This Bitterroot Mayor’s Race is Really, Really Close

3 years after taking its former mayor to court, the Town of Stevensville is still being rocked by political turmoil. Tuesday, another former mayor, Jim Crews, stopped the re-election bid of his former friend and incumbent Bob Michalson. The pair have spent much of the year disputing management of the town, even to the point that Crews was barred from Town Hall to keep him away from staff.

But the vote didn't provide the clear-cut direction either might have hoped for, with Crews winning by just 5 votes.

     🗳️ Ravalli County says a count of provisional ballots will be needed on Monday.

Butte declares food emergency

Butte-Silver Bow leaders are now the first municipal government in Montana to declare a state of emergency over the loss of SNAP benefits.

Butte City-County leaders passed the proclamation yesterday, saying the SNAP cut-off is creating "immediate peril" to the health, safety, and welfare of children, seniors, and low-income households. The move sees the county enacting an "emergency millage" of 2 mills on the county's taxable valuation, raising just over $183,000 to be placed into a fund to help with emergency food, outreach, and "related social services."

The Butte Community Action Team is also organizing a "community-wide food drive" to accept donations of cash and non-perishable foods.

     Donations can be made at the Butte Civic Center, starting Friday from 4 to 6 and continuing as needed.

Downing is frustrated with the shutdown

Representative Troy Downing is expressing frustrations with the continuing shutdown, especially with impacts on sectors like air travel and SNAP food benefits, which he says is hurting the Montana economy.

"The economic impacts just to Montana, a decline of $1770000 a month in gross state product. It's uh, you know, stat, snap benefits, as I mentioned, uh, 81000 total enrolles and 31000 of those are children. Obviously, this is something we care about." -Rep. Troy Downing

Downing said Republicans want to have a conversation about the health care subsidies that are holding up a continuing resolution, but said he's not willing to write a "blank check."

       The Daily Montanan reported that as many as 14,000 callers listened in to yesterday's tele-town hall meeting.

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Flathead County to start work right away on new jail

Flathead County leaders are thanking the community for approval of that massive, $105-million bond to build a new Law & Justice Center, including a new jail that doubles current capacity.

County Commission Chair Pam Holmquist thanked people who "took the time to learn about the project" and to "make it a reality" after 10years of discussion. The county says it will immediately move into finalizing designs and issuing bids.

The idea of water/affordable houses connection goes nowhere

Montana communities have been trying to find innovative ways to both manage development yet also encourage affordable housing.

Apparently, the idea of tying water supply to that question isn't workable in the eyes of voters, at least in the Gallatin Valley.

Tuesday's General election brought a resounding defeat to the WARD ballot initiative. The Water Adequacy/Residential Development concept had generated a lot of community discussion, but resulted in a resounding rejection, with 72% of the ballots against the idea. Backers had argued that Bozeman will run out of water in 10 years if something isn't done.

Gianforte donates salary to fight hunger

Governor Greg Gianforte may have declined requests to use state funds to deal with the federal cutoff of SNAP food assistance. But he is going to divert his salary to help somewhat.

Gianforte, who has already followed a pattern of donating his salary to non-profits since first taking office, Yesterday on a visit to Livingston, he said he would donate those dollars to Producer Partnership, the organization founded in 2020 that helps livestock producers donate to local food banks.