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Wednesday September 8, 2010 Opinion & EditorialStar EditorialClothes Closet not a trash dumpThe Clothes Closet in Stevensville is being dumped on, unfairly and undeservedly, either by people who don’t understand the organization’s mission, or people who are willing to take advantage of it for their own gain by saving the cost of a trip to the dump. The problem is that, whether through ignorance or on purpose, the cost of disposing of junk items is being dumped on the Clothes Closet when things like old television sets, broken micro-waves, bicycles in disrepair are left at their building. That cost is money going to something other than their mission and can be a big burden on a shoestring operation. The mission of the Clothes Closet is to provide, clean, usable clothing to those in need. That’s it. They don’t want clothing dropped off that is not clean, usable and in good repair, much less your old appliances. Some people in the community need to show a little more respect for the organization’s mission and find some other way to recycle other items. Another restriction on the Clothes Closet is contained in its lease with the school. It prohibits having things piled outside. People who wish to donate clothing need to do so when the building is open. That is on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. The mission of the Clothes Closet is a good one. They serve a limited, but very important role in the chain of services for people in need. Given their mission and the conditions of their lease, the community owes them some respect. In this case that means, if we are going to donate to the cause, we should do so with the right stuff at the right time. That’s not asking too much, is it? |
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Letters to the EditorGood county government requires partnershipsIn managing the operation of Ravalli County’s government, I am responsible for representing all of the county’s residents and their many interests, along with my four fellow commissioners – two of them Democrats and two of them Republicans. Over the past three years I found that we work together quite well. This doesn’t mean we always agree, because we don’t. But when we disagree we do so civilly and publicly, hearing each other out and benefiting from each other’s experiences and backgrounds. Rarely has political affiliation become an issue in managing the people’s business, just as it should be. Ravalli County is not an island unto itself, nor should we strive to be. We are a community. And we are an important and vibrant participant in state, regional and even national issues, both public and private. In health and science, education, agriculture, recreation and manufacturing local efforts have had a substantial impact extending far beyond the county line. The Sapphire Community Health Clinic, Biological Virus Sampling, Inc., Pantry Partners, the Emergent Institute, the Bitterroot College Program, Sleeping Child Farms, Ironhaus Manufacturing and new parks, sidewalks and trails are just a few good examples of positive efforts that have benefited from the partnership of the private sector, involved individuals and local government. Likewise, in the management of Ravalli County’s government we work every day to build partnerships that are focused on improving the lives of our neighbors and friends. Over the past three years, you have seen those partnerships at work; over $8 million invested in county road improvements alone, and made possible by our partnerships with state and federal transportation agencies, and the Montana Department of Commerce. Our collaboration with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Bitterroot National Forest resulted in three important projects that have and will continue to benefit our county citizens: improved floodplain mapping, hazardous and electronic waste reduction, and an aggressive weed eradication and control program. While we are not dependent upon those relationships we benefit greatly from them. I do not agree with those who suggest that we turn away from outside sources of revenue. These are our tax dollars coming back to benefit our community. Until this tax collection and return system changes at the state and federal level, it is in our interests to seek out and pursue these resources. As a County Commissioner, there is no more important partnership than the one I share with county residents. I take that relationship very seriously and work hard to represent your values. I cannot always please everyone with every decision I make, but I cast every vote with the best interests of Ravalli County and her people at heart, and with a good deal of research, study and consultation with co-workers and citizens of all political leanings. And yes, that means I may change my position on certain issues when I receive new information and when the citizens tell me loud and clear what they want - that is representation; representing the people means that I listen to their voices and act accordingly. As an Independent I belong to no political party or special interest group. That gives me the freedom to base my decisions on what I believe to be best for all of our citizens, not just those who talk the loudest or longest. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts, concerns and suggestions.
