City of GF stepping up heat on downtown church

The city of Great falls is stepping up the heat on the First United Methodist Church downtown as the two sides continue to battle over the church's allowance of people to congregate on church grounds. City Manager Greg Doyon says the city has now filed a formal notice of violation against the church. He says tents on the property constitute a zoning violation.

Doyon says the city is also commencing a nuisance complaint against the church. This comes because of the numerous complaints the city has received about the people on the church grounds.

The issue began a year ago when church officials told homeless people that they could stay on the church property. City officials say it's not just homeless people that are congregating, it's also other people that are there to cause problems.