Centennial Shame

11/03/2023

Stop this insane increase in property taxes. Make the rich people pay for the $110 million rec center, not Seniors and struggling new homeowners.

10/16/2023

Truth !!

10/13/2023

10/12/2023

At least one Billings taxpayer is taking his own strong stand against the $143 million levy. He doesn't have the finances that the wealthy business elites do, with their posted signs everywhere to vote yes, but he is doing what every taxpayer should do - fighting to protect himself from non-caring, capricious politicians and business elites. He cannot afford to keep paying higher property taxes for some politician's folly that he will not use.

The homeowner at 429 West 19th Street has created about 50 "Vote No" signs. I was told that he will give a sign to anyone who asks for one.

I went to his home today but no one was there. I will try again. I encourage everyone to go to his home and request a sign for their yard.

Why do the Billings politicians and elitist cronies keep shoving more fool's taxes down the throats of fixed income Seniors, struggling young homeowners, and other financially vulnerable families ?

Why ? Because they got away with that in the past and think they can continue to do the same.

Why ? Because there would be $19 million of 'soft costs' in this project that can be spread around to cronies in fees, reports, studies, diagrams, commissions, yada yada.

Why ? Because Billings people don't like to be informed. They are too busy to notice that they are being screwed.

This homeowner noticed.

09/09/2023

Please go right now to the Billings Gazette page and say NO ! NO !

Make Cole and the City Council separate the two major costs into two separate votes. $57 million for parks and trails. $110 million for the South Billings rec center. They are separate projects.

Read this for more detail on the attempt to betray voters.
bit.ly/TaxpayersDecide

Click to go to the Billings Gazette page to say NO !
https://www.facebook.com/100064605827103/posts/686886173474904/?mibextid=cr9u03

Voters will decide on a $143 million bond to build a recreation center and park and trail projects.

09/07/2023

This meeting on the design of Cottonwood Park will be held tonight at 6:30 at Ben Steele Middle School on west Grand. Cottonwood Park is an undeveloped 38 acre site on 54th StW, just north of Diamond X and the new Albertsons. It was donated to Billings for a future park.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=688977823264399&set=a.222453499916836&type=3&mibextid=cr9u03

Supposedly this will be the last design meeting for public input, and for public thoughts about what facilities/amenities should be in Cottonwood Park.

But even though citizens have already been involved in the first two public meetings on Cottonwood Park, which are sponsored by the Billings Parks Department, there is much doubt that Cottonwood Park will actually be built.

Why not ? The City is sponsoring design meetings, so why doesn't the City allocate enough funds, about $20+ million, to actually build out the park ? Because the City is pulling a fast one on the public. Again... It is actually trying to spend $142 million, heavily on a so-called 'Rec Center' in South Billings, close to Sam's.

The City does need voter approval, so read this link to find out about the "bait and switch" maneuver that City Council and Mayor are using to get voter approval for the $142 million, paid for by increased property taxes.

bit.ly/TaxpayersDecide

Please join us for the THIRD public meeting for the Cottonwood Park Master Planning process. We will be reviewing the findings of the findings from the second public meeting and seeking community input on the concept plans for Cottonwood Park. (Note: the future site of Cottonwood Park is on 54th St & Colton Blvd on the West End.)

The meeting will be held at Ben Steele MS, September 7th at 6:30pm. This meeting is open to the public and all interested parties are invited to attend.

09/04/2023

YOU, a taxpayer and resident of Billings, should be able to vote separately on each of the 2 items in the huge tax levy coming your way.

City Council and power business people in Billings want you to vote YES to fund a $110 million 'rec center' in old South Billings. So you are being bribed. If you agree to the $110 million' rec center', you can also get $57 million for needed improvements to parks and trails in Billings.

But there is a catch. There's always a catch in Billings politics and government, to protect the elites and politicians.

They do not want you to be able to vote separately for 1) 'parks and trails' and 2) 'rec center'. They are forcing you to vote for the entire $142.3 million cost because they are afraid you will vote against the 'rec center' if given the choice to vote separately. And you will likely vote YES for parks and trails. That should be your choice.

