Four other local and state issues were top of mind for Central Montanans at different points in 2024: school levies and administration; concerns about Lewistown’s municipal wastewater treatment plant; higher property tax bills; and of course, elections.
Bonds, levies, and superintendents
kAmpD 6G6C[ a_ac H2D 2 3FDJ J62C 7@C AF3=:4 D49@@=D 😕 r6?EC2= |@?E2?2[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 7@C E96 2C62’D =2C86DE D49@@= 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kAm{6H:DE@H? !F3=:4 $49@@=D 9:C65 2 ?6H DFA6C:?E6?56?E 7@C E96 5:DEC:4E[ H:E9 qC25 |@@C6[ 7@C>6C pDD:DE2?E $FA6C:?E6?56?E @7 w2GC6 !F3=:4 $49@@=D 2?5 $E2?7@C5 $49@@= $FA6C:?E6?56?E[ DE2CE:?8 H@C< 😕 yF=J] |@@C6’D 9:C:?8 42>6 27E6C 2 >@?E9D\=@?8 D62C49 AC@46DD E92E 7@==@H65 E96 {!$ q@2C5 @7 %CFDE66D’ 564:D:@? ?@E E@ C6?6H 7@C>6C DFA6C:?E6?56?E %9@> !64<’D 4@?EC24E 😕 y2?F2CJ 27E6C D6G6? J62CD 2E E96 96=> @7 E96 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kAmqJ 2 ccT\deT >2C8:?[ {6H:DE@H? G@E6CD 2=D@ C6;64E65 2 AC@A@D65 S“d[___ 6=6>6?E2CJ =6GJ 7@C {!$ 5FC:?8 |2J 6=64E:@?D] pE E96 E:>6[ 3F586E AC@;64E:@?D :?5:42E65 E96 6=6>6?E2CJ 5:DEC:4E H2D 724:?8 2 C@F89=J S`fc[___ 567:4:E 7@C E96 a_ac\a_ad 24256>:4 J62C[ H:E9 E96 9:89 D49@@= 5:DEC:4E 2=D@ 😕 E96 C65] x? C6DA@?D6[ E96 5:DEC:4E @AE65 E@ >2<6 FD6 @7 7:D42= C6D6CG6D[ H9:49 :E 42? 5@ 7@C FA E@ E9C66 J62CD H:E9@FE 2 =6GJ F?56C :ED 4FCC6?E 3F586E] %96 5:DEC:4E 😀 4FCC6?E=J 2AA=J:?8 7@C A6C>:DD:@? 7C@> E96 DE2E6 E@ 7@C> 2 “AF3=:4 492CE6C” D49@@=[ 7@4FD65 @? 42C66C 2?5 E649?:42= 65F42E:@?[ E92E 4@F=5 AC@G:56 Sbe_[___ 😕 DE2E6 7F?5:?8 E@ E96 5:DEC:4E @? 2? 2??F2= 32D:D]k^Am

Brad Moore (center) waits for the Lewistown Public Schools Board of Trustees to begin his interview for superintendent this spring.
kAm}62C=J 92=7 @7 E96 5:DEC:4E’D 3@2C5 @7 ECFDE66D EFC?65 @G6C 😕 a_ac[ H:E9 y677 $@FE9H@CE9 2?5 tC:4 ‘2?56C366< H:??:?8 6=64E:@? E@ E96 3@2C5 😕 |2J 2?5 |2C:29 $92>>6= 36:?8 2AA@:?E65 E@ 7:== E96 G242?4J =67E 3J y@9? r2C=D@?’D 564:D:@? E@ C6D:8? 😕 E96 DF>>6C]k^Am
kAmt=D6H96C6 😕 r6?EC2= |@?E2?2[ w@3D@? G@E6CD 2AAC@G65 2 Sc]e >:==:@? 3@?5 7@C 2 =@?8 =:DE @7 C6?@G2E:@?D 2?5 :>AC@G6>6?ED E@ w@3D@? $49@@=[ :?4=F5:?8 4=2DDC@@>[ 8J>[ 2?5 <:E496? C6>@56=:?8[ 2D H6== 2D E96 AFC492D6 @7 2 5FA=6I 7@C E62496C 9@FD:?8] ‘@E6CD 😕 vC2DD #2?86 2?5 |@@C6[ >62?H9:=6[ 2AAC@G65 =6G:6D @7 Sda[d__ 2?5 Sa[d__ C6DA64E:G6=J]k^Am
kAm$E2?7@C5 $49@@= 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 2=D@ 4@?E:?F6D E@ H@C< E9C@F89 3F586E2CJ @G6CCF? 7C@> :ED a_ab 3@?5[ H9:49 H2D D6E 2E C@F89=J Sh]f >:==:@?] ~G6C E96 DF>>6C[ |4z:?DECJ[ E96 >2?286>6?E 7:C> @G6CD66:?8 E96 3@?5[ 5:D4@G6C65 E92E AC@;64ED 925 4@>6 😕 2AAC@I:>2E6=J Sb >:==:@? @G6C 3F586E]k^Am
