Since last week’s Council of Commissioners meeting, the spirited people of Butte engaged in some spirited debate about nuclear power. 

We trusted our leaders’ words at the commission meeting when we heard our Chief Executive vouch for this idea as “real” and talk about how he’s been working with the Governor and Christian Barlow for a couple of months. He went on to name individual staff members of the Governor after Barlow spun unbelievable tales of regulatory approval at the federal level and no regulation at the state level. 

I was in the meeting, and I pulled out my phone to Google the reactor Mr. Barlow claims he’s purchasing, the Westinghouse eVinci. I saw releases from the company saying it was developing the technology with hopes of a pilot in 2029. I read the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s docket on pre-application for a conceptual design that is clearly very early in the process. 

I realize I don’t have all the answers and I’m not always right, so I texted a couple friends who have background to ask questions. One pointed out the technology is in development, competing with others like the proposal in Wyoming led by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. 

All are early in development. Another pointed out the State of Montana can’t enter into non-disclosure agreements, as claimed by Mr. Barlow. 

Maybe we’re all wrong, but as the night went on, I tried to read up on Mr. Barlow further. I was alarmed to see Barlow and his wife organizing a protest in Helena to protect children. They believe they are protecting children from public education and the hidden agenda of the teacher’s union, which their group claims is the legalization of pedophilia. 

As Barlow’s wife posts videos of face painting for her protest against what she called “the Anti-Christ,” I thought of my mom (a substitute teacher) and the many public school teachers who are union members. I heard her describe her decision to homeschool their children on the mountain as inadequate to protect them. 

I didn’t need a lot more convincing that we don’t need this person getting the red carpet from local government to bring that ideology to Butte, but I couldn’t help but search for more information on the many companies Barlow claims to be affiliated with or factories he claimed to be relocating.  There’s little more than sales pitch websites that don’t actually sell anything, but gather contact information. 

I don’t begrudge anyone for their faith, and I’m not going to judge people for how they raise their children. However, when I find people associated with attacking unions and public education talking in tongues at their church, I don’t have a high degree of comfort associating them with the word “nuclear.” 

It didn’t take much to get this far to learn a little about Mr. Barlow. Anyone could have pulled out a phone and did what I did in one night. What we got was glowing endorsements and even a claim this proposal was vetted by experts affiliated with the Idaho National Lab, home of the first nuclear reactor. We got claims of working closely with the Governor and his staff, by name.  

Our Chief Executive was very upset over an ABC News story on Butte where I was interviewed, and I stand by every word I said.  We do deserve a science-based cleanup and we will never get that with secret meetings driving things as they still are to this day. 

He said that story didn’t make Butte look very good. Well, we have to deal in facts and reality, not fake appearances. Our local leaders singing praises about a guy and his nuclear proposal — without even picking up their cell phones to do some research — makes Butte look worse than anything. 

Our local government has a long-documented history of attacking people who raise scientific questions that challenge optics, and they repeat corporate narratives to create illusions to the detriment of people. Just like the revelation last week dumping toxic waste in Centerville is still on the table at the urging of our local government, Butte does not look good when the courthouse isolates itself from the best interests of the people of Butte and Silver Bow County.  

I will hold a town meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday (April 18) at the Big Butte Firehall (900 Lexington Ave.) to discuss issues with the people. It will be the first of several discussions I plan to hold around town, and everyone from every neighborhood is invited.

I hope you will join me as we talk about ways to make life better for the people of Butte and Silver Bow County.

— Bill Foley is running for Chief Executive of Butte-Silver Bow. For more on his campaign, visit FoleyForButte.com. Contact him at foles74@gmail.com.