Preparing for the Polebridge parade
LARRY WILSON / For the Hungry Horse News
It must be an age thing. As I get older it seems that winters get longer and the summers get shorter. I know we had a mild winter, but it didn't seem that summer would ever get here until this week. Now the Fourth of July is just around the corner.
For the first time in many years I will miss the Fourth of July on the North Fork. I am headed east to Fort Drum, N.Y. to take part in the national convention of the of the 10th Mountain Division Association. My dad was in the 10th during World War II and the 10th today is the most-deployed division in the U.S. Army with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Fourth of July is an appropriate time to honor all of our service men and women, past and present, for their service to the country.
It will still be a busy time on the North Fork.
First event will be the Landowners meeting on Saturday, July 3. No doubt they will discuss issues to be raised at the summer Interlocal meeting on July 7. Also, any proposed changes to the bylaws must be presented in writing at the July meeting with voting on them at the August meeting. In recent years there have been a lot of proposals but very few have passed. It is likely that the Land Use Advisory Committee will also meet to put the finishing touches on new limits on the size of gravel extraction for commercial use and possibly to discuss a change in building setback rules. Last year the county planning staff gutted existing regulations by ruling that any structure on blocks or skids is exempt from the 150 foot setback regulations along the main North Fork Road.
The real fun will be the big celebration at Polebridge on the Fourth. Since the Fourth is on a Sunday there will probably be an even bigger crowd than usual. As usual the parade will start at the Merc at noon, go out to the main North Fork Road and then return to the Mercantile.
Everyone making their first visit to Polebridge this year will get to see the refurbished store and experience the fantastic baked goods.
Biggest news is the expected reopening of the Northern Lights Cafe under new management. The full liquor license will not be available until later in the summer but there will be beer and wine.
To finish up — July 7 will be the Interlocal meeting hosted by the North Fork Coalition. In the morning, from 9 a.m. to noon, will be a Save Your Home workshop sponsored by the Fire Mitigation Committee of the Landowners Association and lunch at noon served by Glacier Institute staff. The Interlocal itself will start at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome.