Page 37 - Flathead Beacon // 9.24.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM BUSINESS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 | 37
ENERGIZING THOUGHTS David Bopp Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing
Building Permits
Building permits issued in Kalispell and Whitefish in August
BEING HUMAN CAN BE SUCH A pain! Some of our human nature really works to our own long- term disadvantage. Sure if we are vigi- lant we can resist, but our nature is built in and we always default back to it.
We have to choose to think critical- ly, make informed and smart decisions, and act on those decisions today other- wise we fall back on our default. The hu- man default is instant gratification and putting off until tomorrow anything less gratifying. We all do this; we run with the flock. We are sheep.
Here at Flathead Electric my interest in human nature isn’t so much along the philosophical lines. I am interested for more pragmatic reasons; last winter was cold, many suffered from high heating costs, and yet most people are still put- ting off until tomorrow the changes that could drastically make them more com- fortable this winter.
don’t run with the crowd, and we do what is needed or right always, no matter the circumstances. I know I love to think this and sometimes this is probably true, but not always. Instant gratification is hard to pass up even if I know that pass- ing it up right this moment would be in my best long-term interest. Thanks to our big brains we are very good at mak- ing excuses and creating reasons that justify our desire for instant gratifica- tion.
I want to challenge you to be a wolf today. Use that big brain of yours today to change just one decision. Stop being a sheep. Show me and the world that you can make the harder but better decision and stand by it.
You could choose to put some mon- ey away for the future, stand up against a wrong, or if the cold nights have you thinking about winter, then make today the day you take control of your comfort.
KALISPELL
Recipient: 93 & Church LLC; 133 Ruppel Way
Contractor: Silverbrook Investments For: Single-family residence
Value: $350,000
Recipient: Montana Rentals; 707 W Center St.
Contractor: Owner
For: Addition
Value: $6,000
Recipient: Harrod and Alicia Shew; 9 Wheat Grass Ln.
Contractor: R Porch Construction
For: Single-family residence
Value: $475,000
Recipient: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3, LLC; 85 Treeline Rd.
Contractor: Top Drawer Development For: Store
Value: $70,000
Recipient: Wayne Turner; bypass Contractor: Owner
For: Sound wall
Value: $75,000
Recipient: Amanda and Adam Dinstel; 146 Fifth Ave. E
Contractor: None
For: Roof
Value: $1,650
Recipient: G6 Hospitality Property, LLC; 1540 Hwy 93 S
Contractor: Systems Northwest, LLC For: Fire alarm
Value: $47,487.41
Recipient: Westcraft Homes; 167 Northland Dr. Contractor: Westcraft Homes
For: Single-family residence
Value: $240,000
Recipient: Westcraft Homes; 207 Northland Dr.
Contractor: Westcraft Homes For: Single-family residence Value: $225,000
Recipient: James and Charlotte Monley; 438 Third Ave. E
Contractor: Jim Luikens
For: Garage
Value: $18,000
Recipient: G6 Hospitality Property, LLC; 1540 Hwy 93 S
Contractor: VKW Construction, LLC For: Remodel
Value: $99,775
Recipient: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3, LLC; 25 Treeline Rd.
Contractor: Systems Northwest, LLC For: Fire alarm
Value: $7,367
Recipient: Flathead County; 920 S Main St. Contractor: Elite Fire Protection
For: Fire protection improvements
Value: $2,300
Recipient: Flathead County; 920 S Main St. Contractor: Stellar Integration & Safety, Inc.
For: Fire protection improvements
Value: $4,800
Recipient: Dale MotleyII; 311 Fifth Ave. E Contractor: Owner
For: Garage
Value: $10,000
WHITEFISH
Recipient: Gallery Development; 403 E Second St.
Contractor: Malmquist
For: Galleries
Value: $2,400,000
Recipient: Polebridge Merc and Bakery, LLC; 12 Spokane Ave.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $25,000
Recipient: Spokane Ave Properties, LLC; 601 Spokane Ave.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $100,000
Recipient: Cenex Zip Trip; 6585 Hwy 93 S Contractor: Rober W Ross Bldg
For: Remodel
Value: $500,000
Recipient: Curtis Thew; 1199 W Seventh St Contractor: Phil Mitchell
For: Addition
Value: $120,000
Recipient: Mark Johnston; 120 Mill Ave. Contractor: Paul Anders
For: Addition
Value: $101,980
Recipient: Greg and Debbie Carter; 31 Green Pl.
Contractor: Compass Construction For: Addition
Value: $35,000
Recipient: ENNA LLC; 919 Columbia Ave. Contractor: Right Angle Builders
For: Addition
Value: $35,000
Recipient: Pat Zanto; 958 Colorado Ave. Contractor: Vargo Construction
For: Addition
Value: $118,000
Recipient: Rick and Allison Magnuson; 2498 E Lakeshore Dr.
Contractor: Martel Construction
For: Single-family residence
Value: $2,800,000
Recipient: Randy Dunlop; 736 Birch Point Dr.