Carlotta Grandstaff, Commissioner Incumbent |
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Planning is necessaryDear Editor, It was disappointing to read Dee Gibney's letter on "planning" in the 8/25 Star. The attitude "I can do what I want with my property" and that concern "for the greater good" is a "socialist" concept demonstrates a lack of understanding and caring of how what one does with their property can affect the property values and quality of life of others. It is just this selfish and short sighted attitude, ignoring the "greater good", that threatens the health and long term sustainability of the soil, water, air and scenery that makes this area so attractive. Will the type of selfishness expressed by Gibney lead to the eventual destruction of the things we most value about where we live? Or, can we work together as a community in a way that shows respect for our diverse backgrounds and values? Can we work to find common ground, even if it means compromising some of our individual values? Or are we committed to a future of each to his or her own (a "free for all"), ignoring the consequences of our actions on others? If we choose the latter, we'd better be prepared to deal with wildly gyrating political extremes, as we learn the hard way that polarization is not the solution to the enormous challenges we face in the coming years. We need to stand up to the self serving scare tactics of those who would have us believe that decisions made by those focused on their personal interests will make our community a better place for the rest of us to live. Have we learned nothing from the experiences of Enron, BP, the bank officers who selfishly pushed subprime mortgages for their personal profit at the expense of the vulnerable, or more locally, the deregulation and subsequent sell-off of electrical generation facilities? In the long run we will all be better off if we reach out to our neighbors, to work together at finding ways to balance our individual rights with the rights and values of others (the real meaning of "for the greater good"). Of course, this will require the showing of respect for and tolerance of the values of others. We've been fortunate to have County Commissioners who consider our diverse values and priorities before making decisions. That is how a republic should work, and in this case, I believe it has worked quite well. We have an opportunity in November to eject the extremism exemplified in Gibney's letter and support the reelection of the incumbent commissioners.
David Parsons |
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Thanks from Scottish Irish FestivalDear Editor, Something magical happened the weekend of August 27, 28 and 29. The inaugural Bitterroot Scottish Irish Festival brought people from all over the United States and Canada together for three days. The grounds of the Daly Mansion played host to close to 2,000 people coming to find family, make new friends and experience the sound of bagpipes seldom heard in the Bitterroot Valley. A year of planning, hundreds of phone calls and emails, volunteer hours and passionate dreams made it come true. The organizers of the festival would like to thank those that helped accomplish our goal. None of this would have happened had not the staff and Board of the Daly Mansion Preservation Trust believed in us, working with us to create a memorable event in true Celtic heritage. When the Pipe Band played in the foyer of the mansion, under the portrait of Marcus Daly, volunteers agreed through their tears that it had come full circle. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to the many organizations needed to make this a viable event. Thank you members of Team Tyler, Stevensville for handling the parking. Your parking donations will help offset the medical expenses of Tyler Hennes. Our hats off to the clans that gathered from all over the country, ensuring this festival brought excitement, education, heritage and culture to those attending. To the many sponsor businesses of the Bitterroot and Missoula that saw beyond a first time attempt into the future of many more such festivals, thank you for your trust, insight and sharing our vision. We realize seeing men in kilts is not an everyday occurrence in the Bitterroot, so we hope residents of the valley appreciate the patronage of those brave souls, leaving little doubt in anyone’s mind their reasons for being in the valley. We appreciate the participation of the many superb vendors whose fine foods and wares added finesse to the festival not expected by the attendees. Most of all, we thank all of those that attended. We knew we had planned it right hearing your stories of clans long lost, strengthening ties to the past, children bouncing to the sound of bagpipes, marching time with the bands, seeing those that found their bit of Scottish or Irish or more. Thank you one and all, you have helped us answer the biggest question -yes, we will do this again next year!
