Wild Horse backers ask city for money

Update: In an earlier edition of this story, Councilman Rick Dow, in his discussion with former Councilman Bob Kaul, was quoted as ask ""Why are you here?" An audio tape of the meeting showed that he said "while you are here ..." We regret the error.

In the midst of a very active public comment section, during Monday night's Havre City Council meeting, Mayor Tim Solomon notified the rest of the council of an upcoming meeting on border issues in Medicine Hat, Alberta, in October.

Ports-to-Plains Alliance, a non-profit from Lubbock, Texas, is holding its 15th annual conference from Oct. 2 through 4.

While Solomon plans on attending, he encouraged council members to participate, considering the group's influence in efforts to expand the local Port of Wild Horse to 24-hour operation and the "4 for 2" U. S. Highway 2 expansion initiative.

Council president Andrew Brekke said this morning that he supports their work, but had been to enough meetings before that he might skip this one.

Councilman Brian Barrows, in his first term, said he is interested in attending the conference.

"I would be interested in meeting some of the other players showing up and see what we can do to spur the economy, " Barrows said. "It's an opportunity to bring services to everybody. "

While he said he supports both the port and highway expansion, he mostly spoke of the economic possibilities of developing a cohesive corridor from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, as Ports-to-Plains hopes to do.

Former council member Bob Kaul was at the council meeting to talk about that conference and a concurrent luncheon that he and fellow port-activist Bob Sivertsen are hoping to organize to bring Wild Horse figures together.

He asked if any individual members, or perhaps the city government, would like to pitch in toward the $8,000 event.

"I was just curious while you're here, " Dow said and then requested information on some of Kaul's ongoing related projects, including widening roads between Havre and Canada.

Kaul said he is working with four local contractors and the Montana Department of Transportation to hopefully move ditches and expand crossroads some time over the next few months.

Dow then suggested that Kaul look elsewhere for help with his luncheon.

"I just wonder if Vibrant Futures would want to help with that, " Dow said.

+Dow is a strong opponent of the Vibrant Futures program, an effort to coordinate planning efforts for the Hi-Line.