Great Falls Mayor Randy Gray has been a staunch supporter of Montana Public Power Inc., the coalition of cities trying to buy NorthWestern Energy and convert it into public ownership. But Gray was defeated in Tuesday's city election by newcomer Dona Stebbins, described as lukewarm to the public power idea.

Missoula Mayor Mike Kadas - leader of the MPPI effort - doesn't see the change in Great Falls as a problem.

"We have a responsibility to sit down and explain the whole project to her (Stebbins) and then she'll make a decision based on that," Kadas said Friday. "Of the (Great Falls) council there's still a strong majority that supports it even if the mayor were opposed to it."

Billings - which has refused to join the MPPI group - also has a new mayor and some new city council members. Kadas sees that as an opportunity to perhaps readdress the issue there.

"They (the revamped Billings council) probably need to look among themselves and see if they think it's a good idea or not, or whether they just want to sit on the sidelines and watch," Kadas said. He expressed a willingness to present the program in Billings again if there was obvious interest.

As for the announcement Thursday by NorthWestern Pres. Mike Hanson that the company is not interested in the MPPI offer, Kadas isn't taking "no" for an answer.

""I think there's clearly a majority of the shareholders that want to see this project move forward," Kadas said Friday. "Their voices will be heard in the relatively near future. I think it's too bad that the leadership of the company has been unwilling to listen to them, but I think that time is coming."