Tu-Uyen Tran,Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota

This year’s construction season is expected to be leaner for a significant number of construction firms in the Ninth District compared with last year’s, according to a recent Minneapolis Fed survey.

About half of homebuilders and a third of firms in other sectors of the industry said they think profits over the next six months will be lower than in the same period a year ago

“Interest rates have taken a large portion of our buyers out of the market,” said the owner of a Wisconsin home construction firm. “Only higher end cash buyers don’t seem to be fazed.”

Nearly half of construction firms reported fewer new projects out for bid—known in the industry as requests for proposals (RFPs)—in what is normally a very busy season for them. Some respondents said more projects were delayed or canceled than normal.

The CEO of a Twin Cities architecture firm that works primarily in the commercial sector estimated that a third of the firm’s projects have been paused “based on lack of financing and financial stress of owners and developers.” The number of paused projects is still growing, she said.

Despite the gloomy forecast, however, many said they are optimistic about the future as they adapt to new conditions and seek out new markets.

The survey, conducted throughout April, included 254 respondents.

The construction industry has struggled with customer demand in the past year. A growing number of respondents have reported lower gross revenue since April 2022. In November, more than half of respondents reported lower RFP activity from private-sector customers in recent months compared with the same time period in 2021.

The hardest hit sector then was residential construction.

Up to that point, the industry had coped for several years with a tight labor market and supply chain disruptions resulting in higher project costs. 2022 added a new challenge with a sharp increase in interest rates. Benchmark prime loan rates exceeded pre-pandemic levels about midyear and kept rising. That made it harder for customers to afford the higher costs, especially homebuyers.

2023 could be déjà vu all over again for the industry with nearly half of respondents reporting lower RFP activity from private-sector customers in April. Residential construction was again the hardest hit.

“We simply are not getting the same amount of work we did three years ago,” said a Wisconsin homebuilder. “We have to bid more for the same amount of work.”

Outside of the residential sector, would-be customers are also trying to make sense of a changing economy . . . developers are trying to figure out what the market needs…

There’s also uncertainty about the direction the economy is going with so much speculation about a possible downturn and its timing.

All of which seems to have resulted in more hesitation among developers.

“There are projects being bid but not a whole lot of movement on them,” said a respondent from a Greater Minnesota subcontractor in the commercial sector. “Owners seem to want to ‘wait the storm out’ on a lot of projects.”

Projects that do get the greenlight, the respondent said, are mostly from large corporations, such as fast-food chains and big-box retailers.

Respondents are reporting elevated levels of project cancellations and delays. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they had seen more cancellations recently compared with three months ago; respondents in the industrial and residential sectors were more likely to report cancellations. More than half of respondents said they had seen more delays, again, with higher rates in the industrial and residential sectors. In the past, delays have often been associated with late delivery of construction materials. But responses in the April survey suggest that many customers are changing their minds.

While interest rates are a top concern for many firms, especially those in the residential sector, for the rest of the construction industry, this concern pales in comparison to labor availability and price increases for construction materials and other inputs. These emerged as the top two concerns for the industry as a whole outside of customer demand, according to respondents.

Even in the residential sector, interest rates were less commonly cited compared with input costs.

A Greater Minnesota architect in the residential sector said none of her clients understand how much higher prices are. “Disbelief causes numerous restarts on projects that come in significantly over budget [compared with] when preliminary cost-per-square-foot estimations come in from contractors. We advise but are not always believed.”

She said the average cost of a home has gone up from $350 per square foot to $500 or even $550. “It is shocking to all of us.”

About a third of respondents said they had experienced price increases of 5 percent or more just in the past three months, and another third said their prices increased between 1 and 5 percent.

These rapid price increases have led to changes in how builders do business.

The Greater Minnesota residential architect said she has to constantly request new bids from suppliers to find the best prices because those prices seem to change every week to two weeks. “This is exhausting.”

A Twin Cities subcontractor in the commercial sector said the firm focuses more on projects that can start immediately because material costs in the near future are easier to estimate. For projects that are further out, the subcontractor said, the firm errs on the side of caution and submits bids that assume high increases in material cost even if it means the bids aren’t competitive. “We’re unwilling to hold the bag on far out contracts that include materials. If we’re bidding work that’s out six months, we are severely marking up our bids to reflect past material uncertainties that cost us millions of dollars.”

Hiring remains a challenge for many firms. Of those that have hired or planned to hire, 57 percent described the labor market as very tight with most of the rest saying it was slightly or moderately tight. Only 3 percent said it wasn’t tight.