Read the full details in this link.

Vote NO on the entire $142.3 million funding. Make the City Council, the Major, and the rich business people change the vote to allow you to vote separately on each.

Read the full details in this link.

09/02/2023

Quick Summary ...

The Billings City Council and Mayor, along with certain business people, developers, consultants, lawyers, who would financially benefit, want to build a $110 million "Rec Center" in older South Billings. But not build it in the more populous high growth areas.

Why ? Well, there are many non-citizen reasons... But regardless, the City Council, with those other selfish interests, will ask you to vote YES on November 7 to increase your taxes to build their $110 million pet project.

Another question - do you think that Billings should spend $57 million to improve parks and trails all over Billings ? Should you be allowed to vote Yes or No on parks and trails improvements ?

Those are two completely separate questions. And should be voted on separately.

But, you cannot vote on them separately. The City Council demands that you must agree to the $110 million "Rec Center" in order to get the $57 million improvements to many parks and trails.

Why, what the hell ? Because they think the public wants the improvements to parks and trails but not the "Rec Center ". So they put the two together to make you agree to the $110 million Rec Center in order to get the $57 million improvements to parks and trails.

So, simply vote NO ! Make the politicians come back to you with a democratic vote that asks the two separate questions.

1. $57 million for parks and trails in all of Billings ???
2. $110 million for the South Billings rec center ??

Don't allow one to affect the other.

Click the link for details.

bit.ly/PeopleParks

08/31/2023

Here are my thoughts regarding the very costly $142 million bond levy that Billings city council wants us dumb voters to approve on November 7.

1. I believe that the entire $142.3 million bond levy plan about to be proposed to Billings voters is simply a deliberately-conceived illusionist plan to convince voters to watch the other hand. The very visible, held-high, right hand is full of promises of major improvements to the parks and trails for all parts of Billings, at a cost of $57.3 million. That is possibly reasonable, and is a good question for voters.

a) But the politican's left hand holds the true motivation of the $142.3 million levy. That goal is to build a $110 million "recreational" center in South Billings, an area that is an older section of Billings, possibly benefitted by renewal and modernization. Do South Billings residents want that renewal, or do business people in South Billings want that renewal ?

b) One entity - SBURA (South Billings Urban Renewal Association) is solely dedicated to bringing renewal money into the area, and is a major promoter of the 'Rec Center". Unbiased promoter, yeah, right.

c) So, do the many residents of other parts of Billings want to pay more in taxes to put more money in the hands of businesses in South Billings? That's a fair question, and one that should be put to a very specific vote of ALL Billings residents.

d) Then to repeat a key question - why is City Council attempting to force Billings taxpayers to vote for the entire $142.3 million package, and not allowing voters to vote on the two completely separate issues - 1) $57.3 million for parks and trails in all parts of Billings and 2) $85.0 million for the South Billings 'Rec Center" ?

Why ?? Because the Council and South Billings' businesses are afraid that the $85.0 million South Billings Rec Center, in a now remote part of Billings, will be voted down by taxpayers. "To get what you need (parks) , you have to agree to what I want - (a 110 $ million Rec Center) Is that democracy ?

2. How did I become aware of this impending $142.3 million vote ?
I was naive. thinking that finally Billings government would do something positive for citizens. Suddenly, about 6 weeks ago, the Billings Parks Department announced a series of meetings to allow the public to help create the design and Master Plan for the undeveloped 38 acre Cottonwood Park in west Billings, along 54th Ave. I enthusiastically attended the first design meeting, and made several naive recommendations. Finally it seemed that I had the opportunity to take part in the decisions of Billings. Politicians and Elites do not rule ! Citizens do ! Yeah, right...

Then just a few days later, I was made aware of the huge $142.3 impending bond levy and then looked into its details. Then I discovered that Cottonwood Park was being planned for just $1 million in this bond levy. The South Billings rec center had $85 million included but Cottonwood Park, in the fast growing residential area of west Billings, had just one million, probably just to allow the City Council to say that all parts of Billings would be included in the $142.3 million. Because obviously, west Billings residents are stupid.

