Glacier National Park will celebrate its 100th birthday next year (2010). In honor of this event a special logo has been produced. During the last year and a half Glacier National Park has been soliciting companies to produce a line of souvenir items to commemorate the event.

Sylvester is one of three card producers in the world now licensed to create greeting cards using the Glacier Centennial logo.

“I can’t believe that I was granted a license to use the logo,” says Sylvester. “This could be a huge thing for the economy of the Bitterroot Valley. There are an average of 2.7 to 3 million visitors to Glacier National Park per year and that number is expected to increase dramatically next year.”

Sylvester’s photo greeting cards are printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks and the plastic covers that the cards are slipped into are biodegradable. The cards are a perfect match for what Glacier was looking for in its Centennial souvenir items… Environmentally friendly.

“The fact that these cards are produced right here in Montana also helps with the green thing,” says Sylvester. “Most cards today are printed in Hong Kong and shipped back to the US which isn’t very green. I was concerned about the photo and it not being green but most of the chemicals used in today’s printing process are harmless. One Hour Photo Plus in Hamilton will be doing my printing. They actually recover the silver oxide from the photo manufacturing process which could be considered harmful to the environment.”

A portion of the proceeds from each card sold will be donated back to Glacier National Park.

There are roughly 25 wholesalers producing over 160 different items including t-shirts, cups, hats, pins, books, cards, posters, blankets, stickers, lotions, coffee, etc.

Sylvester can be reached at 369-5215.

For more information about the Glacier Centennial you can contact Kassandra Hardy, Centennial Coordinator, Glacier National Park, at Kassandra_hardy@nps.gov or by phone at 406-888-7971.

Stevi Council nixes AR-15s in squad cars

Council considering purchase of Tasers instead

By Michael Howell

The Stevensville Town Council, at its June 22 meeting, played the Grinch with Police Chief James Marble’s “wish list.” Marble was asked to submit a prioritized “wish list” for items to be purchased with an $11,000 grant from federal stimulus funds. In dual motions the Council removed the purchase of AR-15s from the list and voted not to send an officer to an AR-15/M16 Armorer Training Course. The council suggested in later discussion that it would look favorably on adding the purchase of Tasers to the list. But in either case, Council members said, purchase of the weapons should be preceded by development of a sound policy governing its use and training in the implementation of that policy.

Councilor Clayton Floyd said he had reservations about liability. He said the Council needed to provide things for officers to be safe on the job, but it also had to consider the “worst case scenario.” He said in that case someone ends up being killed by a police officer using the weapon and what follows is a wrongful death lawsuit.

“When that happens,” said Floyd, “there’s better than a 50/50 chance that we would lose. That’s just the way things are working these days.”

Floyd said that having a sound policy and a good training program in place should precede actual purchase and use of the weapons because they are the Town’s primary defense in a wrongful death lawsuit. Plus, he said, the Town does have back up from the County Sheriff’s Office and the Highway Patrol.

Councilor Robin Holcomb said, “I agree with Clayton, I don’t like the idea of them sitting in squad cars.”

Police Chief James Marble said that the guns are locked onto the frame of the car and cannot be removed except by the officer. In response to further questions Marble stated that he was asking for four rifles in all, three for patrol cars and one additional. He said the department currently had some M14s but had no training in their use. Currently no rifles are carried in the patrol cars. Shotguns are carried in the trunk. Marble administers the shotgun instruction.

Marble said that it was important to send someone to the class right now because it was in proximity and very affordable. He said later the course could cost a lot more. He said the Town could send someone to the class, then change their policy and then actually buy the weapons. He said he believed the stimulus funds would be available for a four-year period.

Town Clerk Roni Kimp said that the Town had a Certificate of Deposit at a local bank dedicated to police training.

Councilor Floyd said that he hesitated to spend money on training when it is not certain that the Town will get the guns.

He moved to remove the AR-15s from the stimulus package list. That motion was approved unanimously.

Floyd then moved not to send an officer to the AR-15/M16 Armorer Training Course in Helena. That motion was also approved unanimously.

Later in the meeting Floyd promoted the idea of including Tasers on the Police Department’s wish list for equipment. He called Tasers “a measure short of lethal force, which I think is sort of a good thing.”

He said Taser use also prevents physical contact between the officer and the subject. He ssid it was preferable to the use of a baton, for instance.

“But here again we need a policy in place,” said Floyd. “We have no policy on Tasers and a weak one on weapons.”

Town Attorney Keithi Worthington said that in a small town like Stevensville face to face domestic encounters were common. She said those situations are generally in close quarters and a non-lethal response is generally preferable.

Floyd said the idea was worth of considering for inclusion on the equipment wish list.

In other business the town council:

- approved two amendments to the HDR Engineering contracts for doing a water and sewer rate study. Adding the water rate study to the project raised the cost from $15,000 to $20,000.

- approved an invoice for $220,000 from NorthWestern Energy for the first half of the work involved in moving the natural gas transmission line at the airport

- approved a new format for the minutes that would highlight motions made and council decisions and be used along with an actual recording to compile the whole record. Anyone interested in a particular motion could go to the digital recording and listen to it.

- agreed to encourage the Fire Department to get its own tax exempt ID number. Two town auditors have remarked that the Fireman’s Relief Fund should not be using the town’s ID for tax purposes. The council also agreed to have the Town Clerk explore the possibility of consolidating the several CDs it holds at various banks and come back with numbers and details of how it would work.

- granted permission for the Stevensville High School Homecoming parade and bonfire

- issued a Special Use Permit to Farmers State Bank to use the Lewis and Clark Park for a company picnic.