That’s put more pressure on wages. About a third of firms said they had increased wages by more than 5 percent in the past 12 months. About a fifth said they planned to increase wages by more than 5 percent in the next 12 months.

“It seems most employees are fishing for other jobs to get more money causing us to pay more to keep them,” said a respondent from a Twin Cities subcontractor involved in the residential and commercial sectors. “New applications are asking for $25 to $30 an hour with little experience.”

With higher costs and more competition for fewer projects, some respondents said they’ve had to absorb the higher costs themselves.

“We’ve had to reduce our profits and margins in order to secure jobs,” a Wisconsin homebuilder reported. “This is not a sustainable practice as the cost of doing business keeps increasing and our gross proceeds are decreasing.”

Despite the many challenges respondents reported, a majority of respondents reported a positive to neutral outlook with 48 percent saying they are optimistic about the next six months and 29 percent saying they are neutral.

Even in the residential sector, 41 percent are optimistic and 28 percent neutral.

One reason respondents are more positive than their financial situation might suggest is they’re looking for opportunities in different markets and are feeling good about their chances of success. The owner of a Twin Cities residential subcontracting firm, for example, said that as fewer people look to build new homes, he’s focusing more on remodeling projects, where he believes he’ll have a better chance of winning contracts.

Most firms, including this subcontractor, are still hiring. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they had hired in the past three months, and three-quarters said they plan to hire in the next six months. Those figures are only slightly lower than a year ago but double what they were two years ago, when the industry was on the upswing and interest rates were much lower.

Newly Licensed  Businesses   — May 2023

19 June 2023
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Immortal Construction, 1822 Island View Dr, 59101, 861-3892, Thomas Highsmith, general contractors

Tea City & Cupcakes, 1001 Shiloh Crossing Blvd #7, 59102, 652-1882, Amy Jensen, restaurants

JDS Woodworks, 21 Hemlock Dr #3, 59101, 717-5304, Joel D Sease, service

Brightside Therapy LLC, 1430 Country Manor Blvd, 59102, 534-9029, Desire Meismer, service

Doghouse Woodworks, 2914 4th Ave S, 59101, 530-5288, Thomas Giovanini, retail sales

All Stars Drywall LLC, 2030 Overland Ave Rm119, 59102, 272-6334, Van Thomas, service

J&H Contractors, 4234 Jansma Ave, 59101, 461-1672, Justin Peabody, general contractors

4 Seasons Tree Service, 207 Lewis Ave, 59101, 696-2924, Jonathan Martinez, service

Trejo Construction LLC, 1501 Butler Creek Unit A, Belgrade 59714, 539-74080, Ivan Trejo/Immer Menjivar, general contractors

Casey Tully – Fine Art, LLC, 711 Black Hawk St B1, 59106, 262-391-9593, Cassy Tully, retail sales

M-Proven LLC, 1674 Lakehills Dr, 59105, 218-391-9593, Melinda Provencher, retail sales

Yellowstone Modern, 4228 Vaughn Ln, 59101, 208-7767, Jesse Arstein, general contractors

Q7 Systems Inc, 2901 Monad Rd #187, 59102, 861-9191, Robert Espinoza, service

Elegant Spatula Bakery, 1139 N 27th St – Ste B, 59101, 894-2626, Jamie Conrad, restaurants

Pryor Creek Cuisine, 7420 US hwy 87 E, 59101, 698-3327, Stephanie roods, restaurant

Tanah Miah LLC dba Dickeys Barbeque Pit, 3911 Central Ave – Ste 1, 59102, 702-1114, Austin Schnizler, restaurants

Hair by Koree LLC, 3509 San Marino Dr, 59101, 855-7122, Koree Fox, cosmetology,

HMW Hauling LLC, 1755 Morocco Dr, 59105, 390-4637, Ryan Schnitzmeier, service

Double Header Design LLC, 2937 W Copper Ridge LP, 59106, 208-5324, Kevin Meyer, service

McKinley Flooring, 2525 Burlington Ave, 59102, 661-5864, Jeff McKinley, service

Denise Childs HR Consulting, 6302 Ridge Stone Dr N, 59106, 360-941-6245, Denise Childs, service

Favorite Finds, 1023 Quinella Dr, 59101, 861-5407, Lacey Wattles, retail sales

Communication Resources LLC, 5340 Momont Rd, Missoula 59808, 327-5013, Chris Richards, service

K2 Construction and Framing LLC, 5676 Broadwater Ave, 59106, 860-0373, Gabriel Konecny, general contractors

Therapeutic Massage Service, 1509 13th St W, 59102, 652-2633, Susan Carlson, solo practitioner

