Thank you for all the support I received. I am very grateful. The swearing in ceremony is December 19th, and the first City Commission meeting I will be seated at is January 2nd, 2024.

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Why I ran for City Commission…

Growing unhoused population in Great Falls: I volunteered at the cold weather drop-in center downtown Great Falls at the First United Methodist Church this past winter, and I got to know some of the folks that would stop by to have a warm place to go and a hot meal before the Rescue Mission let them in at night (about 9:30 pm). A lady in her 60’s stopped by one evening in February, towing a large suitcase. Lissie, who often came with me to volunteer, knew her and we helped her with her bag. She had apparently just lost her housing, as she had refrigerated items in her suitcase. She offered us her hamburger and Jimmy Dean sausage. I told Lissie we couldn’t take the items, so I disposed the items and we packed her bag with non-perishable items and blankets. Debra Rose drew a picture of a thorny rose and gave it to Lissie with her name on it. Debra Rose was found deceased a couple of weeks later in the alley behind the church. Media reported that she was a transient and didn’t even report a name. However, Debra Rose WAS a citizen of Great Falls. She lost her housing. The rent on my own crappy old apartment went up 13% in December 2022, with no improvements. I don’t know if a rise in rent was the cause of Debra Rose losing her housing, or medical problems (her health was not good), or something else. But I know we don’t have enough AFFORDABLE housing in Great Falls. Sure, new apartments are being built, but they are far from affordable.

Support for Law Enforcement: Crime has been horrible in my neighborhood this year. A boy on his way to school was shot five blocks from my apartment. Another young man was killed a few weeks later about six blocks away (apparently drugs were involved). A woman was just stabbed in the park six blocks from my house one late night, she did not survive. Flash bangs have been deployed twice at house a half a block from me during apprehensions. Great Falls Police Officer Tanner Lee was shot in front of my apartment during a pursuit. My apartment, and most of them in the building, had crime tape around it for days, and spotlights were on all night on both sides of my apartment because of bullet holes I was told. When being escorted into my apartment by a police officer, I had to dodge all the blood on the ground. This is all in my close proximity, all this year. We need to do all we can to support our law enforcement, and in particular the Russell Country Drug Task Force. Our city police force is stretched thin, and this has me very concerned.

Growth in Great Falls: We dodged a bullet this spring when a developer pulled out of a planned high-density housing project in the Dick’s RV Park location. Imagine vehicles coming and going for 513 apartments, going through the small underpass by the Beacon Icehouse, gathering up on the onramp to get on to 10th Ave. South, and adding to the congestion at Fox Farm Road. Our last growth plan for the city was done in 2013. A city ordinance was enacted in 2018, requiring a growth plan to be completed every five years. Some time went by, then COVID hit. It’s 2023 and no growth plan yet, just developers running the show. Money to do a growth plan is finally in the budget for next year. I would make sure that a wide range of community members have a say in what is developed for a plan.

About me…

I am from Great Falls! My dad’s parents were immigrants from Scotland and Ireland, and my mom’s grandparents were immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Germany and Ireland. My mom and dad were both born in the Columbus Hospital here and were married at St. Ann’s Cathedral. I came along 10 months later, while my dad was attending pilot training for the US Navy in Pensacola, Florida. My earliest memories were living in Fort Benton, where we had a ranch on Shonkin Creek. Moved to Great Falls when I was in 3rd Grade, attended Lowell, Sacajawea and Largent elementary schools, North and West Junior High, but graduated from Great Falls High School.

Served in the US Army, 1985 to 1992. My Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 63S, Heavy Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. I left the service as a Staff Sergeant (E-6) and held a Motor Sergeant position in my Battalion.

A.S. in Business Administration, Jefferson Community College, Watertown, NY, 1991. Graduated with High Honors.

B.S. in Environmental Engineering, minor in Chemistry, Montana Tech, Butte, MT, 1996. Graduated with Honors. Inducted into Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society).

