Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Opinion & Editorial

by Bob Frost, Lorraine Crotty, Ellen Prosser, Dave Snell, Hamilton

Has anyone else noticed the tactics being used by the Hamilton City Council and Mayor to keep an Elected Treasurer out of our city government? Even after two years of hearing explanations from the Study Commission as to why an Elected Treasurer is the law for our city, they still continue their antics of denial, blame and outright lies. The Bitterroot Star covered this story again on December 13, and this time Councilor Mike LaSalle had the nerve to imply that if someone were elected from Hamilton, they would not have the appropriate education and would only be winning a "popularity contest." He has also been known to publicly state that "few citizens can even balance their checkbooks, let alone a $6 million budget."

We take great issue with these insults made by LaSalle, and we continue to defend the rights of Hamilton citizens to choose the person that handles their money. There is no defense for an "appointed" treasurer, that we can find.

Look at the condition of the city books from the last three or more appointed "experts." The books are in such disorder now, that they will probably never be straightened out. The Finance Policy has not been followed for many years, and we are getting virtually no interest from our investments of over $5 million. Even the checkbook itself has not been balanced since last May. There is no accountability for the funds being spent, and there has been no one looking out for the best interests of the Hamilton taxpayer. Except for Councilor Sutherland, no one else is even looking at a single Payable or check being written by city administration. We found the check register to be a complete disaster, with missing checks, checks out of sequence, 58 checks with no amounts printed, and on and on. This is what the "appointed experts" have done. What is happening is a total lack of respect for the funds you work so hard to provide to your government. Can anyone explain to us what exactly we are getting for our $7 million? For one thing, we have 68 people on the payroll now, including the library staff, 46 city employees, 6 councilors and a mayor. That is costing you a bundle.

Last year, the Study Commission did an informal survey of seven other cities the size of Hamilton and not a single one had a budget the size of Hamilton. Most were in the $2-$4 million range, when ours was a whopping $9 million! Even if you subtracted a couple of million for the grants we received for the water tank and a few streets, it was still way above the average budget for a Class 3 City (under 5,000 in population). But these nitwits keep on spending like there's no tomorrow. How many of you like the tax bill you just got?

Now the Mayor, LaSalle and Steele are pushing for a "straw poll" to ask the voters whether or not you want an elected treasurer. More waste of citizen funds to conduct this fiasco. The straw poll is not binding, of course, but it will no doubt be weighted in favor of an "appointed" treasurer to justify keeping what we have illegally had for 25 years. Don't you wonder what is being hidden behind those walls of city hall?

Money is running out of there like water through a sieve, and yet there doesn't appear to be any extraordinary changes to the City of Hamilton. Where is the money being spent? The streets and sidewalks are still in shambles even after paying an extra 20 mills on your taxes for over 10 years already. The mayor and council are threatening to increase your sewer rates up to as much as $15 per month, claiming that the sewer plant needs humongous repairs, and at least two mega-developments are looming nearby with expectations that they will hook on to our utility service and infrastructure, at your expense. Have you ever asked why our illustrious "leaders" would even consider approving any of this? Someone other than you is benefitting.

Let's face the facts, folks, we are being pillaged and plundered, with no one watching the store. We have been kept in the dark long enough. We need transparency in our city funds, and someone in charge, who will report directly to us, the Hamilton taxpayers. We need an Elected Treasurer. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking like Mike LaSalle that the citizens of Hamilton are too dumb to handle this job. We have a wealth of talent within these boundaries, and intelligent people willing to step up to the plate to take on the responsibility of Elected Treasurer.

American troops should leave Iraq

In early November, an editorial calling for Donald Rumsfeld to be replaced as secretary of defense, showed up simultaneously in the Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, and Marine Corps Times. Distributed to members of the U.S. armed forces throughout the world, these publications stated that President Bush must "face the hard bruising truth [that] Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress, and with the public at large."

Only days earlier, Mr. Bush stated that he wanted both Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney to remain in their posts for the remaining two years of his administration. As he spoke, more troops were being killed and wounded in a war that has degenerated into a civil conflict between Muslim factions competing for power.

Then, one day after the Republicans suffered what Mr. Bush himself called a "thumping" on Election Day, Rumsfeld's resignation was announced. To replace him, Mr. Bush turned to Council on Foreign Relations veteran and former CIA Director Robert Gates, a move that does not bode well for the troops caught in a civil war between Islamic factions. Iraq is no place for American forces no matter who is secretary of defense.

Frank M. Pelteson
Las Vegas, NV

Water Quality District clarification

Dear Editor,

In the past two weeks, there has been a lot of false information spread about the proposed Water Quality District and its supporters. County supplied information stated that if a Water Quality District was created, it would be funded by modest fees ranging from $9 to $27 per year, but exempting the largest water users like irrigators and livestock waterers. (Why?!)

