Corvallis American Legion Post #91 and the Ladies Auxiliary will host the 89th annual Corvallis Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25 at 10 a.m. This year the parade theme is “Celebrate the Heart of the Valley.”

The Parade Grand Marshal is Don Thorson. Don is a Navy veteran and the president of the Corvallis Cemetery Association.

All parade participants are asked to preregister at wwww.corvallispost91.com. On Memorial Day participants can pick up their parade number at 8 a.m. at the registration booth by the intersection of 2nd and Market Street. Registration will close at 9 a.m. so judging can take place before the parade. Anyone who has a business, club, musical or dance act, organization or vehicle that they want to promote and will benefit the parade is welcome to participate. For more information contact Ike Slaughter at 777-1339.

After the parade Corvallis American Legion Post #91 will conduct memorial services at the Corvallis Cemetery and the Woodside Cutoff Bridge.

For 89 years the Bitterroot Valley has enjoyed this rich tradition of honoring those active duty personnel and veterans who have died. World War I veterans started the Corvallis Memorial Day parade after they returned from Europe. The first parade consisted of a color guard and veterans, staging in the alley to the west of Main Street.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. The holiday was first proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan and was observed on May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers. Until World War I many people in the South refused to acknowledge Decoration Day. Memorial Day is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.

Events start off early on Memorial Day with the Corvallis Community Event Center’s breakfast from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Corvallis High School lunchroom located off the Eastside Highway.

The Corvallis Community Festival will begin after the parade at the north end of Main Street. The festival consists of a carnival and food booths.

Stevi supports grant application to extend sewer to Selway Corporation

By Michael Howell

Following a public hearing held Monday, May 11, the Stevensville Town Council agreed to support a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for economic development that would extend the Town’s sewer line to Selway Corporation and other properties north of town. At the same meeting it was decided to approve a $5,000 expenditure to study the potential of establishing a Tax Increment Financing District (TIFD) in the same area. If the effort to establish the TIFD is successful it would culminate in the properties being annexed into the Town.

Julie Foster, Executive Director of the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority (RCEDA), told the council at the public hearing that if the Town agrees to the grant application for extension of the sewer line, RCEDA would administer the grant application.

Paul Anthony of Selway Corporation said that the company, which employs 145 people, ran into septic problems about three years ago. He said the Town agreed to the installation of a clay line to the town’s sewer system at the time for temporary use. The company pumps its septic into the town’s sewer system through the clay line. That contract expires in July, however.

Anthony asked the town to approve the CDBG grant application that would fund the extension of the Town’s sewer line to the plant and to provide an extension of the permit allowing the use of the clay line until the grant is approved.

He said that if the extension is not granted the county will shut the plant down. He also stated that the company had been in contact with South Dakota, which had offered to relocate the plant in that state, providing property to build on and a low interest loan for building. He said that half the company’s employees live in Stevensville and the company would like to stay in Stevensville.

Foster told the Council that the grant application would not compete with the Town’s other pending and potential CDBG grants for public facility development for the water system and sewer plant because they were for public facility improvements, whereas this grant would be for economic development. She said that if approved, the properties served by the sewer extension would have to be annexed into the Town.

Councilor Clayton Floyd said that he favored making the economic development grant application. He said that the Town had never applied for one before and if handled properly it could lead to future grants for other projects.

“More importantly,” he said, “we would keep a really good employer and the kind of business that we really want to be encouraging.”

President and previous owner of the now employee-owned Selway Corporation, Max Downing, reminded the Council of what happened in the past when furniture manufacturer Don Perdue asked the Town to extend sewer to the site. When the Town refused Perdue moved his 34-employee operation to South Dakota and built a $2.8 million factory that now employs about 240 people.

Downing said that his company would like to stay here but was also considering an offer from South Dakota to relocate. The company has operated just north of Town for the last 33 years and has a payroll of about $5 million. He said that he would appreciate the Town’s help with the grant.

Ed Sutherlin, who manages the town’s infrastructure, said, “If she (Julie Foster) can get grant money for this, we’d be shooting ourselves in the foot not to go for it.”

At its regular meeting, the Town unanimously approved the grant application and the permit extension for use of the clay pipe in the meantime.