All Eyes on Me Esthetics, 4657 Pine Hills Rd, 59101, 845-3319, Roylynn Grant, retail sales

Corky Donnelly Construction, 248 Avenue F, 59101, 698-7675, Corky Donnelly,  general contractors

TLC Lawn Care, 618 Tanglewood Dr, 59101, 559-737-3916, Travis Carpenter, service

JR Cuellar Roofing LLC, 804 14th Ave W, Williston ND 58801, 504-205-2838, Joel Edwin Cuellar, roofing contractor

Carbon Cutters Lawn Service, 1240 Caroline St, 59105, 661-2191, Nathaniel Palmer, service

Sean Hammond GC, 2570 Keel Dr, 59105, 647-7218, Sean Hammond, general contractors

Clean Site Solutions, 639 St John’s Ave, 59101, Heather Birr, service

Enchanted Fantasy Parties LLC, 2035 Meadowood St, 59102, 697-3849, Tina Hirschkorn, service

Flower Chappel Farm & Co, 1940 Avenue C, 59102, 570-204-2302, Elizabeth Chappel, retail sales, 59102

Rocky Mountain Vacation Homes LLC, 6028 Norma Jean Ln, 59101, 600-0449, Jerred Bies, real estate rental 

El Rodeo #3, 300 S 24th St W, 59102, 551-3463, Sergio Sanchez, restaurants

The Little Way, 1555 Province LN, 59102, 855-1070, Michaela Martinson/Danielle McMillan, retail sales

Cloud Peak Prep and Ship LLC, 1934 Miles Ave, 59102, 307-461-0862, Jared Bangerter, service

Gratitude in Action (517 5th St W), 517 5th St W, 59101, 694-5401, Richard Todd, service

Gratitude in Action (515 5th St W), 515 5th St W, 59101, 694-5401, Richard Todd, service

Western Carpet Cleaning, 7806, Neibauer Rd, 59106, 876-5704, Samuel Walter, service

Dirt in Dust Mobile Detailing Services, 511 1st St SE, Park City MT 59063, 855-0176, Lance Courtney, service

Howling Ridge Transportation LLC, 1481 Northern Apt E, Worden MT 59088, 402-6577, Jessie and Peggy Fredericks, service

Great Divide Commercial Concrete LLC, 17 Box St, Lavina MT 59046, 561-2525, Camron Maynor, general contractors

GSL Electric Inc, 8540 So. Parkway, Sandy UT 84070, 801-565-0088, Lance Capell, electrical contractors

Yellowstone Jewelers, 820 Shiloh Crossing Blvd Ste A, 59102, 661-1081, Matthew Bonner, retail sales

Madole Rentals LLC, 3440 Granger Ave S Unit 29, 59102, 855-2250, Desmone Madole/Alexis Tripp, service

Montana Roofing and Construction LLC, 864 Garnet Ave, 59105, 694-8496 Jade Goodyear-Anderson, general contractors

Kitchen-Man LLC, 6041 Elysian Rd Unit 101, 59101, 850-5334, Jeremy Evans, restaurants

Berry Clean LLC, 2411 Meadowood St, 59102, 561-9918, Pauletta Young, service

Fun Trade, 300 S 24th St W, 59102, 598-2544, Gibby Carlascio, retail sales

406 Cleaning, 506 Grand Ave, 59101, 598-4468, Keith Harold, service

Abrahamsen Distributing LLC, 720 Wyoming Ave, 59101, 671-7033, Joshua Abrahamsen, distributors

Guzman Homes, 8700 Fox Run, Shepherd MT 59079, 672-4125, Todd and Tami Guzman,  general contractors  

Annie Moon’s Backyard, 1001 Rimrock Rd, 59102, 861-0244, Gayle Lam, service

Northern Rockies Extreme Customs, 2727 Buffalo Trail Rd, Molt MT 59057, 694-4111, Brian Geffre, general contractors

XV Contracting,  627 N 13th, 59101, 366-2981, Xerxes Vodicka, general contractors

Impeccable Painting, 5318 Denali Dr, 59101, 969-9408, Kade Gies, service

Next Level Landscaping & Excavation, 4708 Farm Vista, Laurel 59044, 861-8744, Tanner Coomber, service

Solid Concrete Inc, 5444 Chicago Rd, 59106, 373-0053, Jennell Donnes, service

PDG Shippers, 836 Governors Blvd, 59105, 699-5016, Darla Edwards-Glibbery, service

The Massage Witch, 43 Wyoming Ave, 59101, 218-8104, Charlie Purcell, solo practitioner

