School bond alternatives
While providing our community with a branch library and a modern, technically efficient, educational facility are both highly desirable, I sincerely wonder if the alternative offered by the current school bond election is the best way to achieve these goals.
In the final analysis, the proposed modifications to the existing facility are not sufficient to address the current shortcomings. The width of the hallways will remain the same, the reconfiguration of the administrative offices and main entries don't really translate to providing an actual improved learning environment for the students, the modified student delivery and parking design will still have serious safety and congestion issues, and even though the proposal includes a better science laboratory, the majority of additional square footage represents expensive construction which fails to bring the entire facility up to meeting the needs of a 21st century school.
I think there are better alternatives which have yet to be discovered. It doesn't make sense to me to approve a plan that will provide a branch library, but will cause our students to spend the next fifteen years in an expensive school facility that will continue to have serious shortcomings.
Edd Blackler
Bigfork
Mining meeting
On Thursday, Feb. 21, Senators Baucus and Tester will hold a town meeting in Kalispell on British Columbia's proposed industrial energy projects in the North Fork of the Flathead River. We write today to help keep Flathead Valley residents informed of the grave threats B.C.'s development plans pose to Glacier Park and Flathead River and Lake.
Of particular concern, British Columbia actively invited BP-Canada (formerly British Petroleum) to explore for coal bed methane (CBM) in the headwaters of the Flathead River knowing of Montana's strong objections to inappropriate development in the headwaters of our North Fork. Montana has cautioned B.C. since 2003 against licensing the already proposed Cline coal mine on Foisey Creek, a tributary to the Flathead.
This project, dubbed the "Mist Mountain Project", would cover an area the size of the city of Tucson, Arizona (193 sq. mi.). The CBM project would transform a source of our clean water and a vital wildlife haven into a single-use, industrial zone with 1500 CBM wells, attendant road networks, compressor and pump stations, gas flares and power lines. The effluent and runoff would arrive in Flathead Lake in 72 hours. Glacier Park and Flathead River and Lake would be forever damaged.
Despite its claims, the B.C. government provides virtually no regulatory framework over CBM. A company like BP-Canada need only apply for a 'tenure license' and B.C. would approve 'exploration' that entails road building, well drilling, waste water discharge and other harmful environmental effects. B.C. requires no environmental assessment, no comprehensive study of affects on water or wildlife, no cumulative effects analysis of CBM development and other ongoing or reasonably foreseeable industrial projects. A license to 'explore' in B.C. is tantamount to allowing 'commercial production' without regard to environmental consequences.
That the B.C. government should promote the CBM industry in the Flathead and excuse itself from its own rhetoric with regard to protecting the environment demonstrates an essential lack of social decency or neighborliness. That they should do so on the immediate outskirts of the internationally renowned Waterton - Glacier Peace Park indicates their very poor judgment and governance.
We believe the B.C. government lacks the environmental and social side boards necessary to adequately evaluate, modify, monitor or enforce the CBM industry in its province. That is why we have co-authored a letter, with other interested parties on both sides of the border, to Greg Reimer, Deputy Minister of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources. We ask for clarification and transparency in a B.C. process that has been anything but straight forward or transparent.
Citizens of the Flathead Valley, have a great opportunity on Thursday, Feb. 21, to participate in an important forum on B.C.'s proposed energy projects in the Flathead. Please plan on attending. The town meeting will be held from 3-4 p.m. in the Art and Technology Building on the FVCC campus. We look forward to seeing people there to protect Glacier Park and Flathead River and Lake.
Dave Hadden, President
Flathead Coalition
Bigfork
Beware of school bond
I just received a new yellow "bond election to be conducted by mail ballot" in the mail. The Bigfork School Board wants to "be authorized to sell and issue general obligation bonds of the District in the principal amount of up to Eleven Million One Hundred Thousand and No/Dollars ($11,100,000)"… "For purpose of providing funds to pay the costs of designing, constructing, furnishing, and equipping improvements to the high school facilities."
There was no mention in this mail in ballot of how much our property taxes would again be increased.
This is the same high school bond that did not pass in October. But the Elementary bond did pass in October for 5.5 Million Dollars which raised everyone's property taxes.
The key to finding out how much more this Eleven Million One Hundred Thousand Dollar Bond will cost each individual is to look at your Property Tax Statement and multiply the "Taxable Value" times .03658 and that is the amount added annually to your property taxes for the next 10-15 years. Check it out.
We are just starting to pay for the 5.5 Million Dollar Elementary Bond with our taxes. Adding another school bond for Eleven Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars will skyrocket them.
This is a mail ballot. Your vote only counts by mail. This bond can be won or lost by one vote. If you don't want a lot more property taxes, please fill out the ballot and vote NO to the Eleven Million Dollar Bond and mail it in now. March 4th is the deadline.
SW Miller
Bigfork
ANTE UP TO CONTROL CLIMATE OR NOT
Global warming is a verifiable fact, but whether it is human caused is still open for debate. According to the Assistant Director of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington DC there is no scientific evidence that humans are causing global warming.
