Columbia Fall city council election: Robinson brings a wealth of knowledge from county

If elected, Paula Robinson would bring a host of government experience to the table as a Columbia Falls city councilwoman.

Robinson has 24 years of government work experience, 12 years as an elected official as the Flathead County Clerk and Recorder.

In short. she has worn a lot of hats at the county level and now would like to serve at the city level after a successful career in public service.

“I love working with taxpayers at any level,” she said in a recent interview. “I loved solving the problems they bring to me.”

Robinson retired as the county clerk and recorder in 2014. She’s lived in Columbia Falls since 1960.

If elected, she said her focus would be on the city budget and finances. She said she’d like to see the city increase its reserve fund from its current 20 percent to 25 percent, adding an additional one percent over the next five years.

She noted it’s good to have a reserve in the event of emergencies, like a flood, or a severe winter.

The city’s budget is still pretty small compared to other Flathead County cities. Columbia Falls’ budget is about $8.6 million, while Whitefish, by comparison, is about $40 million.

She said she liked the way the city’s budget is managed and notes the city does a good job of providing services at a reasonable cost. Robinson supports the city’s tax increment finance district, which is now just starting to come to fruition.

“It’s a great idea,” she said.

The TIF taxes a portion of taxes from the Nucleus Avenue and U.S. Highway 2 business district and rolls them into a separate fund that’s earmarked for city improvements. This year, for example, TIF funds will be used to pay for new wayfaring signs that will be put up once work on U.S. Highway 2 is completed.

Robinson said she also supports improvements to alleys in the downtown district, creating better access to schools and creating transportation options in the city that support a healthy lifestyle, like walking and biking paths.

She said she opposed annexing property before being asked by a developer for city services.