Great Falls Tribune from Great Falls, Montana • Page B1

Sunday, November 8, 2015 BUSINESS GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE XWWW.GREATFALLSTRIBUNE.COM For tips or corrections: Call the Business desk at 791-6502 or 800-438-6600; email tribbizgreatfallstribune.com. Circulation: 888-424-TRIB(8742) i 3 PARKING IN GREAT FALLS Established by the City Commission's 1947 parking ordinance. Meters were installed and tested for 18 months. The public voted and passed the ordinance in 1949. Group buys 3TV stations GFDA welcomes Jolene Bach Great Falls, Helena TV stations sold Cordillera Communications LLC, the owner of seven CBS affiliated television stations in Montana, finalized the purchase of Gray Television Group, Montana holdings.

The deal includes KTVH, the Helena NBC affiliate; KBGF, the Great Falls NBC affiliate, and 1947 PARKING ORDINANCE PARKI NG 600 meters installed 0 Meters enforced between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Helena's CW and KTVH.com. The stations will join the Montana Television Network. Based in St.

Paul, Cordillera owns TV stations in A look at our history, what others do PETER JOHNSON Business writer 0 2-hour limits established Parking violations were $100 fine and up to 30 days in jail determined and appointed by the mayor. The 1947 ordinance also established two-hour parking time limits and set parking rates at 1 cent for 12 minutes; 2 cents for 24 minutes; 3 cents for 36 minutes; 4 cents for 48 minutes and 5 cents for an hour. The meters were enforced between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. except Sundays and legal holidays, according to the 1947 ordinance.

The fines for violating the meters would be no more than $100, or not more than 30 days in jail or both. All fines and forfeitures went to the general fund for use "to defray the expense of proper regulation of traffic and parking upon the public streets of the city of Great Falls, to provide for the cost of supervision, regulation and control of parking vehicles and to cover the cost of purchase, supervision, operation, maintenance, control and use of parking meters." According to Tribune archives, parking meter installation started on Central Avenue on Sept. 20, 1947, with the 600 meters that were already in town. More were en route. The 1947 ordinance was "unanimously approved after City Clerk W.P.

Harrison and City Attorney William M. Scott consumed one hour and 50 minutes alternately reading the ordinance, the longest ever enacted by the city council in one sitting." The ordinance was 30,000 words and was supported by the Construction and General Laborers Union 273, the first labor organization to officially support parking meters, ac- See PARKING, 3B Jenn Rowell jrowellgreatfallstribune.com As city staff, downtown businesses and residents grapple with how to move the Great Falls parking program forward, it's useful to take a look back in history. Asurion announced earlier this year that it was leaving downtown, which equates to a hole of about $10,000 per month in parking revenues. City staff have started conversations with downtown groups to think of ways to make up the lost revenue, lower costs, keep up with maintenance and stabilize the parking fund. Residents have recently expressed issues with the downtown residential parking permits and some have suggested the city remove parking meters entirely.

So we took a look at the history of parking meters in Great Falls and how other cities in Montana tackle the parking puzzle. How did Great Falls get parking meters? The City Commission passed an ordinance in September 1947 to install parking meters downtown. The ordinance also established a parking commission comprised of the city traffic engineer, chief of police or his representative, chief of the traffic division, chair of the city's traffic committee, representatives from the city engineer and city attorney's office plus any other city offices or representatives as BEGINNING RATES 12 minutes 24 minutes nine states spread across the country. "The addition of KTVH, KBGF, Helena's CW and KTVH.com is good news for our Helena and Great Falls viewers," said Jon Saunders, vice president of Cordillera Communications and group manager of the Montana Stations. "The acquisition will mean even more comprehensive local news coverage for Helena and Great Falls." Heath Heggem, station manager for KRTV and now KTVH and KBGF, said the stations will retain their news show times and news staffs, but as part of a team with the MTN stations, will be able to share news reports and resources.

Heggem also said the company intends to rebuilt KTVH in terms of signal reception, news and programming. The Helena station KTVH will continue to produce its regular 5, 6 and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts, which will be simulcast on Great Falls station KBGF. KRTV, the Great Falls CBS affiliate also offers news seven days a week at 5:30 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Peter Johnson Changes at GFDA Jolene Bach is the new Great Falls Development Authority vice president of business development-manufacturing partnership director. Bach has worked at GFDA for three and a half years as vice president of development. In her new role, she joins Jeremiah Johnson, GFDA vice president of business development, to help existing businesses expand, attract new companies to the Great Falls region and spark entrepreneurial start-ups. Bach will pick up with the work Rebecca Engum accomplished in her year as the GFDA's first manufacturing partnership direc- See BRIEFS, 2B PARKING IN GREAT FALLS Want to know where you can park, when and for how much in Great Falls, check out our interactive map at http:gftrib.com20yEKk4. 36 minutes 48 minutes 1 hour 18 months of testing the meters earned the city more than By 2015 inflation rates, that equals $999,768.91 TRIBUNE PHOTOJULIA MOSS Carrie Koppy feeds a parking meter in downtown Great Falls.

TODAY'S YOUNG PROFESSIONAL Reduce, Reuse Recycle MICHELLE KOHLER Age: 27 Hometown: Midland, Michigan Family: My husband, Ryan, our son, Weston who is 17 months, and our dog, Tucker. What I do at work: I work at the Center for Mental Health as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the CSCT Program at Sacajawea Elementary. I provide individual at local coffee shops, traveling, and reading. Why I live and work in Great Falls: My husband is in the military and we were relocated here. My favorite thing about Great Falls: The easy access to beautiful national parks and hidden state parks.

Randominterestingunique fact about myself: I have traveled to over 28 countries and I spent a few of my teenage years living in Switzerland with my family. terventions. I have a history of working in outpatient settings focusing on crisis interventions and child and family therapy. How long I've worked there: 3 years this month. My favorite thing about my job: I love the ability to work with children in the classroom, to provide them on the spot support and interventions while also getting to see them succeed on a daily basis.

What I do in my free time: I love playing outside with my son and dog, camping, hiking, snow-boarding, running races, relaxing SAVE 40 SEEKING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS The Great Falls Tribune and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce are profiling young professionals to spotlight the next generation of community and business leaders. Profiles include a short questionnaire. We also need a photo, a head-and-shoulders shot, attached as a jpeg. Please include a phone number. To submit a profile, contact Roxy Perez at the Chamber of Commerce at rperezgreat fallschamber.org.

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