Author: Press Room

NFIB: Finding Help Still Big Problem

16 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

Finding help continues to be a huge problem for the nation’s small businesses, according to the latest Jobs Report put out monthly by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading association of Main Street enterprises.

 “Our Jobs Report is a national snapshot, not broken down by state,” said Ronda Wiggers, state director for NFIB in Montana. “The employment situation in Montana is a little better than in the rest of the nation in part due to better state policies we have in place. But our Main Street entrepreneurs here share with their national brethren small businesses’ overriding concern about the fate of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act (H.R. 4721, S. 1706), which would make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent. Without it, taxes will increase on over 90% of small business owners if Congress fails to act.”

“Job openings on Main Street remain historically high as small business owners continue to lament the lack of qualified applicants for their open positions. Owners have grown understandably frustrated as attempts to fill their workforce repeatedly stall and cost pressures continue to rise.”

 Highlights from the Latest Jobs Report

* Overall, 62% of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in August, up five points from July. Fifty-six percent (90% of those hiring or trying to hire) of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.

 * Thirty-six percent have openings for skilled workers (up four points) and 15% have openings for unskilled labor (down one point)

 * Job openings in construction were up five points from July and over half of them (60%) have a job opening they can’t fill. Job openings were the highest in the transportation, construction, and manufacturing sectors, and the lowest in the agriculture and finance sectors.

* A seasonally adjusted net 13% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, down two points from July.

Mulvaney Joins Visit Billings

16 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

Polly Mulvaney joined Visit Billings, managed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, as the new Group Sales Manager. In her new role, Mulvaney will manage meeting and convention recruitment as well as group tour sales for the destination.

 She has spent her career in outdoor hospitality, travel and tourism industry, working in Montana and the western region while serving the U.S. and Canada. Her marketing, sales, franchise division and relationship building skills equate well to member services and support that are central to the Group Sales Manager position.

“Polly is no stranger to tourism or chamber work, as she has worked for KOA, the Bozeman and Billings Chambers of Commerce, and Colorado Tourism Board,” says Alex Tyson, executive director of Visit Billings. ”We are excited to have Polly back home with the Visit Billings team and look forward to the vast expertise and industry knowledge she brings to this role, as she elevates Montana’s City nationwide.”

Mulvaney is a proud alumna of Montana State University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. She is pursuing certifications as a Certified Autism Travel Professional (CATP) and a Professional in Destination Management. 

She has called Billings home for over two decades with her husband, has three grown children and two Golden Retrievers. Outside of work and family life, Mulvaney enjoys fly fishing and is a new fan of pickleball.

Montana Not Sticky Enough

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

While Montana has been one of the leading states in attracting newcomers over the past few years, not all of them stay. They don’t “stick,” according to moveBuddha.com.

Montana had the second least “stickiness” in the nation in 2024. Montana loses 87% of its movers to other states. The only other state, which was more prone to losing their residents to out-migration was Alaska losing 90 percent. Wyoming is third at 86%.

The study that moveBuddha conducted revealed that seven of the least sticky states were in the Mountain West. The study analyzed over 175,000 searches on their moving cost calculator to get real-time insights into where relocating Americans plan to move. They ranked all 50 states by their stickiness – “their ability to keep relocating residents within state lines.”

The study aligned the rankings of statewide economic data and quality-of-life indicators to see which factors might contribute to a state’s lack of stickiness.

The Mountain West is home to 7 of the 10 least sticky states of 2024.

But just because a state was low in stickiness, didn’t mean they ceased attracting additional new comers. Montana, in addition to being among the most low stickiness states, continues to gain new residents. Montana maintains positive in-to-out move ratios.

In fact, Montana has the highest in-to-out move ratio in the country since 2020, averaging 2.37 new residents from beyond state lines for every Montanan who leaves.

The study found that the reasons people leave a state has most to do with the cost of living and real estate prices, rather than GDP growth or jobs. In short, high overall costs mean more residents will call it quits, even though newcomers may still find the state appealing.

“Many of these states have grown their populations enough to see local prices soar and locals panic. Real estate prices increase, and more newcomers come, but others are forced to leave an economy that’s leaving them behind.”