The Town also approved participating in a CDBG application for a grant to study the possibility of establishing a Tax Increment Financing District (TIFD) in the area. A TIFD is a state authorized, locally driven funding mechanism for community and economic development. In a TIFD the increase in taxable value in the district over time is made available for infrastructure improvements within the district.

Foster told the council that on May 5 three County Commissioners, three legislators, and representatives of Selway Corporation, PCI, Montana Rail Link, and NorthWestern Energy met to discuss the potential establishment of a TIFD in the area and the consensus was that it would be a good idea.

The study would cost $20,000. Half would come through a CDBG grant. The 50 percent match would come from the Town and possibly the County, each kicking in $5,000. Commissioner Jim Rokosch, who was present at the meeting, said the County would look favorably on the project. The county recently approved $5,000 to support the study of the potential establishment of a TIFD in Hamilton.

The Town approved the $5,000 expenditure for the study. It does not commit the Town to supporting the TIFD if it is actually proposed.

On Monday, May 18, the Ravalli County Commissioners officially approved a $5,000 match for the planning grant if it is awarded.

Stevi funds water and sewer rate evaluation

By Michael Howell

The Town of Stevensville decided to drop its efforts at seeking a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for Phase II of its wastewater improvements and instead re-directed HDR Engineering to do a water and sewer rate evaluation instead.

HDR Engineering was lined up to make a CDBG grant application for Phase II of the Town’s wastewater improvement program when questions were raised about the Town’s ability to afford the matching funds requirement that would come with such a grant. Councilor Clayton Floyd expressed reservations at a previous meeting about the Town’s ability to meet any new matching fund requirements for the project. Floyd said that right now the Town did not have the funds. He wondered if it would mean passing a bond or raising rates to finance the deal.

“I have difficulty approving something when we may not have the money for our part,” said Floyd.

The Town has already applied for a Rural Development loan to do the improvements necessary to come into compliance with state water law requirements at the wastewater treatment plant. The cost for making the required improvements, Phase I of the project, is estimated at around $1 million. This work includes addressing problems concerning disinfection, a leaky polishing pond, and permitting for an out-fall point that doesn’t meet current standards.

Phase II of the project included other recommended improvements that are not required by the permitting system but are understood to be needed. Those improvements would address the problem of an oxidation ditch that is nearing the end of its lifespan, upgrading to a mechanical screening process rather than a manual one, and installing stand-by power.

However, given concerns about the Town’s ability to meet the matching fund requirement and the fact that the Phase II improvements were “needed” but not “required,” at last week’s Town council meeting HDR engineering recommended that the Town not make the grant application and do a water and sewer rate evaluation instead.

The Town had approved up to $10,000 to be paid to HDR for grant administration, including work on the application. Using the same monies, HDR will now conduct a water and sewer rate evaluation instead. It will not be a full blown “rate study” but will involve an examination of the current rate structures in relation to current costs as well as taking a look at costs of potential projects over the next 5 or 6 years and their possible effects on the water and sewer rates.

The vote to re-direct the funds towards the rate evaluation was unanimous.

The Town also has a major water system improvement project in the works. It will involve installing about 315 water meters and a radio read system; changing over to a monthly billing process; installing a 20-inch new water main under Middle Burnt Fork Road and removing an 8-inch leaking main; developing a well system to produce 1,500 gpm and 225 million gallons annually with a booster station and back up power on the Anderson property next to Twin Creeks Subdivision; construction of a 1 million gallon storage tank; and replacing about 8,144 linear feet of water line in town to achieve system fire flow and accommodate per day usage.

At the same meeting the Town Council also approved a contract with Professional Consultants Inc. (PCI) for up to $25,000, to be charged hourly, for review of John Anderson’s Twin Creeks Subdivision. PCI will only be reviewing the paper work done by Territorial Land Works for Anderson. On-site inspections are not included in the deal. The contract approval was approved on a 3 to 1 vote with Councilor Paul Ludington dissenting.

The Council also approved a request from Town Police Chief James Marble to apply for an $11,000 grant to fund the purchase of equipment. The Town Council had asked the Chief to provide a list of the department’s needs along with prices and he did. Protective vests were at the top of the list. Next was the purchase of AR-15 rifles, followed by standard issue department handguns. This was followed by video cameras, portable radios, and evidence kits.

Chief Marble said that if the grant was awarded, “not a dime would be spent without prior approval from the Council.”

