By Marilyn Wolff, Stevensville
MCA-7-5-2011 describes Montana Commissioner Duties and Powers. It looks like Ravalli County Commissioners have branched out from Valerie Stamey-type-decisions and lawsuits to influence decisions on public land. Land that belongs to every US citizen. By sending their support letter to Daines on releasing Montana Wilderness Study Areas for industrial use, they’ve entered a new arena especially when falsely representing their constituents. Hundreds of citizens attended the February 7th Hamilton meeting and overwhelmingly opposed the commissioners’ letter and asked for it to be revoked.
The commissioners became embarrassed when county citizens and long standing, honored Montana conservation groups brought to light their complicity with Daines and Gianforte in the biggest land grab in Montana history.
On county taxpayer dollars, the commissioners have started a letter campaign to attack groups and their members who oppose their decisions. Those groups are full of Montana citizens and voters who are vehemently against what they did. As a Ravalli county resident, I urge the county commissioners to return to county business. They’ve embarrassed county residents by their actions and not vetting phony reports which were concocted by real dark money groups.