Hometown Helena February 10, 2022
Watch today's Hometown Helena using the following link and passcode courtesy of Anderson ZurMuehlen Technology Services:
https://azworld.zoom.us/rec/
In addition to community updates, today's guest included:
- As per resolution 20643 adopted in February 2021, Jeremy Drake, of Zero Waste Associates, will discuss the City of Helena's process to develop a Strategic Plan for Waste Reduction and opportunities to provide input.
- Free Tax Help with Emily McVey of United Way followed by a talk about the "tax industry" with Steven Johnson, CPA and Shareholder with Anderson ZurMuehlen.
- Medical and Nursing Schools in Montana with Brock Tessman, Deputy Commissioner, Montana University System
HomeTown Helena Chat February 10, 2022
Anderson ZurMuehlen Technology Services a division of Anderson ZurMuehlen
is pleased to host today's HomeTown Helena
Eric Feaver: thank you for doing so. very nice
candace payne: For some reason my audio is not working this morning, but I am listening and watching!
Mary Ann Dunwell: I wholeheartedly endorse Dan
Conrad Evarts: WWW.CONRAD4COUNTY.COM
Charles Lane for County Attorney: Great to see everyone again this morning. For more information on my campaign you can view more at http://charleslaneforlcca.com
Gabrielle Rowley: American Jobs for America’s Youth Montana (AJAY MT) is facilitating the Helena Area Summer Jobs Program with Helena WINS, Reach Higher Montana, Helena College, and STOKE in Townsend for the 4th year! We welcome you to sign up to be a host employer or a mentor. Our student participants are 16-19 years old, complete a work skills training, and meet with a mentor during the summer while they work. For more information or to sign up: www.americanjobs4youth.org/sjp Thank you!
Eric Feaver: AJAY is a GREAT program!
Paul Pacini: Sign the Rail Petition: https://northernplains.org/helena-passenger-rail/
Wesley Feist: Thanks Dr. Cech! Always good to see you!
mckinley: https://forms.gle/ydZ3KCCgJxqwLmEZ9 Here is the form to RSVP to the retiree brunch! Hope to see some of you there.
John E. Cech, Carroll College: Darwin Day - Sat Feb 19 from 1-3 pm - FREE - Info
https://www.carroll.edu/event/darwin-day-kids-fest
Conrad Evarts: QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY POSITION: In your opinions, what is the reason Helena/East Helena violent crime rate is 3 times the national average?
What can we do to bring our violent crime rate down?
Rachel Harlow-Schalk: Thank you Emily and the Helena Community Foundation! Also, all of our nonprofits and those in particular leaning in to help address our emergency and low to moderate income housing gap.
Andy Shirtliff: Thank you, Paul for bringing up the rail.
Andy Shirtliff: It’s needed.
Emily McVey - United Way: www.montana211.org
Conrad Evarts: Call me Paul 406-475-4994 I’m cutting firewood today so if I don’t pick up, I’ll call you back
Emily Frazier: Nonprofit registration for GHG opens Monday: greaterhelenagives.org
Andy Shirtliff: Thanks, Emily!
Emily Frazier: Grant Cycles and current application available today at www.helenaareacommunityfoundation.org
Paul Pacini: Sign the Rail Petition: https://northernplains.org/helena-passenger-rail/
Ann Brodsky: Be Heard Helena page
Andy Shirtliff: I signed it. Thanks Paul. https://northernplains.org/helena-passenger-rail/
Ann Brodsky: I didn't mean to hit send so quickly. Zero Waste Associates is holding a kick-off meeting on 2/17, 4:30-6 pm, to hear from the Helena community as to ideas on waste reduction/diversion of waste from the landfill. You can sign up for the kickoff meeting on the Be Heard Helena page, Be Heard Helena page, and can complete a survey about your experiences and ideas (also on the Be Heard Helena page). I thought I was attaching a link, but please google, come to the kick-off meeting, and take the survey!
