FAQs

The City Commission meetings are on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Their meeting place is the Commission Chambers located on the second floor of the Civic Center.

A City Commission work session is usually scheduled immediately preceding the regular meeting. The work session usually begins at 5:30 p.m. and these meetings are currently being held in the Gibson Room 212. However, once in a while a meeting is moved to either another room or location. Watch the web site and/or local newspaper for any changes in locations.
 

Municipal Court is in the basement of the Civic Center, #2 Park Drive South.

♦ The C.M. Russell Museum is located at 400 13th Street North.

One of the most common misconceptions regarding the Neighborhood Councils is that the City Commission or City Staff created them. The Neighborhood Councils were a result of the 1996 Local Government Study Commission's work. The Montana Constitution allows all self-governing bodies the opportunity to review their form of government once every ten years. This review is initiated by a vote of the public, and a study commission is elected. In 1996, the voters chose to review our City Commission/Manager form of government. As a result of the work of the Study Commission, it was felt that our form of government works well and is efficient, but it gives the perception of being inaccessible.

In an effort to improve accessibility, the Study Commission recommended three changes to the City's Charter on the November 1996 ballot. Those recommendations were to 1) increase the size of the Commission from a mayor and four commissioners to a mayor and six commissioners; 2) lengthen the term of mayor from two years to four years for more continuity; and 3) re-establish neighborhood councils as a formally recognized advisory board within the City Charter. Of the three recommendations, only the Neighborhood Council amendment to the Charter was passed by the voters in November 1996. The Charter Amendment for creation of the Councils included a sunset provision that required a ratification vote in 2001 during the City General Election. The sunset was approved by a 9 to 1 ratio by the voters, and the councils are now a permanent part of the City Charter.

Complete and submit a Citizen Complaint Form. Please note, forms submitted with invalid or incomplete reporting party information will constitute a false report and not be processed.  

Two Ways to Submit the Form:

1. Fill out and submit the Online Complaint Form.
2. Fill out the Print/Submit Complaint  Form. The form can be completed electronically with Adobe Acrobat Reader.  (Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free of charge from the Adobe web site.)

Mail forms to:

City of Great Falls
ATTN: Citizen Complaint/Request
PO Box 5021
Great Falls, MT 59403

OR -- Drop off at any City Office (addresses listed below)
 

City Department Locations:

• Animal Shelter: 1010 25th Ave NE, 59404
• Civic Center: 2 Park Dr S, 59401 (Administration, Finance, GIS, Human Resources, Legal, Mansfield Center, Planning & Community Development, Utility Billing)
• Community Recreation Center: 801 2nd Ave N, 59401
• Fire Department: 105 9th St S, 59401
• Housing Authority: 1500 Chowen Springs Lp, 59405
• Library: 301 2nd Ave N
• Park and Recreation: 1700 River Dr N, 59401
• Police Department: 112 1st St S, 59401
• Public Works: 1005 25th Ave NE, 59404 (Engineering, Streets/Weeds/Potholes, Sanitation, Utilities)

Please Note:

• If this is an immediate safety concern or hazard, refer to the Department Directory and call the department directly.
• For life-threatening emergencies, please call 911.

Parking meters will allow you to park up to 2 hours at a cost of $1.00 per hour. If your meter runs out of time or you exceed the time limit, and you have not received a ticket within the previous 12 months, a courtesy ticket will be issued. For the first offense after a courtesy ticket, the ticket will cost $5.00; the second offense after a courtesy ticket will cost $10, the third will cost $15, and the fourth and subsequent tickets will cost $20.  A Handicap Parking ticket is $100.00, and all other types of violations are $20.00 (Fire Hydrant, Wrong Side to curb, End Zone, Boulevard, etc) If you have a question about a parking ticket, please call 406-455-8430.

Block captains serve as the main contact for their neighborhood. They update block maps when a change occurs in the neighborhood, purchase NW signs, and encourage reporting of suspicious activity. They also welcome new residents to the area and share the Operation ID Kit with the NW participants.

The Neighborhood Councils were established to provide advisory input on all areas of government that affect their neighborhood. These could include areas such as finance, parking, planning, zoning, police, and parks, but they are not limited to these topics. The Councils are advisory to the City Commission, City staff, City Boards and Commissions, and other government entities as well. The Councils have also been utilized as sources of community outreach/education and input by private entities such as Energy West, Inc. and Benefis Hospital.

Any message regarding the safety, property or welfare of the community will be disseminated using the CodeRED system. These may include AMBER alerts, notifications of hazardous traffic or road conditions, boil water advisories or evacuation notices.

1600 26th Street South

In Great Falls, all the Commissioners are elected at-large. This means that you vote for five, and you have five representing you on the Commission.