Carol Saylor (for) |
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Judge incumbents by their actionsDear Editor, To anticipate how an office holder will vote in the future, it’s a virtually sure bet that he will vote the same way as he has in the past. Ravalli County faces a milestone choice in November 2010, with three incumbent County Commissioners and a County Attorney running for reelection. Voters will either opt for more allegedly “progressive” government that overburdens citizens with restrictive regulations and taxes, or a conservative government that values private initiative, reduced spending and Constitutional rule. Although few Americans seem concerned, our country is at war with the armies of Islamic Jihad. They have promised to bring open terrorist warfare to suburban America, and we would be fools not to believe them. Ravalli County seems so physically isolated from world and national affairs, that we have allowed ourselves to become complacent. Other rural communities will assure you that the threat is real. In Fresno California, located at the heart of California’s agricultural central valley, the terrorist seed is already growing. Muslim women clad in Burka garb anonymously purchase every prepaid cellphone in the county. These cellphones are shipped via Canada to Iraq and Afghanistan where they are used as remote triggers for roadside bombs. Terrorist cells there in the vicinity of vital military bases seek to purchase weapons through unwitting surrogates. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims proposes to grant concealed weapon permits to all qualified Fresno County citizens, this in a liberal state where such permits are rarely issued. As long as these legal Muslim immigrants perform no overt illegal act, the law cannot touch them. The Ravalli County Commissioners’ action in establishing the overpriced County 911 Center in 2009, and its inability to withstand potential threats, is a good measure of what we should expect in the future if the three incumbent County Commissioners are reelected in November. While the year-old 911 Center is too expensive and has other inherent problems that should have been anticipated, it could have provided the security one would expect of a windowless basement facility. Alas, our Commissioners whimsically added a window well to provide a little indirect filtered sunlight for the 911 operators. This single feature obviated all the security advantages inherent in the center’s courthouse basement location. Any terrorist or even a juvenile prankster can now shut it down without ever entering the building. The architect foolishly placed the 911 Center’s ventilation air intake within the window well, so a prankster could easily evacuate the facility by merely tossing a dead skunk carcass into the well. With a little explosive, a terrorist could do much more permanent damage to the facility and its occupants. A coalition of Ravalli County Seniors sought desperately to sway the Commissioners from approving the window well, but was met with a flurry of excuses from Commissioner Carlotta Grandstaff. She first claimed it was a “deal breaker” imposed by the 911 workers union, but that proved to be untrue. When interviewed by John Cramer, a reporter for the Ravalli Republic newspaper, he quoted her as saying “I just can’t take it seriously,” apparently meaning she chose not to recognize both the terrorist and prankster threats so clearly explained to her. While it’s too late to undo all the 911 Center’s problems, it’s not too late to ensure that such errors in judgment never occur again. Vote your conscience on November 2.
Ervin Martin |
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Extra coverage?Dear Editor, Wow, I know it’s interesting, unusual, strange, but I have never seen so much space taken up in your paper by a story. Don’t get me wrong, I was interested to know what was going on, but did it warrant so much space, when other stories don’t get that kind of space? Next time a new Christian church opens its doors, glad to know we can get that kind of free publicity. As we are trying to get God back in people’s lives, it is great to know your paper is willing to help all religions.
Lilya McAlister |
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Wolves, ‘the only solution!’Dear Editor, One of the greatest joys of my life after moving to Montana was hunting Elk starting in September with the bow season and continuing through the gun season. Then the two days of the late season special hunt at Gardner for which I always applied and usually received a late season permit. The late season Gardner hunt was just in case I was not successful in the bow or gun season. Montana FWP used to issue 2500-2900 late season permits for the Gardner hunt. Fortunately, I was successful for 19 years with this program. My age and bad knees do not permit me to elk hunt anymore. It is just as well because in my favorite hunting areas including Gardner there are few elk left. The Northern Herd of the Yellowstone used to have over 18,000 elk. Gardner’s economy during January and February depended on all the hunters coming for their two-day hunt. The last two years that I went to Gardner all I saw were wolf tracks and the remains of elk, moose, and deer carcasses surrounded by wolf tracks. The Northern Herd of the Yellowstone is now around 6,000 elk. There has not been a late season hunt in Gardner for several years. Years ago just after the reintroduction of the wolves, I had a fairly lengthy conversation with a wildlife biologist employed with the Montana FWP. I told him, “My fear is when the number of wolves reach the quota for the wolf management plan to go into effect, this is such a political hot potato, that all the ‘groups’ opposing wolf management (i.e. wolf hunts, etc.) will stop the Montana and Idaho FWP from implementing their wolf management plans.” The wildlife biologist’s reply: “That is our fear too, John.” Well, here we are many years later with the elk, moose and deer herds being tragically reduced along with large numbers of domestic sheep and cattle. Just as I predicted, Montana and Idaho are not being allowed to manage these huge wild dogs on steroids. Can Montana and Idaho afford to lose our great hunting heritage? Can we afford the economic impacts that the reduced herds are making? “The only solution” is for Montana and Idaho NOT to put pressure on Wyoming, but rather rescind the Montana and Idaho Management Plans and adopt Wyoming’s Wolf Management Plan. Then the hunters and ranchers will solve the problem before it is too late! - If it’s not already! When the aspen turn golden in the high country in September will my grandson ever hear the deep guttural bugle of a monarch bull breaking the silence of the crisp sunrise morning or a cow calling softly to her calf? Many memories that were next to Heaven!
