The Fall Conference 2007 of the Northern Rockies Blacksmith Association (NRBA) was held for three days this month at Jim Bolinger's St. Mary's Forge, located on St. Mary's Road west of Stevensville. Members showed up from around the region to learn what they could from conference demonstrator Tom Clark from Potosi, Missouri. Potosi not only sells tooling and power hammers, but he teaches at his own Ozark School of Blacksmithing.

The school, located about an hour's drive south and west of St. Louis, offers a variety of classes in the art of blacksmithing and metal working. Impressed by the demonstrations and methods he saw being offered by Israeli blacksmith Huri Hofi, at a national blacksmithing conference, Clark worked with the man to set up some classes in the United States. Clark then traveled to Israel to see Hofi's school and worked closely here in setting up his own Ozark School of Blacksmithing in Potosi.

Past president of the NRBA Morris Hallowell from Livingston, who was in attendance at the St. Mary's Forge for the conference, said that the art of blacksmithing had fallen into decline by the turn of the century in the United States following the advent of modern industrial manufacturing.

"A lot of knowledge was lost and an incredible art was faced with potential extinction," said Hallowell. "Now there is a lot of re-learning to be done." This re-learning began in earnest in the 1970s, he said. Along with a general revival of interest in folklore and folk art across the nation, a renewed interest in the blacksmithing arts was kindled as well.

One result of this renewed interest was the creation of the non-profit NRBA. It is an organization dedicated to the preservation of the craft and educational endeavors related to it. It supports and encourages the continued professional development of working smiths, the budding skills of those new to the pursuit, and the interest and education of the general public in this ancient and fascinating craft. Many NRBA members are professional smiths who make a living doing the work they love and placing beautiful iron work in the public eye. They are also extremely generous in sharing their knowledge and expertise with members and the general public by holding hammer-ins and conducting workshops.

Some of the forging skills that a beginner might pick up at one of these hammer-ins or workshops include drawing out, fullering, splitting, punching, upsetting, and not picking up your work from the hot end. Participants might also make some of their own basic tools of the trade such as tongs, punches, chisels, hammers, pokers, and small propane-fueled forges.

If you would like more information about the NRBA you could contact Vice-President Jim Bolinger, at St. Mary's Forge by calling 531-0211 or e-mail him at sbolinge@aol.com.

Stevi Flats subdivision approved

By Michael Howell

The County Commissioners approved the Stevi Flats subdivision on a 4 to 0 vote last week. The subdivision, proposed by developer Scott Twite, will create 20 lots on 60 acres south of Stevensville off of Pine Hollow Road. The lots range in size from a little over two acres to just over three and a half acres.

First heard at a public hearing on September 18, that meeting was continued until the September 30 meeting at which eight neighboring landowners spoke in opposition to the proposal. Almost all of those speaking against the proposal expressed concerns about the effect of 20 new wells on the surrounding existing wells in the area as well as concerns about the effects of septic disposal on the neighboring wells. An oft repeated refrain among the protestors was the comment that they had moved to their current residences to live in a rural environment. All the surrounding landowners own lots 5 to 10 acres in size. They complained about the proposed two-acre density.

Although the county's Growth Policy discourages development density that is not in keeping with surrounding development, Deputy County Attorney Alex Beal cautioned the commissioners that they should judge the proposal on the state's six criteria and not in relation to the Growth Policy, which is only a guide.

The commissioners urged the protesting neighbors to participate in the countywide zoning process which aims to address these kinds of concerns. In the end, the commissioners found that the proposed development, with the mitigation measures proposed by the developer, did not present a significant impact according to the state's six criteria.

Settlement reached in Poker Joe access case

By Michael Howell

A settlement agreement reached between Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and some local landowners guarantees public access to the Poker Joe Fishing Access Site on the Bitterroot River north of Florence. The dispute arose when local landowners Dan Saunders and Ted Franklin, fed up with the problems associated with public use of the fishing access site, put a chain across the road blocking access to it. On February 2, 2007, FWP filed suit in Ravalli County District Court to keep the access open to the public.