Montana Highlights – September 15 2024

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

The Montana Department of Corrections is considering a 90-bed prerelease facility in Kalispell. The center would be located on East Oregon Street at the former Greenwood Village Inn & Suites hotel. Prerelease centers are designed to assist offenders with their transition from a secure facility back into the community and provide an alternative to incarceration. The state has 10 such facilities..

Seth Soley and the Hageness family have purchased Whitefish-based Rocky Mountain Transportation Company from Dale Duff. The company has grown from a taxi service  started in 1946 to offer additional services including a tow service, the only ambulance service in town, volunteer fire department trucks and interstate bus schedules. They also operate the shuttle up Big Mountain named the SNOW bus and private charters, shuttles around Glacier National Park and transfers from Glacier Park International, plus school bus contracts.

United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts  may hold the fate of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant in his hands. Lawyers for Talen Montana and NorthWestern Energy, the owners of the power plant, have asked the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court for temporary stay of two rules that owners of the plant say leave them with two terrible choices: Either invest $350 million in upgrades to the pollution controls, or shutter the plant, leaving power customers in Montana facing high energy rates or unreliable power. Colstrip’s owners warn that without a halt to the EPA’s rules, Colstrip will not have enough time to comply with the law; and, that even if Colstrip does agree to foot the $350 million in estimated upgrades, the company won’t have enough time to recoup the costs before the plant eventually ceases operation.

United Airlines has announced a new seasonal flight between Bozeman Yellowstone (BZN) and Washington-Dulles International Airport. Flights will kick off Dec. 21 and run through March 29, according to BZN. United already offers daily service to Bozeman from Chicago-O’Hare, Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco, and Denver. The Bozeman airport has  released its winter schedule with seven airlines serving 20 destinations. That includes JetBlue Airways adding its premium JetBlue Mint service during weekend ski season flights to Bozeman-Yellowstone from Boston Logan International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

A victim of the 2022 Red Lodge flooding, Rocky Fork Inn, has been acquired by the City of Red Lodge and is set to be demolished this fall.

With the start of fall there are many opportunities for travelers to explore Montana’s less visited communities and  events across the state. Events such as the Makoshika Music and Arts Festival (Sept. 14) in Glendive, the Music and Arts Festival (Sept. 14) in Boulder, Hi-Line Harvest Festival (Sept. 20-21) in Chester and Havre Festival Days (Sept. 20-22) in Havre are just a few of the possibilities. Other itinerary highlights include enjoying locally sourced burgers from local stops on the Visit Southeast Montana Burger Trail; viewing the fall colors on a scenic drive through the Seeley Swan Corridor; viewing some of the darkest skies and brightest stars in the lower 48 along Montana’s Trail to the Stars; and going back in time by embarking on a dinosaur dig or stopping in at a museum along the Montana Dinosaur Trail. 

The Williams County Commission in North Dakota met recently to hear plans for a potential power plant project by Basin Electric Power Cooperative to be located in Williams County. A representative spoke to the board about the project and the company’s involvement in the region, which includes the Pioneer Generation Station  which is in the process of having more generators added to the site. Basin has donated approximately $25,000 to local charitable causes in Williams County.

The National Weather Service in Bismarck has released projections for the upcoming winter season. Residents in the MonDak region can expect a colder winter than usual. The NWS released the report to give residents in the region an idea of what to expect as fall gives way to colder weather. One of the findings is that La Niña conditions are expected to emerge this fall and have a 74% chance of continuing through the winter. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under La Niña conditions winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the southern continental United States and cooler than normal in the north

Owners Ethan and Kayla Giles have returned to Teton County to raise their family and establish their business, EK Giles Electric. Ethan is a licensed master electrician with 20-plus years of experience in all aspects of electrical work. His experience ranges from large commercial projects to airfield/runway lighting to high-end residential. The new business is located at 10 Second Road NE. 

Stillwater Christian School, Kalispell  marked a back-to-school open house by celebrating a $5 million donation for a building expansion from local businessman Paul Wachholz, a local real estate agent in Kalispell.