John D. Greathouse |
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Libby alive and wellDear Editor, Over the past few years, there has been much negative press about Libby and its asbestos problems. This has caused some to believe that Libby currently is not a good place to live, or even visit. However, those of us who live here still enjoy the area. Everyone is not dying of asbestosis. Since the EPA has spent in excess of $200 million cleaning up Libby over the past 10 years, and is still doing so, Libby has to be one of the "cleanest" towns around. We would like to invite our fellow Montanans to visit this area, in the Northwest corner of our State. This area is unique in Montana, with thick woods and abundant lakes and streams. It's a great driving loop through Eureka, Libby, and Thompson Falls. Outdoor enthusiasts will find a lack of crowds, where hiking a trail without seeing another person is normal, even during the height of summer. Local real estate is the least expensive of any mountain area in the state. Don't let yesterday's "sensational" headlines keep you from enjoying a "gem" of a Montana town - Libby. Come on over and see for yourself.
Wayne Hirst, President |
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Response to FossDear Editor, A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to the editor regarding the association between our quality of life and how that attracts business. In response Ms. Foss, a candidate for county commissioner wrote a rebuttal that included many false accusations regarding our county attorney and 3 commissioners. When people write letters to the editor they sometimes get a fact wrong or misquote something, myself included, but the intention is usually to be accurate and make a well thought out point. The problem with Ms. Foss's letter is she had many facts wrong and for someone running for office, a letter full of false statements is alarming. Here are the well-documented facts and her comments: Ms. Foss stated: The “voting record” of these 3 commissioners gave Ravalli County the 1 per 2 zoning regulation. THIS IS FALSE. Fact #1: The 1 per 2 zoning regulation was citizen proposed and citizen adopted. On November 7, 2006, 53% of the citizens who voted “FOR adopting an interim zoning regulation limiting subdivisions to a density of 1 residence per 2 acres.” This was 7 months before the commissioners Ms. Foss names were elected. This information can be verified in the public election records at the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. Ms. Foss: The 1 per 2 zoning regulation came “packaged with” a totally outlandish definition by County Attorney George Corn. THIS IS FALSE. Fact #2: The ballot language for the 1 per 2 interim zoning measure was proposed by citizens exercising their Constitutional right to place an initiative on the election ballot. See August 29, 2006, Ravalli Republic article “Signatures Qualify Zoning Measure For November Ballot.” Before the election, this ballot measure was challenged in District Court by the Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors (with whom Foss Real Estate is closely affiliated). See September 13, 2006, Ravalli Republic article “Last-Minute Lawsuit Halts Ballot Printing.” Judge Jeffrey H. Langton reviewed the ballot language, petition procedure and “determined that the petition complied with all laws” and the Board of Realtors were “not entitled to stop voters.” See September 19, 2006 Ravalli Republic article “Langton Rules Against Realtor Protest of Petition.” The ballot measure was passed by voters on November 7, 2006. Three months’ later, Republican Ravalli County Commissioners Alan Thompson, Greg Chilcott, and Howard Lyons requested George Corn assist them in interpreting the ballot measure as it applied to current subdivisions. George Corn issued an opinion that the meaning of the ballot measure approved by the voters limited subdivision density to “1 house per 2 acres.” This opinion was supported by public testimony from citizens who had proposed and signed the petition. See March 1, 2007, Ravalli Republic article “1 Per 2 Based on Lot Size, Not Density.” See also June 14th, 2007, Ravalli Republic article. Once adopted the measure was unchallenged in court which further supported its clear meaning. Ms. Foss: The 1 per 2 interim zoning regulation “stopped all construction” in Ravalli County two years before the rest of the