Carmichael and Co, 2950 King Ave, 59102, 545-0440, Cassie Michael, service

Ray Dicken, 1542 Lakers Way #6, 59106, 200-5269, Ray Dicken, retail sales

Premier Air LLC, 318 Pronghorn Trail, Bozeman 59718, Chad Dammen, service

The Sparkle Shack, 12 E Almadin Ln, 59105, 939-3680, Sarah Carroll & Keera Stookey, retail sales

Woodfort Industrial Concrete Group, 1036 Landmark, Belgrade MT 59714, 570-7817, Joanne Marble, general contractors

Northern Rockies Therapy and Behavioral Health PLL, 902 Wyoming Ave, 59101, 696-7079, Kristi Lindell-Elliott, service

B.E. Satisfied Lawncare LLC, 2224 Highway 87 E – Trailer 187, 59101, 696-0745, Brenner Elliott, service

Warhammer, 111 S 24th St W, 59102, n/a, Games Workshop Retail Inc, retail sales

Mowing Montana, 909 Maywood Dr, 59102, 998-3211, Richard Romersa, service

Edward Jones (Grand), 2860 Grand Ave, 59102, 717-0774, Kelsay Pallarito, service

Aspen Meadows Health and Rehabilitation Center, 3155 Avenue C, 59102, 656-8818, Aspen Meadows SNF Operations LLC, service

Aspen Meadows Assisted Living, 3155 Avenue C, 59102, 238-5982, Aspen Meadows SNF Operations LLC, service

Les Schwab Tire Center #916, 1146 Shiloh Crossing Blvd, 59102, 541-416-5586, Stacy Irwin, service

Mollie Rose AirBNB, 6127 Mollie Rose Ln, 59101, 602-561-3625, Tanith Moore, real estate rental,

Painting Yellowstone, 3040 Central Ave #I-206, 59102, 702-2748, Sergio Arroyo, service

Kleinfelder Inc, 14710 NE 87th St – Ste 100, 425-636-7900, Redmond WA 98052, engineer

Big Sky excavation & Dirt LLC, 4316 Huckleberry Ln S, 59106, 623-1315, Jerry Brey, service

Precious Hart, 4303 Stone St, 59101, 623-1315, Brydget Hart, retail sales

Desjarlais Construction LLC, 2017 E Main St, Laurel 59044, 694-2982, Joshua Desjarlais,  general contractors

Heavenly Beauty by Katie, 1423 38th St W – Ste 1, 59102, 876-4510, Katie Tutokey, service

Ace in the Home, 11 Lakeview Dr, Roberts 59070, 425-4320, Laura Castro, service

Mom’s Kitchen, 922 S 28th St, 59101, 970-6169, Alfredo & Maria Hernandez, restaurants

Stateline Electric LLC, 3827 Galloway St, Bozeman 59715, 690-0736, Scott Nelson, electrical contractors

Elk Creek Landscaping, 1920 Belvedere Dr, 59102, 698-2776, Joshua Myrstol, service

TEF Renovations, 6240 Twelve Mile Rd, 59105, 697-9098, Ty Ferguson, general contractors

Country Grill, 401 Cottonwood, Laurel 59044, 440-417-6727, Jennifer Lesher & Ashley Winchell, restaurants

API Contracting, 2304 10th Ave N, 59101, 598-8820, Jamie Stradley, general contractors

Uncle Buck’s Gutter Cleaning LLC, 3006 4th Ave S #1, 59101, 720-3098, Dawson Buckalew, service

Marksman STR, 2416 Louise Ln, 59102, 690-1691, Mark Schiffner, real estate rental, 59102

Cross Tier K9 LLC, 3113 St John’s Ave, 59102, 855-4921, Daniel Richard, service

Oak Tree Designs LLC, 1525 Chesapeake Ln, 59101, 661-9151, Kevin Hof, retail sales

Montana Highlights June 15, 2023

19 June 2023
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The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission has voted to implement emergency fishing restrictions on three southwest Montana rivers. The restrictions on the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Ruby rivers come as the agency records declining trout populations. The restrictions generally address closures for spawning season, limiting some fish to catch-and-release, and implementing some gear restriction changes for fish hooks.

The EPA has released its proposed plan for cleaning up the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site. The main thrust is to contain the worst dumps by fully surrounding them with a slurry wall to stop contaminated groundwater from leaching out. The wells at the former wet scrubber sludge pond and the west landfill have the worst contamination. Test wells near them show very high concentrations of fluoride and cyanide. A public meeting will be held on June 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Columbia Falls Town Hall, City Council Chambers, 130 Sixth St. W., Columbia Falls, to describe the proposed plan and solicit comments.