Big Sky Economic Development is leading the charge to develop Coulson Park as a gateway park on the bank of the Yellowstone River, in selling raffle tickets to raise funds. The goal is to build a pump track at Coulson Park, as well as pursue five other projects in local parks. Raffle prizes include tickets and trips to sport events, gas for a year, a side of beef, etc. Tickets are $50 and only 2,000 tickets will be available. The drawing will be September 19. Call 869-8409, or email dianne@bigskyeda.org

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is recommending 48 fishing regulation changes this year ahead of a fall Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting. While most of the changes are aimed at simplifying regulations, there are a few significant changes that anglers could see for the 2024-25 season. Those changes include a single hook only restriction on the Flathead River, the removal of the west district northern pike standard limit and the ability to fillet a fish on the water. At its Oct. 10 meeting, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to vote on whether to accept, amend or reject the changes. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is accepting public comment on the proposals in anticipation of the meeting. 

Stockman Bank has opened a new Hutton Ranch Bank location. The Hutton Branch is the Stockman Bank fifth Flathead Valley location. The bank offers new accounts, and loan products for commercial development, construction, real estate, agricultural and consumer lending. The branch also has a drive-up and ATM. Stockman Bank is Montana’s largest, family-owned, community bank, with locations across the state.

Air Force officials at a recent town hall meeting in Lewiston could provide few details about the new plans for the Sentinel Missile project. The Sentinel program, designed to remove the aging Minute Man III missiles and replace them with the Sentinel missile. The project also includes updating silos and communications. The project exceeded its budget, which ballooned to an estimated $141 billion. That triggered a mandated review of the project. Lewistown will be the site of a workforce hub which house 2,500 to 3,000 construction staff and support personnel, although not all at the same time. Belt, Stanford, Denton, Judith Gap and Winifred will each have construction storage areas of 10 to 20 acres that will be in place for several years.

Missoula County, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new $13.5 million National Conservation Legacy Center. The two-story, 26,000-square-foot building will be constructed using mass timber at the museum’s 31-acre campus at 6305 Highway 10 West. The Center should be completed by late 2025.

Two technology companies based in Missoula were named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America for 2024. Submittable, which provides a social impact platform for companies looking to do good and Pathlabs, which provides services to independent agencies, both ranked high on the prestigious list. According to the magazine, the rankings are based on a percentage of revenue growth from 2020 through 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 2020. Submittable reported an annual growth over three years of more than 370%. It was the fifth time the company has made the list.

Letter to the Editor – Shilhanek

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

Dear Editor,

I read the article about Montana suing over Obama care for noncitizens.

I own Maaco Collision Repair. Before Obama care, I could insure a whole family for under 600.00 a month for top of the line benefits.

Now, as you can see a family of five is over $2,000.00 a month without vision or dental and a $4,000.00 deductible.

This is what America needs to see.  Small Business had to cut everyone’s hours and take away benefits because of the cost. 

Why do we pay these rates while illegals and welfare get it for free. Pretty soon there will be no more small business.

Thank you,

Roxy Shilhanek

Judge Stops Federal Program for Migrant Agricultural Workers

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

By T.A. DeFeom, The Center Square

Attorneys general from 17 states, including Montana, are suing to stop the federal government from implementing a program they say gives migrant agricultural workers rights that American citizens working farm jobs do not have.

The coalition of states, led by South Carolina, contends that the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States” rule effectively grants collective bargaining rights to agricultural migrant workers in the country under the H-2A visa program.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia’s Brunswick Division granted a motion for a preliminary injunction, stopping the rule from taking effect while the lawsuit is pending. The injunction is limited to the case’s plaintiffs.

Neither a nationwide injunction nor a nationwide stay is appropriate in this case,” U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood wrote in the order. “Plaintiffs argue that universal relief is needed because this case implicates federal immigration laws, nationwide relief would protect similarly situated nonparties, and it would be more practical than party-specific preliminary relief. …These arguments are unavailing.”

Miles Berry Farm, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the states of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia joined South Carolina in the lawsuit. The action names the labor department, Assistant Secretary for the department’s Employment and Training Administration José Javier Rodríguez and its Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman.

“Here we go again,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in an announcement. “The Biden administration is almost constantly trying to enact rules and regulations that it does not have the authority to do, but we’ll keep fighting this unconstitutional overreach every time it happens.”

Governor Gianforte Visits Multi-Generation Montana Businesses

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

Governor Greg Gianforte visited with two multi-generation, family businesses on his 56 County Tour in Missoula and Jefferson counties.

