| January 28, 2010
Editorial
Isn't it time to limit government spending?
By Jim Blow
Editor
It's just a one, followed by a three and a five and a bunch of zeroes. But all those little digits add up big.
 Jim Blow
This year's predicted federal budget deficit — the amount of money the federal government will spend that is above and beyond existing federal surpluses and what tax revenues are collected — is $1.35 trillion, or $1,350,000,000,000.00
Now President Obama has proposed a new bipartisan Congressional task force to come up with ideas on how to reduce this year's and future deficits that are predicted to be just as significant for each year of the foreseeable future. On Tuesday, the Senate couldn't come up with enough votes to even consider the idea.
Apparently, there's enough representatives in the polar opposite groups of "no more taxes" and "don't cut services" that they actually served together to cancel out an idea that could get the ball rolling out of the red ink.
In an Associated Press story, New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican, said what I suspect most of the public believes, that the vote is "Yet another indication that Congress is more concerned with the next election than the next generation." Although he would be expected to say something like that — he was a sponsor of the plan — he's right that it surely appears that it's politics as usual in Washington, D.C., where protecting jobs, protecting influential electorate and protecting special interests takes precedent over any commonsensical cause.
Despite all the promised change, not that much has changed inside the beltway.
It's been decades since our last constitutional amendment, but maybe its time for the next one. If ever we needed a balanced budget amendment, it's now.
Ironically, there's probably not enough support in Washington to get it done, where it is far easier to spend money that doesn't exist than to say "no" to someone who can vote.
Letters to the editor
Fire station should be fully utilized
Editor,
I am writing this letter in response to the Dec. 24, 2009 article in the Leader titled Fire station ready. It seems that Trustee Nelson and Chief Fairchild have forgotten why the new fire station was built north of the bridge.
During numerous Rural Fire District trustee meetings which I attended, it was stated that we needed equipment on the north side of the bridge to insure adequate structural fire protection should the bridge become impassible for any reason. Never did their comments say only wild land fire protection. This time of year wild land fires are not much of a threat, but structural fires are. If we just needed the station to spread out equipment, we could have rented storage space for a lot less than $230,000.
This is starting to look like a bait and switch. Now that we have a new fire station, we should ask what kind of effort has been made to get volunteers to staff the new station. Maybe at the next Rural Fire District board meeting, each board member can share along with Chief Fairchild what specifically they have done to get rural district volunteer fire fighters for the new station.
In addition to this, Chief Fairchild, the Rural Fire Chief, no doubt wants to get any new fire fighters trained ASAP and so maybe he can share how he is accelerating a training program for any new rural volunteers. If Chief Fairchild was to assign current volunteer fire fighters to the new station that live north of the bridge, he could with a single executive order make the new fire station a fully active station.
I doubt any current Polson city fire fighters that live in the Rural District would object to being assigned to the new station as they will be protecting their own homes. The re-assigned fire fighters could be complemented with new volunteers. It is my understanding that some of the fire fighters assigned to the Polson fire station are grandfathered into retirement benefits for both their city and rural fire fighting.
The re-assignment of some of them seems like a natural way to go as the Chief tries to maximize fire protection in the city and rural areas. In essence, I do not see how not making the new fire station fully active improves the Rural Districts fire protection.
Lastly, Trustee Nelson stated we need a radio for the new station. This I do not understand as we have two other stations — Big Arm and Irving Flats, currently operating without radios. If the Rural Fire District was not partnering with the city fire company via the inter-local agreement then we would need a radio for dispatch etc.
Rural District voters, I recommend we all attend the next trustee meeting which is at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at the new fire station and ask some tough questions about why the new fire station is not going to be fully utilized as quickly as possible.
Paul Maurer
Big Arm
Generous donations helped many
Editor,
From pancake breakfast to spaghetti dinner, day camp to weekend work retreat, and fitness walk/run to softball tournament, people of Lake and Sanders Counties generously volunteered their time, talent and dollars to benefit many individuals and non-profit organizations in our communities this past year.
Members of the Sanders/Lake County Chapter Board of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are grateful for the generosity of all who, during 17 benefits, events and projects, raised $38,146 in local funds. Because of this overwhelming generosity, Thrivent was able to contribute $8,520 of matching funds to individuals with medical needs and to non-profit organizations like Helping Hands, the Thompson Falls Food Bank, and the Mission Valley Christian Academy.
The local Thrivent chapter donated an additional $1,750 to six other area food banks and to Lutheran congregations who have special service projects like quilting and prayer shawl ministries. This was a record year for the local Thrivent chapter.
While we had fewer total dollars to give out, we supported more fundraisers, benefits and service projects than ever before. Working with the generous people of Lake and Sanders Counties, we were able to encourage and increase volunteerism while helping our neighbors in need. Many, many thanks to all who helped us help you.
In 2010, Thrivent will continue to support individuals, families and community groups through volunteerism, matching fund benefits and grants for hands-on work projects. Please contact your local Lutheran church if you know of needs within the Sanders/Lake County area.
Michal Delgado
Outgoing President
Sanders/Lake County Chapter
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
St. Ignatius
Health care debate continues
Editor,
This is a letter I wrote last year. As this issue of a health care solution seems less likely to become a reality, I think the triangulation theory looks better and better.