This is a link to the Resolution made by Council on Monday. There are several gotcha's in it. Let me know if you are interested.

08/25/2023

No one listens. No one cares. That's the Billings Way

First, let me tell you about a discussion I once had with Tom Rupsis. I was on the Billings Parks Board; Rupsis was either the Chairman or the blessed incoming Chairman because he was Rick DeVore's right hand man. I argued strongly against THEIR mandated design of Centennial Park since it was totally against the desires of Billings residents, as clearly expressed in a City-funded survey of Billings residents.

Bill Cole kicked me off the Parks Board because I argued for people. He will claim that I was loud and unruly on the Parks Board. That is a lie. An absolute LIE. He kicked me off the Parks Board because I argued for PEOPLE, and their wishes.

I have lived in many places before my wife and I relocated to Billings. I do appreciate Montana, but am constantly amazed and disappointed by the cronyism of Billings politics and the total disregard of its citizens.

Back to the "discussion" with Tom Rupsis. He wanted me to shut up, to stop my comments about the malfeasant design of Centennial Park. He said many times that I needed to understand 'the Billings Way'. That phrase was so revolting to me that I might have thrown up in his face, so I simply left our meeting. 'The Billings Way' , not the right way, not the way of residents, but obviously the way of connected cronyism.

Rupsis even told the City Council that there would never be a Phase 2 for Centennial Park, that the mythical "Public/Private" funding would pay for any future needs for Centennial. I was present and have his comments on video if anyone cares.

So now there is $8 million of tax dollars proposed by City Council to make Centennial Park more than just a dog park. $4 million originally for a nice dog park, but $8 million more to convert Centennial to a PEOPLE's park, even though Rupsis said "never again".

Moving to the present ....
At the same time that Billings residents were taking their time to help design Cottonwood Park under the guidance of the Parks Department, the City Council was developing a huge cronyism, pork barrel plan that removed funding for Cottonwood Park. Yeah, maybe 1 million for a parking lot in Cottonwood Park, simply something to make the mayor and Council feel good.

Did I mention that Bill Cole thanked me in email for my interest and support of Cottonwood Park, even at the same time he and the Council were plotting to spend $111 million on a cronyism Rec Center, while removing funding for Cottonwood Park ? That's important to mention. That's the Billings Way.

So even though Cottonwood Park may not be built in my lifetime, there is now a Master Plan for it. That's likely just another cronyism payment to a consulting company, one that would need to be repeated a decade from now when there is a citizen mandate to care about citizens. That will come. People do get tired about political BS and politicians.

The current so-called Master Plan for Cottonwood is simply a copy/paste consultant's template. Eye of newt, toe of dog.

I did take time and effort to state to the consultant that the placement of tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball courts were too close to residents.

See these examples about pickleball courts being shut down because neighbors filed suits about the noise from pickleball.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/sports/pickleball-noise-complaints-lawsuits.html

https://denvergazette.com/outdoors/congress-park-pickleball-courts-closed-noise/article_eebeb5d6-d236-11ed-9c78-e32582087367.html

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/11/business/pickleball-sports-noise-complaints-tennis-ctpr/index.html

I was ignored. That's the Billings Way.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

07/15/2023

Here we go again....

Yet another opportunity to create a beautiful family park for west Billings.

And now sold out. Gone. Promised but then traitored. Cottonwood Park was promised to be a major new family park for families, for beauty, even culture.

While we all were happy, excited, and working to help design a great park, it was suddenly taken away by Cole and Council. For a major pork barrel project, for more wealth to the elites.

On June 29, I was very pleased to attend a meeting to participate in the design, the Master Plan, for Cottonwood Park. That meeting was apparently sponsored by the City of Billings and its Parks & Recreation Department. Well, once again the City Council and Mayor of Billings have proved that It does what it wants to do, not what citizens want. That meeting was a charade. I did not know it then but found that to be true on July 11.