“The American Dream is alive and well in Montana thanks to our hardworking job creators committed to carrying on their family legacy,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We will continue to support them through our pro-business, pro-jobs policies and efforts to strengthen our workforce.”

Starting off the day in Missoula, the governor met with the second generation of the Reid family at their manufacturing business, Diversified Plastics.

Founded in 1976 in Rod Reid’s garage, the custom plastics fabrication and engineering company has grown to occupy a large facility in Missoula and employs over 75 Montanans in competitive, high-wage jobs.

Meeting with Rod’s son, Brad, and touring the facility, the governor heard more about the company and the products they manufacture, as well as about the apprentice and work-based learning opportunities they provide.

Making plastic products for a wide variety of industries, Diversified Plastics operates around the clock to make components for operations including ski lifts, car washes, food processing, and agriculture.

Reid shared that nearly all of his employees receive on-the-job training and they have had success operating a two-year long apprenticeship through the Montana Department of Labor & Industry for Montanans to learn molding. The company also offers opportunities for local high school students to train with them.

“When I first started working for my dad, we had eight employees. Today, we have 75 employees in Missoula in a high-wage job,” Reid said. “Thanks to the support from the state through loan programs, we’ve been able to expand our operation with the goal to continue to increase wages, employ more people, and get a larger tax base.”

Continuing on to Whitehall, the governor stopped by Smith Supply to visit with the Smith brothers and learn more about their family business serving Montana producers.

Providing feed, lumber, and other ag and ranch supplies, the Smiths bring over 65 years of experience operating their own ranch, producing hay and grain and raising cattle and hogs.

Touring the store and warehouse with the family’s second generation, the governor met with four of the brothers leading the operation started by their grandfather in 1959 and met their kids and grandkids.

“Now the third generation is coming into play and even their kids are already out here helping out and riding in the equipment. It’s good to see,” said John Smith.

Supporting Montana’s small business owners, family farmers, and family ranchers is a top priority for Gov. Gianforte. Since taking office, the governor has increased the business equipment tax exemption from $100,000 to $1 million eliminating the business equipment tax burden for more than 5,000 small businesses, farms, and ranches.

Chamber to hold Candidate Forums

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

The Billings Chamber of Commerce will host a series of Coffee with Candidates forums in September from 8-9 a.m. in partnership with, and hosted at, the Billings Association of Realtors with candidates for state legislature from selected races.

The schedule of Coffee with Candidates forums is:

• September 17 Senate District 24 – Mark Nicholson and Mike Yakawich

• September 19 House District 45 – Denise Baum and Kassidy Olson

• September 26 House District 48 – Anne Ross and Curtis Schomer

Dan Brooks, business advocacy director said, “We believe it’s important to bring candidates and members together, not just to answer policy questions, but to connect with each other.   Each Coffee with Candidates forum will feature a moderated question and answer segment with time reserved for questions from the audience. Election ballots are anticipated to be mailed as early as Oct. 11.

Each Coffee with Candidates forum is free to attend and open to anyone interested in meeting the candidates for state legislature running this election cycle.

Billings Association of Realtors is located at 2021 Overland Avenue. RSVP’s are requested for planning purposes as complimentary coffee and light breakfast items will be available. Register at Billings Chamber. com.

Billings Building Permits September 15, 2024

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

Commercial

Big Horn Surgery Center/ Jorden Construction, 3415 Avenue E, Com New Hospitals/Institutions, $975,630

2316 First Ave North LLC|Askin Construction LLC, 2320 1st Ave N, Demolition Permit Commercial, $150,600

City Of Billings (Airport)|Cayton Excavation Inc, 2491 Overlook Dr, Demolition Permit Commercial, $148,000

City Of Billings The|S Bar S Supply Contractor, 1704 Central Ave, Com New Warehouse/Storage, $35,000

AC Investments LLC|Air Controls Billings Inc., 2109 1st Ave N, Demolition Permit Commercial $35,000

Residential

Lori Hansen |Eaton And Yost Contractors, 3012 Alpine Dr, Res New Single Family, $587,400

Billings South Shiloh LLC|ABCO Billings LLC, 1707 E Seahawks Pl, Res New Townhome, $434,128

