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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!”
‘The B Volume XXXV, Number 21
Spreading good cheer
Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!”
Another complaint against Stevensville mayor dismissed By Michael Howell
A holiday tradition that we at the Star really enjoy is when the Trapper Creek Job Corps choir makes their rounds singing Christmas songs at local businesses throughout the valley. Activity director Clarence Ferguson always makes it a point to include the Bitterroot Star on their tour and we really appreciate the good cheer! Jean Schurman photo.
Local landowners appeal gravel mining permit near Big Creek By Michael Howell
On October 30, the Opencut Mining Section at the Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit to mine gravel to Wade Moudy in the Victor area near Bell Crossing at the corner of Meridian Road and Curlew Orchard Road. The Moudy Pit Site covers 13.7 acres with 4.7 acres currently bonded for excavation purposes. The permit will allow up to 300,000 cubic yards of gravel to be removed across the 13.7 acres, although the applicant is only seeking a bond for 4.7 acres initially. At least fourteen appeals have been filed by local landowners objecting to the permit. The proposal was controversial, due primarily to concerns about the impact on groundwater in the area and Big Creek which flows nearby. There were other objections such as impacts
on existing ditches in the area, increased traffic at Bell Crossing intersection and other disturbances related to the operation such as noise, etc. During the review process, DEQ considered public comments submitted before, during and after the public meeting held in Hamilton on December 12, 2017. Based on its review of the proposal and comments, a series of deficiency letters were issued on March 16, 2018, April 25, 2019, August 14, 2019, and September 26, 2019 before finally approving the permit request on October 30. One of the appellants, Nancy Jacobsen, said that her objections extend beyond the personal impacts that she may have to endure from the mining project, which could last through 2032. She said the potential impacts to Big Creek should be of concern to everyone. “Big Creek is home to West-
The Bitter Root Land Trust is holding its fourth annual Art & Conservation Open House this coming Friday and Saturday at its office in Hamilton. It is a free community event. There will be hot cocoa, holiday treats and live acoustic music by BitterSweet Band that will, according to Bitter Root Land Trust’s communications director Emy Royce, “warm
your heart and soul.” There will also be a lot of local art on display. Talented artists from around the Bitterroot Valley will display paintings, pottery, textiles, jewelry and more. The art is for sale and a portion of art sales will be donated to the Land Trust by the artists. while you warm up with hot cocoa and music, you can admire and enjoy
slope Cutthroat trout and Bull trout. It is also a major access way for bear, moose, mountain lions, deer, elk,and contains elk calving grounds,” said Jacobsen. She said she is very concerned about the impacts on the creek and wildlife. “This, and the pits that may follow are going to ruin the environment here,” said Jacobsen. According to Jacobsen, a meeting has been scheduled by DEQ in Helena for Friday, December 13 for the case to be assigned either to the Board of Environmental Review itself, outside counsel, or the Clerk of the Board. No one from the Montana DEQ Opencut Mining division was available for comment on the process on Monday, nor were any of the Bitterroot Star’s phone calls to various DEQ staff returned.
Bitter Root Land Trust ‘Art & Conservation’ Open House
Manufacturing company seeks expansion grant
By Michael Howell
Lubrizol, a contract manufacturer of medical devices with two locations in Ravalli County, received support from the Ravalli County Commissioners last week in applying for a grant from the Big Sky Trust Fund to expand its operations in the valley. The $150,000 grant would be matched dollar for dollar to fund the $300,000 purchase of machinery and equipment needed for the expansion of the operation.
Founded in 1997, Specialty Surgical Products was a medical device contract manufacturer. Vesta acquired Specialty Surgical Products in 2011 and Lubrizol, a Berkshire Hathaway company, acquired Vesta in 2014. The company has two locations in Ravalli County, Hamilton and Victor, plus three areas that are mainly for storage, overall using about 30,000 sq. ft. They currently have approximately 80
See EXPANSION, page 2
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
the art inspired by the beauty of our local waters, wildlife, and working lands, which the Bitter Root Land Trust is working to conserve. Over the last 12 to 13 years the Bitter Root Land Trust, through the use of funds from the county’s Open Lands Bond program, Federal Farm Bill funds, and landowner contributions, has enabled the placement of conservation easements on the properties of 27 families in the valley with two more due to close in a matter of weeks. If you haven’t yet met the dedicated staff at Bitter Root Land Trust, this would be a great time to introduce yourself. The Open House is being held at the Bitter Root Land Trust office located at 170 S. 2nd Street in Hamilton. The schedule is Friday, December 13 – 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 14 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contributing artists include Karen Savory, Jennifer Ogden, Pam Watts, KJ Kahnle, Leisa Lewis, Bobbi Dye, Diane Olhoeft, Dulcie Belanger, Jessica Fitzpatrick, and Sharon Schroeder.
