As was reported this morning, Denis Pitman appears to have won the race for Yellowstone County Commission, since he was well ahead of incumbent Republican Jim Reno in Tuesday’s election and there was no Democratic candidate. The Gazette also reported that the commissioner job comes with a base salary of about $64,000. That’s not quite right—it’s closer to $68,000—but it’s pretty decent pay in Montana by any measure. However, and I think you will agree, the benefits attached to the job are at a level that most people in the private sector can only dream of. Bill Kennedy, the only Democrat on the commission, recently announced that he will be stepping down Aug. 1 to take a new job as president and CEO of the Montana State University Billings Foundation. Continue Reading →
Denis Pitman
Recent Posts
From the Outpost: Waiting for ‘ready’ on the NDO
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Is it possible that Mayor Tom Hanel was right? I don’t mean right to cast the deciding vote against a nondiscrimination ordinance in Billings last week. I mean right that this town just isn’t ready for such an ordinance. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, Angela Cimmino, David Crisp, Denis Pitman, Mike Yakawich, NDO, Rich McFadden, Tom Hanel
Looking at regrets, what-ifs in the wake of NDO’s defeat
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Jani McCall didn’t sleep much Tuesday. She is the Billings City Council member who first suggested, in December, that the city consider a nondiscrimination ordinance. Tuesday morning, the NDO went down on a 6-5 vote, with Mayor Tom Hanel casting the deciding vote shortly after 3 a.m. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, News, ACLU, Brent Cromley, Denis Pitman, Jani McCall, Liz Welch, NDO
Mayor Hanel breaks tie, votes to kill Billings’ NDO
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A few minutes after 3 a.m. Tuesday, Billings Mayor Tom Hanel cast the deciding vote against a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance, sending it to a 6-5 defeat by the City Council. Voting with the mayor to kill the NDO were Mike Yakawich, Denis Pitman, Angela Cimmino, Rich McFadden and Shaun Brown. Those in favor of the NDO were Brent Cromley, Becky Bird, Jani McCall, Al Swanson and Ken Crouch. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, News, Al Swanson, Angela Cimmino, Becky Bird, Brent Cromley, Denis Pitman, Jani McCall
Council finally gets down to examining draft NDO
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After weeks of debate, an unprecedented flood of emails and the longest public hearing in its history, the Billings City Council finally got around to discussing the language of a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance Monday night. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, Becky Bird, Billings City Council, Brent Brooks, Community 7 Television, Denis Pitman, NDO, Rich McFadden
Guest Opinion: Wearily waiting for justice from City Council
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The arc of social justice bends slowly but surely toward inclusion. In Billings, in the case of a prospective non-discrimination ordinance, the “slowly” part is evident for all to see. The “surely”? I don’t know that anyone who attended the Monday meeting of the City Council or spoke in favor of an ordinance has much confidence in that today. (more…) Continue Reading →