Billings South Shiloh LLC|ABCO Billings LLC, 1722 E Seahawks Pl, Res New Townhome, $434,128

Billings South Shiloh LLC|ABCO Billings LLC, 1721 E Seahawks Pl, Res New Townhome, $434,128

Billings South Shiloh LLC|ABCO Billings LLC, 1731 E Seahawks Pl, Res New Townhome, $434,128

Billings South Shiloh LLC|ABCO Billings LLC, 1701 E Seahawks Pl, Res New Two Family, $350,000

Green Jeans LLC |Green Jeans LLC, 1319 Tania Circle, Res New Single Family, $251,967

High Sierra Ii Inc|4 Mt Homes Inc, 935 Matador Ave, Res New Single Family, $212,055

Mt Homes Inc |4 Mt Homes Inc, 923 Matador Ave, Res New Single Family, $206,856

McCall|McCall Development, 1880 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $142,541

McCall Homes |McCall Development 1840 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $128,067

McCall|McCall Development, 1848 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $127,492

McCall|McCall Development, 1892 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $124,826

McCall|McCall Development, 1884 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $124,326

McCall Development, 1852 St Peter Ln, Res New Single Family, $107,834

Americans Think Increased Manufacturing Employment Would Be Good for the Country but Not for Themselves

14 September 2024
Press Room
No comments

By Colin Grabow, Cato Today

One of the more intriguing results of a recent Cato Institute–commissioned poll about trade and globalization was the respondents’ views on manufacturing. When asked whether the country would be better off if more Americans worked in the sector, 80 percent responded in the affirmative. Given widespread perceptions of American industrial decline—very much at odds with available evidence—that’s not entirely surprising.

But here’s the interesting part: among those same respondents, just 25 percent stated that they would personally be better off in a factory instead of their current work. It’s a result that holds across class, education, and racial lines. The most enthusiastic group, those aged 18–29, still registered just 36 percent interest in manufacturing employment.

Americans love the idea of people working in manufacturing, but most don’t think they would benefit from such work themselves.

The poll result comports with manufacturing job data. As of May, there were over 600,000 open positions in manufacturing, and the number hasn’t dipped below 300,000 in roughly a decade. These openings are one reason why the National Association of Manufacturers has championed a plan to expand immigration. Similarly, the secretary of the navy has called for increased immigration and work visas to address a lack of workers at the country’s shipyards.

Such jobs can’t find enough interested Americans to fill them.

Given some of the realities of manufacturing work, that’s understandable. As a recent Financial Times column points out, average hourly pay in manufacturing has been on a long, steady decline and fell below the private-sector average in 2018. The column also points out that such work can be “noisy, repetitive and isolating” (having once worked a summer job placing empty cans on an assembly line to be filled with paint, I can confirm) and that a 2024 Gallup poll found below-average enthusiasm for their work among those employed in manufacturing.

So it’s not a shock that many Americans aren’t champing at the bit for such employment. Indeed, even countries long associated with manufacturing such as China and Vietnam are seeing a growing aversion to factory work.

But how to explain this seeming disconnect between what Americans believe is best for the country and their self-interest?

One possible factor is that Americans are regularly told about the alleged depleted state of American manufacturing—particularly during presidential elections. Four years ago, President Biden campaigned on adding five million manufacturing jobs as part of an economic rebuilding effort, and four years before that, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton each pledged to shore up manufacturing as part of their respective efforts to win the presidency. Unsurprisingly, the Democratic and Republican platforms for this year’s presidential race both feature language about revitalizing manufacturing.

This is hardly a recent phenomenon, with such talk by presidential hopefuls dating at least back to Walter Mondale’s 1984 claim that the industrial Midwest was being turned into a “rust bowl” due to a decline in manufacturing.

After being exposed to 40 years of rhetoric about manufacturing’s alleged downfall, Americans may have internalized the message. Add in a dash of nostalgia for yesteryear—two of the groups most supportive of more Americans working in manufacturing were those aged 65 and older (86 percent) and the retired (90 percent)—when manufacturing employment was more common, and the results are understandable.

Perhaps the better question, however, is not why Americans believe the country needs more manufacturing employment but why politicians regularly emphasize the importance of jobs in which Americans—both in word and deed—continue to show little interest.