City Manager Ana Lake used her report at the September 29 Helena City Commission meeting to flag four things residents needed to know heading into October: a road closure, hillside smoke, a chance to unload old paint, and an invitation to weigh in on the city budget.
The most immediate disruption is on Park Avenue. The stretch from Park Avenue to Clerk Street is closed to through traffic due to a major water utility replacement project and is expected to remain that way through approximately October 9. Drivers who use that corridor to move between neighborhoods should plan alternate routes for the duration.
For anyone who has noticed smoke drifting over Helena from the surrounding hills, Lake confirmed it is intentional. Prescribed burning is ongoing in the hills surrounding the city and is expected to continue through the week. Residents seeing haze or smelling smoke in that period should not be alarmed.
Lake also reminded residents that the transfer station's latex paint exchange program remains available — a low-key but practical service that lets Helenans drop off unwanted latex paint rather than dispose of it improperly. Separately, the city is scheduling a budget listening session, giving residents a formal opportunity to speak to priorities before the next budget cycle takes shape. Details on the session's date and location were not immediately available, but the city is expected to publicize them through its standard channels.