Hometown Helena, October 14: Well Done Foundation
Click on the following link to view this week's Hometown Helena courtesy of Anderson ZurMuehlen Technology Services:
Passcode: @W2z3^aK
Well Done Foundation with Curtis Shuck Jr. and Karyn Carpenter will present an initiative to "fight climate change through plugging orphaned or abandoned oil and gas wells," of which there are more around 2.15 million in the US (EPA via WellDoneFoundation.org).
Here is the chat for this week's meeting!
Anderson ZurMuehlen Technology Services a division of Anderson ZurMuehlen is pleased to host today's HomeTown Helena!
Chris Hawkins: Request for future presentation- Helena Sidewalk Replacement Program. I made my first request in 2020, then renewed request in 2021. In March 2021 city issued me a safety violation. Still waiting for both information and action.
Kara Nelson: Rocky Mountain Development Council, Inc. (Rocky) is conducting a Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment and will hold a community forum on Tuesday, October 19 at the Missouri River Brewing Company (451 E. Spencer Court in East Helena) from 5 pm - 7 pm in the upstairs conference room. We will also host a forum at the Helena Senior Center on 11/2 at 5 pm. In addition to our community forums across Broadwater, Jefferson, and Lewis & Clark Counties, we have developed an online survey. To take the Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment survey, please visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/Rocky2021CCNA, or call 406-447-1680 and a paper copy will be mailed to you. Community input is critical to best inform how Rocky can best serve you and your community.
Bill Avey: Kelly, thank you and everyone in the medical community for all you are doing to respond to this crisis. You all are very much appreciated.
Lee Shubert: Katie - How many of the hospitalized are breakthrough cases
Bill Avey: I'm sorry, I meant Katie..again, thank you for all you are doing!
Andy Shirtliff: Thank you, Katie. We all have to do our part.
Katie Gallagher St Peter's Health: Covid19 vaccination remains very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death. Yes, we have some hospitalized vaccinated patients with covid19 but vast majority of those in critical care and those dying are unvaccinated
Eric Feaver: St. Peter's Health has earned and will continue to earn our deepest admiration and thanks.
Peter Strauss: I was with the state medical director for the Department of Labor a couple of weeks ago and for a workers compensation meeting. At that time she reported 86% of COVID hospitalized patients in MT were unvaxxed. Of those hospitalized, unvaxxed average age was 61, avg vaxxed age was 74. Cannot thank our medical staff & SPH enough.
Matt Elsaesser: Congratulations on a year serving Helena City Manager Harlow-Schalk!
Bill Avey: Agreed - congratulations and great job Rachel!
Katie Gallagher St Peter's Health: We are so so thankful for those in the community who are expressing their gratitude. It means a lot to our caregivers.
Emily McVey: United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area is hosting Lunch Learn Live UNITED (via Zoom for now) the 4th Tuesday of each month at noon. We will give an overview of one of our community programs and 1-3 of our partner agencies will be there to share about the great work they do. Everyone is welcome to join those meetings to learn more about United Way.
Emily Frazier: HACF is pleased to announce that the 2nd Annual Helena Holiday Cruise will be held on December 17, 18, and 19. We are currently seeking committee members who want to plan this COVID-safe event, and for sponsors who want to promote healthy community events! If you have questions or are interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please reach out to me at emilyf(at)helenaareacommunityfoundation.org or 406 441-4955
Gabrielle, AJAY MT (she/her): AJAY MT is excited to announce that, in partnership with Reach Higher Montana, we are expanding the Summer Jobs Program to other Montana communities. Summer Jobs Program matches students with a paid work or internship position, a work-skills training, and an adult mentor. After three successful years of the Helena Area Summer Jobs Program, we heard from other communities that they are eager to offer the opportunity to their local youth. We will be announcing these expansion communities soon. Thank you to everyone who hired and mentored our students this past summer. And thank you, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana & Anderson ZurMuehlen, for sponsoring the program in Helena this past summer!
Emily McVey: United Way is starting to work on Free Tax Help for the 2022 season. We are going to need volunteers to help people complete taxes. There is training involved. If you have accounting or math skills please consider becoming a Free Tax Help volunteer!
Matt Elsaesser: October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! Local organizations like Westmont (https://westmonthelena.com/)do an amazing job supporting members of our community as they join the workforce supporting the individual and the employer. Thank you Jim Smith for all you do by driving one of 406 Recycling's employees to work three days a week!
Andy Shirtliff: FYI: the Helena Downtown Urban Renewal District TIF advisory board will meet today at 10am. Thanks!
Rep. Julie Dooling: Thank you all for this opportunity. And Many Thanks to Curtis and Karyn!I have to run and get ready for work
Rachel Harlow-Schalk: Hi Chris, Thank you for being persistent on the sidewalk program!
The following link will take you to the program summary that was ultimately agreed on and funded in this year's budget. The link is to the summary an additional summary details are on the page bottom left corner. Good news: the city is actively addressing specific sidewalk issues.
Bad news: the city is actively addressing specific sidewalk issues and these may not be the area in which you were issued a letter. City Code, adopted years back, assigned responsibility of sidewalks to adjacent property owners. After a significant ADA audit of the City (years ago) the City committed to implementing any over due improvements. This new program is step one in addressing the needs within priority areas, it is not all encompassing. There are many program management gaps, citywide. This is one that will be on the list of continuous improvement: https://helena.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=5534&MeetingID=414
Bill Avey: Great and informative presentation, thank you very much!
John Cech, Carroll College: Excellent presentation - thanks for sharing!
Eric Feaver: YES!
Mary Rutherford: What is the cost per well to cap it?
Gabrielle, AJAY MT (she/her): Thank you! This was very interesting. Great work!
Sonda Gaub: I agree. Nice reminder and is greatly need up north. and Thank You.
John and Ann: Can a community adopt a well capping project?John Murdy: Is there a
chance to mine these wells in the future, specifically for methane?
