Horizons - Reaching Out to Help the Community
As the MCCF has worked toward implementation of the community vision, a variety of organizations and resource providers have been called upon for their insights, programs, and assistance. Here are just a few of the folks that have helped MCCF make decisions about community action:
- CTA Architects- following the community visioning session, where CTA donated “quick draw” skills to illustrate our vision of the community, Sarah Hamlen and Commissioner Jamie Doggett, traveled to Bozeman. There, CTA outlined the steps involved with street scaping and planning for community beautification. They also identified budgets and expenses that might be required in planning phases of street scaping.
- Gateway Economic Development- The team at Gateway Economic Development has been called on to help with many different aspects of planning for beautification. Gateway has helped to research designs for flower planters and has helped to identify the requirements for submitting a CTEP application. They may also have grant funding available to help with leveraging the $8,500 grant available through Horizons for street scaping.
- Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D- The RC&D has worked on two significant projects identified in the action plan - self-help housing rehabilitation and community wind. Both of these projects are moving forward and helping our community to be more sustainable.
- MidWest Assistance Program- While working on street scaping concepts, it became clear to MCCF that a capital improvements plan for community infrastructure (primarily water and waste-water management) is a critical component for moving forward. MAP is meeting with city council members and the mayor, as well as with representatives of Gateway Economic Development and the RC&D, to discuss the development of a capital improvements plan for the city. This would provide a great foundation for any community beautification effort.
- Montana Community Foundation- In rebuilding the Meagher County Community Foundation, the board has relied heavily on guidance from the Montana Community Foundation. They have provided ideas, support, and recommendations on both organizational structure and long term goal setting.
- Horizons Across Montana - Throughout the process, MCCF has called on the folks at Horizons Across Montana to bounce ideas, gain outside perspective, and to find new resources. They have helped to keep MCCF on task with reminders about the principles of Horizons and have helped to challenge the community to obtain higher standards of performance.
- Disposal Services - The big issue for Meagher County has been community clean up. Many in town hoard their household garbage and wait for the one “free” day of dumping per year to dispose of their trash. Disposal services has worked with Horizons, and is now working directly with the city, to determine new ways of handling the transfer station billing so that we can get this health and human safety issue removed from town.