We sell
licenses
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID STEVENSVILLE MT PERMIT 89
• • 777-2822 • • 4039 HWY 93 N STEVENSVILLE
OUTLET STORE
For all your ammunition & Hunting needs
www.ammoandmorestore.com
Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!” – Established 1985 – Locally Owned & Independent
‘The Volume XXXVII, Number 22
’ ! l a c o L Best at Wednesday, December 15, 2021
www.bitterrootstar.com
Open lands legacy
Hamilton prepared for legalized marijuana by Nathan Boddy
have meant giving up what matters most according to Yoder, the place where he and his family have come to live. Jake and Fannie and kids moved down from St. Ignatius six years ago and bought half of an old ranch, about 70 acres, that was divided and sold in two pieces about 30 or 40 years ago. They came to love the place. Yoder is mostly known for his gravel pit operation along the Eastside Highway just north of Stevensville. But he and his wife and family have also managed the Yoder Angus Ranch for the last six years.
The City of Hamilton has taken steps to prepare itself for an entirely new landscape in Montana, being the legalization of recreational marijuana. When the voters of the state passed I-190 and CI118 in November of 2020, they set into motion the creation of a regulatory framework that will allow for the sale and consumption of marijuana by adults age 21 and over. Although medical marijuana had been legal in Montana prior to the passage of the new legislation in 2020, the new framework expands that right to recreational users as well. Town Planner Matthew Rohrbach explained to the Hamilton City Council that city staff has been “trying to prepare for this as best we can.” During the first hearing for the proposed amendments to the Hamilton Municipal Code on Tuesday, November 16th , Rohrbach expressed the importance of preparing the Municipal Code for the eventuality that marijuana vendors may be interested in setting up shop in Hamilton. He pointed out that, on January 1st, 2022, the Montana Department of Revenue will begin to issue licenses to sell recreational marijuana to those interested businesses who already have a license to dispense medical marijuana. If, by that time, municipalities fail to have established a regulatory framework for those proposed new recreational dispensaries, then they would risk being unable to regulate them at all. Much of the regulation that will govern marijuana dispensaries, however, will be done by the Montana Department of Revenue. Background checks, state licensing, security, taxation, seed-tosale monitoring, etc. will all be done at the state level. Additionally, a state regulation has already spelled out that a marijuana dispensary will not be allowed within 500 feet and on the same street as a church or school. Additional state-level regulations will dictate certain hours of operation as well as buffering and setback requirements. Nonetheless, the City of Hamilton, has an
See YODER, page 4
See MARIJUANA, page 3
“We knew if we didn’t do something to conserve this land today, it wouldn’t look like this tomorrow. Knowing that we will still be able to wake up and see manure on the ground, cows in the pasture and saddled horses for years to come makes this more than worth it,” said Jake Yoder.
Yoder Angus Ranch under conservation easement
by Michael Howell
After working with their neighbors and the Bitterroot Land Trust for a couple of years, Jake and Fannie Yoder were able to realize a deal that would not only ensure that their place remains a working ranch in perpituity, but also double it in size. The deal that made it possible was a conservation easement developed by the Bitter Root Land Trust and funded in part by money from the county’s Open Lands Bond Program. Of course, it meant passing up some multi-million-dollar deals for some other type of development along the way, but that would
Resignations result in complete turnover on Stevensville council by Victoria Howell Two members of the Stevensville Town Council resigned at the end of last Thursday’s meeting. Sydney Allen, a Ward 2 appointee who had just won a new term in the November election, and Jaime Devlin both resigned, citing abuse and stress as factors in their decision. Paul Ludington, who was defeated by former councilmember Stacie Barker in the November election, and Karen Wandler, who did not run for election, will be leaving at the end of the month. Barker and Cindy Crews, the other newly elected council member, will start their terms in January, most likely with the pressing task of appointing two people to replace Allen and Devlin. Devlin read a prepared statement at the end of the meeting. “Tonight will be my last night representing Ward 1 as Councilmember,” said Devlin. “The health of my family as well as my well-being must be my top priority. ”When I ran for election, I had visions of working with leaders of
our community and being a voice for those who had been silenced. In the past two years of my time serving on council, I have seen and experienced situations and behaviors that have damaged me. I
“
to be abused by people I represent, or my neighbors. Until the mentality of people living in Stevensville changes, it will not matter who serves on the Council nor who is Mayor. Until people stand up and say this abuse
I will no longer allow myself to be abused by people I represent, or my neighbors. Until the mentality of people living in Stevensville changes, it will not matter who serves on the Council nor who is Mayor.” - Jaime Devlin, (former) council member
did not realize that by being elected I would become a victim of regular verbal and mental abuse. I am told that this abuse is the culture of Stevensville, that this is just how it is. I am not sure why there is an unwritten expectation to abuse public servants and neighbors. What I do know is that we teach people how to treat us. I will no longer allow myself
is no longer allowed here, it will continue. My passion is to help others as well as the community(s) around me. I will continue to strive to leave this beautiful community better than I found it. I will continue my mission of helping as many people as I can, and I will succeed with teaching others of their self-worth. These will just not be done sitting at a table
representing Ward 1 of the Town of Stevensville.” “I’m going to follow suit and do the same thing,” said Allen. “I’m a school teacher and I cannot afford to be sued. I did not vote with my conscience tonight. I was threatened tonight that if I did something out of conscience I would be sued… The undue stress that this position has caused is heartbreaking. The town of Stevensville will get exactly what it deserves. We will end up with the government we deserve. “When I stepped into this role, I was acutely aware of the deeprooted turmoil in our town, and I had the utmost desire to help conscientiously grow and evolve the Town of Stevensville. I was unaware that forward movement would be muddled by negative rhetoric, false accusations, and misinterpretations of the law. It has been increasingly difficult and stress-inducing. Therefore, I am choosing to reallocate my energy into my career and family. I look forward to being an See COUNCIL, page 6