Mayor Dona Stebbins and City Commission                                                September 4^th, 2007

City of Great Falls

P.O. Box 5021

Great Falls, MT 59405

 

Subject: Deficiencies in Ordinance 2972 (extension of city services without annexation)

 

Dear Mayor Stebbins and Commissioners,

 

Citizens for Clean Energy, Inc. (CCE) and other community members urge the commission to please ‘measure twice and cut once’ and take the necessary time to carefully deliberate before adopting Ordinance 2972. The staff agenda report is deficient, as it does not contain the findings of the $45,000 TischlerBise fiscal impact study regarding extending city services to the proposed Highwood Generating Station (HGS). You authorized this study on October 3, 2006; the results were due last January. A draft copy of the study report shows the extension of City services to the HGS without annexation would create a loss of $1.2 million over the next 14 years.

The agenda report also does not identify other consequences relative to the city and county growth policies and offers no alternative decision options. The report asserts that Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, and Billings have all extended services without annexation but the actual policies (obtained by CCE) of each city are substantially different from Ordinance 2972.

 

Kate McMahon, a certified city/county planner, was commissioned by CCE, Inc. to analyze the June 5, 2007 City’s Extension of Service Agreement with Southern Montana Electric (SME). Her report raises questions about conformance with local growth policies and the Attorney General’s opinion on service extensions/annexation; the status of the final TischlerBise fiscal impact studies; the water/sewage line easement challenges; and annexation precedents. The June 5^th service agreement was determined to probably be invalid because it was signed by the City Manager on May 30^th, prior to ratification by the City of Great Falls City Commission.

 

We ask that the City Commission and staff read Ms. McMahon’s analysis (copies will be provided to you and posted on the CCE website) and please take the time – at least until the next commission meeting – to gather critical data and share this information with the public before any decision is reached.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Richard D. Liebert

Chair, Citizens for Clean Energy, Inc.

Lt. Colonel (retired) USAR

wwranch@3rivers.net/406-736-5791

 

Enclosure:

City of Great Falls/SME Extension of Services Agreement Analysis, Kate McMahon, Aug 2007