Sean Logan: https://beheardhelena.com/strategic-plan-waste-reduction
Ann Brodsky: Thanks Commissioner Logan!
Jeremy Drake: Thank you for sharing that link, Commission Logan.
Jeremy Drake: And thanks for the details, Ann!
Jeremy Drake: Also, here is the City of Helena press release on the upcoming waste reduction plan community kick-off meeting: https://www.helenamt.gov/home/all-news/news-item?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=168&cHash=7c976983db5be742c257b8e7c1ad5e2b
Jeremy Drake: Finally, feel free to reach out to me directly:
jeremy(at)strategyzerowaste.com 406 493-5793 - thank you!
Molly Kruckenberg: Join the Montana Historical Society this afternoon at 4:30 - in person or virtually on our YouTube channel - for a program with Austin Haley on "The Lost West." Haley will explore French history in North American in the years surrounding the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Kevin Downs: Thanks everyone. Here is my contact info: kevin(at)downsforcountyattorney.com https://www.downsforcountyattorney.com/
Mary Rutherford, MT Community Foundation: If you now ANYONE looking for scholarships, we’ll be awarding more than $450,000 this year. MTCF.org
Mary Rutherford, MT Community Foundation: The Montana Charitable Endowment Tax Credit continues - we can help you if you’d like to save on your MT Taxes and help the organizations you love www.MTCF.org
Matt Elsaesser - 406 ♻️: Hometown Helena chat and recording are always posted at Hometownhelena.news courtesy of AZ Technology Services!
Jeremy Drake: Thanks again everyone, I hope to see you next Thursday at the Kick-off meeting. You can register directly here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/helena-waste-reduction-plan-community-kick-off-tickets-238792333297
Andy Shirtliff: Good program thanks!
It’s getting to be light in the eastern sky by 7 am these days, which is a welcome sign of spring. There have been some stunningly beautiful sunrises the last few weeks. We Montanans tend to notice things like the changing of the seasons, the sunsets and sunrises, the return of the birds, or simply seeing a bunny venture out onto the grass after a few months in the warmth of a winter burrow. Perhaps we tend to be more aware of the cyclic nature of time and the rhythms of the seasons than folks who live in other places.
Another sure sign of spring is the construction projects around town ramping up. Shodair Hospital looks to be coming along nicely. It looks as though there’s a lot of inside work going on these days. The Montana Heritage Center is another busy place, with concrete forms having been poured and steel beams set in place. It doesn’t look too busy at the old Capital Hill Mall right now, but that will change in the weeks ahead as construction of the new Benefis Clinic gets underway.
The Class AA High School Speech and Debate contests the weekend before last at Helena High School were remarkable. The halls were filled with students Friday evening and all day Saturday. The poise and confidence these kids displayed was truly inspirational. It was an uplifting experience, but difficult having to judge, and taking into account content, logical thought, style and speaking ability. I saw several other Hometown regulars judging debate, original oratory, dramatic interpretation, extemporaneous speaking, and other categories.
I also took in some incredible Carroll College basketball last weekend. The Fighting Saints took on the Western Montana Bulldogs at the Carroll PE Center. The Carroll teams—men's and women's—dominated the scrappy Bulldogs, winning each game by double digits. It was some fast paced, run, jump and shoot basketball. There’s still a lot of season left. If you get a chance take in a Carroll game.
It’s been great having various candidates for elected office join us at Hometown the last few weeks. Please invite anyone running for office in 2022 to zoom into one of the upcoming meetings. They are always welcome. And, please thank these individuals for being willing to lead and serve their fellow citizens in this capacity. We’ll see if anyone who has thrown their hat into the ring joins us this week. Sure hope so. The venues for getting to know who these folks are, why they’re running, and what they hope to accomplish are few. We want to be one such venue for the candidates, and for the voters who will go to the polls in June and again in November of 2022.
Meanwhile we have another great Hometown lined up this week (see below). Please zoom in if you can. Look forward to seeing you Thursday morning.
Jim Smith
