Council approves Bear Paw membership, color fun run

Members of the Havre City Council voted 6-0 at their Monday night meeting to continue the city's longstanding participation in the Bear Paw Economic Development District.

Council members Jay Pyette and Andrew Brekke were excused from the meeting.

Havre, along with surrounding cities, reservations and counties, are active participants in Bear Paw, an economic development district administered by the oldest operating economic development agency in the state, Bear Paw Development Corp., where members can apply for grants, gain access to other sources of revenue and provide consultation on projects.

Recent projects Bear Paw has assisted the city of Havre with include finding funding for the Bullhook project to replace the culverts in the storm drainage system that runs under the city, managing the grant for the construction of the Antelope Park Housing complex and securing $421,000 to make improvements to the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said the city will pay a $21,250 annual fee to remain a member of the district.

Bear Paw Executive Director Paul Tuss said in February at Bear Paw's annual luncheon that for every dollar Bear Paw gets from local governments, they can leverage $41.22.

"What a great partnership they have been for us," Council member Terry Lilletvedt said before the vote.

She said the partnership is well worth the investment.  

The council unanimously voted to approve a request by the Bullhook Community Health Center to hold a color fun run and walk Saturday, Aug. 12, in observance of National Health Center Week. A letter from Bullhook CEO Cindy Smith requesting the run was presented to the council.

In the letter, Smith said National Health Center Week is meant to raise the profile of Bullhook and generate support for it. The walk's theme this year will be "Celebrating America's Health Centers: the Key to America's Communities," the letter says.

One in every 15 people who reside in the U.S. depend on the services community health centers provide, the letter says.

"We believe that hosting a color run/walk will help to raise the community's awareness of the services provided at Bullhook Community Health Center, while also promoting the overall health of our community," Smith said.

She wrote that organizers have contacted Hill County Search and Rescue to help ensure the safety of runners on the route of the race, with volunteers along the way to help guide runners and direct the traffic.

The council also unanimously voted to enter into a contract with a new auditing firm.

Havre City Finance Director Doug Kaercher said the city received two bids from firms to conduct audits, a one-year bid for Anderson and Zurmuehlen for $24,000 and a three-year bid from Wipfli. Kaercher said the city would pay Wipfli $17,500 for its services in 2017, $18,250 in 2018 and $19,000 in 2019.

At the recommendation of Kaercher, the council voted to award the contract to Wipfli.