country. THIS IS FALSE. Fact #3: The number of subdivisions approved and filed in Ravalli County since 2000: 2000-30, 2001-32, 2002-25, 2003-22, 2004-34, 2005-26, 2006-35, 2007-26, 2008-16, 2009-11, 2010-3. From 2007 to the present, 56 subdivisions have been approved, and only 4 denied. This is hardly the rampant “no growth” voting record Ms. Foss states as “fact.” These statistics can be confirmed in the records of the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder and Planning Office. The nationwide economic downturn has hit hard in Ravalli County, but when Ms. Foss states as “fact” that four public officials are responsible for the current state of our local economy is not only untrue, it shows a disturbing lack of understanding of our economy. Ms. Foss: Ms. Foss opines that Ravalli County’s “payable [insurance] losses are up 400 percent” and County insurance premiums have gone up “almost 100 percent” due to lawsuits. Ms. Foss again blames the 3 commissioners who took office in 2007. THIS IS FALSE. Fact #4: According to Ravalli County’s financial records, the premiums for the County’s insurance have gone up 27% since 2007. This type of increase is not unusual given rising insurance costs nationwide. Ms. Foss’ comment about losses paid by the County is wrong. According to County records, over the past four years insurance deductibles paid by Ravalli County have fluctuated from $50,223 in 2007-08 to $5,725 in 2008-09. In fact, the average insurance deductible paid by Ravalli County for the fiscal years 2007-2010 was $21,511. This is less than the highest deductible amount of $25,000 paid by the County in 2005. It is simply wrong and careless to say deductible amounts have increased over prior years. In regard to County insurance in general, Ms. Foss either ignores or is not aware of several other accurate facts: • Ravalli County belongs to a self-insurance trust with the Montana Association of Counties. Our insurance premiums are based on the claims of all county participants, not just Ravalli. • In 2009, Ravalli County was credited $20,000 for work done by County Attorney Corn. • In 2010, Ravalli County was awarded fees of $116,000 by the Court on a lawsuit against the County defended by County Attorney Corn. Ms. Foss: MS Foss opines that the commissioners’ settlement of the Saddle Hill lawsuit was in bad judgment. THIS IS FALSE. Fact #5: Insurance counsel advised settling this suit but in return for this, the developer agreed to set aside acreage as elk habitat, which the developer wouldn’t do in the subdivision process. Ms. Foss: Ms. Foss describes the Shooks as local citizens wrongfully sued by Ravalli County on “trumped up charges.” THIS IS FALSE. Fact #6: The Shooks’ and their partner (aka Plum Tree Properties, LLC, an out of state corporation) bought property south of Hamilton and started building a road into the Bitterroot River floodplain in 2006. They ignored repeated requests by the County to get permits; their work in the floodplain was stopped by court action. The parties agreed to resolve the case if the Shooks would get properly permitted. They did in November of 2007. See November 1, 2007, Ravalli Republic article “County Settles With Shook In Floodplain Case.” During the fall of 2007, the City of Hamilton looked into buying their land for a park. See November 29, 2007 Ravalli Republic article "Council to discuss park-land options." Two years later, the Shooks and Plum Tree filed a separate lawsuit in federal court seeking over $1,200,000 for the County's action in protecting the floodplain. Their claim, the County wanted their land for a park, was unfounded. After extensive and costly litigation by both sides, the County's insurance company decided to settle the case for $200,000. The commissioners (including Commissioner Greg Chilcott, the only commissioner on the Board at the time of the floodplain enforcement action in 2006) agreed, as a business decision, to pay $30,000 toward that settlement and the County was credited its $10,000 deductible for legal work done by county attorney Corn. The records for these lawsuits are public and can be read by anyone who wants the facts, instead of Ms Foss' inaccurate characterizations of the facts. Conclusions: Herein are six facts that Ms. Foss mis-used, mis-stated or ignored in her letter. To elect a commissioner that ignores facts, ignores the law and makes decisions based on distorted