City Commissioners approved a new two-year labor agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 8, which includes 64 sworn firefighters at Great Falls Fire Rescue. The new agreement is for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with a six percent wage increase in each year. The next collective bargaining session is set to start again in April
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Emma Albers is opening her marijuana dispensary at 1427 3rd Ave. N. after a years-long dispute with the City of Great Falls. Earlier this year, District Court Judge Elizabeth Best ruled that Albers’ business, Montana Dispensary, was a legal nonconforming use and the city shall approve, through a safety inspection certificate, that Albers may operate the dispensary and the city
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The city planning board voted unanimously during its Sept. 22 meeting to recommend approval of annexation and zoning for Lifestyle Estates subdivision. Staff recommended approval of the project, which would develop 2.65 vacant acres into seven lots of varying sizes for single-family housing at the corner of Central Avenue and 46th Street. The project will next go before the City
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City Commissioners have changed the time of their regular meetings and work sessions, effective Sept. 1. The work sessions will now start at 4:30 p.m., versus the previous 5:30 p.m. start, and regular meetings will start at 6 p.m., versus 7 p.m. The previous meeting times had been in place since July 7, 1981, according to city records. During several discussions
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City Commissioners adopted a resolution during their July 21 meeting certifying that a nuisance at 321 1st Ave. S.W. had been abated. The city declared the property a nuisance in July 2025 and authorized city staff to proceed with forced abatement if necessary. The property owners, Ralph and Cecelia Laverdure, or anyone associated with the property, failed to complete the
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City Commissioners approved final payment for a sanitary sewer trenchless rehabilitation project during their July 21 meeting. That includes $812,537.55 to Vortex Services LLC and $8,207.45 to the state miscellaneous tax fund. Commissioners awarded a $832,995 contract to Vortex in September 2025 to rehabilitate more than 12,900 linear feet of aging sewer main with cure-in-place pipe. City approves sewer lining
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City Commissioners will hold a public hearing on their proposed budget and intent to increase property taxes during their Aug. 4 meeting. City Manager Greg Doyon formally transmitted his proposed budget to the commission during their July 7 work session. The city’s budget schedule is further behind than in most recent years. [View the budget materials here] Commissioners are scheduled
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City Commissioners will consider adopting their budget during their Aug. 4 meeting. Nestled within the proposed $183,142,076 of expenses is a $14,300 item that made it into the budget largely outside the public eye. That budget item is to increase stipends for city commissioners. During their July 21 meeting, Commissioner Joe McKenney said he was checking with city staff about
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In August, the city is set to begin its new corrosion control enhanced water treatment technique in response to new rules from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Residents shouldn’t notice any change to the taste or feel of the finished water, according to city staff, who told The Electric that the new corrosion
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Updated at 5 p.m. July 22 City Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve annexation, zoning and dedication of public right-of-way for the Little Shell’s planned housing development after roughly three hours of staff and applicant presentations and public comment during a July 21 meeting. The commission chambers were full, plus additional seating with a live stream in the Gibson Room down
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