Some people made the automatic assumption that the county had the intent, the money and the authority to install water meters on individual wells on private property. Had those misinformed people read the numerous articles written in the local newspapers since early December, they would have realized that Ravalli County has no such intent, no such authority and no money to install water meters.

Think about it. It would cost about $1000 in parts and labor to install a water meter on your private property well. At $9/year, it would take 111 years for the county to break even from the installation of your meter, not including the cost of reading your meter each year. So how you came up with the conclusion that the county was going to meter your well is beyond me. Some 3000+ folks signed a protest based on misunderstandings and false information spread by uninformed opponents. The county is not going to install water meters on private wells on private property!

Between now and the June vote on the issue of a proposed Water Quality District, I encourage each and every voter to get their facts straight and use some common sense and logic. Decide if you do or do not want clean, unpolluted water for yourselves and fish and wildlife. Then vote accordingly.

Don Mabry
Hamilton

Elk Foundation should back off

Dear Editor,

My bellyache is about George Corn and the Elk Foundation. It bothers me to say anything about the Elk Foundation, however not so George Corn. It has to do with the destruction of the East Fork of the Bitterroot River that the Forest Service wants.

First off, Mr. Corn stirred up the County Commissioners to get them involved. They know nothing about the area of proposed destruction. They probably haven't walked the area and maybe have not even driven the roads. George Corn says that in case of a fire the people couldn't escape. Over the years there has been two major fires in the area and neither even came close to stopping traffic. Furthermore, there are three other routes out of the East Fork.

Now to the Elk Foundation getting involved. I admit I don't know where they stand on the issue but I suspect it has to do with burning and thinning. The Elk Foundation has done great work in acquiring game winter range, most of which is where the elk actually want to winter. But when it comes to giving the Forest Service money to burn, supposedly to create more feed for elk in the summer, that's another thing. I checked three areas that the Forest Service burned using Elk Foundation money and it really sucked. It couldn't have been in worse places. It wasn't even in the elk summer range and it was too far back for winter range, dry south faces, etc. I don't know if the Elk Foundation checked the areas where the burning was to take place or not, but they sure threw away money on these endeavors.

It bothers me to think that they will have the same effect on the East Fork. The operation of the Forest Service on the East Fork will just raise havoc with what little cover is left for the elk, deer and other animals, and birds that must have old growth forest to provide this cover.

So please, Elk Foundation, stick with elk winter range and getting these lands back into public hands and leave the cutting and burning to the incompetent Forest Service.

Floyd Wood
Corvallis

Thanks from Stevi Booster Club

Dear Editor,

The Stevensville Booster Club would like to thank the following community members for their support during this year's craft bazaar. We greatly appreciate the hard work and time donated to us by Darcy Glunt, bazaar organizer, and Jeannie Brushia, the person in charge of the kitchen. We were lucky to find Booster Club members to hang and take down the banner on Main Street and wish to recognize John Anderson, Bill McNulty, Fred Thomas, Ray Gavlak, and Jim Pfau. Farmers State Bank was generous to loan a coffee maker for the day and we could not manage this large event without the support of the Stevensville High School custodial staff. Finally, this event would not be possible without the overwhelming donations of homemade soups and pies and the time put in for set up and take down by Stevensville High School students and alumni.

Barb McLean, Secretary
Stevensville Booster Club

Public deserves the truth

Dear Editor,

I read Dallas Erickson's letter to the editor claiming that Wal-Mart did not violate Montana's campaign finance and practices laws. I believe he should read the case law before he makes such a claim.

The people of this County deserve to know the truth. Section 13-37-210, MCA, requires "(1) Any political committee filing a certification and organizational statement pursuant to 13-37-201 shall: (a) name and identify itself in its organizational statement using a name or phrase: (i) that clearly identifies the economic or other special interest, if identifiable, of a majority of its contributors; .... (2) The naming and labeling requirements in subsection (1) are reporting requirements for purposes of enforcement under 13-37-128."

Since Wal-Mart was the only contributor when Erickson's PAC was formed, Wal-Mart broke the law and Erickson helped them do it. The people deserve to know the truth.

Marilyn Owns Medicine
Stevensville

Disgusted by Foss

Dear Editor,

Suzy Foss was "outraged and disgusted" about an article on George McGovern. The worst statement she made was putting George McGovern's name in the same sentence with Jane Fonda - what an insult to a war veteran!

George McGovern was a B-24 bomber pilot in World War II. He flew his full quota of missions (35), flying out of Italy.

Mr. McGovern is also on the board for World Hunger. The billions we are spending on Iraq would feed many people. Pantry Partners in Stevensville is feeding over 400 people a month. Add Haven House to the number, and there are a lot of hungry people right here in Ravalli County.

People have a right to their opinions, but commenting on war is hard to do unless you have been there and done that. When an enemy tries to kill you every day you have a "gut" feeling that is different.

Lloyd Eickert, WWII Combat Veteran
Stevensville

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