Cell phone controversy may be back in council's hands

Though the debate over whether Havre should have a ban on using a cellphone while driving left City Council when the council approved the ban last autumn, it has certainly not ended. In fact it may find its way back to the council soon.

On Wednesday, the council's Ordinance Committee is holding a meeting at City Hall at 6:30 p. m. Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said, when announcing the meeting at the Feb. 6 council meeting, that the meeting will be about a weed ordinance requested by the Public Works Department, adding "and we'll have a talk about cellphones if we get to it. "

The committee meeting will be the first for Rick Dow, the only of the three new council members sworn in last month on the committee, who has been a vocal opponent of the ban since the discussion began.

In the week after the council meeting announcement Dow debated Val Murri, whose consistent appearance at Ordinance Committee meetings led to the ban being considered and eventually passed, on the merits of the ban in the Havre Daily News' opinion page, which echoes still today.

Council member Allen "Woody" Woodwick is also on the Ordinance Committee, though on the other side of the issue from Dow after he was struck on his motorcycle by a texting driver.

When Brekke said that cellphone discussion was coming back, Woodwick asked for a vote to approve it, which passed four to three.