FAQs
The members of the Council are elected to two-year terms during the City General Election. To run for a Council seat, one must be eligible to vote in Cascade County, be eighteen years of age, and be a resident of the district that one wishes to serve. All of the nine Council districts are located within the corporate City limits of Great Falls. The residency requirement continues for the duration of the member's elected term, and if a member moves from the district s/he will be required to resign from the Council. No filing fees are required, but a Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy Form must be submitted to the Cascade County's Elections Office.
If a vacancy develops on a Council due to the resignation of a member, the remaining members will appoint a new member to serve the remainder of the vacant position.
In May 2018 voters supported the creation of the Great Falls Park District Number 1 with a proposed assessment amount of $1.5 million annually for the first three years to address deferred maintenance and other operational needs.
The City will match the $10 million dollar grant by bonding to use a portion of the Park District Number 1 assessments. Taxes will not be increased. The operating costs will be covered through fees and current support levels.
Yes. Fill out the CodeRED registration form but be sure to select the “Business” option. Please note that emergency calls cannot be delivered to an automated attendant. Automated attendants will disrupt the process and the calls will not be delivered. Businesses should register their direct, manned emergency number and establish a procedure for distributing the CodeRED message to their workforce.
If you are not yet eighteen, a parent or guardian who is over eighteen must co-sign your registration.
We hope you never get a ticket, but if you find yourself in this situation, it pays to pay your ticket right away! If you don’t pay a parking ticket within 30 days, there is an added fee of $10.00.
If a vehicle has more than 5 unpaid parking tickets, the vehicle can be booted. To remove the boot, all parking tickets and a $150.00 boot fee must be paid in full. You can pay your tickets with a credit card by calling 406-455-8430.
Great Falls Fire Rescue, (406) 727-8070, located at 105 9th Street South, Great Falls, MT 59401.
The Building Safety Division: Planning & Community Development, which is located on the main floor of the Civic Center, Room 112, #2 Park Drive South, in downtown Great Falls.
3800 Ulm North Frontage Road - Airport exit from I-15
We carefully considered the timing of the renovations to minimize disruptions and determined that moving forward during the colder months was the best option. Here’s why:
Animal Intake Trends: Based on intake data from the past several years, these months are traditionally the slowest for animal intakes. While no time is ideal for closing the shelter, spring brings an influx of kittens and puppies, and summer introduces heat-related challenges. Additionally, colder weather typically reduces the number of animals becoming stray, as fewer pets are left outdoors.
Grant Funding Timeline: The renovations are grant-funded, and we have a limited window to complete the work. Delaying the project could jeopardize our funding and the progress we’ve planned.
Efficiency of Operations: By scheduling all renovations to happen at once, we can complete the project in a single, focused effort. This approach avoids the need for multiple interruptions to our operations and ensures we can resume full functionality as quickly as possible.
No, parking tickets do not go on your driving record.
If you were involved or are the insurer of one of the involved parties, you can get a copy by making a request through the City Attorney's Office. Please visit their Police Records Request page for information regarding this process.
On each agenda is an item called "Petitions and Communications." This item is designated for anyone in the audience who would like to address the Commission on any matter that is not on the agenda of the meeting and that is within the jurisdiction of the City Commission. Oftentimes citizens bring new ideas for ordinances and resolutions to the Commission during this portion of the meeting. If this occurs, the City Commission may direct the City Manager to work with staff to formalize the idea and prepare it for Commission consideration and possible action.
The Great Falls Park District Number 1 was created to help with the needs identified in the Park Master Plan that was adopted by the City Commission at their November 15, 2016 meeting. Some of the needs identified in the Park Master Plan were deferred maintenance, staffing levels, as well as a new indoor combined recreation and aquatics facility.
Fees are based on the valuation assigned to each individual project by the owner and/or contractor. If the valuation is deemed 'undervalued', the Building Division will use the International Code Council 'Building Valuation Data' (BVD). The BVD table provides the average construction costs per square foot, which can be used in determining permit fees for a jurisdiction. Commercial project valuation is based on the final bid or the BVD. Remodels are determined by contract price or the estimated value of material and labor.
A victim may sign an affidavit requesting that the charges be dismissed which is available from the City Prosecutor’s Office in Room 101 in the Civic Center. The affidavit must contain a detailed explanation of the reasons for the request. It is advised that any victim speak to Victim Witness Assistance Services prior to requesting that charges be dismissed. Any dismissal will be based on consideration of all relevant evidence and there is no guarantee that the charges will be dismissed simply because a request has been submitted.
No. A non-resident who is not in Great Falls for more than 60 days is not required to register their animal.
After you submit the initial registration form, you may start the registration process again and submit more numbers for the same address.
♦ Seaman
Cascade County Clerk of District Court, (406) 454-6780, located in the Cascade County Courthouse at 415 2nd Avenue North, Room 200, Great Falls, MT 59401.
The Councils meet once a month at various locations throughout the City. Please refer to the "OUR COUNCILS" page and check each Council for location, date, time and location of the meeting. Meetings are also posted on the Neighborhood Councils Meeting Calendar.
The water meter will not be replaced unless there are issues with the meter. The MXU is only a component in the meter box.
Yes, the City is targeting a solar-ready facility that will utilize low flow fixtures, LED lighting, high efficiency HVAC systems and increased insulation and glazing that are all aimed to reduce the operational expenses for the City. The facility will exceed Energy Code and utilize multiple advanced technologies that recapture normally wasted heat for the purpose of heating the facility, thus avoiding additional carbon footprint.
The City has enlisted the expertise of an Energy Modeling consultant to help guide the design team towards employing the most energy conscience systems feasible, while still balancing the project budget. The City will also be employing many LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principals and will strive to meet the State of Montana High Performance Building Standards even though these are not required to be followed.
♦ Yes - pick your spot - after getting your license. For more information about hunting and fishing licenses see State of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for more information.
Criminal records must be requested through the State of Montana; call (406) 444-3625.
To find your council location, visit the interactive map. Enter your address into the search bar for the specific area view and click on the map to see the council number. The map is at the bottom of the “Our Councils” page.