k9bm(2DE6H2E6C EC62E>6?E 4@?46C?Dk^9bm
kAmu@C >F49 @7 E9:D J62C E96 q:8 $AC:?8 rC66< (2E6CD965 r@F?4:=[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E 8C@FA 7@C>65 😕 `hhg 2?5 E2D<65 H:E9 4@?D6CG:?8[ AC@E64E:?8 2?5 :>AC@G:?8 E96 962=E9 @7 =@42= H2E6CD965D[ 92D 366? =@@<:?8 :?E@ AC@3=6>D 4@??64E65 H:E9 E96 A@DD:3=6 4@?E2>:?2E:@? @7 E96 4C66< 7C@> E96 r:EJ’D H2E6C EC62E>6?E A=2?E]k^Am
kAmx? pAC:=[ E96 r@F?4:= D6?E 2 =6EE6C E@ E96 r:EJ >2?286C 2?5 r:EJ 4@>>:DD:@?6CD 6IAC6DD:?8 4@?46C? 23@FE E96 DE@C286 @7 3:@D@=:5D 😕 E96 7=@@5 A=2:?] %92E H2D E96 DE2CE @7 2? @?\8@:?8 5:D4FDD:@? @7 A@E6?E:2= EC62E>6?E A=2?E AC@3=6>D]k^Am
kAm%96 |@?E2?2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t?G:C@?>6?E2= “F2=:EJ E9C62E6?65 6?7@C46>6?E 24E:@? 282:?DE E96 r:EJ @7 {6H:DE@H? @G6C 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 724:=:E:6D 2E E96 EC62E>6?E A=2?E 😕 2 $6AE6>36C =6EE6C]k^Am

kAmp>@?8 E96 286?4J’D AC:>2CJ 4@?46C?D H6C6 `e A:646D @7 6BF:A>6?E E92E H6C6 ?@E @A6C2E:@?2= @C 7F?4E:@?:?8 4@CC64E=J 5FC:?8 2 |2C49 :?DA64E:@? 2?5 2? “@G6C7=@H” 6G6?E[ 42FD65 3J |2J’D 6IEC6>6=J 962GJ[ H6E D?@HDE@C>[ 5FC:?8 H9:49 2? F?@H? G@=F>6 @7 5:D492C86 7C@> E96 A=2?E 7=@H65 :?E@ $AC:?8 rC66<] %96 286?4J 2=D@ HC@E6 2 D6A2C2E6 =6EE6C E@ E96 4:EJ 6IAC6DD:?8 4@?46C? @G6C E96 3:@D@=:5D AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 =6EE6CD =65 E96 4:EJ 4@>>:DD:@? E@ D4965F=6 2 >66E:?8 H:E9 st” 2?5 >6>36CD @7 E96 H2E6CD965 4@F?4:= 😕 ~4E@36C E@ 86E 2== A2CE:6D @? E96 D2>6 A286] $:?46 E92E >66E:?8[ E96 286?4J 92D C6BF6DE65 >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 7C@> E96 4:EJ 23@FE E96 3:@D@=:5D AC@8C2> 2?5 :ED A=2?D E@ FA52E6 6BF:A>6?E 2E E96 EC62E>6?E 724:=:EJ]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:DD:@? 2AAC@G65 C@F89=J Sb >:==:@? 😕 FA8C256D E@ E96 A=2?E FD:?8 7656C2= p#!p 7F?5:?8 62C=:6C E9:D J62C] r@>>:DD:@?6CD[ >62?H9:=6[ H:== ?665 E@ 564:56 2 4@FCD6 @7 24E:@? @? E96 >F?:4:A2= 3:@D@=:5D 4@>A@DE:?8 AC@8C2> 😕 E96 ?6H J62C 7@==@H:?8 2 C64@>>6?52E:@? 7C@> E96 4:EJ 6?8:?66C]k^Am
k9bm!C@A6CEJ E2I6D C2:D6 :C6k^9bm
kAm{2DE J62C AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD H6C6 D=2>>65 H:E9 E96 F?6IA64E65 ;F>A 😕 AC@A6CEJ E2I6D] %9:D J62C E92E 4@?E:?F65[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 25565 4@?7FD:@? @7 2 DA64:2= 3:==:?8 42FD65 H96? r@F?EJ @77:4:2=D DF65 E96 DE2E6 @G6C E96 E2I6D 492C865 7@C E96 $E2E6 tBF2=:K2E:@? uF?5]k^Am
kAmx? $6AE6>36C[ E96 |@?E2?2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 #6G6?F6 9@DE65 2 E@H? 92== 😕 {6H:DE@H?[ 2?5 @77:4:2=D 962C5 7:CDE\92?5 7C@> AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD F?92AAJ 23@FE E96:C E2I6D]k^Am