Three generations of bike and adventure lovers have contributed to Montana E-Bikes and More. Josh Houser, whose parents owned a bike shop, has joined forces with his son Matthew Houser to provide unforgettable trips and a high-end e-bike shop. In addition to rentals, the shop also sells e-bikes and provides full service. The father-son duo will also rent e-bikes during the winter months. Montana E-bikes and More is the only shop to provide this service in the valley.

Mayor Jordan Hess of Missoula unveiled Missoula’s 2024-2026 Strategic Plan. Equity, housing and engagement all figured prominently in the guide for Missoula’s next three years. The plan looks at city operations through three lenses: climate resilience, equity and housing. Some of the priorities outlined in the plan include program ideas, partnerships and internal operations.

A modular home manufacturer from San Diego held a ceremonial groundbreaking at Butte’s business park recently to showcase a foundry the size of six football fields that could employ hundreds. Dvele (pronounced deh-VELL) hopes to get infrastructure hook-ups and other prep work done this year and begin construction on the factory next spring. The goal is to begin initial operations by January 2025. The Dvele facility will make modular homes that can be built in months. According to the company they can be built at 30% to 40% less cost than traditional houses.

Benefis Helena Specialty Center leadership reports that the 60,000-square-foot clinic will be built on 3.25 acres of the site that runs parallel to Prospect Avenue at a total cost estimated to be $50 million. Benefis Health System broke ground on the site March 10, 2022, and is expected to open in spring 2024. 

Businesses looking for guidance about resources to improve their operations can attend one of the upcoming Assistance for Business Clinics sponsored by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, local chambers of commerce, economic development groups and Job Service Centers. The Glendive Assistance for Business Clinic will be held Wednesday, June 21 at Dawson Community College.

The Stockman Bank location in Whitefish opened recently, The new facility on U.S. 93 is equipped with a drive-up, ATM and night depository. The public is invited to attend grand opening celebrations featuring refreshments, prize drawings, and tours of the building. On June 13, at 4 p.m. a grand opening celebration begins with music from local singer Halladay Quist, refreshments, and door prizes,

Logan Health officials say plans to integrate with Billings Clinic continue, but some employees are questioning the advantages of creating a new health care organization amid a “significant staffing shortage. Members of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, 1199NW are skeptical that integrating is the right move for Logan Health employees and patients.

Citizens Alliance Bank has completed its acquisition of Granite Mountain Bank and its branches in Butte, Drummond and Philipsburg. Citizens, an independent community bank headquartered in Clara City, Minnesota, says the acquisition was completed June 2. Existing Granite Mountain Bank customers may continue to use their existing debit cards and check stock until Aug.5. Starting Aug. 5, customers will be transitioned onto Citizens Alliance Bank’s core system computer platform.

A local Glendive hotel that has gone through a series of rebrandings in recent years has rebranded once again. This time with a full renovation as it joins a national corporation. The establishment has joined the Best Western family of hotels and rebranded itself as the SureStay. The building was bought in 2021 by Alex Allgood and Stan Wang, investors based in Texas, who have been continued the renovation. They will continue to own the business as it operates under the Best Western umbrella.

In Montana, there are 8,549,170 acres of farmland. The county with the most acerage in production is Rosebud. It has 766 farms with 2, 342, 527 acres.

Dvele modular home manufacturing plant in Butte has opened with projections  to create nearly 500 good-paying Montana jobs. Representing an $80 million investment by Dvele, the new facility will support the production of affordable workforce housing in Montana. Founded in 2018, Dvele has designed, manufactured, and built over 270 modular homes throughout the U.S. and Canada. The homes are built and shipped out for placement in a shorter timeline than traditional housing construction, costing about 30% to 40% less.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it has awarded $400,000 to the state of Montana in Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding. The funds will pay for a study of the Whitefish Rail Corridor Crossing Study. It will study three at-grade crossings and one viaduct along a three-mile corridor of BNSF’s Kootenai River Subdivision. Possible upgrades would alleviate blocked crossings that might cause safety concerns and disrupt freight movements to and from BNSF’s Whitefish Yard. The City of Whitefish and BNSF railway are contributing funds totaling a 20 percent non-Federal match.

Two Montana Supreme Court Justices Mike McGrath and Justice Dirk Sandefur have announced that they will not run for re-election in 2024. McGrath will be concluding his second eight-year term; and Sandefur is in his first.

