Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s independent commentary:
- New Fees in Great Falls
- Losing Jobs
- Bobcats Basketball
NEW FEES IN GREAT FALLS:
The Electric reported that the Great Falls City Commission unanimously approved new golf fees during their March 19 meeting. The fees were not increased that much, and nobody on the commission voted against the increase.
I gave up golf several years ago as it was getting pricey back then. A dollar here and a dollar there adds up.
In a separate article, The Electric reported that fees had been established for the new aquatics center and fees for programs like camps, and volleyball/basketball leagues, were increased. As you might imagine, the new fees for the aquatics center and the increase in fees passed unanimously.
It appears that after a few meetings of the Great Falls City Commission, they are just like the old commission, which raised fees and taxes and stuck it to the man.
Check out The Electric articles HERE and HERE.
LOSING JOBS:
With the news that Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seely Lake was closing and around 100 people losing their jobs coupled with the recent news that Roseburg Forest Products in Missoula is closing and around 150 people losing their jobs, these losses will have a significant impact on Montana – especially in the communities surrounding the businesses.
We see politicians tout all the good things they have done for their state and/or their district. The big “L” (as in loss) must be pinned on people like Governor Greg Gianforte.
Gianforte was quick to pass the buck to the federal government saying, “Our timber industry supports our communities and Montanans with good-paying jobs, and it needs greater certainty from the federal government.” (Source)
People should ask him if he has a plan for these hard-working people – a plan that does not include blaming someone else.
BOBCATS BASKETBALL:
It will be a long time before the Montana State Bobcats men’s basketball team will be able to forget about playing in the “First Four” of the NCAA tournament.
The Bobcats had a fourteen-point lead over Grambling State early in the second half and seemed to come unraveled before losing in overtime 88-81.
The Bobcats finished their season 17-18. Check out the Box Score HERE.
The Western Word 
Many years ago I asked a former Park & Rec director what golf employees do in the winter. He said, “Sharpen blades.”
Haha. I guess that might be true. -JmB
if your park and rec director really thought that’s all that needed to be done on a golf course in the winter then I’m not surprised that they farmed out maintenance.
That comment came from someone who probably spent his ass in a chair regardless of the season.
.
A new golf cart can cost you $10000 plus and a decent set of clubs $1000 plus. The greens fees the golfers complain about are the least of it.
I didn’t have the pricey cart or clubs, but the price of beer was pretty high! Thanks, JmB
I remember the golf course concessions where you bought the pricey beer claimed they never made a profit for the years the city ran it.
Billy Thompson, the owner of Hickory Swings, once worked on the grounds crew at Eagle Falls. He could have helped them out with running a successful business.
I am unclear why the City of Great Falls still continues to insert City commissioners in the details of golf course fees.
They outsourced operations to a private company several years ago because the City was incapable of operating golf at a profit or at least not a loss, AND are insisting this private company also pay back the years of accounting “red ink” the City ran up insisting that golf courses unlike all other City parks pay their own way. So why is the City still micro-managing the operations?
Unleash the power and ingenuity of private enterprise. Let them decide for themselves what fees are appropriate. I would start by creating a 2nd premium tier of annual fee that would apply to the “members” who are out at Eagle Falls 5 days a week all spring summer fall playing 27 or 36 holes per day and then bragging how they played 300 rounds or whatever all year for their $900 annual pass. Those are the folks putting the most wear and tear on the courses while paying the lowest per round fee.
And while you’te at it lease out operations of all the other parks too and let’s realize some City income from those albatrosses.
Your ideas are worth pursuing. City governments would probably find that private companies could do the job better for less. Thanks, JmB
It’s too bad Governor Gianforte can’t accomplish anything for Montana in the way of “good-paying jobs” other than playing head cheerleader for the same old same old extractive industries. Come on man you told us all about how you were “a job creator” so get with bringing in all those 21st century companies and good-paying high tech jobs.
If losing all these jobs is “Leading the Montana Comeback” as he proclaims on his X page, then I can’t wait for what’s next! Thanks, JmB
Boy if this doesn’t sum up MAGAs in general, including two prominent ones here locally. Run for offices for which you are totally unqualified and incapable of doing, and then whine that you’re getting picked on for being a constitutional incompetent! Heckuva way to make things great again. Who does this except for folks stupid enough to be election deniers? (Or kitty litter boxes in schools believers.)
https://dailymontanan.com/2024/03/21/what-a-fool-believes/