kAms~# DA62<6CD 6>A92D:K65 E92E E2I C2E6D 2C6 E96 AFCG:6H @7 E96 =68:D=2EFC6] (9:=6 s6A2CE>6?E @7 #6G6?F6 2DD6DD@CD D6E E96 G2=F6 @7 6249 A:646 @7 AC@A6CEJ[ E96J 5@ E92E 32D65 @? 2 7@C>F=2 C6BF:C65 3J =2H] %92E 7@C>F=2 :?4=F56D 2 724E@C 7@C E96 AC:46 @7 D:>:=2C W4@>A2C23=6X AC@A6CE:6D E92E C646?E=J D@=5] $E2CE:?8 5FC:?8 E96 r~’xs A2?56>:4[ |@?E2?2 6IA6C:6?465 D@>6 @7 E96 72DE6DE 8C@HE9 @7 2?J DE2E6[ =625:?8 E@ 2 9F86=J 4@>A6E:E:G6 9@FD:?8 >2C<6E 2?5 2 D92CA C:D6 😕 9@FD:?8 AC:46D[ 42FD:?8 AC@A6CEJ G2=F6D — 2?5 AC@A6CEJ E2I6D— E@ DFC86]k^Am
kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ DFC8:?8 E2I6D[ AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD E9:D J62C C646:G65 2? 255:E:@?2= 4@CC64E65 E2I 3:== 7C@> u6C8FD r@F?EJ %C62DFC6C vH6? v69=6?] %96 6IEC2 3:== H2D 5F6 E@ |@?E2?2 4@F?E:6D 36:?8 @? E96 =@D:?8 6?5 @7 2 4@FCE 42D6 😕 H9:49 4@F?E:6D 4=2:>65 E96 $E2E6 >FDE “7=@2E” W25;FDEX E96 >:==D 7@C E96 $E2E6 tBF2=:K2E:@? 7F?5] %96 4@FCED CF=65 😕 E96 $E2E6’D 72G@C[ D@ v69=6? 925 E@ D6?5 2? 2>6?565 3:== E@ E96 4@F?EJ’D “[___ AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD]k^Am
kAm}@ 3:==D E@ =@H6C E2I C2E6D @C @E96CH:D6 A6C>2?6?E=J @77D6E E96 DA:<6 😕 AC@A6CEJ G2=F6D A2DD65 E96 a_ab =68:D=2EFC6] v@G6C?@C vC68 v:2?7@CE6’D 3:== E@ AC@G:56 2 AC@A6CEJ E2I C632E6 H2D 2AAC@G65 2?5 D:8?65 :?E@ =2H] x? pF8FDE[ AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD 4@F=5 4=2:> E96 D64@?5 92=7 @7 E92E C632E6[ FA EH@ Sefd] w@H6G6C[ E96 C632E6 5@6D ?@E 6IE6?5 36J@?5 E9:D J62C]k^Am
kAmxE’D 2 D276 36E E92E AC@A6CEJ E2I6D H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 36 9@E=J 5632E65 😕 E96 a_ad =68:D=2EFC6[ 6DA64:2==J :7 E96 S` 3:==:@? $E2E6 3F586E DFCA=FD W6DE:>2E65 3J E96 {68:D=2E:G6 u:D42= s:G:D:@? 😕 }@G6>36CX 😀 4@CC64E]k^Am
k9bm}6H 7246D 2>@?8 =@42= 6=64E65Dk^9bm
kAmr6?EC2= |@?E2?2?D 2=D@ H6?E E@ E96 A@==D 😕 }@G6>36C E@ 42DE E96:C G@E6 😕 2 D=6H @7 =@42=[ DE2E6[ 2?5 ?2E:@?2= C246D]k^Am
kAmr=@D6DE E@ 9@>6[ u6C8FD r@F?EJ G@E6CD D6=64E65 (:?:7C65 >2J@C %C2G:D (:==D@? E@ 36 E96:C ?6IE 4@F?EJ 4@>>:DD:@?6C] (:==D@? 56762E65 {6H:DE@H? C6D:56?E z6? $92G6C 😕 E96 C246 E@ DF44665 C6E:C:?8 4@>>:DD:@?6C r2C= $6:=DE25] x? yF5:E9 q2D:? r@F?EJ[ G@E6CD C6EFC?65 :?4F>36?E 4@>>:DD:@?6C r@5J |4s@?2=5 E@ @77:46 27E6C 2 492==6?86 7C@> y2>6D $E6G6?D@? H9:=6 D6=64E:?8 |6=2?:6 $49@EE 2D E96 ?6IE r@F?EJ r=6C<^$FA6C:?E6?56?E @7 $49@@=D 😕 2? @A6? D62E C246 H:E9 y6DD:42 v@@592CE]k^Am

A voter returns her ballot to the box at the Clerk and Recorder’s office in late October.
