Great Falls Neighborhood Councils were established to provide advisory input on all areas of government that affect their neighborhood. These could include areas such as finance, parking, planning, zoning, police, and parks, but they are not limited to these topics. The Councils are advisory to the City Commission, City staff, City Boards and Commissions, and other government entities as well.
Councils are made up of five members each, although there are occasional vacancies.
Here are the nine Neighborhood Councils, with members as of July 2025:
Neighborhood Council 1: The northern boundary is the Sun River, the southern is the City Limit line, the eastern is the Missouri River, and the western is the City Limit line. During the school year, Council One's regular meeting is held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Meadowlark School Library.
Council members: Mike Flaherty, Everett Hall, Mike Parcel, Pat M. Goodover II, Trevor Cummings
Neighborhood Council 2: The northern boundary is the Northwest Bypass, the southern is the Sun River, the eastern is the Missouri River, and the western is the City Limit line. During the school year, Council Two holds its regular meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the West Elementary School library.
Council members: Tim Croft, Wayne Young, Frank Speidel, Pam Wagner, Shyla Patera
Neighborhood Council 3: The northern boundary is the City Limit line, the southern is the Northwest Bypass, the eastern and western boundaries are the City Limit line. During the school year, Council Three holds its regular meeting on the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Riverview Elementary School music room.
Council members: Kathleen Gessaman, Sue Dickenson, Eric Peterson, Aron R. Krischel, Garri Mauch
Neighborhood Council 4: The northern and eastern boundaries are the city limit line, the southern boundary is 10th Avenue South, and the western is 36th Street from 10th Avenue South north to 9th Avenue North, then east to 38th Street North, then north to the City Limit Line. Throughout the year, Council Four holds its regular meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Baptist Church, 900 52nd Street North.
Council members: Sandra Guynn, Neil Tredray, Chris Ward, Doug Darko, James Whitaker
Neighborhood Council 5: The northern boundary is 10th Avenue South, the eastern and southern boundaries are the City Limit line, and the western boundary is 20th St. South. Throughout the year, Council Five holds its regular meeting on the third Monday of the month in the Great Falls Clinic Specialty Center, at 3000 15th Avenue South, in the main floor conference room, at 7:00 p.m.
Council members: Tom Kotynski, Howard Plouffe, Luella Vogel, Eric Ray, Dylan Lennox
Neighborhood Council 6: The northern boundary is 10th Avenue South, the southern boundary is the City Limit line, the eastern is 20th Street South, and the western is the Missouri River. This district also includes the incorporated areas of Castle Pines Addition and Riverside Townhomes Addition. During the school year, Council Six's regular meeting is held on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m in the Sunnyside School library.
Council members: Rick Cornellier, Carl Donovan, Michelle Cornellier, James Rickley
Neighborhood Council 7: The northern and western boundaries are the Missouri River, the southern boundary is the 10th Avenue South, the eastern boundary is 10th Street South north from 10th Avenue South to 7th Avenue South, then east to 12th Street South and north to 7th Avenue North, then east to 15th Street North and north to the Missouri River. Throughout the year, Council Seven holds its regular meeting on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Gibson Room at the Civic Center, #2 Park Drive South.
Council members: Trevor Mikkelsen, Troy Lane, Sandra Rice, Allison Tangen, William "Bill" Wadman
Neighborhood Council 8: The northern boundary is the Missouri River, the southern boundary is Central Avenue, the eastern boundary is 36th Street from Central north to 9th Avenue North then East to 38th Street and north to the Missouri River, the western boundary is 12th Street north from Central Avenue to 7th Avenue North, then east to 15th Street North, and then north to the Missouri River. Council Eight holds its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Women's Annex of the Great Falls Transition Center, 1019 15th Street North. Council Eight holds an Annual Ice Cream Social in Memorial Park one evening in July or August in lieu of their monthly meeting.
Council members: Karen Grove, Travis Grove, Johnnie Scott, Michael Brainard, David Price
Neighborhood Council 9: The northern boundary is Central Avenue, the southern boundary is 10th Avenue South, the eastern is 36th Street South, and the western is 10th Street South from 10th Avenue South to 7th Avenue South, then east to 12th Street South, and then north to Central Avenue. Throughout the year, Council Nine holds its regular meeting on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1727 2nd Avenue South, parking lot entrance.
Council members: Barney Danishefsky, Judy White, Michael Polaske, Dana Kirkmeyer
Members are elected to two-year terms during the City General Election. To run for a Council seat, one must be eligible to vote in Cascade County, be 18 years of age, and be a resident of the district that one wishes to serve. All of the nine Council districts are located within the City limits of Great Falls. The residency requirement continues for the duration of the member's elected term, and if a member moves from the district s/he will be required to resign from the Council. No filing fees are required, but a Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy Form must be submitted to the Cascade County's Elections Office. If a vacancy develops on a Council due to the resignation of a member, the remaining members will appoint a new member to serve the remainder of the vacant position
The Great Falls Citizens Council (also known as the Council of Councils) is a body made up of single delegates from each of the nine Neighborhood Councils, and two members of the Great Falls City Commission. This Council meets three times a year for a meeting, generally in January, May, and October. The Council discusses issues of citywide importance, and delegates share the current goals and projects of each respective Neighborhood Council.
For more information, click here to visit the city website.
