GREAT FALLS — The last time public safety funding was passed in Great Falls was 1969. Now, in November, that might change. With a public safety levy on the ballot in November, Great Falls-Cascade County Crimestoppers is hosting a forum to inform the public about the levy and answer questions.
Crimestoppers is a nonprofit made up of a volunteer board of residents from the city of Great Falls and surrounding area of Cascade County. Coordinated through the Sheriff’s Office, they work to help find and capture criminals in the community. One way they do that is through their anonymous tips website.
The new levy will go to fund all things public safety, including police, fire, legal, and court-related issues. Regardless of your opinion on the levy, the Crimestoppers still want you to attend the forum.
“My goal… whether somebody agrees with the levy or not, if they don't plan to vote for it, that's okay. That's a personal choice,” said Sandra Guynn, president of Great Falls-Cascade County Crimestoppers. “But at least be educated about it, learn about it, and then make your decision based upon that.”
The levy comes from a recommendation that came out of the city crime task force that was formed two years ago. The forum is going to address how the levy is going to help more than general public safety by focusing on the impact it will have on children’s safety.
“We want an opportunity, first of all, to give the residents time to learn about it, and we’re focusing the conversation not just about the public safety levy but how crime and addiction are affecting the youth of our community,” Guynn said, “and school is starting next week actually, and so we thought this would be a good time to focus part of our conversation on the youth.”
The event will be at the Alliance For Youth Marshall Family Hall (3220 11th Avenue South) from 6pm until 7pm.
Guynn said the following people are scheduled to speak at the event: members of Great Falls city administration (municipal court, legal office, police and fire departments); School Resource Officer supervisor Sgt. Katie Cunningham; FSA manager Gavin Sundquist; substance abuse prevention specialist Beth Price Morrison; and Juvenile Detention Center administrator Shanna Bulik-Chism.
After the speaker presentations, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.
If you can’t attend in person, you can watch via Facebook Live on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.
Details about the levy can be found here (https://safetyinthefalls.com).
If you want to be more involved in the Public Safety Levy Discourse, city officials are coming to the nine neighborhood councils throughout September and October, and Crimestopppers will be hosting another forum on October 10th to discuss the levy and how crime has affected local businesses.
The city of Great Falls will be hosting their own town hall meeting regarding the levy on September 18th at the Mansfield Center.
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