Felco Industries in Missoula expanded to a new 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility. Founded in 1983, Felco Industries manufactures excavator products for utility, infrastructure, and energy sector installation and replacement projects. According to Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the equipment manufacturing industry supports more than 850 jobs in Montana and contributes $79 million to the state’s economy annually.

Montana-Dakota Utilities, a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group, Inc. received approval from the North Dakota Public Service Commission on an electric service agreement (ESA) to provide power for Applied Digital Corporation’s data center near Ellendale, ND. At full capacity, the data center will require 180 megawatts of electricity, which is the equivalent of about 28% of Montana-Dakota’s generation portfolio. The Applied Digital load will be purchased from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) market and will not impact Montana-Dakota customers’ power supply. The project provides an array of benefits to the Ellendale area, the transmission grid, Montana-Dakota customers and MDU stockholders.

Poll: Majority Say Feds Spend Tax Dollars Poorly

19 June 2023
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By Glenn Minnis, The Center Square

Precisely half the respondents polled in a new State Policy Network survey of 2,041 registered voters say the federal government is “failing or doing a poor job” at preventing internal corruption. That’s compared to only 23% of respondents who say the federal government is good or excellent at preventing corruption.

At the same time, well over half of all voters also give lawmakers in Washington D.C. an unsatisfactory mark when it comes to their handling of taxpayer dollars, with 54% agreeing the government deserves a poor or failing mark on the issue. Just 22% of respondents say the federal government does a good or excellent job at spending tax dollars.

      By comparison, only 36% of voters said they see state governments faring as poorly, with just 32% of respondents agreeing that they would give them a poor or failing grade.

“Very little of what happens at the federal level is focused on tangible benefits to people so voters rightly assume that the government is not working for them,” SPN messaging strategist Erin Norman told The Center Square in explaining how so many have come to have such varying views about branches of government.

“People also have experience watching government struggle to respond to urgent needs,” she added. “COVID-19 is a great example and spanned two very different administrations showing it’s more than political – it is problems with the very nature of the federal government.”

In addition, only 27% of voters feel the federal government is good or excellent at effectively getting things done, compared to 34% who say the same about their state government. Only 25% of those surveyed say the federal government is good or excellent at “serving people like me rather than special interest groups.” That’s compared to 37% who say the same about state government.

With just 45% of voters saying they feel the federal government’s performance is responsive to the needs of their community, Norman said lawmakers have much work to do to make more voters feel like government is truly at work for them.

“Work should be pushed down to the most local level of government possible where people are more likely to know people from their community involved in the work and see the tangible benefits to policy,” she said. “It is going to be very hard in today’s environment for people to see the federal government as serving them directly or for the federal government to pivot to more personal service.”

KOA  Purchases Billings Holiday and W Yellowstone Properties

19 June 2023
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Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) has purchased three KOA properties – Billings KOA Holiday in Billings, and Yellowstone Park/West Gate KOA Holiday and Yellowstone Park/Mountainside KOA Holiday located near West Yellowstone.  Billings KOA Holiday, opened in June of 1962, holds the designation as the first KOA campground among more than 500 KOA locations. All three properties were owned by the Marv and Carol Linde Family of Billings, Montana for 46 years.

Marv and Carol Linde purchased the Billings KOA Holiday in 1977. Over the next four decades, the family grew and updated the campground, making it one of the premiere KOAs in the United States. The campground currently features RV sites, including pull-thrus with KOA Patio, Camping and Deluxe Cabins and tent sites. A pool, custom playground, Kamp K9 dog park and mini-golf are available for guests.

 Opened in 1977 and 2013, the Yellowstone Park/West Gate KOA Holiday and Yellowstone Park/Mountainside KOA Holiday are the closest KOA properties to Yellowstone Park, located near the west entrance. All three campgrounds provide quality amenities and service, resulting in some of the highest guest satisfaction among KOAs.

 “For over four decades, the Linde family has been valued partners and friends,” said Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, Inc. “Marv, Carol – and sons Steve, Dave, and Brian – have been actively involved in our campground system, shaping many of our programs and overall approach to outdoor hospitality. We are honored they have entrusted us to carry their legacy forward. They will always remain a special part of our KOA family and history.”

Kampgrounds of America, Inc. has over 500 campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada. While the majority are franchised, over 40 locations are owned directly by the company. Owning campgrounds is a core component of Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s business strategy and allows them to grow key operational knowledge that improves offerings across the system. 

Transferring ownership in early May, Kampgrounds of America, Inc. views the sale as a chance to continue the long legacy of outdoor hospitality fostered by the Linde family. It also created the opportunity for KOA, Inc. to own and operate the campground that laid the groundwork for the world’s largest system of privately-owned campgrounds in the hometown of company headquarters.

