Page 12 - Flathead Beacon // 7.15.15

NEWS
Improvements to Teakettle Fishing Access Site a Go Environmental assessment gives green light to fall construction
BY CLARE MENZEL OF THE BEACON
After recently completing an environmental assess- ment, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will move for- ward with a project to improve the Teakettle Fishing Access site, which is located along the Flathead River on Highway 2 in Columbia Falls.
Since its acquisition by FWP in 1975, the site has been popular for fishing, boating, floating, and other outdoors recreation on the river.
Tony Powell, FWP’s Region 1 fishing access site pro- gram manager, who is leading the project, says the site’s parking facilities, which the environmental assessment describes as “primitive,” have been overwhelmed for years. The site sees more daily visitors than the park- ing lot can hold, so cars regularly line up along the access road.
“We’ve seen skyrocketing levels of use in the past few years,” Powell said. So far this summer, “it’s been 90 degrees ... and everyone is going to the water. Our sites are full and there’s nowhere to park.”
Powell hopes this won’t be a problem come sum- mer 2016. Improvements include additional designated parking spaces and new drive lane to improve flow on
Teakettle Fishing Access Site in Columbia Falls. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
the access road.
Though the exact number of additional parking
spaces isn’t finalized, Powell says “we are working hard to provide as much parking as possible in a small amount of space, while still providing a buffer of open space and vegetation between the parking area and river as well as neighboring residences.”
Though the primary goal is alleviating the tight or
unsafe parking in a full lot, the changes will also align the site with the FWP’s best practices for roads, which ask that roads accommodate usage and minimize soil disturbance around parking lots.
Parking on the undefined areas at the site has led to the degradation of riparian habitat. If the site was left as is, erosion would continue to impact river sediment and disturb vegetation.
The completed environmental assessment found that any minor impacts related to the brief disturbances from construction would be strictly short term, with no enduring negative impact. The proposed action will also have no impact on public services, utilities, or taxes.
Most comments during a 30-day period for public feedback voiced praise, agreeing that improvements are long overdue. Some expressed disappointment that the proposal originally called for a reduction in truck and trailer parking, and FWP is adjusting plans to accom- modate this need.
The next course of action for FWP is applying for fed- eral aid to complete the project. FWP regularly receives aid for similar projects related to water access for boat- ing. Construction is scheduled for late fall.
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Libby Mayor Runs For City Council as a ‘Spoiler’
Roll running for city council in hopes of derailing other candidates, says he will not run for re-election in 2017
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
Libby Mayor Doug Roll’s final cam-
paign for public office will be an inter- esting one.
Roll, who still has two years in office as the city’s chief executive, has decided to run for city council in hopes of pre- venting three political adversaries from getting or staying on the board. Roll said as mayor it would be inappropriate for him to meddle in a municipal election, but as a candidate he can say whatever he wants.
“I’m running as a spoiler,” Roll said. “I want to make sure that Allen Olsen, DC Orr and Arlen Magill don’t get on the
council.”
Magill, Orr and Olsen, who is already
on the council, are among 10 people who have filed for four spots that will be available this fall. The three candidates with the most votes will be placed on the council.
Roll’s decision to run for city council just to disrupt the three men’s chances is just the latest in a long dispute between the mayor and Olsen, who was elected in 2011. Since then, Roll has butted heads with Olsen and the others on numerous occasions. Recently, the Montana Com- missioner of Political Practices alleged that Roll, former City Attorney James Reintsma and the Libby City Council
possibly influenced the 2013 mayoral election when the city filed a lawsuit against Olsen alleging he was not a res- ident and thus could not run for mayor against Roll. Roll beat Olsen by just 13 votes.
Roll said the allegations are unwar- ranted and that Olsen, Orr and Magill are the sources of controversy, not him.
“We’ve been dealing with their crap for 15 years,” Roll said. “People say the city council is full of controversy but that’s not true. It’s Orr and Olsen that make up the controversies.”
Orr said he was not surprised that Roll was trying to derail his chances and was confident it would not work.
“He has no respect for free and fair elections,” Orr said of Roll.
Roll said he does not plan on cam- paigning for himself or even voting for himself, but he will campaign against the other three. He said if he is in the top three, he will not step down to become a councilor and will serve out his term as mayor. He said he does not plan on run- ning for re-election in two years.
“It’s time for younger people to get involved and people with new ideas,” he said.
The upcoming municipal election is
Nov. 3.
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JULY 15, 2015 | FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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