Editorial

Let us know about your summer activities

Jim Blow

Letters to the editor

Good luck Ann Brower

Editor,
Thank you, Ann Brower, for speaking at our potluck on Sunday, Feb. 21, at the Valley View Clubhouse. You were very informative and seem to know your issues very well. Any other clubs out there should have her come and speak at your meetings or potlucks.
Good Luck Ann campaigning for Lake County Commissioner.
Kelly Bailey
Polson

New fire station is not a warehouse

Editor,
I feel compelled to respond to the recent discussions regarding the new Polson Rural Fire Station, as there is much misinformation being spread.
It has been stated that the new station is a warehouse and not an “active” station, both of which are false. To start with, a few facts about the new station: it is located less than a mile from the existing station in Polson; it is located within the City of Polson; it is fully equipped and ready to respond with wildland fire fighting equipment; wildland fires constitute a major threat to the community and a large portion of the incidents we respond to; the Rural has two fully equipped structural fire fighting engines – one in Big Arm and one in Polson; the Rural has three engine tenders, that at a minimum can provide defensive fire fighting capability, one in Big Arm, one in Irvine Flats, and one at the new station.
To move the one remaining engine to the new station would place all the district’s resources north of the bridge — currently four of the five are north of the bridge. Why is this a concern? Statistically, one-half of the rural runs are south of the bridge: on U.S. Highway 93 south, in Turtle Lake, in Valley View, along Highway 35, and out to Minesinger and Reservoir.
Assuming the bridge is an issue, as they assert, their solution would leave no rural resources south of the bridge.
One writer suggests that the bridge was recently closed twice. There is a half truth to this. It was closed to non-emergency traffic; it has never been closed to emergency traffic.
Regardless of the foregoing, is there another compelling reason to move all rural structural resources north of the bridge? I have not heard any, but there is another issue to look at, response.
Currently, response is provided by an Interlocal Agreement which has Polson City and Polson Rural firefighters respond as one. Not only would all rural resources be north of the bridge under their proposal, but the response to emergencies would absolutely be slowed significantly.
Why? Because it is necessary to have a crew to respond.
Currently, when enough arrive to form a crew, the engine rolls. If you split the response, it could take twice as long, or longer, to roll an engine.
If there is a call now, the first engine typically runs with four or five, a combination of both rural and city firefighters. If half of those firefighters went to the new station and half to the city station, each will have to wait for two or three more to arrive, whereas together they have enough for a crew. This will delay response.
Why can’t the firefighters simply go to the station and respond? There is a large amount of personal protective gear (PPG) for fire fighting, one set for structural and a different set for wildland. This is kept at the station, with wildland PPG at the new station and structural PPG at the city station. It would be cost prohibitive to try and duplicate this at both stations.
The current arrangement continues to provide a high level of service to the community we serve. At a minimum, let's give this plan a chance to work. If there is a better plan out there, please bring it forward. Others have asked residents to attend the meetings and expressed your concerns, I encourage you to do so.
The board welcomes ideas and input from the community. You can also send me your e-mails at rjc@rjackclapp.com. Thank you.
R. Jack Clapp,
Polson Rural Fire Board Trustee
Polson Firefighter

Quarry work benefits the shoreline

Editor,
As a non-tribal member I am (I hope) making a respectful reply to Amlu Caye's letter, per the Chief Cliff "mine." This letter is also directed to others of our local tribes members. No disrespect is intended by me for my lack understanding of tribal lore or beliefs.
Amlu, having read your letter and trying as a non-tribal member to understand the hurt you feel in your heart pertaining to the rock quarrying going on, weather permitting high up at the foot of Chief Cliff near Elmo, I'm at a loss to feel much empathy for your ability to now have deep grief or the hurt you speak of in your heart over seeing "mining" going on way up there above the highway.
Are you speaking possibly as you've seen the quarry from an airplane window as you fly over? The quarry is well away from the foot of Chief Cliff itself.
Understand please, I have no knowledge as to the ownership of that quarry, none there are friends of mine. I want to read some common sense into your complaint, but so far I find none. As to the legend of Chief Cliff, I've heard about the little maiden who supposedly looks out from on high over the lake. Many times in going by I have yet to see her definable image up there. It just looks like rocks to me that I'm sure during the ice ages took a tremendous amount of abuse and no small amount of re-alignment. 
One thing that needs to be said here is that all over this south lake area (and maybe further) it's well known that the cubical rock from up there is going to very good use in shoring up the shorelines from erosions due to wave action during storms. Some recent work being done near us here within the Polson city limits ... as a permanent barrier to keep dirt from washing down into Flathead Lake with regularity. 
Frankly, and I'm sure I'm speaking for many, I hope the hurt in your heart eases, and you are able to find more peace with the inevitable progress going on in this area. Please consider taking up your issues with the tribal shoreline protection office in Polson. It's my bet that those people familiar to me will have only good things to say about that quarry, the way they are conducting what they do up there to better not only the lakeshore erosions but also other nearby community works that curb erosion and just look very good to the eye. 
Please let your heart not be troubled Amlu — some progress is a darn good thing for us all around here.
Will Elliott
Polson