Contractor: Whitefish Builders
For: Single-family residence
Value: $1,500,000
Recipient: Jackson Trust LLC; 2530 E Lakeshore Dr.
Contractor: Bear Mountain Builders For: Single-family residence
Value: $1,620,000
Recipient: Jackson Trust LLC; 2432 E Lakeshore Dr.
Contractor: Bear Mountain Builders For: Single-family residence
Value: $1,560,000
Recipient: David Downing; 119 Mill Ave. Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $2,000
Recipient: Anne Moran; 105 Lakeside Blvd Contractor: Whiting Water Proofing
For: Remodel
Value: $7,119
Recipient: Hap Peters; 730 Somers Ave. Contractor: First Call Restoration
For: Remodel
Value: $22,000
Recipient: William LeLievre; 730 Somers Ave. Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $2,500
Recipient: Christian Persons; 421 Lupfer Ave.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $1,616
Recipient: Jennifer Frand- sen; 12 Dakota Ave. Contractor: Matt Maassen For: Remodel
Value: $1,730
Recipient: Cam Clark; 910 Birch Point Dr. Contractor: Travis Gray
For: Remodel
Value: $20,000
Recipient: Jon and Dee Rubright; 591 LaBrie Dr.
Contractor: White Cloud Design
For: Remodel
Value: $7,680
Recipient: Susan and Jason Barnes; 310 Columbia Ave.
Contractor: Ross Remodels
For: Remodel
Value: $2,455
Recipient: Alexander Moore; 700 Iowa Ave. Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $16,500
Recipient: Gordon and Jessie Opel; 3 Green Pl.
Contractor: Ross Remodels
For: Remodel
Value: $2,500
Recipient: Kim Lindstrom; 205 E Fourth St. Contractor: TBD
For: Remodel
Value: $17,500
“NORMALLY IN THIS COLUMN I REGALE READERS WITH TALES OF MY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PURSUITS OR MAYBE PROVIDE A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE THAT COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH BETTER COMFORT AND ENERGY SAVINGS. NOT THIS COLUMN.”
Recipient: John and Gayle Hoehn; 1030 Woodland Ave.
Contractor: Neil Lawrence
For: Addition
Value: $35,000
Recipient: 93 & Church, LLC; 115 Stryker Peak
Contractor: Jeff Yocum Enterprises LLC For: Single-family residence
Value: $300,000
Recipient: Bighorn Development; 149 Lupine Dr.
Contractor: Bighorn Development For: Single-family residence
Value: $199,900
Recipient: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3, LLC; 25 Treeline Rd.
Contractor: Automatic Fire
For: Fire alarm
Value: $11,600
Recipient: State of MT FWP; 490 N Meridian
Contractor: Jocko River Construction For: Roof
Value: $120,000
Recipient: Flathead County; 1035 First Ave. W
Contractor: Outback Construction For: Remodel
Value: $87,000
Recipient: Georgia Christianson; 305 and 307 Northridge
Contractor: Kent Meyer Construction For: Addition
Value: $9,000
Recipient: Flathead Valley Bridge Club; 22 Village Loop
Contractor: Richcreek Construction
For: Single-family residence
Value: $345,212
Normally in this column I regale readers with tales of my energy effi- ciency pursuits or maybe provide a little knowledge that could provide you with better comfort and energy savings. Not this column. I have no interest in what you did yesterday or what you might do tomorrow.
Tomorrow does not exist, never has, and never will. Tomorrow is where we go in our minds to store stuff we don’t want to do or that sounds too hard for right this moment. Today is all we ever have. Either something is done today or it isn’t. I am challenging you to finish read- ing this column and act today!
Back to the sheep theme. I know you aren’t a sheep, you are different. Of course you are. So am I, and so is every other person on this planet. Or at least that is what all of us like to think. Yet ev- ery social study looking at behavior dis- agrees, which means that either every study has been wrong or we are really good at thinking we are different when we aren’t. The truth is we are sheep in wolf’s clothes.
We love to think we are the wolf not the sheep. We are independent, strong,
Call today for an energy audit or call an insulator to get a bid on more attic insu- lation or call a heating and cooling con- tractor to upgrade to a more efficient heating system. Not tomorrow, today – now.
We still offer incentives and loans to help homeowners upgrade their elec- trical efficiency; windows, insulation, heating systems, lighting. In an electri- cally heated home you can receive up to $1,000 to upgrade to a ductless heat pump (highly efficient, comfortable and modern heating system).
There is even a limited-time incen- tive from one of the top manufacturers of ductless heat pumps if you act now. Mitsubishi is offering a $300 rebate for a system installed in October. We are working with other ductless heat pump manufacturers to match this offer from Mitsubishi but these will all be limited. You have to act today or you will be los- ing out on $300. Need help knowing who to call? Call me and I can point you in the right direction.
Stop living in tomorrow. Buck your human nature. Buck the sheep in you. Stand up tall and strong and do it today.
David Bopp is an energy services representative at Flathead Electric. He can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 751-5291.