kAmx? !6EC@=6F> r@F?EJ[ 4@>>:DD:@?6C $:8 !F8CF5 H6?E F?@AA@D65 😕 96C 3:5 7@C C6\6=64E:@?[ H9:=6 G@E6CD 2=D@ 2AAC@G65 2 A6C>2?6?E bd >:== =6GJ 7@C E96 AFCA@D6 @7 7F?5:?8 2 C@25 8C256C]k^Am
kAmyF586 w62E96C !6CCJ @7 E96 `_E9 yF5:4:2= s:DEC:4E r@FCE 2?5 qC6?52 $?2AA 2=D@ H6?E F?@AA@D65 😕 E96:C C246D 7@C s:DEC:4E r@FCE yF586 2?5 r=6C< @7 s:DEC:4E r@FCE[ C6DA64E:G6=J]k^Am
kAmsF6 E@ C65:DEC:4E:?8[ r6?EC2= |@?E2?2?D H:== 2=D@ 92G6 2 4@>A=6E6=J ?6H D=2E6 @7 DE2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 2?5 DE2E6 D6?2E@CD 27E6C E96 }@G6>36C 6=64E:@?D]k^Am
kAm#6AF3=:42? $92?6 z=2<<6? @7 vC2DD #2?86 H:== C6AC6D6?E >@DE @7 u6C8FD r@F?EJ[ :?4=F5:?8 {6H:DE@H?[ 2?5 2== @7 !6EC@=6F> r@F?EJ 2D E96 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7@C E96 ?6H=J\5C2H? w@FD6 s:DEC:4E bf 27E6C ?62C=J 5@F3=:?8 s6>@4C2E p?5C62 !2J?6’D G@E6 D92C6] #6AF3=:42? #2?5J? vC688 @7 (9:E6 $F=A9FC $AC:?8D H:== 364@>6 E96 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7@C E96 C6\5C2H? w@FD6 s:DEC:4E fg W:?4=F5:?8 yF5:E9 q2D:? r@F?EJ 2?5 A@CE:@?D @7 H6DE6C? u6C8FD r@F?EJX 27E6C 56762E:?8 :?4F>36?E y2>6D q6C8DEC@> @7 qF772=@ 😕 E96 yF?6 AC:>2CJ 2?5 s6>@4C2E v=6?? {2>36CE 😕 E96 86?6C2= 6=64E:@?]k^Am
kAmx? E96 DE2E6 D6?2E6[ r6?EC2= |@?E2?2 G@E6CD DFAA@CE65 #6AF3=:42? (J=:6 v2=E @G6C s6>@4C2E qCF46 $9F=EK 😕 E96 C6\5C2H? bhE9 $6?2E6 s:DEC:4E] $6?] q2CCJ &D96C H:== C6AC6D6?E {6H:DE@H?[ 62DE6C? u6C8FD r@F?EJ 2?5 !6EC@=6F> r@F?EJ 😕 a_ad 2D 2 9@=5@G6C D6?2E@C 27E6C C65:DEC:4E:?8]k^Am
kAmx? DE2E6H:56 2?5 ?2E:@?2= C246D[ E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 r6?EC2= |@?E2?2 G@E6CD 96=A65 G@E6 E96:C AC676CC65 42?5:52E6D :?E@ @77:46[ H:E9 u6C8FD[ yF5:E9 q2D:?[ 2?5 !6EC@=6F> r@F?E:6D G@E:?8 @G6CH96=>:?8=J 7@C #6AF3=:42?D 2D v~! 42?5:52E6D >256 2 4=62? DH66A @7 7656C2= 2?5 |@?E2?2 C246D 😕 a_ac]k^Am