City, county strike pact for Oak St. bike path

April 18, 2013

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By KEVIN KNAPEK/Montana State News

The Bozeman City Commission agreed to authorize the city manager to sign an agreement with Gallatin County that would allow the county to act as the lead party in managing the construction of a bike/pedestrian path along the south side of Oak Street. This project will be paid for with Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds.

The City Commission had previously adopted the CTEP prioritized projects with the acceptance of the CTEP Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). The projects that were listed in the CIP included: missing sidewalks, bike/pedestrian facilities and missing accessible curbs. Included in the list of proposed projects was the bike/pedestrian path along Oak Street.

The recommended bike/pedestrian path that will be located on the south side of Oak Street is currently under both Gallatin County and city of Bozeman jurisdiction. Early on in the process it was said that Gallatin County would bundle it with other bike/pedestrian pathways in order to cut costs. The agreement was made in order to delegate the funds to the county under the City’s right of way. More

Fee waiver denied for immigration rally

April 18, 2013

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By ALEX KOMSTHOEFT/Montana State News

The Bozeman City Commission denied the request to wave the assembly fees for the “Keeping Families Together Rally” Monday.

The Montana Organizing Project, who is hosting the event on May 1, will advocate immigration rights in Lindley Park. Reserving the location is expected to cost approximately $1,000.

“I don’t see any preponderance of evidence that we should change out policy, because I think it’s for the benefit of the people who use our parks,” Commissioner Chris Mehl said at the meeting,

Mayor Sean Becker said that the fee is “not too expensive” and that the fee is intended to recoup some of the city’s costs of accommodating the event. The motion was voted down 3-to-1.

Carson Taylor was the only commissioner in favor of waiving the fee. By adjusting the city fees, groups could apply for cheaper permits for the rally close to Main Street, according to Taylor. More

Board backs aquatics center plan

April 18, 2013

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By LEVI WORTS/Montana State News

The question of what to do about Bogert pool has been on the tip of citizens tongues for years. The iconic pool is the only outdoor public swimming center in all of Bozeman.

Unfortunately the pool has a massive leak and a boiler from the 1940s heater heating the water. The leak is hemorrhaging 8,000 to 10,000 gallons a day during operation and the boiler is hanging by a thread, according to Dan McCarthy, city aquatics director.

These problems coupled with other issues will take an estimated $2 million to fix. Bob Wade, Parks and Recreation Board member, said, “It’s like throwing good money after bad, and we are not sure Bogert pool will make it a week.” More

Commission to take up bike path, clean up

April 15, 2013

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By CASSIDY GEOGHEGAN/Montana State News

Saturday, April 20, is Earth Day and the city of Bozeman has planned a Clean Up Day and Sustainability Fair for that day. The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bogert Park Pavilion.

Also to be discussed at Monday night’s meeting will be the recommendation to authorize the City Manager to sign an agreement with Gallatin County to allow the county to act as the lead party in managing the construction of a bike/pedestrian path along Oak Street. This project will be paid for with Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds.

The City Commission meets at 6 p.m. Monday in City Hall.

The CTEP Capital Improvement Projects have funded past outdoor projects, including but not limited to: missing sidewalks, bike/pedestrian facilities and missing accessible curbs. More

County, city, hospital give free tests, vaccines

April 7, 2013

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By MADELEINE SHERRIER/Montana State News

The Gallatin County-City Health Department will join the Bozeman Deaconess in celebrating National Infant Immunization Week beginning April 22 by hosting an event promoting immunizations and cancer prevention.

The collaborative event will be hosted at the health department in Bozeman on Saturday April 27, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. During the event, the health department will be offering immunization services for all ages by appointment. All insurances will be billed and for children who are not covered by insurance, there will be no administration fees on that day. For adults who need a tetanus (Tdap) immunization and lack insurance, the vaccine will also be provided at no cost that day. More

YMCA considers building new aquatics center

February 16, 2013

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By MATT PARSONS/Montana State News

The Gallatin Valley YMCA would like to build a $10 million to $12 million wellness and aquatic facility in Bozeman. According to YMCA Chief Executive Officer Andrea Stevenson, they may know within the next two months whether it is feasible.

“We have hired a funding capabilities firm to assess whether the community could privately support a facility like the one we’d like to build,” said Stevenson. “We will build something. We’re just not sure what it will look like yet.” More

City cops targeted in excessive force lawsuit

February 16, 2013

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By KEVIN KNAPEK/Montana State News

Bozeman police officers may soon be heading back to court to face an excessive force lawsuit.

In 2007, officers were called for a welfare check. When Sgt. Greg Megargel and Officer Marek Ziegler arrived at Soheil J. Verdi’s home, Verdi answered the door naked, intoxicated and “stumbling around,” according to the lawsuit.

Officers then claim Verdi attacked them. Ziegler decided to taze Verdi, which caused him to fall face down hitting his head and causing injuries to his skull. According to his attorneys Thomas D. Shea and Ryan K. Jackson, Verdi has had three brain surgeries to remove excess blood on his brain. More

Pedestrians hampered by city sidewalk gaps

February 10, 2013

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By MATT PARSONS/Montana State News

Newer neighborhoods in Bozeman are without a connected system of sidewalks. And at the current rate of home construction, residents may have to wait several years before their sidewalks are fully connected.

Currently the only way to get down Forestglen Avenue on the west side of Bozeman is to walk on the road.

“We walk with our son down the side of the road.  It’s better than trying to make your way through empty lots. You never know what’s in the grass there,” said Peter Dutkowsky, a resident of the Laurel Glen subdivision. “It’s kind of a mess.”

Dutkowsky isn’t the only one who feels that way.

Andy Kerr, assistant engineer for the city of Bozeman, agreed that the program for building sidewalks in new neighborhoods is messy. “Within three years of platting, sidewalks must be built, regardless of how many lots a developer sells,” said Kerr.  More

City considers new tax to fund parks

January 27, 2013

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By MATT PARSONS/Montana State News

Advocates for public parks in Bozeman would like to find a new and better way to fund the growing number of city parks and trails, and that may include a new tax.

On the heels of a $15 million parks and trails bond that was overwhelmingly approved by voters last November, David Cook, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, thinks it’s time to get serious about how the city funds its Parks department.

“Currently their budget comes from the city’s general fund,” he said. “But with the money from the bond there will obviously be a sizable increase in the amount of land requiring maintenance by the city.”

“But none of the money from the parks and trails bond can be allocated for general maintenance, repairs or renovations of existing park land,” Mitch Overton, director of city’s Parks and Recreation Department explains.  “The intent of the bond was to purchase land for preservation, parks and trails.” More

Cops writing numerous cell phone citations

January 27, 2013

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By CASSIDY GEOGHEGAN/Montana State News

In the year since Bozeman banned using handheld cell phones while driving, police have been issuing $100 citations at a rate of about 17 a month, according to the Bozeman Police Department.

In the first month of the ban, last January and February, officers issued some 70 warnings. Since July of last year, the only more recent data available, police have issued 100 citations.

The ban covers handheld device use while driving both a vehicle and a bicycle, and texting, calling or even using your phone on speaker is prohibited. More

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