Talent sparkles at ‘Gems of the Bitterroot’ quilt show

By Michael Howell

One of the most striking things about the Bitterroot Quilters’ Guild Quilt Show was the number of quilts on display that were not for sale. These quilts are very special items indeed. Of inestimable value, you might say.

Founded in 1982 by 25 women whose purpose was to cultivate the knowledge of quilting and to make friends, the Bitterroot Quilters’ Guild currently has a membership of 130. Almost 400 entries were on display at the recent 2009 exhibition held at the First Interstate Center at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds.

The inestimable value of many of the quilts doesn’t keep their owners from giving many of them away, however.

The guild is home to a few different groups that devote themselves to particular community projects. There is the ‘Quilt 4 Kids’ project, for instance. This group donates quilts to the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton and Corvallis Fire Departments, Kids First, Child and Family Services, Emma’s House, SAFE, WIC, and the Office of Public Assistance, all to be used to comfort children in need.

There is the Comforters group, a small group of quilters who meet once a month and work on quilts that are donated to people who are receiving care from Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Hospice Center and Chemotherapy Unit. Started by the late Dee Santarone, the goal is to make something for someone in need of comforting while receiving treatment for cancer or some other life threatening illness.

There is also the Montana Cares group, created after the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Two hundred and sixty quilts were sent to victims of that disaster. Locally quilts are provided to SAFE, home fire victims and others in need.

Frances Jackson, co-chair for this year’s show along with Lynne Jensen, said that so much preparation goes into these quilt shows that it takes a full two years to put one together. As a result they are a bi-annual event. The shows began at the old Hamilton High School before moving to Corvallis. Jackson said that this year was the first time at the Fairgrounds’ Event Center. She called it the best venue ever.

Besides the sprawling, maze-like display of quilts the show also included several workshops.

The Best of Show this year, chosen by popular ballot, was a quilt entitled Little Brown Bird designed by Colleen Peterson. The inspiration and title came from a book by Margaret Docherty. The quilter is unknown.

The guild meets on the fourth Wednesday of most months at 7 p.m. at the Corvallis Grange on Dutch Hill Road off Highway 93.

County Briefs

Commissioners make board appointments

Grantsdale Cemetery Trustee Board - Susan France, Dan Paddock and Frank Popiel were appointed to four-year terms ending June 30, 2013.

Impact Fee Advisory Board - John Meakin, Peggy Steffes and Bob Harkin were appointed to two-year terms ending June 30, 2011.

Right to Farm and Ranch Board - Al Pernichele and Jay Meyer were appointed to three-year terms ending June 30, 2012.

Salary Compensation Board - Jim Tadvick was appointed to a three-year term ending June 30, 2012.

All votes were unanimous.

Weed spray contracts awarded

The county received only a single bid to spray for Yellow Flag Iris Weed. The contract was awarded to Nick Holden for $12,000. County Weed Supervisor Kellieann Morris noted that Holden had done work for the county before and had done a good job.

Two bids for the Blueweed spray program were received, one from Douglas St. Mary and Tracy Blyton in the amount of $23,000 and a second from Dan Dunagan, owner of Bitterroot Spraying, in the amount of $14,000. Morris expressed some concern over the difference in the bid amounts. She asked Dunagan, who was present at the bid opening, if he had any questions about the bid or the work to be done. Dunagan indicated he had no questions. The Commissioners awarded the bid to Dunagan for $14,000.

Residential use of airport hangars

The commissioners sent out letters to Max Martz, John Greef and Robert Sweitzer informing them that residential use of airport hangars would be allowed until their current leases expire.

Cancellation of delinquent taxes?

The Commissioners wanted to do a little more research before cancelling delinquent tax payments for 2003 and 2004. They were informed by County Treasurer JoAnne Johnson that Montana law allows the cancellation of unpaid taxes after five years. She said uncollected taxes from 2003 and 2004 total $33,657.44 with penalties and interest totaling $49,783.88.

Commissioner Jim Rokosch suggested they contact the same company that Justice Court #1 uses for collection of court fees and see what kind of services they might provide. They hope to have an answer by July 12, the date by which Johnson said the books need to be cleared.

Planning Board by-laws amended

The County Commissioners amended the Planning Board’s by-laws last week. The process was begun by the Planning Board itself, according to Chairman Lee Kierig, and arrived at the Commissioners with its recommendation for approval. Kierig said the Board went over the by-laws line by line in an updating process and ended up keeping most of what was there. One of the most significant changes was to make the Park Board member a voting member of the Planning Board.

Kierig said the new by-laws also allowed a little more flexibility for the Planning Board members to talk to their constituents about particular subdivisions that were under consideration.

The Board also officially adopted the Robert’s Rules of Order for conducting its meetings.

Also new is a section on the creation and conduct of sub-committees.

With the Park Board member now voting, the County Planning Board now has 12 full voting members.

Ammo theft under investigation

In a press release issued Monday, Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman reports that the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the Ravalli County Sheriff?s Office are investigating the theft of the significant amount of rifle and handgun ammunition from the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Hoffman would not release any further details, saying that the investigation was ongoing and that he did not want to do or say anything that would compromise the state's efforts or those of his office.

In a telephone interview Sheriff Hoffman affirmed that a member of his staff is on administrative leave related to this investigation. He declined to name the individual who is under administrative investigation.

The state Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is pursuing the criminal investigation.

“This case has been ongoing,” said Sheriff Hoffman. “We contacted DCI as soon as we knew there was a problem.” He said that the investigation is ongoing and that even a Sheriff’s Officer is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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