Groups working to keep lemmings at home in Great Falls

Emphasis being placed on halting exodus of young professionals from Great Falls

Census data indicate that young professionals are leaving Great Falls at an alarming rate.

By BETH BRITTON
Tribune Business Editor

To understand why they choose to stay in or leave the Electric City, MSU Great Falls College of Technology Interim Dean Mary Moe
helped organize a young adult professionals focus group May 29.

Information and insight gleamed from the 23 participants will be shared with the Community Economic Development Council Friday.

"We’ve been very active in developing the strategic plan for economic development, and one of the big themes that came from community
members is a concern about losing our young adults," Moe said. "We wanted to take a look at that and why it is."

The 25- to 34-year-old age group is important to the present vitality and future potential of the city, she said. According to the census,
Great Falls had 6,799 residents ages 25 to 34 in 2000. That’s 24 percent fewer than the 8,943 in 1990.

The CEDC has representatives from several organizations, including the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, the Business
Improvement District, the city, the county and the Great Falls Development Authority.

"Ideally what I would like to see is the CEDC recognize this as a valuable part of the process," said Deb Matteucci, executive director of
the Great Falls Association of Realtors. "That young professional group is critical to the economic health of the community, and
throughout the economic development process there hasn’t been much input from that demographic."

The focus group was designed to give a voice to that group, she said.

"My concern was that they weren’t being heard from, and the other big red flag is that they are going like lemmings out the door,"
Matteucci said.

Moe said she was surprised at the importance the young professionals put on having a sense of community. Most said they would like to
see Great Falls develop more places where neighbors and friends could meet.

"I was a little concerned about what a negative impact the appearance of the community has to that age group," Moe said. "Maybe we’ve
been too complacent about contributing to the community environment."

The focus group was made up of:

12 men and 11 women, ages 25 to 39.

Nine were married; 14 unmarried.

Six lived in Great Falls up to three years, six from four to 19 years, 11 for 20 years or more.

Education levels included one high school diploma, two associate’s degrees, 13 bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees and two
doctorates.

Professions included law, science, education, engineering, marketing and accounting.

Their priorities included opportunities for professional advancement, cultural events and continuing education. Their satisfaction in those
three areas was low.

The strongest areas of satisfaction were for the size of the community, opportunities for outdoor recreation and Great Falls’ location.

In general, the men were more dissatisfied with Great Falls’ location and the city’s cultural opportunities.

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