City approves $1,000 for North Central Transit

North Central Montana Transit will get a $1,000 contribution from the city of Havre after an intense debate and a 4-3 vote of City Council Wednesday night.

The money will come from an allocation meant to help newly elected lawmakers learn about city government.

The vote on the $1,000 allocation was the only controversial measure in the city budget, which council adopted Wednesday night.

The transit system had asked for $15,000, but city officials agreed the city didn’t have that kind of money in the tight budget that pushes right up against the city’s taxing authority.

The bus system transports people from Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy to Havre and back. stopping at every community along the way. It also provides service to Great Falls twice a week. It also has intracity runs through Havre.

Transit system director Jim Lyons said most of the passengers are coming to and from Havre.

Council members supporting the proposal said they appreciate the service the transit system provides and believed it help bring business to the city.

But council member Andrew Brekke was worried that the city is out of money and turned aside many worthy budget requests from city government because there is no money and now is willing to give money to an outside agency.

He said salary increases for city workers have been kept to a minimum and contract talks with the city’s four unions are at a stalemate.

The city is in dire need of street and sidewalk repair.

If the city loses its pending arbitration with the International Association of Fire Fighters, the city will be in serious fiscal trouble, dissenting council members said.

But other members said the transit system was worth supporting.

“It’s no secret I’m on the liberal side of things,” said council member Jay Pyette. He argued that by helping the bus system, it was helping the city to grow, and by growing the tax base, it will raise money money to fund other projects the city desperately needs.

On the other hand, council member Terry Lilletvedt said “it breaks my liberal heart to have to vote against this.”

But she said the emphasis is on making infrastructure improvements that she said are vital to the city’s future.

With the question of the bus system subsidy out of the way, council quickly passed the final budget. Brekke was the only one to vote against it. He said he would have favored the initial budget submitted by Mayor Tim Solomon without the bus system subsidy.

Here is the Havre City Council vote on the proposal to give North Central Montana Transit $1,000.

Voting yes: Pam Hillery, Janet Trethewey, Allen “Woody” Woodwick, Jay Pyette.

Voting no: Terry Lilletvedt, Matthew Boucher, Andrew Brekke.

Absent: Brian Barrows