Article published Aug 22, 2007

City approves contract with its own utility arm

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

City government agreed Tuesday night to buy power from itself at a meeting marked by tension and name-calling.

Two opponents of the proposed coal-fired Highwood Generating Station, Aart Dolman and City Commission candidate Stuart Lewin, claimed Great Falls is a "laughingstock" in Montana for pushing an old-fashioned coal plant. Helena recently refused to buy power from the plant and Missoula officials are thinking about it.

Lewin also ripped City Manager John Lawton for alleged "double talk," prompting an admonishment from Mayor Dona Stebbins.

"I'm tired of your groundless accusations," Stebbins told Lewin. "I don't like your accusatory tone and your nasty attitude."

Lewin contended he was simply telling the truth, but he sat down before a police officer in plain clothes could escort him to his seat at Stebbins' request.

A Nov. 6 general city election, in which three of five city commission seats, including that of the mayor, are up for grabs, contributed to the circus atmosphere of the meeting.

A more immediate date is an Oct. 1 deadline for the city of Great Falls, which wants to own 15 percent of the Highwood plant, to sign up customers through its Electric City Power utility arm.

City commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday for the city to become the first Electric City Power customer to agree to a 30-year power deal through 2042. The Highwood plant, if it is built, could come online in 2012.

The move was a formality, but it provided supporters and opponents a chance to reiterate their views on the coal-fired facility proposed eight miles east of Great Falls. Several opponents spoke in loud tones into the microphone, and Commissioner Diane Jovick-Kuntz raised her voice as well in responding to a series of questions from mayoral candidate Ed McKnight.

Federal employee Larry Rezentes noted the plant's developer, Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative, recently asked the city to post deposits on behalf of its customers. He claimed that in doing so, SME is trying to recover a $1 million-plus debt the city has incurred by selling power to many Electric City Power customers at a loss.

"Now, SME is insisting on repayment," Rezentes contended. Lawton disputed that after the meeting.

"It absolutely has no connection whatsoever," Lawton said. Earlier, Lawton said deposits are commonly required for utility service.

Also at the meeting, plant critic Ken Thornton said city officials and other plant supporters are not telling potential customers the whole story. He said the cost of electricity from the plant "will be much higher than what they say, and they know it."

Dolman scolded Electric City Power for trying to convince Missoula, "a liberal city, a green city, to buy dirty power" from Great Falls. Missoula's mayor is negotiating with Great Falls on a contract, but the Missoula City Council will make the final decision.

Brett Doney, who heads the Great Falls Development Authority, said Great Falls needs to attract industry, especially "precision manufacturing."

"We need a strong, diversified economy," he said.

Tough talk at Tuesday night's meeting distressed Karen Grove, a neighborhood council member and wife of the police chief.

"I am very proud of this city," said Grove, responding to the laughingstock allegation. "We live in a beautiful city."

But Grove said she feels badly at the end of City Commission meetings after hearing so many negative comments.

"Quit the name-calling," she said.