Whitehall, MT

The Whitehall Town Council has entered into an agreement with Great West Engineering to assist the Town in the drafting of an appropriate Growth Policy. A public meeting was held on June 17 for the purposes of gathering comment from the public on issues, concerns and desires. If you missed the June 17 meeting, more opportunities will be available in the future for the public to offer comments. But there is no need to wait for the next public meeting to offer comments, ask questions or to identify what is important to you.

Dialogue can, and should, be ongoing throughout the process. More people participating in the process will lead to the adoption of a Growth Policy that truly reflects the desires of the community.

The Whitehall Community Blog is a great forum for dialogue and it can be a useful and easy tool to use. Just log on and start talking. To comment, simply go to the bottom of this post, find the small gray text that says comment and click on the link. You will have an opportunity to sign up and quickly type in your comments. Let’s get the conversation going and get some ideas and thoughts out there.

If you would like to know a bit more about Growth Policies, what they are, why they are important, or have other questions, I have provided a short primer below.

Let’s Start Talking!!!

WHAT IS A GROWTH POLICY?

A Growth Policy is an official public document that guides policy decisions related to the physical, social, and economic growth of a city or county and provides a framework for future growth, development, and public decision-making. The Policy provides direction for how an area will grow and evolve over time and establishes the goals, objectives, and policies that should be pursued to improve its quality of life, preserve and promote the community’s assets, and ensure that a community or county is an attractive, safe and prosperous place to live and work now and into the future. The Growth Policy assesses the opportunities and challenges facing the area and sets priorities for implementing the recommended actions of the Policy. A Growth Policy is not a regulatory document. Rather, it is a guiding document which includes the goals, objectives and policies that are then implemented through development regulations.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A GROWTH POLICY?

A Growth Policy is beneficial because it provides a road map for how an area will grow. Planning helps produce better communities and stronger economies. It incorporates goals and policies, provides the opportunity for community-defined direction, and provides greater predictability to property owners.

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT TOOL

For the Growth Policy to be an effective management tool, an area must plan for the future by analyzing today’s growth and development patterns and determining priorities for future capital improvements and investments. The Policy is a tool for elected officials to make informed choices about future land use. Informed land use decisions will ideally result in more orderly and predictable growth and cost-effective delivery of services to areas residents. Most Growth Policies typically have a 20-year planning horizon and provides continuity for future decision-making, despite fluctuations in the local economy or changes in elected officials. Growth Policies are a living document and are reviewed at least every 5 years so that changes can be incorporated to reflect patterns and priorities for the future.

COMMUNITY DEFINED DIRECTION

A Growth Policy allows residents to take control over their destiny, as opposed to responding to changes around them and reacting to that change. The Policy provides opportunity to identify, consolidate, and synthesize the major themes and issues present by creating a venue for the public to contribute and provide guidance on future direction, including preserving the characteristics that make our communities and counties unique.

GREATER PREDICTABILITY

A Growth Policy provides greater predictability to private property owners, businesses, and developers in making long-term decisions about the future use and enjoyment of their property. The plan can inform land investments by defining the general location, direction, type, and extent of residential, commercial, and industrial development into the future.

The problem of drug and alcohol abuse and other associated problems such as binge drinking, drinking and driving, underage drinking, and drug use and trafficking was repeatedly identified throughout the Horizons’ process. Not surprisingly, significant numbers of adult participants pointed to drug and alcohol abuse as a problem. What was a bit surprising was that students and young adults who participated in the Horizons’ process also pointed out that they, too, believed there was a problem.

A Whitehall community leader, who was a participant in the Horizon’s process, put her talents and passion to work in an effort to address the problem of drug and alcohol abuse in our community.

Cindy Larsen, impacted at the age of 17 by a friend’s drinking and driving tragedy that ended an innocent life, has always been passionate about trying to keep kids and adults from making potentially life altering poor decisions with regard to drug or alcohol use and took on the huge challenge of attempting to counter this community crisis.

Larsen discovered there was grant money available to address these challenges and with a deadline that was fast approaching, Larson worked quickly to gather all the material and wade through an arduous grant application in hopes of receiving funding that could help Jefferson County address a major community concern. The grant application was successful and Jefferson County received nearly $700,000 to establish the Whitehall Community Change Project and the Boulder Community Change Project.

While there are seven regions throughout Montana which received funding for Community Change Projects, Jefferson County is the only individual county to have received funding. Ike Jessee, a former deputy county sheriff is the program officer in Whitehall. Randy McGinnis, whose background is in business and statistics, serves the Boulder community as its program director. Larsen is now serving as the project coordinator.

The Whitehall (and Boulder) Community Change Projects are designed to specifically address environmental causes and identify solutions to the problems of binge drinking and drinking and driving. Both Community Change Projects are community driven with solutions that will fit each community’s needs. The grant is for a 3.5 year period, and when the grant funding goes away, the goal is to have committed members of the communities serving on Strategy Teams. These teams will continue on with programs to ensure that Jefferson County, Whitehall and Boulder stay on the right track and that more and more people stay safe by making wise decisions.