In watching the American debate on health care, I am struck by our collective inability to solve a problem which shouldn't be this difficult. It is my observation that human beings have an upper and lower nature. We all are aware of our strengths. I know I am; but most of us are oblivious to our vulnerabilities. Each of us has one boozer, womanizer, gambler, greed, temper, we all have a vulnerability which threatens to overwhelm our upper nature.
I am 55 years old. It is my observation that most Americans are aware of everyone else's vulnerability as well as knowing exactly what they should do to eliminate it and they are almost always correct.
The same people are usually clueless about their own vulnerability. In essence, we know what to do about those we have no control over, and we are oblivious to problems and solutions we have complete control over.
We have become a limited people who do a lot of finger pointing. I have suggested for years that the only way to solve the health care problem is to get the affected parties together and force a solution.
Insurance companies, medical professionals and lawyers. I call this the triangulation theory. Right now each corner blames the other two corners. All agree there is a problem. The problem is unsolvable until all three parties are present to come up with a solution. The solution will require all three corners to acknowledge the needs and importance of the other two corners.
This is how you come up with an effective, functional, long-term plan for health care, which benefits the entire nation. Until we go through this process, we have no idea what the solution is. We will do publicly what we do privately — finger point, rationalize and alienate ourselves from success.
We have become a limited people devastated by excess, limited in our ability to govern ourselves let alone accomplish a difficult complex task like health care. It is laughable to see our elected officials, media, and lobbyists beating their chests on their soapboxes when we are too stupid to begin a rational, reflective process, which would provide real solutions to the debate.
Rolf Harmsen
Polson
We'll remember, Mr. Tester
Editor,
In an open letter to John Tester:
We'll remember your vote in December. Now, we'll be wary of your actions in January.
P.S. Life begins at the moment of conception. When do you think that life becomes a person?
From one small voice from Lake County.
Rita Senkler
Charlo
Firefighters needed for rural district
Editor,
After many years of planning, the new Rural Fire District station north of the bridge has been completed. This new station will eventually guarantee fire protection to the residents who live north of Polson in the event the bridge is out of commission and will provide housing for the growing fleet of rural emergency vehicles that were dangerously crowding the Polson City Fire Station.
The district, which now encompasses 200 square miles, has dramatically changed over the last few years as ranches have been sold to make way for numerous subdivisions. Nearly all areas have increased their population from Valley View to the south, Turtle Lake to the south-east and Big Arm to the north.
However, the biggest population growth has been in the area just north of Polson including Jette Lake and Jette Meadows. Although this new station is north of the bridge it is in the center of the whole rural fire district.
Since 1960, the Rural Fire District has had various inter-local agreements with the City of Polson. The current agreement enables the city fire company and rural fire companies to work together when responding to emergency calls. Over the decades, the Polson City Firefighters have done an amazing job of responding to both city and rural emergencies. We thank them for their dedicated service. We also thank the Big Arm and Irvine Flats Firefighters who are always willing to help with the city’s emergencies and respond to every corner of the district when needed.
The new Fairgrounds Fire Station will be established with a rural fire company just like the Big Arm Volunteer Fire Company and the Irvine Flats Volunteer Fire Company. These rural fire companies have their own by-laws, elect their own officers and are under the jurisdiction of the Rural Fire District Board.
These companies, although they have separate identities, will continue to respond to emergency calls with the Polson City Fire Company per the inter-local agreement. They will continue under one shared Fire Chief who organizes training, oversees emergency calls and manages equipment and buildings.
To make the new Fairground Fire Station a fully functioning station with firefighting equipment capable of fighting structure and wild-land fires, we need more residents to volunteer to become fire fighters. The Fire Chief has advised the board that splitting the current firefighters between the two stations will delay response time.
We have agreed to his plan of only housing brush and wild-land fire equipment in the new station, however, this plan should change as new volunteer firefighters are recruited and trained. We give a warm welcome and a big thank you to Greg Perkins and Paul Iverson who are the first volunteers for the new station. Will you consider joining them?
Being a firefighter can be a very personally rewarding experience as it is an opportunity to provide an invaluable community service through protection of lives and property of your family and residents of this rural fire district. We will train you to be a knowledgeable and safe responder and outfit you with all the necessary safety gear. Your training will be valuable to you both as a firefighter and as a home owner and for the safety of your family.
The board’s plans do not stop with this new station. Recently Trustees Manley, Meslin and Laisy applied for a Federal SAFER Grant, which will assist in recruiting, training and retaining more rural firefighters throughout the district. If the grant is successful the board will work towards establishing substations in the ranching community of Valley View and in the community south of Turtle Lake. These new substations and an increase in firefighters will bring us into compliance with National Fire Protection Association standards and will ensure better fire protection for the rural communities that are located more than five miles from the City of Polson.
Please consider helping your community by becoming a volunteer firefighter. For further information about volunteering or any questions about the Fire District please contact Trustee Alison Meslin at 849-6628 or Paul Laisy at 883-1621.
Alison Meslin
Paul Laisy
Polson Rural Fire District Trustees
Polson |
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