Havre loses bid to regain co-op development center

The Montana Cooperative Development Center is on its way to a new home in Great Falls, rather than back to Havre.

The board of directors of the center voted by secret ballot Tuesday afternoon during a meeting in Havre. Before the vote, the board met behind closed doors for about 40 minutes, in apparent violation of the state's open meeting laws.

The choice of the center's new home was between Bear Paw Development Corp. of Havre and the Montana Farmers Union.

Rich Owen, president of the MCDC board, said this morning the executive committee of the board would not disclose the record of the vote....