While organizations such as the DUI Task Force focus on education, the Community Change Projects are focusing on changing the social norms through policies and other methods that aim to create permanent change. The Whitehall Community Change Project Strategy Team has spent the last several months gathering data that will help the Project analyze what factors in the local environment are contributing to the problem. Once the data is gathered and compiled, the Strategy Team will outline action items. All Montana Community Change Projects are being assisted by the Bozeman branch of the Institute for Public Strategies (IPS). IPS, according to its website, provides leadership and strategies which support changes in public and private policy and community standards and norms.

The Montana Community Change Project materials state the goal is to change public attitudes towards underage drinking and substance abuse from “That’s just the way it is,” to “No, you are too young to do that.” Other material language includes “This is a new kind of prevention approach. It is called environmental prevention and the goal is to change community attitudes and norms in relation to drugs and alcohol use.”

Statistics show that binge drinking does not just result in someone getting drunk or worse, drinking and driving. Binge drinking also increases the likelihood of sexual activity, unplanned pregnancy, violence, child abuse, accidental death and suicide. Montana has the dubious distinction of being among the top five states in the nation in regards to binge drinking — for both youth and older adults, according to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Nearly half of Montana’s traffic fatalities involve a drunk driver, compared to 32 percent nationally.

Larsen pointed out that once an individual is drunk; it is too late to make a good decision. If we can prevent kids from getting alcohol, we can prevent them from drinking and driving and making other potentially life altering decisions. Alcohol is viewed as a stepping stone to other drugs. While alcohol is legal for adults and is socially acceptable, there must be an awareness and commitment to consume alcohol in a safe and responsible manner according to Larsen. “The overall goal is to create a healthier and safer community, especially for our youth. If we can change community attitudes and implement environmental solutions, we can create prevent tragic outcomes in our community,” said Larsen.

Interested community members are encouraged to volunteer to serve on the Community Strategy Team. For more information, contact Cindy Larsen at 287-7953.

This is another example of how the Horizon’s process is bringing benefit to the community and how intered, committed and motivated community members have the ability to gather addtional resources to make things happen. A big thank you goes out to Cindy Larsen for taking the initiative, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to our community.

The Jefferson County DUI Task Force, not to be confused with the Whitehall Community Change Project, will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony in the next few months, to reveal two billboards in the area. The DUI Task Force is made up of community volunteers and now includes four junior (student) members. The DUI Task Force unveiling will feature one billboard with a strong message about the importance of wearing seatbelts and a second billboard will feature a message about the dangers of drinking and driving. Both of these important messages have been crafted by students.

The billboard project is being funded by a grant from the Montana Department of Transportation. The Montana DOT is looking at the Jefferson County DUI Task Force billboard project as a pilot project. If the Montana DOT likes the result, they will consider giving funding throughout the state to other Task Forces for like projects.

Stay tuned and we will let you know when the project is ready to be unveiled.

While things at the park site don’t look appreciably different, there is notable progress.

In the first phase of park creation, the picnic table locations and the lower trails have been laid out, excavated, smoothed and weed fabric and gravel have been placed.  The next step is to have old road millings placed on the trails and picnic table pads.  The picnic tables are in storage waiting to be put to use and they look fantastic.

The Community Development Board, in keeping with the Horizon’s goals and objectives, always looks for ways to partner with organizations and bring additional resources to projects.  The Board recognizes that every penny and every ounce of effort needs to be leveraged to the fullest degree possible to make things possible in our small town. 

Since it has been awhile since progress on the park was last reported on, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the Silver Tower Park is a partnership, led by our young people in the Whitehall High School’s Interact Club which is affiliated with the Rotary Club.  Also partnering on the project are the Town of Whitehall Parks Trees, and Cemetery Board, the Whitehall Veterans, the Whitehall Alternative School, the Whitehall Booster Club and the Garden Club. 

In addition to some Horizon’s grant money that used for the purchase of the picnic tables, the Whitehall Booster Club stepped up to the plate and assisted with funding for the Whitehall High School Sign, a much needed addition to the town.  The Garden Club is allocating some grant money they received to assist with native plantings once the ground is ready.  The Veterans will be financing a portion of the park and providing some labor where there will be flags placed.  The Town of Whitehall, who not only allowed the use of the land but will supply the necessary water and electricity (if needed), is assisting with the millings, gravel, etc.  The Interact Club and the Alternative School has supplied plenty of labor and funding.  Terry Reed (Four Seasons Construction) and Calvin Johnson (Johnson Custom Fencing) have assisted with providing equipment and skilled operation of the equipment, Chris Wagner of Wagner Nursery has provided expertise, a sketch of the park and recommended plantings.  Many members of the community have volunteered their time, equipment, knowledge and sturdy backs to the effort.  It is truly a community project in every sense of the word. 

Hang in there everyone.  The park will continue to take shape.  If anyone wants more information or would like to volunteer to help at the site, just post a comment or attend a Community Development Board meeting.  There is always something that needs doing. 