interpretations and faulty assumptions is not what this county needs in a commissioner. This can cause irresponsible decision making and more lawsuits than we have ever seen before. Commissioners should never be expected to overrule a vote of Ravalli County citizens, such as our right to vote on an airport extension or the 1 per 2 land use. These are voter rights that need to be respected. Democrats respect and cherish voter rights. What commissioners can do is rely on our County Attorney, George Corn, who is well-respected and has a proven track record of criminal prosecution and successful defense of civil suits brought against the County. Commissioners should search out accurate written documentation, gather facts and make decisions based on the law. If Ms. Foss really believes that county commissioners and the county attorney should ignore the results of valid elections and the law, and that it will be OK for her to make up her own version of reality as a way of governing, she should not be elected into office.
Phyllis Bookbinder |
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Hard to camouflage downsizingDear Editor, I was greatly saddened to see the announcement that the Ravalli Republic and Missoulian newsrooms will merge. Perry Backus is a capable editor and fine reporter and I look forward to seeing more of his work, but when you strip away the embellishments detailed in the article, the essence of the story means local control of our local newspaper is disappearing. As former editor of the Ravalli Republic and a newspaper editor for more than three decades, I have a fairly solid understanding of how daily journalism works. Sherry Devlin is editor of the Missoulian and has been for years. This new duty that was dumped in her lap is downsizing in its most pernicious form. Being editor of the Missoulian is a full-time job. Being editor of the Ravalli Republic is a full-time job. There aren’t enough hours in the day for Devlin to do both adequately. Her primary focus will, by necessity, continue to be the Missoulian, and we longtime readers of the Republic will be the losers. I can only wonder how long it will be before the two newspapers themselves merge and the Republic becomes merely an insert in the Missoulian?
Wayne Adair |
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Bad fire policyDear Editor, Granted this is a dry year and fire danger is up, of course. More reason to be careful, to not have roaring campfires, to not have fires that aren't contained. Also, how about the Forest Service laying off their "prescribed burns" that notoriously get out of control? Maybe if the Forest Service would put out the acre fire before it turned into a wildfire, endangering not only forests and wildlife, but homes and domestic stock, that would be a big step. We had a lot of moisture this year, even though it was a dry year in most places. With a little care, fires would not have happened. This is the end of August, we were almost home free, but fire fighters were complaining about not making any money, and the Forest Service believes we should let these "natural fires” go. Natural or not, and most are not, we need to care for the forests. Wasn't that the original plan for the Forest Service? We could make jobs by mulching or grinding up slash and using it in other products. Replanting forests, now that would be a good job, although not as easy as sitting there "monitoring" a fire. How about putting the mulch over the scorched ground to keep moisture in for regrowth? I have seen that done in other states. Maybe not using prescribed burns that destroy healthy trees making them susceptible to beetles and further fires. Maybe putting a man in the fire towers again. Yes, we all know about lightning, but usually lightning is followed by rain, and what if we put out the fire in a tree started by lightning? Wouldn't that be better than the millions of dollars spent to put the large fires out? Maybe then we could save what was beautiful and special about our valleys and our wilderness areas. Did you know that the Bitterroot/Selway Wilderness is one of the biggest in the world and yet we "let it burn"? What a legacy to leave our descendents - thousands of acres of charred forests and sterile ground, polluted rivers and erosion. With care we could save all of this for now and the future.
K. Gervais |
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