Franklin claimed at the time that he and his neighbor, both of whom live next to the access site, were fed up with the noise and traffic at all hours of the night. They claimed that vehicles were speeding and parking in the roadway blocking driveways and gates, that garbage was being left behind, firewood stolen from off their property, that there were sanitary problems at the site, and rudeness from the public when they tried to intervene to correct the situation.

FWP purchased the property in 1973 as a 13-acre lot in the Florentine Acres Subdivision that bordered the river. The property was initially developed as a fishing access site in the spring of 1978. The adjacent landowners claimed that the road is a private road serving that subdivision and, as property owners, FWP has access to the site, but that the public does not. FWP disputed that claim.

A preliminary settlement agreement was arrived at between FWP and the landowners on March 21, 2007, in which the landowners agreed not to obstruct public access to the site "as long as FWP progressed in addressing their complaints." FWP agreed to order signs to inform the public of the limited resources for motor homes and boat launching at the Poker Joe Access Site, "no parking" signs for the private portion of the access road, signs delineating the parking area, a sign for an on-site information map including boundaries, and a sign to identify Ted and Melodee Franklin's property as "private property." The agency also agreed to place speed bumps and study the need for additional dust abatement and to place a portable toilet facility at the site and maintain it from April 1 to September 30.

That settlement recently fell apart, however, when several cars were broken into and gunshots were fired in the area and the landowners decided to blockade the road again by erecting a gate. In late August, FWP filed for an injunction to prevent the landowners from blocking the road again. This latest action led to the final settlement agreement in which the landowners agreed to grant a road easement to FWP and the public and FWP agreed to implement a maintenance agreement.

FWP promised to grade the access road, Simpson Lane, once a year. It also committed to maintain several signs associated with the access site, to annually place portable speed bumps, perform dust abatements, install a portable toilet and maintain it from April 1 to September 30 each year, and install a parking area accommodating about 18 cars.

"This is a 'win-win' situation," said FWP attorney Bill Schenk in a press release. "It preserves access, and the site improvements will help to better serve the needs of the public and address concerns the landowners have."

FWP asks hunters, anglers and recreationists to be aware of site regulations and respectful to the landowners and private property adjacent to Poker Joe.

Judge rules on term lengths for holdover commissioners

By Michael Howell

District Court Judge John Larson recently ruled that the terms of County Commissioners Greg Chilcott and Alan Thompson, the so-called holdover commissioners, will expire on January 1, 2009. This means that those two seats on the Board of County Commissioners will be up for election on November 6, 2008. This represents the final judgment in the case filed by several Ravalli County residents questioning the outcome of the last elections in which voters approved an increase in the number of commissioners from 3 to 5 and a decrease in the term lengths from 6 years to 4 years.

Hamilton passes tree ordinance

By Michael Howell

After a five-and-a-half-year effort, spearheaded by Council President DeAnne Harbaugh, the City of Hamilton passed a tree ordinance at their last meeting on September 18. The last two significant changes to the ordinance included making the city responsible for all safety related tree removal or trimming, while allowing property owners to trim without permission being required.

Three citizens urged the Council to pass the ordinance. A fourth, former mayor Joe Petrusaitus, said that the decision was of no interest to him but he hoped if the council passed it that it would be announced in the media and that it would be budgeted for. The upcoming year's budget, also passed at the meeting, did include a recent addition of $8,000 for tree maintenance.

Councilor Bob Scott said that taking responsibility for the trees was a good first step.

Councilor Jerry Steele said that the ordinance was 99.9 percent pretty good but offered an amendment that would switch responsibility for implementing the ordinance from the Parks and Recreation Committee and Director of Parks to the Department of Public Works. He also criticized the ordinance for not including reference to the clear view triangle.

Councilors Harbaugh, Scott and Hendrickson countered that the concern for tree maintenance included many trees in the parks that were outside any street right-of-way and that it made sense for the Parks and Recreation Department to implement the ordinance. Councilor Sutherland also pointed out that a specialist in tree health needed to be involved.

Complicating the matter was the fact that the Parks Director has expressed the preference that the Department of Public Works take the responsibility.

Steele's proposed amendment was defeated on a 4 to 2 vote with Councilors Sutherland, Scott, Harbaugh, and Hendrickson voting against it.

