June 2022 Newsletter from the Mayor

June 2022 newsletter

Dear Community of Red Lodge,

It’s hard to start this newsletter without an acknowledgement of the enormity of the flood, in so many ways.  The sheer volume of water, the speed in which it rose, threatening so much- and, coupled with the soul of our community who came out in droves- we are left with a few extra challenges, to say the least.  I could go on and on- it would fill pages- but I’m going to try to simply share what’s going on at City Hall.  

The City is working to repair and restore damage caused by the flood, integrating those repairs with our existing plans to upgrade City roads, water, and sewer services.  We are working with multiple federal, state, and local agencies and contractors to get that done.  

In the last quarter, City Council reviewed and completed the periodic updating of the zoning regulations, with a big thanks to the Planning and Zoning Board for their work.  The most important changes will allow for more flexibility in offering housing opportunities for our downtown area.  Zoning for cannabis dispensaries- required by the voting results in the last election- received a lot of attention.  Council passed stringent requirements, intended to reflect community concerns and fairly offer this new industry an opportunity to contribute to our business community and resort tax revenues.

One of the buzzing topics on the street is concern for how the flood is going to impact area businesses.  Downtown Red Lodge is in super shape, and most of Broadway was left untouched.  Streets have been repaired, and water and power are all on and working smoothly.  Our summery downtown is beautiful, and entertainment for visiting guests is better than ever!  We have made it through this challenging situation safely, and with no cancellations of any events.  If you were here over the 4th of July, I’m sure you enjoyed a fantastic rodeo and parade!!!  There are lots of fun events coming up.  The Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce is great at providing updates to both locals and visitors, so if you get a chance, check out what’s going on at www.redlodge.com. We are open for business and welcome our visitors!

I am delighted to mention is that the new City Pool project is nearly completed!  The community, with the dedicated diligence of the Pool Committee and hundreds of donors, has succeeded in ensuring that Red Lodge once again has a pool. And it’s not just a pool- it’s gorgeous- we’ll have a totally renovated pool house and splash pad.  The contractors are finishing up with the last bits of the project and the City is in the process of training lifeguards to coincide with the completion of the work.  We are hoping the pool will be open sometime around the middle of the month- stay tuned for the opening day announcement!

In the next quarter, please look forward to discussions related to housing, RV parking ordinances, event procedures, business fees, recycling, and lowering energy costs.  Have a comment or an idea?  Send us an email, come to a Council meeting, or call me, City Hall, or a Council representative.  Council members are participating in “Chats with City Council”, where you can meet City council people, share your opinions, or ask questions in an informal setting downtown.  The same goes for if you would like clarification on any of the often-heard rumors you would like to clarify.  You are who we serve, and we appreciate hearing your thoughts.  

Topics that come up for discussion in City Council are interesting, and there are a lot of points to consider.  Hammering out a solution or an idea isn’t always easy, working through disagreements and seeking solutions.  Creating a framework that best benefits the City, now and in the future, is a challenging task.  I can say with confidence that Council listens to each citizen’s concerns, ideas, and opinions, and carefully considers them with each decision.  Looking forward, we will continue to evaluate and address problems that evolve with solutions intended to benefit Red Lodge and our future, fairly and responsibly.  

Thank you for all you do.  We hope you enjoy the rest of the Summer!  

Best regards,

Kristen Cogswell, Mayor