Great Falls Development Alliance urges Cascade County to update housing assessment, seek new industrial park
July 14, 2026 | Cascade County, Montana
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Great Falls Development Alliance leaders presented an update to Cascade County commissioners on July 14, urging the county to refresh its housing market assessment, identify new industrial land and deepen defense-sector outreach.
Dwayne Schoffer, identified to the board as executive vice president of the Great Falls Development Alliance, and Jolene Schoffer, identified as a resident of Cascade County, described last week’s groundbreaking for a large machine-shop project founded by Peter Janicki and his brother and said the project will create thousands of jobs with a majority of positions expected to be filled by local residents. Jolene Schoffer said, "It is time to update our housing market assessment," adding that current market data drives developer interest and unit types.
The Alliance recommended three priorities: updating the housing market assessment (typically refreshed every two years), revising the plan’s industrial-land chapter and identifying sites for a new heavy-industrial park with rail service, and establishing an annual Montana Defense Summit to connect defense suppliers with local businesses. "We would like to start hosting an annual event, the Montana Defense Summit," Jolene Schoffer said, describing the summit as a forum to link defense-sector firms and local suppliers.
The presenters said the existing industrial park is nearly full and that new sites are needed to capture leads tied to recent regional announcements. They also praised Cascade County’s creation of a Sentinel coordinator position and urged county leaders to use that role to strengthen defense-industry relationships.
No formal county action was taken; the presentation closed with the Alliance inviting commissioner input as it finalizes annual updates to the strategic plan. Commissioner Briggs was noted as serving on the Alliance’s executive committee and staff indicated the plan and its updates are available on the Alliance website.
Dwayne Schoffer, identified to the board as executive vice president of the Great Falls Development Alliance, and Jolene Schoffer, identified as a resident of Cascade County, described last week’s groundbreaking for a large machine-shop project founded by Peter Janicki and his brother and said the project will create thousands of jobs with a majority of positions expected to be filled by local residents. Jolene Schoffer said, "It is time to update our housing market assessment," adding that current market data drives developer interest and unit types.
The Alliance recommended three priorities: updating the housing market assessment (typically refreshed every two years), revising the plan’s industrial-land chapter and identifying sites for a new heavy-industrial park with rail service, and establishing an annual Montana Defense Summit to connect defense suppliers with local businesses. "We would like to start hosting an annual event, the Montana Defense Summit," Jolene Schoffer said, describing the summit as a forum to link defense-sector firms and local suppliers.
The presenters said the existing industrial park is nearly full and that new sites are needed to capture leads tied to recent regional announcements. They also praised Cascade County’s creation of a Sentinel coordinator position and urged county leaders to use that role to strengthen defense-industry relationships.
No formal county action was taken; the presentation closed with the Alliance inviting commissioner input as it finalizes annual updates to the strategic plan. Commissioner Briggs was noted as serving on the Alliance’s executive committee and staff indicated the plan and its updates are available on the Alliance website.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
