City looks at vet memorial park, approves Art Alley celebration

Editor’s note: This version corrects the date of the 2022 Art Alley Spring Celebration.

Havre City Council approved several items on unanimous votes Monday including closing streets for the second Art Alley Spring Celebration and hearing a proposal to change U.S. Bank Park on 11th Street West to a veterans memorial park.

Council member Josh Miller said the Parks and Recreation Committee heard a proposal to rename the park and build a memorial there. He said the committee was told U.S. Bank was willing to give up the name for the park to allow the change.

David Brewer told the board during the public comment section of the meeting that he appreciated being able to go forward with the project on a positive note.

Brewer, who also is a Democratic candidate for the Montana Senate and will face the winner of the Republican primary race between Sen. Russ Tempel and Steve Chivilicek, said the organizers will be at the next City Council meeting to start implementing the changes.

The council unanimously approved the request from Bear Paw Development Corp. on behalf of the Hi-Line Arts Council to close some streets for the Art Alley Celebration, set for Saturday, April 30.

Bear Paw Development Executive Director Paul Tuss said the event will include live artists and live music with alcohol available at Crawford Distillery and with Montana Actors’ Theater selling beverages through its beer and wine license.

The board unanimously approved a recommendation from Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich to approve appointing Lucas Elander as a probationary patrolman in the department.

Matosich said Elander is a guard at the Cascade County Detention Center as well as a member of the Army National Guard and has experience as a guard at the Washington state penitentiary system.

He said Elander will make an excellent addition to Havre police force.

The board also approved a proclamation from Mayor Doug Kaercher naming April 25 as Arbor Day.

Tuss, who also is a candidate for the Legislature, challenging Rep. Ed Hill, R-Havre as a Democrat in the race for House District 28, thanked the council during the public comment section for the city being being a charter dues-paying member of Bear Paw Development, Montana’s oldest certified economic development agency.

Tuss said the governments in Bear Paw’s five-county, two Indian reservation district receive a good return on their investment, citing its annual report as saying for every dollar put in by local governments last year, Bear Paw brought in $135 to the area.

Council member Sarah McKinney said hearing about the results of Bear Paw’s work and its broad reach is one of her favorite parts of the year.

Tuss said it is the participating governments that allow Bear Paw to function.

“I simply say, thank you,” Tuss said. “We couldn’t do it without you.”