Our View: Thumbs up, thumbs down

As we end 2014, we see so many things that people of Hill County and the Hi-Line have accomplished, and yet, so much that still needs to be done.

New Year’s Day is always a good time to take stock of what we have done and what needs to be worked on.

See if you agree with our prognosis.

Thumbs up: Hi-Line neighborliness

The astronomical number of benefits, special-help programs and other ways of helping people in need continues to skyrocket in Havre and the vicinity.

There is something unique to the Hi-Line here. It seems that every week, there is some kind of activity aimed at helping people who need help.

Especially impressive this year was the Havre High Key Club‘s efforts to raise money for two families who had sick children. But week after week there are events that are fun, entertaining and raise money for a good cause.

There is something unique to Montana in this, and something especially unique to the Hi-Line.

It’s a place where you don’t bother your neighbor, but the minute they need help, you jump in with both feet.

It probably started with the homesteaders, the people known for rugged independence combined with neighborly generosity.

But as time has gone on and society has become more complex, the Hi-Line neighborly atmosphere has grown even stronger and more of a part of our community’s fabric.

Thumbs up: Historic preservation

An important part of preserving the Hi-Line’s unique atmosphere is to preserve some the historic structures that have graced our communities since they were founded.

Too many landmarks are facing tough times, having lived through years of neglect.

But there was great news with two historic landmarks.

People are marveling at the restoration of the old post office building in downtown Havre. Drs. Marc Whitacre and Erica Farmer have revitalized the structure that was falling apart and at its death knell a few years back. Eventually, the doctors will live on the upper floor and the rest of the building will be for private offices and places for public events.

For years, the Masons have had trouble trying to figure out how to pay for needed improvements in the Masonic Temple just across the street from the old post office, While still paying taxes on the century-old landmark.

They have now sold the building to owners who plan on restoring the building and making parts of it available for public gathering.

It’s sad that the Masons will lose their longtime home, but the money gained from the sale will be sused for the Masons’ many community projects, and the sale breathes new life into the historic building.

A few clouds are on the horizon for preserving some old landmarks, though.

Montana State University-Northern is looking into the future of Donaldson Hall, one of the lynchpins of the campus.

The university system has pretty much said Havre is on its own when it comes to fixing the building, but fortunately, efforts to restore the building have a lot of support on and off campus. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Fort Assinniboine, the spot where the U.S. military first put its mark on north-central Montana, and its supporters face a great number of obstacles in maintaining the few buildings that remain.

Thumbs down: Industrial development

Hill County is blessed with several good employers who offer stable work and a reasonable salary.

BNSF, Montana State University-Northern, Northern Montana Health Care and the many smaller employers in the area have done well for area workers, helping to keep the Hi-Line’s unemployment rate lower than the national average.

Let’s not take them for granted. It would be great to have some industries in town that can provide employment to Hi-Liners.

Havre is lucky in that it is close — but not too close — to the Bakken oil fields.

Several Montana communities are home to factories that make products that can be manufactured for Bakken industries.

Bear Paw Development Corp. is in charge of finding funding and expertise to help companies learn about opportunities on the Hi-Line. We hope business and governmental entities join together for a big push to attract more employers to the area.

It will involve some work. We are off the beaten track, and people who have never lived here may fail to see why it is so exciting, but using the old homesteader work ethic, let’s see if we can’t find some employers willing to take a risk here.

Thumbs down: Infrastructure

The glue that holds the Hi-Line together, it seems, is falling apart.

Like most communities, water and sewer lines are precarious. Streets need repairs. Sidewalks could be improved.

Bullhook drainage flows beneath the city. Our foreparents built parts of the city on top of the creek. Over the decades, we have not cared for that system, and some city streets are caving into the creek. Our citizens, our industry and our school buses deserve better.

Our area is still isolated. Fortunately we have a good rail system. Freight trains and Amtrak run through the city frequently.

North Central Montana Transit has made great strides in providing people with rides around the area, but much more needs to be done.

U.S. Highway 2 is one of our main connectors with the outside world. Much of the road has undergone major renovations in recent years, but it is still two lanes.

Government officials and private citizens have undertaken a valiant effort in past years to convince the state to make it four lanes. It won’t be an easy task.

The state is not awash in money, and the political clout of the Hi-Line is much less than that of the state’s massive Boot region. But we mustn’t give up.