Governor Brian Schweitzer directed the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to establish a Climate Change Advisory Committee. The committee has completed the Montana Climate Change Action Plan. This Plan and a survey can be found on this website: www.deq.state.mt.us. You have an opportunity to vote on the proposed recommendations (regulations) and incentives (money out of your pocket) for controlling the climate. Unfortunately the survey doesn't give you the benefit of knowing the cost of each item.
This is a serious matter. The degree that this plan is implemented through legislation and state government next session will depend on your support or lack of support of the survey items. Please make your vote count by filling out the survey prior to deadline of February 29. Although you don't have to give your name, do so to let them know that you are from Montana.
Senator Verdell Jackson
To the Editor of the Bigfork Eagle:
I would like to remind those who are suing the Millhouse Group to stop the development of the Kootenai Lodge and surrounding homes, that the people who come to Bigfork and buy or rent houses, work in the area, pay taxes and pay into Social Security, which may be going to some of you who are suing, are not illegal aliens. They have as much right to live, make a living, raise a family, retire or have a vacation home here, as each of you who are suing to stop the development. You have already put a couple of hundred men out of work. If they can't find employment elsewhere quickly, who will pay their rent, mortgage, utilities, car payments and buy food and clothing for their families?
Growth and development happens! If you want a dirt road to yourself, no lights to dim the starlight or headlights to momentarily shine in your windows, and no businesses or other facilities to provide more than what a gas station and mercantile store would provide, then go live somewhere far away from a place like Bigfork, where you can be as selfish as you wish. No need to share anything around you with others who might want to enjoy it too.
Lest you think this writer hasn't experienced the same issue of growth, we bought our Flathead Lake frontage property in 1968 while my husband served as a career Marine. There was nothing south of us but a 100 ft. piece of underdeveloped lake frontage, and south of that the state owned land of Bear Dance Picnic Park. The nearest house to the north was at least 700 ft. away and couldn't be seen from our property. Traffic on Hwy 35 was very sparse. We had the area virtually to ourselves. We built our home in 1994 and not long after that a home was built on the lot just south of us. That owner had arranged prior to the time either of us built, to have an access road put in connecting with Hwy 35, which benefited all of us who now live here. We now share a vegetable garden, and a well and our neighborhood to the south faithfully plows the entire road in winter, giving all of us access to the highway. Soon two other homes were built to the north of us. The neighbor next door on the north is a nurse that just established the Urgent Care facility that will be great boon to Bigfork residents.
Neighbors can be a great blessing. Millhouse Group has been a blessing to many families in this area by providing a living for them. Why don't you who are suing to stop the project start appreciating what has already been done as a goodwill gesture by Millhouse Group, in paving the road that goes to your houses too, causing a safe strong bridge to be built to replace the old wood bridge across Swan River, putting in a sewage system that not only serves his development but any who build in the area or wish to connect into it. Such systems help protect the clear waters we so treasure.
I have seen the restored lodge and some of the houses being stored or built. They are masterpieces created with the use of Mr. Millhouse's fortune and include the work of highly skilled craftsmen and artisans. If they are laid off in the middle of winter during our dead construction time, they may be forced to move elsewhere for employment and their highly developed skills could become unavailable in this area.
The grounds will be magnificently landscaped and nearby homeowners should feel privileged to have the crumbling historic buildings restored, as a landmark, and to have grass, flowers and carefully protected old trees create a beautiful surrounding environment. The development is open to any who would like to see it. I would suggest that you in the Swan Lakers group, who would like to stop the work, go and see it for yourselves. I would think you would have a feeling of pride to have it in your neighborhood.
To borrow from a quote of a revered former President of the United States, who said, "Mr. Gorbachev; tear down this wall", I say, Swan Lakers; withdrawal your suit..NOW!
Virginia Reed
Bigfork
Letter to the Editor and to the County Commissioners:
I read with interest the front page story in the Daily Inter Lake entitled, "Problem Awaits Solution". It seems that the 21 year old Flathead County Detention Center is proving inadequate as a facility to house our criminal population.
Authorities have commissioned an architectural firm to address this issue. I have another solution to the problem. Did you know that right now in the Flathead County Jail, a high percentage of the population is mentally ill? Did you know that sometimes the "crimes" committed by these individuals could be alleviated simply by helping them with this illness rather than housing them with criminals?
Therefore, I recommend that you NOT build another jail but build a facility that would house those who have been diagnosed with or are suspected to have a serious mental illness. When a person with mental illness gets help with their medication their whole world can turn around. There would not be a need to continue to house this population in the jail. This would be a proactive solution to what the commissioners say is high on the list of priorities right now. One of the biggest problems in the mental health arena is the cost of housing the mentally ill for a long enough period of time to make sure they are stable. If they go to a place like Pathways, the cost over just a few days is horrific. If there was a place that was a lock down facility that a mentally ill person could be placed in for 120 days or longer and the focus during that time was medication, group therapy, structure, life skills, etc, why not? Why is it that an inmate has basically no rights except that they can choose whether to take medication or not. Because of their illness, most mentally ill people would refuse medication but it is exactly what they need to be well enough to make better decisions and not go to jail. Do you understand that there is a revolving door into and out of the jail for the mentally ill?
Sincerely,
Katie Chamberlain
34 Velva Drive, Kalispell