PS  If I have forgotten to name anyone who has assisted, I apologize.  It is not intentional I can assure you.  Let me know who I have missed so I can make certain that no person’s contribution goes unnoticed or unrecognized.

As we reach the end of another phase of the Horizons process that has been focused on capacity building, it is time to evaluate our community’s progress on stated desired outcomes of the Horizon’s project. It has been a busy and interesting process. Sometimes visible progress seems slow in materializing. However, many, many people have been working very hard and though it may not always be readily apparent, Whitehall is making headway.

The Community Development Board is evaluating our progress based on the following:

*****LEARN HOW TO WRITE AND SUBMIT GRANTS*****

There will be a grant writing workshop sponsored by the Town of Whitehall, Community Development Board and the Horizons Project on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at the Madison-Jefferson County Extension Office.  Janet Cornish from Community Development Services of Montana will be conducting the workshop.  The seminar begins at 8:30 AM and continues until 4:00 PM.  Lunch will be served to participants and there is no cost to attend.

To register for this FREE workshop, please call the Extension Office at 287-3282.

Click on this link to the Whitehall Ledger’s website to read about various funding for wind projects in Whitehall.

Commissioner Ken Weber reported verbal confirmation of CREBS funding in Whitehall, Boulder, and Jefferson County, possibly to be used for generating wind power, and Whitehall’s Mayor Ross reported that the IRS Clean Energy Bonds for Whitehall were approved for this grant cycle.

The article also gives informatin about CREBS, which is another one of those acronyms floating around town!

Whitehall’s current plan of community action (in brief) for the next several years is listed below. If you are aware of information that hasn’t been listed here, please contact us and let us know– we’ll add it! community_devel_whitehall@yahoo.com

If you want to be a part of the action, open the Community Development Board page to the right of this post, and look at the Action Plan. It includes contact information, details when available, and which organizations in the community are involved in each project. There is also a budget for this spring, and an overall plan for achieving the vision.

This party was for anyone from the community wanting to contribute their ideas to the Future Vision on Whitehall. The following questions and ideas were on the tables, and the answers were anonymous.

What words best describe Whitehall Now and in the Future?
Now: There aren’t many curbs or gutters, but the theatre is reasonably priced.
Future: We need better sidewalks, and walking/biking trails. There needs to be decorate street
lamps also.

Is ALL change bad?
Sometimes change is bad, but not always

What is change?
Change is continuous. Sometimes you notice it and sometimes you don’t
Evolution
All living things grow and change
When one thing becomes another

What is the best thing about Whitehall?
The location and people
Skate Park
Weather
The scenery and recreational opportunities
Good selection of churches and a nice library

How much growth is TOO much growth?
Places like Bozeman have too much growth
Having to have stoplights and more traffic reports
When the infrastructure begins to fail from too much use
Pollution, and too much farm land covered with cement
Malls are an example of too much growth

Is there a “correct amount” of growth?
No
Yes, if the infrastucture and housing keeps pace
Only if it is proportionate to the jobs available
No, you cannot figure things that way

When we use the word “Future”, how long are we talking about?
1 year
10 years
Things coming in our tomorrows
When current children become adults

If you had $20,000 to spend on this community, what would you do?
Pay the balance owing on the new pool strucutre
Improve the sidewalks because they are in disrepair

If you had $100,000 to spend on this community, what would you do?
Help support the face lift of old buildings in town
Make the skate park bigger with easier equipment for beginners

What is the best thing about Whitehall?
The good selection of churches
A nice library
Swimming pool
A great place to raise children
A wonderful playground

What is the worst thing about Whitehall?
Blowing dust and the wind
The drug problem
Trash
The small town mentality
Too much “lip” service, and not enough action by residents
The crumbling sidewalks, curbs, and overgrowth of weeds
The streets are in disrepair
The children in poverty

What made you decide to live in Whitehall?
Business opportunites
Beauty of the surrounding country
Seattle was too big
An airport and affordable housing
We selected Whitehall to be our retirement home 30 years ago

What do you do in your free time that is specific to Whitehall and the surrounding area?
Skate at the skate park
Go to the farmer’s market to buy eggs from the Amish and tomatoes from the Silver Star
greenhouse
Go to the museum
Play flag football
Hike and fly fish

What types of businesses would be welcome in Whitehall?
Affordable high-tech businesses
Specialty medicine
Any business the town would support
Shops for younger people like toy stores, video game shops, and card shops
Community supported agriculture

How would you define “capacity building”?
Helping our people gain skills to make our town a better place
Understanding where we are going and building to support it

What do you like about Whitehall?
The peace and serenity

What is needed for the future of Whitehall?
The town needs to be ready for growth
More communication between the county and city
No piece meal annexing, we don’t want to be like Belgrade
More affordable housing and bigger rentals with low upkeep for seniors, and more upscale
Use of the Candlestick ranch
More businesses
Maybe a historical theme
Attractive fronts on buildings in Whitehall
Improvements on the bowling alley