Councilor Clayton Floyd said that he could approve the application as long as the Council had the last say before any money was expended. He said that some items on the list would require a whole lot of discussion before being approved. He said there was no question about the ballistic vests. He called the need for evidence kits a “no-brainer.” He said that he could see the reasoning behind purchasing standard issue handguns so that ammunition clips would be interchangeable between officers in an emergency situation. But he had reservations about the rifles.

“I’d be more comfortable with tasers,” he said.

He called video cameras a “double edged sword.” He said that they could be valuable when an officer was accused of improper actions but was acting totally within the law and policy, but when he was not it could be a liability.

The motion to apply for the grant was approved unanimously with the condition that the Council approve all expenditures before they were made.

The Council also approved application for a $5,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to do a ground water study related to the Town’s wastewater treatment plant. Some matching funds will be required.

In other business the Council:

• approved giving free swimming pool passes to the Stevensville Elementary School students.

• agreed that 3rd Street as it passes the school property does not need to be reconstructed. The possibility that it might need to be moved was raised following a survey done by the school as part of the process of leasing land for a new Head Start building. It was agreed that, based on a 1928 deed, no action was really required. The question was raised in connection with a previous deed from 1908 that was changed in 1928.

• approved a contract with Stelling Engineering to do work at the Airport.

• agreed to support the Main Street Association’s Streetscape Project.

• approved a grant application for extending a sewer line to Selway Corporations property north of town and a study of potential implementation of a Tax Increment Financing District in the area (see accompanying story).

Dufresne wins AGATE award

Stevensville teacher Kathy Dufresne was recently honored as Teacher of the Year by the Association of Gifted and Talented Educators (AGATE).

AGATE was formed about 21 years ago as an organization dedicated to providing for the needs of students who showed special talents and abilities that were not being recognized or encouraged in the ordinary school curriculum. Dufresne attended the first national convention and was so inspired that she succeeded in establishing a program in the Stevensville School District the very next year. She has guided the program for the last 20 years.

“I was astounded by what I was hearing at that convention,” said Dufresne. As a result, working with Stevensville Superintendent John Schneider, she started a program at her school, “and it’s been a passion ever since,” she said.

Dufresne said that the regular school system often identified special students who had problems or weaknesses that held them back from learning at their full potential. Special Education programs were developed to help these students to overcome those problems. But little was being done to identify students with special talents, strengths and abilities and develop them to their full potential.

“I believe if you can teach to a student’s special talents it not only helps them to excel in those areas, but it also helps their overall performance and accomplishments in other areas,” said Dufresne.

She said that there are no set guidelines in Montana for teaching gifted and talented kids but the program she started in Stevensville works by first identifying the students with special talents, brings them into association with other talented peers, and challenges them in ways that the ordinary curriculum doesn’t. She said her gifted and talented students are encouraged to “follow their passions.”

She said that one way gifted students are identified other than a teacher’s observation and recommendation is by “compaction.” Students are given the final exam for a course at the very beginning of it. If they pass the final exam without having taken the lessons, it is a sign that they are ripe for a specially designed, more challenging program.

Besides the Gifted and Talented Program, Dufresne also helped start the Mentor Program and the Reading Fellow Program in the Stevensville District. In 1985 the Stevensville Title I Program was recognized as one of the most successful programs in the state. Dufresne was also named the Montana Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year and is about to receive the KECI Gold Star Teacher Award.

Dufresne has been teaching for 35 years, the first year in Coeur d’Alene, but the rest in Stevensville. She plans on retiring at the end of this year.

“I picked this year to retire about eight years ago,” she said. One of her students asked her at the time when was she going to retire. She asked the student, in turn, when was she going to graduate? The student answered “in 2009.”

“That’s when I’m going to retire,” Dufresne told her.

She said that if you love what you are doing with a passion, you need to just set a time to retire and stick to it. “Otherwise you just keep going and never quit,” she said.

Dufresne said that she had no plans for retirement but would be doing something, maybe some traveling. She said that she enjoyed her teaching career immensely.

“Even on challenging days it was always rewarding,” she said. “I appreciate the District letting me pursue these things.”

Page One •	Valley News •	Op/Ed •	Sports •	Calendar •	Classifieds •	Legals •	Links •	About Us •	Back Issues •	Email Us •	Home
©2009 Bitterroot Star This site was Done By Dooney