Hometown Helena this Thursday, August 25, 7 a.m.: Back to School Update with Supers of East Helena and Helena

Hometown Helena -- Thursday, August 11, 7 a.m.  @ The Montana Club & Live via ZOOM hosted by AZ Technology Services:


Support Hometown Helena's gathering at the Montana Club:




Message from out host Jim Smith:

Greetings Everyone,

By the time you read this Mayor Collins and Commissioners Dean, Logan and Reed may have already chosen the citizen honored to replace Eric Feaver on the Helena city commission.   A meeting is scheduled for later today (Tuesday) to make a final selection from among the four finalists: Brianne Harrington, Kim Mangold, Troy McGee, Andy Shirtliff.   We wish the mayor and commissioners well in their deliberations and will anxiously await their decision.  Twelve very qualified individuals applied for the vacancy created by the untimely death of newly elected Commissioner Feaver.  These twelve people were an excellent cross section of the community.  A rigorous process winnowed the initial number down to the four finalists mentioned above.  The process was also open and transparent.  We’re looking forward to learning who the new city commissioner will be, and to congratulating him or her on being selected.  We’ll extend a Hometown invitation to the new commissioner in the near future.

Meanwhile, summer is winding down and school is starting next week.  We’ll get an update from Dan Rispens, East Helena Superintendent; and Rex Weltz, Helena Superintendent (see below).  We often hear about the metaphor of the three legged stool.  Well, at the local level it’s pretty simple to describe the three legs of our stool: the city, the county, the school district.  Upon these three legs rests a great deal. 

My sister, who has been living out of state the last 18 years, was back in town for several days last month.  I had a chance to take her on a bit of a tour while she was in town.  It’s pretty amazing what all has happened here over the last two decades.  I showed her the new Central and Bryant schools in the heart of Helena.  We drove thru Mountain View Meadows, which was open prairie and bare ground when she left.  From there is was down the hill, past the ASARCO Smelter site and American Chemet, into East Helena’s downtown and the education complex just north of there.  I explained that the slag pile is on its way, rail car by rail car, to South Korea where it will be transformed into a useful product.  She got a chance to see Prickly Pear Elementary, East Gate Junior High, and the newest addition, Vigilante High School.  We wrapped up our tour at the Missouri River Brewing Company.  It was a treat to show my sister around and point out any number of good things that have happened here recently.

Looking forward to seeing you Thursday in person or on the big screen zoom! 

Jim Smith

Comments