Harbaugh then defended her original motion saying that it was not what she intended when she started, that she has compromised a lot, but that this was a good start. The ordinance was then passed unanimously.

The Council also passed a preliminary budget of about $9 million. Financial officer Steve Green noted the most recent changes to the proposed budget. They include an addition of $8,000 to tree maintenance for tree planting in Claudia Driscoll Park. There was also a $10,000 allocation for sidewalks in Claudia Driscoll Park. Another $10,000 was budgeted for future parkland purchases. The budget leaves about $1.8 million in a positive balance. This is a reduction, however, from a previous reserve fund of about $5.8 million.

Councilor Bob Scott criticized the budget. He said that the city was spending down about $4 million in reserve funds, not to improve the city, but to expand it.

"There is an underlying subsidy of growth embedded in this budget," said Scott.

Scott cast the lone vote against the budget and it was approved on a 5 to 1 vote.

The council also unanimously approved a project agreement with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) for a Safe Routes to Schools Project. The associated consultant service agreement with Professional Consultants Inc. did not go so smoothly, however. Not put out to bid, the recommendation from the City Administrator was to award the contract to PCI for $9,157.93.

Councilor Scott objected that the fee seemed exorbitant for a project with an overall cost of $47,000. He also complained about what he called the "poor track record" of PCI with the City. Councilor LaSalle agreed with Scott. The two voted against the award, but it passed on a 3 to 2 vote.

A recommendation to appoint City Planner Dennis Strange as Subdivision Administrator was defeated on a 3 to 2 vote. Objectors Harbaugh, Sutherland and Scott advocated for Lan Hansen to fill the position.

The council also unanimously passed a Climate Change Resolution encouraging the city and residents to adopt practices aimed at reversing global warming.

Coming soon - Prescription discounts for Ravalli County residents

By Michael Howell

About 15,000 free prescription discount cards were sitting on Commissioner Alan Thompson's desk last week just waiting for the best distribution plan to be devised for putting them into the hands of Ravalli County residents. The cards, at no cost to the card holder or to the county, according to Thompson, will bring the card holder a discount of about 20 percent on prescription drug purchases at participating pharmacies. Thompson said that in this case, in Ravalli County, that includes most every local pharmacy.

There is no enrollment, no membership fee, just a card, ready for use. How can this be? It is the result of a collaboration of local government and the National Association of Counties (NACO). NACO negotiated the discount deal with Caremark, the parent company of the prescription company CVS, according to Thompson and is passing along the discount savings to participating counties. Thompson said that out of the nation's 3,000 counties, 800 are participating in the program.

"This is not subsidized by the county. This is not a health care plan. It's just an agreement on a national scale between several hundred counties and a prescription drug company for a discount on prescription drugs," said Thompson. He said that the percentage of the discount will vary but that it is averaging about 20 percent.

There are no limits on the number of times a person may use the card, and despite some wording on the information attached to the cards suggesting that the card may not be used if you are covered by insurance, Thompson said that the opposite is the case.

"Anyone purchasing prescriptions with the card gets a discount whether they are insured or not," said Thompson.

Thompson cautioned, however, that the discount did not apply to prescriptions for people covered by Medicare Part D or Medicaid.

"There is no down side to this," said Thompson. "It doesn't cost the county a dime and it benefits the citizens. It will be a wonderful program when it goes into effect."

Greg Pape, Montana's Poet Laureate

By Gretchen L. Langton

Richard Hugo's poem, "Lecture," begins with this stanza:

Now rockets pierce the limit of our air,
our plans to grow potatoes on the moon
are near. Forget those poems about the woods
a little north, where pools of rain, you say
stare like eyes of silver giants, fallen
in a storm (symbolic war). The day
is ready for a poem about the stars.

What you don't see in this stanza is what is in the next stanza, the part where Hugo asks poets that come after him to report on the "actual stars," "the burning gasses, those erupting hunks of solar matter changing red to blue, complete with hisses." This Prospero-esque declaration may mean that poets tend to get caught up in symbolism, perhaps missing the power of that which exists before their very eyes, our visceral planet.

