City renews Highway 2 Assoc. membership
City renews Highway 2 Assoc. membership
Zach White
With a few minor reservations, Havre City Council voted Tuesday to continue its membership in the Highway 2 Association, which lobbies improvement to the highway along the Hi-Line.
A resolution to renew membership, including the $100 annual fee that it entails, passed in the council, with only member, Pam Hillery, voting against it.
“At this point, we should not be looking at four lanes for Highway 2, ” Hillery said. “That $100 is a small amount of money, but the state shouldn’t even be looking at this right now, when we’re looking at cuts in social services. ”
According to Bob Sivertsen, president of the Highway 2 Association, activity on the state level is not so much about trying to expand for new programs, but avoiding the same cuts that Hillery is concerned about for social services.
“Right now it’s damage control because I guess the governor is proposing to take 80 percent of oil and gas moneys that are supposed to go to infrastructure and schools, ” Sivertsen said. “We have to rally together to make sure that doesn’t happen. ”
He said the organization is working with Washington legislators on securing “some new funding opportunities. ”
The association is doing what it can to help with legislation on the Port of Wild Horse, to facilitate Canadian traffic from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Sivertsen said this traffic has already been increasing and should reach new heights this year.
“This summer will see the greatest activity we’ve seen on the Hi-Line in a while, ” Sivertsen said.
Other city leaders had some concerns about the organization, but voted to support it anyway.
Council member Andrew Brekke said that he had voted against membership in the organization before, but has supported it for the past two years.
“I’m not sure it’s right by principle that the city of Havre joins a private organization of any sort, but I support it, ” Brekke said. “It’s just a matter of principle. I support the concept and I think they do a great job with the resources they have. ”
Mayor Tim Solomon agrees that the organization works well for its size, particularly in the past. Though he wonders “how effective they are any more. ”
“Any effort helps, ” Solomon said.
Sivertsen said the organization is glad to have the support of the communities that make the association’s existence possible.
“We appreciate the support of the Havre City Council, ” Sivertsen said. “They’ve been great. ”
With a few minor reservations, Havre City Council voted Tuesday to continue its membership in the Highway 2 Association, which lobbies improvement to the highway along the Hi-Line.
A resolution to renew membership, including the $100 annual fee that it entails, passed in the council, with only member, Pam Hillery, voting against it.
“At this point, we should not be looking at four lanes for Highway 2, ” Hillery said. “That $100 is a small amount of money, but the state shouldn’t even be looking at this right now, when we’re looking at cuts in social services. ”
According to Bob Sivertsen, president of the Highway 2 Association, activity on the state level is not so much about trying to expand for new programs, but avoiding the same cuts that Hillery is concerned about for social services.
“Right now it’s damage control because I guess the governor is proposing to take 80 percent of oil and gas moneys that are supposed to go to infrastructure and schools, ” Sivertsen said. “We have to rally together to make sure that doesn’t happen. ”
He said the organization is working with Washington legislators on securing “some new funding opportunities. ”
The association is doing what it can to help with legislation on the Port of Wild Horse, to facilitate Canadian traffic from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Sivertsen said this traffic has already been increasing and should reach new heights this year.
“This summer will see the greatest activity we’ve seen on the Hi-Line in a while, ” Sivertsen said.
Other city leaders had some concerns about the organization, but voted to support it anyway.
Council member Andrew Brekke said that he had voted against membership in the organization before, but has supported it for the past two years.
“I’m not sure it’s right by principle that the city of Havre joins a private organization of any sort, but I support it, ” Brekke said. “It’s just a matter of principle. I support the concept and I think they do a great job with the resources they have. ”
Mayor Tim Solomon agrees that the organization works well for its size, particularly in the past. Though he wonders “how effective they are any more. ”
“Any effort helps, ” Solomon said.
Sivertsen said the organization is glad to have the support of the communities that make the association’s existence possible.
“We appreciate the support of the Havre City Council, ” Sivertsen said. “They’ve been great. ”