Even though Billings' tax paying residents attended the meeting and enthusiastically worked with the consultant Michael Versemann of Land Design Inc to prioritize their wishes for Cottonwood Park, they all were apparently misled (lied to ?) because it's obvious now that the Mayor and City Council were in the final stages of creating a plan that basically ignored Cottonwood Park for funding. Any significant funding for Cottonwood Park was removed by Mayor and Council, and likely will not come back for many, many years.

So the west end residents were duped into thinking their opinions matter, and that their time matters on this project. Neither their opinions nor their time apparently matter to Cole and Council. "Just throw them a bone. They'll be happy. They are ignorant commoners anyway."

I should have known that, from both past history of neglect by Cole and Council, and by the attendance that night. I especially noted that NO ONE of importance from the City was present. This was to be a very significant Park addition for west Billings, but yet no managers from the Park Department were present, only one lower-level new Parks employee. There were NO Parks Board members present. Apparently they did not care. Or maybe the Parks Board members already knew that the efforts of the citizens would be wasted, that the funding had already been diverted elsewhere ? There were actually two Council members present -- Pam Purinton and Tom Rupsis. Pam sat at my table and worked diligently to arrive at our consensus list of priority items for Cottonwood Park. I don't know why Tom Rupsis attended. Tom, were you already aware that decisions had been already made to remove any worthwhile funding for Cottonwood ?

Bill Cole had actually replied to my email about the upcoming meeting to say the following.

" Thank you for advocating for Cottonwood Park.

As you say, Northwest Billings is growing. The attached map shows the area roughly 1.5 miles from the park that would be most benefited but that currently has no large park. About 11,000 people live in that area, and the number gets bigger every day.

I'm sorry I won't be able to attend tonight's meeting as I'm out of town."

So even though Bill Cole thanked me for my interest in Cottonwood Park, and apparently agreed that it is needed for the west Billings rapidly growing area, and its residents, at the same time was he was working with others on a plan that would remove the funding for Cottonwood Park?

Instead of $20 million for Cottonwood Park and many citizens of west Billings, there are council members (and Cole ?) pushing to spend $111 million on a recreation center that is miles away, and likely won't be used by west Billings residents. Unless they are ice hockey players and parents. Let's take that survey; all west Billings residents who will make ice hockey important in their lives, raise your hands ! Maybe we should modify Cottonwood Park to have ice hockey.

The funds required are $143 million, of which $111 million go into the Recreation Center for design, consultants, contractors, and finally construction. The other $30 million or so is spread over many other smaller projects. It appears that the city is funding "something small for everybody" in order to get the big project approved. I guess that everyone, except of course those interested in Cottonwood Park, will get some bone thrown to them. Everyone can then believe they are getting something. So maybe they will support the big ticket item to get their small tickets punched.

Frankly, I am very concerned about any project in Billings for that amount of money. There is simply too much cronyism in Billings. That's the "Billings Way" as Tom Rupsis once lectured me. He used that term over and over again. It was nauseating, sickening, repulsive, against any of my prior business ethics. This whole project may be 'get rich' time for consultants and contractors here in Billings.

OK, I realize that there's a plan to raise $250,000 for a PR campaign to get public support for the $143 million bond levy. (More money for consultants.) But there are many, many residents who are opposed to the costly Rec Center that is not for them. Once I had talked to Bill Cole about his need to create a Legacy for Billings. Yes, this entire project may not be a Legacy. This is a Titanic instead.

Thank you,
Clark JohnsonA west Billings resident who was initially excited that our fast growing, highly taxed area would finally have a beautiful family park, full of beauty and fun for all residents. Centennial was not that park. I had high hopes that Cottonwood Park would be.

07/12/2023

This is late notice. But if you have opportunity, go to the Parks Board Meeting today at 11:00 am in the Senior Community Center.

You may be able to find out more about the latest travesty that Billings government and politicians are scheming for.

That includes a $111 million pork barrel recreation center.