Article published Oct 18, 2007

Candidates clash over coal plant, pet shelter

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

City government candidates clashed Wednesday night over a coal plant, animal shelter takeover and the role played by City Manager John Lawton.

In the first of three city candidate events in Great Falls, about three dozen spectators and nearly a dozen high school debaters attended a debate sponsored by Great Falls bloggers. One organizer, David Sherman, said he was "reasonably impressed" by the turnout. Spectators had to pay $5 to get in to cover the cost of renting the Northwest Center.

Eight of nine city candidates attended, after Michael Winters dropped out of the race earlier in the day. Mayor Dona Stebbins was out of town.

On the controversial coal-fired Highwood Generating Station proposed east of Great Falls, mayoral candidate Susan Kahn said the issue "has divided the community" and provides "no direct benefit" to city residential customers. Commission candidate Stuart Lewin listed a string of reasons why he opposes the plant, and commission candidate Mary Jolley said she objected to city residents not being able to vote on whether they want it. Mayoral candidate Ed McKnight said most residents are opposed to the plant because they think it is being shoved down their throats.

On the other side, commission candidates Elna Hensley and incumbent Diane Jovick-Kuntz noted the city got into the energy picture after NorthWestern Energy canceled a power supply contract with school boards and city governments out of the blue several years ago. Commission candidate Bill Bronson, an attorney, said he respected the process the proposed coal-fired power plant went through to obtain a state air-quality permit and a federal record of decision from the Rural Utilities Service. Addressing pollution concerns, Jovick-Kuntz said she has an 11-year-old son, and "I would never want to do something to harm him."

Larry Steele, a candidate for mayor, said he supports the plant because of its economic development and because it would provide "great jobs," but opposes the city's involvement in it.

Jolley contended that the estimated cost of power from Highwood Generating Station has gone from cheap, to competitive, to stable since it's been proposed. She drew parallels to a hunter recently mauled by a grizzly bear, saying the man was listed in stable condition after the attack.

"But he was a lot better off before the bear found him," Jolley said, to chuckles from the crowd.

One unusual aspect of the debate was that candidates were given a chance to ask each other questions.

Views were mixed on the city's July 5 takeover of animal control services, with several candidates pointing to higher costs under city control. Others said change was needed because of complaints from the public about animal services when the Humane Society of Cascade County ran animal control and the shelter.

Candidates also offered these points during the debate:

McKnight wants to see the commission "repeal the five-minute rule" limiting public comments at the end of the meeting. He also wants city officials to use wireless laptop computers at meetings so they can promptly answer questions from the public.

Bronson said one of his main goals would be to improve financial backing for the City-County Health Department.

Hensley said she would like to see City Commission work sessions held on a different night from the regular meetings, rather than back to back, so the public could participate more fully in the work sessions.

Jovick-Kuntz expressed confidence the city will be able to move into the black with the Electric City Power electric utility, which would sell power generated by the coal-fired power plant.

"We will not continue to lose money," she predicted. She also praised Lawton, who has said he will retire by year's end, for doing a "great job."

Kahn said she hopes a new city manager would "not pre-form decisions and hand it to the commission on a silver platter."

Steele said he would like to see incentives for city residents to clean up their property, and he would like the city manager position to be abolished. He suggested city commissioners take a more active role in city government.

Lewin said the election "is all about the coal plant," which he's strongly against.

Several candidates said they opposed airport authority members recently signing confidentiality agreements. The pacts aim to safeguard business information, but candidates said they did not think the agreements would be proper for public officials to sign.