 The purchase of the three properties also coincides with the opening of a new company headquarters this summer. Currently being completed on the West End of Billings, the new office and the transfer of ownership of Billings KOA Holiday further strengthen Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s 60-year connection to the city.

Business Growth in Montana Continues

19 June 2023
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In 2022, a total of 53,655 new businesses were established according to the Montana business Economic Report, issued by Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen. Jacobsen also reported that 5,400 new businesses registered during the month of May.

New businesses created within the SOS Business Filing Portal saw a 7.4% increase from 2021. Also in 2022, the report shows 196,699 businesses renewed their filings with the Secretary of State — 20,379 more renewals than the previous year.

In contrast, the number of new trademarks registered in Montana declined by about 70, from 435 trademarks in 2021 to 365 trademarks in 2022.

The Secretary of announced that in 2024 Annual Report filing fees will be waived for all Montana businesses, which will  result in millions of dollars in savings for Montana businesses.

Secretary Jacobsen was recently recognized by the Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) for her efforts in reducing red tape for Montana businesses. The MSPC awarded Secretary Jacobsen with the “Elevation Award,” which is the highest honor of the organization. It is “given to individual(s) who are committed to advancing and elevating free market principles and ideas. It is presented to a top innovator, business leader, or elected official in Idaho, Montana, and Washington,” according to the MSPC website.

Bills Advance Work-based Learning

19 June 2023
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Gov. Greg Gianforte recently expanded work-based learning opportunities for Montana students, signing three bills into law to support schools in offering internships, apprenticeships, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

Advancing his pro-student, pro-parent, pro-teacher education agenda this legislative session, Gov. Gianforte delivered a series of wins which support classroom innovation.

First, the governor reformed the Advanced Opportunities Program to support schools in expanding work-based and personalized learning opportunities for students.

The Advanced Opportunities Program provides $4 million annually to schools for programs that advance students’ career and educational success.

House Bill 257 doubles the amount of funding individual elementary, high school, and K-12 districts may receive through the program while increasing the percentage of funding that goes directly to students.

Second, the governor signed House Bill 458, sponsored by Rep. Fred Anderson, R-Great Falls, to get career coaches into more Montana schools to support students in their educational and career endeavors.

Lastly, the governor signed House Bill 382, to triple funding for Career and Technology Student Organizations (CTSO) in Montana.

Billings City College Gets Funds To Expand Nursing Program

19 June 2023
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City College at Montana State University Billings has been awarded a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Nursing Expansion Program to diversify and expand the nursing workforce in rural Montana.

The Nursing Expansion Grant Program will allow City College to grow the existing Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse workforce in rural eastern and south-central Montana, creating the Rural Eastern Montana Nursing Expansion Program. Through this funding, City College will be able to accept additional students into both nursing programs and will be able to respond to shortages in the rural health care workforce through recruiting, training, and graduating rural Montana students who are likely to return to their hometowns to work.

“I am excited that this grant will allow us to expand our partnerships with eastern Montana to better meet the critical health care needs in rural areas,” says City College Dean Vicki Trier. With over 90 percent of RN and LPN program graduates passing the NCLEX exam on their first attempt, City College offers high quality nursing degrees; this funding will allow the project to serve a total of 300 participants from rural and low-income backgrounds from eastern and south-central Montana over the grant period; will establish or strengthen relationships with rural hospitals, increasing available preceptorships and clinical sites; and will increase City College’s training capacity by 25 percent.

The LPN program will increase from 15 students to 22 per year while the RN program will increase from 40 students to 56 per year. “This grant will increase our simulation facilities and provide funding for recruitment and assistance to potential students in rural areas of Montana,” says Susan Floyd, director of nursing at City College. “We are excited to be able to help with the crucial nursing needs in rural areas of Montana.”

The Rural Eastern Montana Nursing Expansion Program encompasses twenty-four counties and over 63,000 square miles. Counties to be served include Sheridan, Daniels, Valley, Roosevelt, Fergus, Petroleum, Garfield, McCone, Richland, Dawson, Prairie, Wibaux, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Treasure, Rosebud, Custer, Fallon, Stillwater, Carbon, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Powder River, and Carter. Partners within these counties will be the key to the program’s success as they will provide a range of services including participant referrals, supportive services to participants, educational services, employment services, and clinical sites.

The Nursing Expansion Grant Program is designed to improve the nation’s healthcare system through diversifying the pipeline of the nursing field through training people from historically marginalized and underrepresented populations. City College is one of 25 public-private partnerships within 17 states awarded funding through the Nursing Expansion Grant Program.