This is not a problem for Hugo's successor at the University of Montana, Greg Pape. He has been teaching at the U of M since 1987 and, on August 14, he began his term as Montana's second-ever poet laureate. The first was Sandra Alcosser, also from the Bitterroot.

Richard Hugo was one of Pape's heroes. Pape says (in the spirit of Hugo before him), "Real poetry is about real people. It tells the truth as you see it."

Pape writes in the poem "Turning Things Over, Rock Creek, Montana" (from his collection Storm Pattern):

One of many witnesses
He watched the passage of the moon
from ridge to ridge above the canyon.
He thinks, the light on water, wind
in the trees, river in the leaves,
leaves in the river, rainbow
in the river, fish in the rainbow, fire
in the fish, soul in the fire, this.

The watery flow of this stanza, real things touching other real things all the way into our beings, has some Hugo in it, while taking the reader elsewhere. His style and breadth of work have been recognized with numerous, prestigious poetry awards including two National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowships. He has written nine books of poetry "beginning in 1976 with 'Little America‚' and has authored movie and book reviews and essays about writing poetry. The intriguing title poem of his most recently published book ("The American Flamingo") can be read online at art.mt.gov. His newest project is not a book of poems; it's prose. Pape explains, "It began as an autobiography and ended up being about my grandfathers," one a Kentucky coal miner and the other a member of the Boston Red Sox during the 1912 World Series.

When I speak to Greg Pape, on his suspended porch, with his mixed flock of six hens picking through the grass under the tall cottonwoods, he is unpretentious and genuine about what his effect can be as Montana's poet laureate.

"My job, as I see it, is to promote the reading and writing of poetry. I've been doing this all my life."

The position of poet laureate is one of title only, no money; he will be traveling around the state, reading in the tiny hamlets that are stitched together by freeway and dusty dirt roads.

"The last poet laureate, who is also from the Bitterroot (Sandra Alcosser), told me she put 50,000 miles on her car," Pape says smiling, knowing he has much travel ahead. I also get the feeling that he is looking forward to being Montana's ambassador of poetry and like any poet worth his salt, he is imagining the poetic fodder he can glean from being on a two-year-long road trip across Montana.

As we walk toward his rustic, hand-made, one-room studio, which he calls South Hall because it has an expansive south facing view of the Bitterroot Valley on the Sapphire side, he tells me how he and his wife first rented this house and small acreage, with parts of an aging Macintosh orchard on it, "for $400 a month." This was in 1987, when they arrived from Florida International University. They loved this place so much that when the opportunity arose to buy it, they did. They have raised two sons, Coleman and Clay, and a bevy of free-range chickens here; this space is a part of what forms Greg Pape's poetic geography.

In his upcoming volume of poetry, there is an elegy for a rooster named Big Red. One line from the poem, "I fed and watered you with a stick in my hand to ward you off," indicates the complicated mix of love, fear, hate, and admiration involved in Pape's relationship with the vicious, but virile rooster who ends up losing his head to a predator in the night.

"I miss you as I never thought I would. Yesterday you were a big red fearless strutting rooster in bright glistening feathers crowing wild at the sun, and today you are a silent headless corpse."

A myriad of different predators, from neighbor dogs to foxes, coyotes, weasels, raccoons and raptors, can be found here, says Pape without malice. The predator factor doesn't discourage him from going to the 4-H chicken sale each year to buy more hens, only hens, no more roosters.

Pape's work is not just influenced by his sky-top oasis north of Stevensville. He was raised in Arizona and California and he's taught college all over the country. He received an M.A. in English from California State, Fresno.

"I studied with the Pulitzer Prize winning poet Phillip Levine at Fresno State. He taught me to believe in my own intuitions."

Pape has an M.F.A. from the University of Arizona. He has been a literature and creative writing instructor in the states of Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, and Montana. He says he first came here on a fishing trip. This trip inspired him to apply and reapply for a teaching position at the U of M. That was twenty years ago.

This last week, Greg Pape, Montana's newest poet laureate, read at the Montana Festival of the Book and sat on a poet's panel to discuss a new anthology, in which his work appears, called "Poems Across the Big Sky."

Perhaps we'll hear some of Pape's work soon; he tells me he is willing to m.c. an open mic poetry reading in Stevensville. Anyone?

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