Thanks for agreeing to protect the Flathead

Editor,
Today (Feb. 18) Premier Campbell and Governor Schweitzer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to protect the transboundary Flathead, one of the most critical habitats in North America. The Agreement will ensure that the Flathead is protected from mining and energy development, thereby enabling present and future generations to benefit from and enjoy this incredible landscape in its current pristine condition.
The vision of the Premier Campbell cannot be overstated, given that the area is home to the first international peace park, a World Heritage Site and a UN Biosphere Reserve. In addition to thanking the Premier and Governor for their leadership, the FBC would also like to thank the congressional delegation, and in particular Senator Baucus for his decades long effort to secure protection for Flathead.
Last but not least, the transboundary work of Flathead Basin Commission could not have proceeded without the support of the Montana legislature and the Flathead delegation.
The MOU is a critical first step in protecting this unique landscape, and we look forward to working with the Province of British Columbia, the Governor and Senators Baucus and Tester to implement this Agreement.
Caryn Miske
Executive Director
Flathead Basin Commission
Kalispell

Mining, energy bans not yet binding, permanent

The recent headlines just about said it all: "B.C. Bans Mining and Energy Extraction in the Flathead." This announcement and that of senators Baucus and Tester's to introduce similar legislation, and the subsequent Memorandum of Understanding between B.C. and Montana on the Flathead represent a huge shift in our transboundary relationship with B.C. over appropriate use of the North Fork Flathead watershed.
What's unsaid, however, is that much work remains to solidify a permanent conservation solution for the Transboundary Flathead.
What's that, you say? The work's not done? The North Fork's not safe? We can't rest yet?
That's correct. We can't ease up on the oars just yet. We have to actually pass federal legislation to make the B.C. and U.S. mining and energy bans binding and permanent.
And that's where local citizens continue to play a crucial role in protecting the Flathead. For it has been local citizen concern for our water, wildlife and outdoor heritage that has kept our politicians attention on this issue. Local folks need to keep telling our political leaders that we want the North Fork River, Glacier Park and Flathead Lake protected permanently.
To be sure, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell deserves high praise for listening and responding to his own constituents and to the international community for recognizing that the Flathead is a very special place and for banning mining and energy extraction in the Flathead. We strongly encourage folks to write and thank him at premier@gov.bc.ca.
And Gov. Schweitzer and senators Baucus and Tester deserve high praise as well for pushing this issue, sometimes bluntly, sometimes diplomatically, to the point where B.C. agreed to compromise and protect the Flathead. We encourage folks to write them as well - visit the web sites of each to send a thank you note.
However, senators Baucus and Tester and Representative Rehberg need to take two specific actions to address the unfinished conservation work on our side of the border.
First, they need to introduce legislation that retires and withdraws the existing 200,000 acres of dormant oil and gas leases in the Whitefish Range, west of the river and Glacier Park.
And second, they need to seek a bi-national agreement between Canada and the U.S. that formalizes the protection of the watershed. Only bi-national, federal legislation can guarantee that the Flathead's water remains clean and pure for generations to come.
You can play a direct role now by locking down the huge breakthrough with our neighbors to the north. Please write Baucus, Tester and Rehberg and ask them to move quickly to pass legislation that permanently protects the North Fork, Glacier Park and Flathead Lake.
You can become a “Voice for the North Fork” by writing to info@headwatersmontana.org.
(Editor's note: Dave Hadden is director of Headwaters Montana, a local, non-profit conservation organization that has focused on the Transboundary Flathead issue.)
Dave Hadden
Bigfork