“The increase in our capacity to train nursing students made possible through the Nursing Expansion Grant Program is part of a planned growth in nursing and other health programs at MSU Billings, with a clear focus on meeting the workforce needs of Billings and Montana,” notes MSUB Provost Sep Eskandari. “Over the next five years, the university will work intentionally to significantly increase the enrollment capacity of LPN and RN offerings at City College as well as the RN to BSN Degree Completion Program offered by the College of Health Professions and Science.”

Billings Building Permits – June 15, 2023

19 June 2023
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Commercial

Swaim, Jeremy S & Kaylinn M/ Neal Sivertson Construction LLC, 3385 Granger Ave S, Com Fence/Roof/Siding $36,000

Swaim, Jeremy S & Kaylinn/ Neal Sivertson Construction LLC, 3385 Granger Ave, S, Com Fence/Roof/Siding 4,000

Sibley, David H/ Wegner Homes, 41 Broadwater Ave, Com Fence/Roof/Siding $2,952

Costco Wholesale Corporation/ Lydig Construction Inc, 3880 Zoo Dr, Com Footing/Foundation, $3,454,905

City Of Billings, 760 Lake Elmo Dr, Com Remodel, $100,000

Scott Mason Wovek Inc, 2601 Phyllis Ln, Com Remodel, $10,000

Mak Properties LLC/ Dunmore LLC, 2046 Grand Ave, Com Remodel, $39,000

Fuel 406/ Riverbend Construction LLC, 4110 Montana Sapphire Dr, Com Remodel, $40,000

Yellowstone County/ Olympus Technical Services, 2550 3rd Ave N, Demolition Permit Commercial, $424,457

Donahue, Toni M/ Donahue Roofing & Siding LLC, 24 31st St W, Com Fence/Roof/Siding, $39,309

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1849 Annafeld Pkwy W, Com New Townhome Shell, $350,000

McCall Development Inc/, McCall Development, 6212 Norma Jean Sq S, Com New Townhome Shell $350,000

T & CB Properties LLC/ Bradford Roof Management Inc, 501 Bernard St, Com New Warehouse/Storage, $117,105

Elevation Church Billings, Inc/ Ralph Dupea Contracting, 711 4th Ave N, Com Remodel, $12,000

St Lukes Episcopal Church/ Final Step Construction LLC, 119 N 33rd St, Com Remodel, $10,500

Reichenbach Properties, LLC/ Kay Homebuilders LLC, 1038 Main St, Com Remodel – Change In Use $50,000

Fraternal Order of Eagles/ Limitless Construction, 526 Laurie Ln, Com Addition $3,000

Donahue, Toni M/ Donahue Roofing & Siding LLC, 24 31st St W,  Com Fence/Roof/Siding, $39,309

WR Properties LLP/ WR Properties LLP, 3211 1st Ave S, Com Fence/Roof/Siding, $50,000

Big Timber Properties LLC/ Bespoke Of Montana LLC, 1690 Rimrock Rd, Com Fence/Roof/Siding, $15,000

City Of Billings/ Dick Anderson Construction, 316 N 26th St, Com Remodel, $8,678,558

Intertech Ltd./ Dick Anderson Construction, 1830 Harnish Blvd, Com Remodel, $3,000,000

Pincolini Holdings LLC, 1145 Grand Ave, Com Remodel, $40,000

Residential

Trails West Homes LLC/ Trails West Homes LLC, 5719 Bear Track Trl, Res New Single Family, $247,732

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1840 St Paul Ln, Res New Single Family, $131,684

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1842 St Paul Ln, Res New Single Family, $131,684

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1844 St Paul Ln, Res New Single Family, $131,684

Infinity Homes/ Infinity Home LLC, 2474 W Bonito LP, Res New Single Family, $242,671

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 6159 Norma Jean Ln, Res New Single Family, $152,284

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 6153 Norma Jean Ln, Res New Single Family, $217,658

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1849 Annafeld Pkwy W, Res New Townhome, $0.00

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1851 Annafeld Pkwy W, Res New Townhome, $0.00

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 6212 Norma Jean Sq S, Res New Townhome, $0.00

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 6210 Norma Jean Sq S, Res New Townhome, $0.00

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1841 Norma Jean Sq E, Res New Single Family, $159,682

McCall Development Inc/ McCall Development, 1845 Norma Jean Sq E, Res New Single Family, $159,607

Billings Best Builders LLC/ Billings Best Builders LLC, 3573 Rachelle Cir, Res New Single Family, $250,000.