Public power group assures jobs will stay in Butte

They’ve said it before, and reportedly they’ll say it again Wednesday night: Butte will remain utility headquarters even if the cities take over NorthWestern Energy.

Officials from Montana Public Power Inc. will speak at Butte-Silver Bow council meeting, and Montana League of Cities Director Alec Hansen said the message will be clear: “Anybody working in the corporate offices there in Butte does not have to worry about their jobs,” Hansen said. “It just makes all the economic sense in the world to keep a very effective, dedicated, committed work force where it’s at.” Speakers Wednesday will include Missoula Mayor Mike Kadas, chairman of the organization’s board of directors; Ron Moe of R.W. Beck in Seattle, the cities’ main economic consultant; and Bill Mayben, who may lead the new public utility if the deal goes through. He was president and chief operating officer of Nebraska Public Power District from 1995 through 2002 and also helped form the Missouri Basin Municipal Power Agency in the mid-1960s.

Similar presentations take place this week in all five cities participating in the $2 billion buyout offer for the utility’s gas and electric distribution systems. They spoke in Bozeman Monday night, will be in Missoula and Great Falls Tuesday, and then wrap up in Butte and Helena on Wednesday.

By Roberta Forsell Stauffer of The Montana Standard

Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/10/18/newsbutte_top/newsbutte_top.txt