M.S. in Metallurgical and Mineral Processing Engineering, Minor in Mineral Economics, Montana Tech, Butte, MT, 1998.

Post-graduate studies at the University of Missouri-Rolla in Metallurgical Engineering, 1999.

I worked with mining companies on research projects, Westinghouse Hanford in their Technical Assistance Department, groundwater remediation engineering, Superfund EPA TAG assistance, project management for environmental projects, and research engineer, focusing on recovering metals of value from industrial waste and assisting clients on process improvement.

Academies and other training…

Big Sky 55+ Leadership Development Training, 2022

Great Falls Public Schools Citizens Academy, 2022

Cascade County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy, 2023

What I do around Great Falls…

Post Adjutant, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4669 in Black Eagle. I maintain the post’s Facebook page and website. I am also the VFW District Chair for Teacher of the Year Awards.

Vice Commander, American Legion Post 3, Great Falls.

Black Eagle EPA Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Group. TAG member, attend briefings on current Superfund activities in Black Eagle.

Cascade City-County Board of Health. Member of Board of Directors for the City of Great Falls.

Cascade County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), team member.

Great Falls Transit District. Ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for the City of Great Falls.

Great Falls Park & Recreation Advisory Board. Ex-officio member of the Board for the City of Great Falls.

Cascade County Senior Advisory Council. Appointed Member, term 2024-25.

Great Falls Public Library Board of Trustees. Ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, as representative for the City of Great Falls.

Sons of Norway, Co-Social Director. I am also the Safe Serve Food Service Manager for the Viking Booth at the Montana State Fair, and volunteered many hours to make sure the booth could operate smoothly.

Former Great Falls Neighborhood Council 9 Member. I served three terms (2017-2023) with the Council. I maintained the Council’s Facebook Page, including crime reports posted every week.

Tenacious Dames Women’s Motorcycle Riding Club in Great Falls, Club Member. We do an annual Poker Run to benefit Grace Haven, the new women’s veterans shelter being established in Great Falls.

Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, State Treasurer, Division Catholic Missions/Charities. An Irish Catholic service organization.

Stagecoach Mary Fields Statue Committee. Member, we are a registered non-profit committee holding events and collecting funds to erect a statue in honor of Mary in Cascade, where she lived.

St. Ann’s Cathedral, Great Falls, Member. Often help during mass with candles or gifts. I have helped in the past doing flower garden maintenance.

Superintendent’s Advisory Panel, Great Falls Public Schools, 2023-2024.

Big Sky 55+, Founding Member #6.

Citizens for Clean Energy Great Falls. Treasurer, Board Member.

Great Falls Rising, a non-partisan progressive group, Board Member.

Disabled Veterans of America (DAV) Volunteer Van Driver. I take veterans in the area to medical appointments.

Meals on Wheels Volunteer. I volunteer on Wednesdays, bringing meals to seniors in the Soroptimist Village and The Portage Apartments.

Former City of Great Falls Park & Recreation Advisory Board. Acting Chair.

Volunteer Radio DJ at KGPR 89.9 FM, Montana Public Radio’s local station. I produce a two-hour Scottish and Irish Celtic music program, twice a month.

Endorsements…

View all news →

Big issues hamper Great Falls as city sorts out how it will grow (montanafreepress.org). Montana Free Press on the August 21st Municipal Candidate Forum.

On Point, Veterans Talk Radio ~ Shannon Wilson | KGPR-Public Radio (podbean.com). Host Richard Liebert is joined by guest Shannon Wilson to talk about her story, her service and her current interests. They also talk about social activism, and the importance of a Veterans Housing Facility for North Central Montana. February 14, 2023.

Montana’s NorthWestern Energy critiqued for coal, gas reliance (greatfallstribune.com), Thursday, August 17th, 2023. Listening Session held in Great Falls by Montana Public Service Commission.