Page 19 - Flathead Beacon // 3.26.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS MARCH 26, 2014 | 19

The Roundup
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From Beacon wire and news services
STRUGGLE

WITH YOUR
had discussions on whether to narrowly
FLATHEAD
reopen negotiations to incorporate the
TAXES
water-use agreement and its water allo-
KALISPELL MAN PLEADS cations into the larger compact, he said.
GUILTY TO DUI CRASH, 2 DIED
“If changes are needed in the com-
ANYMORE!
Kalispell man pleaded guilty to kill- pact, they need to be agreed to by both
ing two men in a drunken driving crash sides,” Tweeten said. “Whatever one
last fall.
side might want to go forward with ...
Joseph Leroy Powell pleaded guilty can’t be dictated to the other.”

The Professionals at Liberty Tax are Here to Help! last week to two counts of vehicular ho- It may be diicult to reach a deal.
micide while under the inluence. He Ranchers like Laskody say the agree-
Come in for your FREE consultation where you can was charged after the Oct. 17 crash on ment would give them less water than
U.S. Highway 93 south of Kalispell that they need and are currently using, and
rely on Real Help from Real People.
killed 43-year-old Brian Delaney and it denies them what they see as a prop-
Powell’s passenger, 43-year-old Patrick erty right by giving the water rights to
Moulton.
the tribes.
Powell did not have a plea agree- “That causes real diiculties for peo-
MENTION
THIS AD FOR ment, leaving prosecutors free to ask for ple who own the land and have put the
the maximum sentence of 30 years in water to good use for 100 years,” said
$50 OFF!!!
prison. Sentencing is set for May.
Flathead Irrigation District attorney Y
John Metropoulos, who represents the • EAR ROUN
DISCUSSIONS HELD ON largest of the three irrigation districts D SUPPO• FRE
REOPENING COMPACT TALKS
served by the Flathead Indian Irrigation RT E – Satisfac
Discussions have been held on re- Project.
tion Guarantee• FREE –

Accuracy Gua• F
opening negotiations for a water-rights The district remains willing to nego- rantee
REE – No-ob
compact with the Confederated Salish tiate a settlement, but resolving the mat- ligation consu• FREE
and Kootenai Tribes to include protec- ter through litigation may be necessary, ltations – Copies of re
tions for irrigators living on or near the he said.
turns, Always• FREE – Aud
Flathead reservation, the chairman of Salish and Kootenai attorney Rhon- ! it Assistance
• FRE
the Montana Reserved Water Rights da Swaney said the tribes fully support E – Correspo
Compact Commission said Tuesday.
the compact and acknowledge the need ndence Assistceive a lette
But the dispute over who controls to amend it since the U.S. Bureau of In- ance – if you rr from the IRS• FR
e- or state.
EE – Cookie
the water and how much is allocated to dian Afairs took control with the dis- s, Coffee, Coc– and you
farmers, ranchers and others through solution of the Flathead Joint Board of oa, Juice and r children arep
the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project Control.
more always welcolay area and e
has intensiied, and it is unclear whether But the tribes don’t intend to reopen me! We have ntertainment
a deal can be reached.
negotiations fully or change what is in a just for them!
The hardening positions of those in- the agreement, she said.
We spec
volved in the conlict were apparent last The tribes recently iled a lawsuit ialize in:
week during a meeting of an interim leg- • Small Busi
asking a federal judge to declare they ness returns
• Earn
islative panel studying a proposed wa- have the rights to all the water on the ed Income Cr
ter-use agreement between irrigators reservation and to block three other edit
• North Dak
and the tribes that was an appendix to lawsuits in state courts involving water- ota Reciproci• R
the larger water-rights compact.
rights claims.
ty
etirement Inv
“This compact and the water-use estments
• Itemizi
agreement is a takeaway of the water CHARGES AMENDED IN FATAL ng – we’ll get
we’re already getting, and I don’t under- HAMMER ATTACK
you every cred• Split state re
it we can! sidency
• Capi
stand why we’re even having this discus- Lake County prosecutors have tal Gains
sion,” rancher Jerry Laskody said. “I’m amended the charges against a Polson • Rental/Ro
not willing to give up my water right to man suspected of hitting his father-in- yalty income• AN
anybody.”
law in the head with a hammer, causing
D MORE!
The Montana Legislature last year fatal injuries.
rejected the Flathead compact, which Desmond Alan Mackay was ini-
was the product of years of negotiations, tially charged with attempted deliber-
and four lawsuits have been iled since ate homicide for the March 5 attack on To see how much

then over claims to the water lowing on 67-year-old John Barrows of Polson. you may gain, call
or through the northwestern Montana Barrows died 10 days later at a Kalispell Liberty Tax
reservation.
hospital, leading prosecutors to amend or visit
Eforts to salvage the compact and the charge to deliberate homicide.
Service today for
the water-use agreement are continu- Mackay’s arraignment had been
ing. But the Flathead Joint Board of scheduled for Thursday but it was post- our FREE consulta-
Control, which negotiated the water-use poned for a week until the state can as-
tion and analysis.
1-866-871-1040 • www.LibertyTax.com
agreement with the tribes on behalf of sign him a public defender.
three irrigation districts, disbanded af- Mackay remains jailed.
ter the Legislature’s rejection, creating Prosecutors say Mackay waited by
the need to revisit the agreement, said a door to a garage with the hammer, in-
Liberty Tax Service 755-1040
Chris Tweeten, chairman of the Mon- tending to assault his brother-in-law,
1087 Hwy 2 West, next to Sears in Kalispell
tana Reserved Water Rights Compact who he believed owed him money. How-
Open 9am – 9pm, M-F and 9am – 5pm Saturdays.
Commission.
ever, it was Barrows who walked through
Commission staf and the tribes have
the door irst.
(Extended hours beginning April 9th)

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