Page 14 - Flathead Beacon // 9.9.15

NEWS
CITY BEAT
LIBBY
Libby Appoints New Councilor to Replace Outgoing Member
Gary Neff was appointed to the Libby City Council by a 3 to 2 vote on Aug. 31. Neff has been tasked with serving out the rest of former councilor Bill Bischoff’s term, who announced earlier this year he was retiring from the council and his job with Lincoln County.
Neff was one of three candidates who applied to serve out the rest of Bischoff’s term, which will run until January. The other candidates were Kristin Smith and Lee Bothman.
However, as with most political mat- ters in Libby in recent years, the appoint- ment didn’t happen easily. During the Aug. 31 meeting to appoint a new mem- ber, Mayor Doug Roll tried to veto the vote for Neff. The rest of the council voted to override the veto. In an interview with the Beacon, Roll defended his veto saying, “I have nothing against Gary, I just don’t know him that well.”
Roll and the rest of the city council have been entrenched in various politi- cal skirmishes over the years and most
FLATHEAD COUNTY
Commission Keeps Stage 2 Fire Restrictions
While federal and state lands are likely scaling back from Stage 2 fire restric- tions to Stage 1 in the wake of cool, rainy weather, the Flathead County Commis- sion could not come to agreement on such action during a Sept. 4 hearing, leaving county lands in Stage 2.
A disagreement between Commis- sioners Gary Krueger and Pam Holm- quist left the commission in a stalemate on rescinding the fire restrictions put in place in the heart of the heavy wildfire season this summer.
Commission Phil Mitchell was absent from the hearing.
Krueger, a farmer, argued that from his perspective, the change in the weather has eliminated immediate fire dangers, and Flathead County no longer qualifies as a high fire hazard area, making the commission’s imposition of Stage 1 and 2 restrictions no longer legal.
“When we’re given the authority as a county government to impose restric- tions on the public, normally we have to have the due process of the law,” Krueger said. “We’ve done these restrictions under the emergency portion of our state code and those restrictions are in high hazard areas.”
Since Krueger no longer believes county land, which he defined as that between Highway 206 and Farm to Mar- ket Road and North of Flathead Lake to Highway 40, is a high fire hazard, such
recently, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices accused the mayor and others of violating election laws. In 2013, the city tried to sue Allen Olsen, a council member running against Roll for mayor, accusing him of not living in Libby. The lawsuit failed and Commissioner Jona- than Motl said the city abused its powers by pushing the case. Some have suggested that Roll should be recalled. The mayor also recently announced he was running for city council to be a “spoiler” in hopes of derailing the chances of Olsen, DC Orr and Arlen Magill getting on council.
Libby Appoints New Police Chief
Terry Watson will be appointed as chief of the Libby Police Department this week. Watson is taking over for James Smith who retired on Aug. 31.
Watson was Smith’s handpicked suc- cessor, but in August it was revealed that the officer had been expelled from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in 2003. According to a report in the West- ern News, Watson had allowed another student to copy a report he had done. Both men were expelled, but in 2010 Wat- son was readmitted. He was hired by the
restrictions could impose on personal property rights, such as having a camp- fire on private land.
“I don’t believe that there’s any more fire danger today than there is in a nor- mal fire year as far as in the agricultural area, and in the area that most of the county’s property that we are imposing restrictions on,” Krueger said.
Krueger also said firefighting resources are becoming available as they are demo- bilized from the area’s major fires.
Holmquist, however, said she did not believe the immediate fire danger had passed, noting that Stage 1 restrictions allow campfires in developed rings, but restricts other activity, such as fireworks.
“My concern with that when you’re talking a campfire, it’s usually within a ring in a confined area,” Holmquist said. “(Campfires are not as) mobile as fireworks, where you can be throwing them out wherever, or, in turn, smoking, where you can throw a cigarette out your window and not worry about it because you’re not confined by Stage 1.”
Lincoln Chute, the Flathead County’s fire warden and fire service area man- ager, said the energy-release component of the fuels is still the same as it was the day a cigarette caused a fire in Evergreen that burned down houses, and most fuels have totally cured in the summer heat. Grasses along the highways and in fields that aren’t watered and mowed could still dry out in just an hour in the sun.
Chute said the possibility of a firework or errant cigarette tossed into the grass starting a fire is still “substantial.”
Libby Police Department in 2009.
The fact Watson had been expelled raised eyebrows among city officials, but they said that he has been upfront about the situation and after discussing the
issue decided to approve his promotion. Watson said his is looking forward to taking the top spot in the department and
being involved with the community.
WHITEFISH
Phase Two of Highway 93 Reconstruction Completed
The general contractor for the second phase of the Highway 93 Reconstruction project west of Whitefish — Karrow to Mountainside — announced that all major infrastructure improvements for the proj- ect were finished Sept. 4. This includes widening and paving of major roadways, implementation of sidewalks and bike paths, and completion of new water, sewer and storm drain utilities from Karrow Avenue to Mountainside Drive.
“The Karrow to Mountainside proj- ect is a great addition to Whitefish. We would like to thank the affected citizens and businesses for their patience and
support throughout the construction process,” said Chuck Stearns, Whitefish city manager. “Residents and visitors are already benefitting from sidewalks and bike paths. As our city continues to expand, the new infrastructure will pro- vide the support we need to grow.”
In addition to finalizing infrastruc- ture in early September, Schellinger Con- struction crews will focus on worksite clean up during the month of September. Crews will also continue with comple- tion of landscaping such as planting grass seed and trees. In Spring 2016, Schell- inger Construction will return to chip seal the roadway, which will take three to five days.
“We are pleased to finish on-time, with excellence. We could not have done that without the support of the commu- nity and our many outstanding subcon- tractors,” stated Marc Blanden, Schell- inger Construction’s Project Manager, “Schellinger Construction is grateful for the opportunity to serve our friends and neighbors and we hope these improve- ments lead to increased safety and enjoy- ment of the roadways.”
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NEWS
COUNTY BEAT
TASTING KALISPELL
Patrons line up for samples of cake from Ceres Bakery during the Taste of Kalispell. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
Krueger made a motion to rescind both Stage 1 and 2 restrictions, but the motion died without a second. Holmquist made a motion to rescind just Stage 2 and remain at Stage 1, which Krueger seconded so he
could continue to discuss his opinion on the matter, but then voted against.
“Looks like we stay with Stage 1 and 2,” Holmquist said.
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SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM