Dear Editor:
Commissioner Pitman’s guest editorial in the Billings Gazette on February 13, 2022, does not shed light on the MetraPark discussion. He states within the last five years, there was significant deterioration of Metra property and buildings. “We began by doing an assessment of the property and cost of saving barns and the grandstands.” Who is the ‘we’ and where is the report on this assessment? Next, he talks about “…this new footprint.” What new footprint? Has Metra Advisory Board formally presented a footprint for adoption?
Commissioner Pitman states, “…we have been sharing everything with the public.” “All of the members of the Board agreed that we must move forward in asking these questions, seeking answers, and keeping the best interests of the property owners, i.e., the taxpayers as a priority. That is the commitment we have made, and now, openly and transparently, we are asking a lot of questions and seeking as much advice as possible.”
Commissioner Ostlund has championed Board transparency. Pitman and Jones, not so much, only after they were caught holding nonpublic secret meetings and trying to force an RFP (Request for Proposal) for private management at their November 1, 2021, meeting.
Commissioner Pitman says, “the taxpayers as a priority.” In the four standing room only public meetings about privatization, every speaker (100+) but three businesses told Commissioners to keep public management or have a third-party expert thoroughly vet the process. Commissioner Jones claims many individuals have told him privately to move forward with privatization, yet none have come to the public meetings to show this claimed support. Commissioners Pitman and Jones need to listen to the taxpayers.
Very Respectfully,
Kim Rolfsen
Billings, MT
