Dear Editor,
Several Ravalli County issues addressed recently in local newspapers and letters to the editor beg for additional comment:
1) The struggling non-profit recycling program in Ravalli County needs the commissioners to “show them the money” they were promised.
2) Suzy Foss’s enthusiasm for coordination needs to be examined very closely. Her friend, Leslie Kinne, terms our US government an “enemy” and Leslie would have Ms. Foss exclude NGOs and “environmentalists” from providing citizen input as she goes about coordinating. On her part, Ms. Foss explains that she has to “coordinate” right now because she “can’t sleep through the night.” If the sleep-deprived Ms. Foss takes over the duties of the federal government, how will she ever be able to fulfill her responsibilities as a county commissioner? And, deprived of the protection of the federal government, how will the weak and endangered among us survive?
3) In a recent letter by Glen Kimball, he calls those who question the behavior of our county commissioners “leftist extremists.” He identifies Van P. Keele, Bill LaCroix, Lee Tickell, and Phyllis Bookbinder as being guilty of extreme and impolite behavior. Bill LaCroix probably made the list with his defense of Stewart (Brandy) Brandborg’s lifetime of public service, and conservation of “…the vast tracts of unspoiled landscape we all live here for…” Others appear to be on the list despite their factual letters, devoid of the ad hominem (personal) attacks seen in Mr. Kimball’s letter.
4) A call for civility and fact-based writing is always timely. But a final point: Other writers might feel slighted by being omitted from Mr. Kimball’s list. These would include Rich Morrissey, author of excellent, fact-filled articles on the county airport and Flat Iron development, both badly handled by the commissioners. Kathy Roubik has sent in several incisive letters. The list of factual, constructive writers will continue to grow to keep pace with the flawed policies, pronouncements and decisions emanating from the second floor of the Ravalli County Commissioners’ center.
John Carbin
Stevensville