The ethics complaint lodged by Stevensville resident (now council person) Dempsey Vick on October 24, 2019 against Stevensville Mayor Brandon Dewey was dismissed by Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) Jeffrey Mangan on December 2nd. The complaint alleged that mayor Dewey improperly utilized public time and facilities to solicit support or opposition for candidates running in the Town of Stevensville’s municipal elections. Specifically, Vick alleged that Dewey violated Mont. Code Ann. §13-35-226(4), which states that: A public employee may not solicit support for or opposition to any political committee, the nomination or election of any person to public office, or the passage of a ballot issue while on the job or at the place of employment. When interviewed by the COPP, Vick stated that he recalled having around two or three meetings with Mayor Dewey pertaining to open seats on the Stevensville Town Council. Vick made it clear that Mayor Dewey spent these meetings actively encouraging him to seek a Town Council seat, by either running for election to an open seat or seeking appointment to a vacated
seat. Vick stated that each meeting between himself and Mayor Dewey occurred in either late May or early June. In Dewey’s November 6 response to the complaint, he confirmed the complaint’s assertion that he had met with Vick prior to Stevensville’s November 5, 2019 municipal General election, and that he additionally attended a separate meeting with two other individuals, whom he identified as Mason Buchanan and Trenis Hindle. “Contrary to the allegations submitted by Mr. Vick,” Mayor Dewey wrote, “meetings with candidates or others were always sought out by those individuals, and at no time did I use a meeting in my office to support or dissuade someone from seeking appointment or running” for municipal office in the Town of Stevensville. Both Buchanan and Hindle confirmed Mayor Dewey’s version of events. When interviewed by the COPP, Hindle said he did attend a meeting in City Hall with Mayor Dewey regarding open Town Council positions along with Mason Buchanan but that he, not Mayor Dewey, had requested the meeting. He went on to state that the meeting’s primary purpose was to discuss the recently vacated Town Council seats and the
process for filling them. Hindle stated that Dewey did not encourage or discourage either himself or Buchanan from seeking appointment to a vacant Town Council seat. While Hindle stated some discussion was had about the Town Council seat or seats up for election in Stevensville’s municipal general election for 2019, the elections were not a primary talking point and Dewey did not encourage or discourage anyone from running as a candidate for election to the Town Council. Buchanan, in his interview with the COPP, said that he, not Mayor Dewey, had requested and initiated his meeting. He said that he had been encouraged by outside individuals, not including Mayor Dewey, to seek appointment to one of the vacated Stevensville Town Council positions, so he asked Mayor Dewey to meet with him to discuss why the positions had been vacated, what the process was for filling them, and what exactly a job on the Town Council would entail. He stated that Mayor Dewey did not encourage or discourage him from seeking appointment to a vacated Town Council seat, nor were the Stevensville municipal elections or the idea of him running as a candidate for an elected Town See COMPLAINT, page 3
Chronic wasting disease sampling results continue to come in Samples from 25 deer harvested around the state tested positive for chronic wasting disease last week. The majority of the new positive samples were from animals harvested within CWD Management Zones, where the disease is known to exist. Two of the positive samples were from areas where the disease had not been previously detected. These include a mule deer doe harvested in hunting district 650 south of the Fort Peck Reservation, and a white-tailed buck harvested in HD 702 in Rosebud County. These two areas are adjacent to CWD Management Zones. This brings the number of positive samples collected this year to 91, including one elk and one moose. This year Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is conducting
CWD surveillance in high-priority areas in parts of northern, western and southern Montana, primarily from hunter-harvested animals. In addition, hunters in all parts of the state were able to submit their own samples for testing. Samples were sent for testing to Colorado State University and those results are reported on a weekly basis to FWP. Another round of results is expected next week. Hunters who submitted animals for testing, can check online for their results at fwp.mt.gov/CWD. With the general hunting season now closed, FWP will review management strategies, testing results and other collected information to make plans for the next necessary steps in managing the disease. CWD is a fatal disease that
can affect the nervous system of deer, elk and moose. Transmission can most commonly occur through direct contact between animals, including urine, feces, saliva, blood and antler velvet. Carcasses of infected animals may serve as a source of environmental contamination as well and can infect other animals that come into contact with that carcass. The disease was first discovered in the wild in Montana south of Billings in 2017.There is no known transmission of CWD to humans; however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters harvesting an animal in an area where CWD is known to be present have their animal tested. If the animal tests positive, CDC advises against eating the meat.
Stevensville School’s choir students, under the director of Kyla Morton, entertained the crowd with Christmas carols at the annual Parade of Lights in Stevensville last Friday. The event is sponsored by the Stevensville Civic Club.